At Fort Leonard Wood, the Army’s largest basic and advanced training post, I served with command leaders to include hundreds of drill sergeants of all ranks. I served, too, commanders that I would have followed into combat at any time and any place. How did these men and women impress me and receive my loyalty? They were leaders trained in reassuring and encouraging others. They elicited a sense of self with new recruits, NCOs and officers with a reassuring word.

On Inauguration day I followed my daily routine of exercising at the Athletic Club. As my legs moved my mind was also active as I listened and watched President Obama give his address. His speech captivated and motivated me. before I realized it, I had exceeded my goal at the treadmill of 50 minutes. This awesome speech motivated me; his words somehow improved my power of endurance.

Reassuring spoken words renew and enable us to accept and successfully overcome the challenges of daily living. One source of such reassurance is to be found in the Bible, a book on the nature of God and mankind. In what we call the Old Testament, there is in Zechariah 3:17  words that lifted my morale.  This verse is a potent message:

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to see. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he shall rejoice over you with singing.”

On this day the words “delight” and “rejoice” from the verse give me confidence. Think of it and let this thought massage you spiritually: we are giving to the Almighty delight and our attitude and behavior cause the Almighty to rejoice.

Meditating on this verse fortifies and releases the spiritual resources. in all of us.  Focusing upon these words will enable us to successfully overcome daily challenges and release inner strength to face obstacles honestly and bravely.

Pamela Frueh, as she pondered these words,  wrote:

“God delights in me. I think of the delight I feel when my children and grandchildren, the powerful heart-stopping, breath-catching delight that seems to be part of unconditional love …  I am God’s child, awed by God’s love.”

Thought for the day:

God delights in me — and in you. Repeat these words frequently and experience a healthier outlook.

I get dozens of e-mails, bulletins, notes, jokes, “funny” surveys, cartoons, etc., replete with, overflowing with, saturated with: The “F” Word.

It’s a word. It’s in the dictionary. It means something (with many degrees of stress and passion). It doesn’t mean everything. It doesn’t suit everything.

I attend many events, many interesting, wonderful and creative events with political and social activists (experienced and novice), civic leaders, artists and writers, and fellow members of this community who have powerful messages. We have words for those messages. But when too liberally laced with profanity and vulgarity, the balance of that word power shifts, and we lose the interest, respect and attention of the very people we are trying to reach.

I move about many areas of the city, in and out of stores from WalMart to Kmart to Krogers and myriad others — to say nothing of restaurants and diners too. I watch and listen as adults pepper their language with vulgarity while chastising children for their childish verbal sniping. Yet children are merely mimicking the attitudes and behaviors — and language — of the adults surrounding them. Learn by example. But when the example is a daily onslaught of vulgarity and profanity, what do you think your children will learn?
The “F” Word.

It’s severely overworked. It’s overused and abused. Give it a rest.

If we are intelligent enough to be artists, writers, activists, lobbyists, concerned citizens or loving parents , we should be intelligent enough to make it through the day without using the “F” word to punctuate every sentence, or modify every noun or verb. It’s no an all-purpose adjective.

Yes, it’s a word that has power. Shock value. Punch. It’s also a word that can get to be unpleasant habit, so if you are going to use it, be conscious of it and use it, if you must, when when you can make it count. Don’t wear it out.

Most of us are too intelligent to be lowering our standards to a level in which the “F” word is as common as coffee grounds. It is cheap, demeaning and devalues every other word it is attached to. It makes the user seem just as “cheap.”

When I hear it (and all its permutations) repetitively in conversations, I leave the group. And I am saddened when I hear mothers and fathers using it so frequently around their children that these youngsters are taught that it is acceptable. The rude awakening won’t come until later, if ever.

When I get a post or e-mail with the “F” word and it appears more than once, (sometimes if it appears just once) I hit the delete key. If I get a comment with the “F” word (and/or a few other vulgarities) I hit the delete key. If I get too many from the same author, I delete the author.

The “F” word. Give it a rest. It’s tired.