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Some time ago I read a book that described writing 15 to 20 sentences on a single sheet of paper, the author called this exercise, Maxim’s. The intention of the book was to write these down and look at them every day,and by doing so they would bring meaning and encouragement to me on my daily journey.It seems like it would be an easy process, but it took more time than you might imagine to write down significant, impactful truth in a few simple catchy sentences and phrases. For the last four or five years I have looked at this list mostly daily and always weekly, and they have helped keep me focussed.  If I gave them to you, most of them would make little to no sense. The reason is, you do not know the back story. They are statements of fact, affirmations of faith, and lessons learned through the school of life, and truths learned from following the Lord.

Today I want to share a few of the maxims that I read nearly every day and I encourage you to try this exercise out for yourself. The first one is not original to me, it is a quote from John Wesley: “the world is my parish.” John Wesley understood  that his ministry was not limited to one congregation in one place. I use this maxim and statement in a slightly different way, I use it to remind myself that everyone I meet is in need of and deserves my undivided attention and concern. Even though I have a responsibility for a group of people in a particular place, I must never forget that I am to be sensitive to and helpful to everyone I meet.

The second maxim that I read is,” what would grandma do?” My grandmother was the most godly person I have ever known. She was always sensitive toward the Lord and concerned about others. When faced with a tough decision, I find it helps me to ask this  simple question. When asking what was grandma do, I usually come down on the right side of the issue.

The third maxim that’s on my sheet of paper is this statement: $50… $15,000. Whenever I read this I am reminded of something I did in regard to $50, that in turn cost me $15,000. This is the nature of maxims I’m not going to go into the nature and facts of the story, they really add nothing to the sentence or meaning. Merely all of us need to be reminded and think through something that seems like a good idea at the moment may indeed cost us more in the long run than we wanted to pay.

The fourth maxim simply makes this statement,” suck it up cupcake.” This comes from a story that my administrative assistant in Detroit told me a few years ago. Her daughter was going out for the cross-country team, it was their first practice, and she was in pain and out of breath. She saw the coach up ahead of her and hoped that he would tell her it’s okay you’ve done enough for one day. Instead he barked these orders out to her, “suck it up cupcake.” I added this maxim to remind myself, that  when I think I need a break or feel I need to coast or to take it easy, all that’s needed is to be reminded I just need to suck it up cupcake and keep moving.

Another maxim that I have simply states: no Bible, no breakfast. This maxim reminds me of the importance of daily reading and meditating on God’s word. The maxim serves to remind me that if I do not take time to study and read the Word it is as if I am going through the day without a sense of divine direction.  Therefore to impress upon me the importance of daily Bible reading, the maxim. “no Bible….no breakfast.”

Why don’t you try to write down some maxims

Let’s go out and make a difference in our world today!

5 Thoughts to “The power of a single sheet of paper”

  1. Bob Weaver

    I loved ready these maxims but must admit my mind kept going back to the cup cake pictured above the story. Thankful for your writings.

  2. Laurie

    Glad we made an impact on you, Cupcake! We miss your stories.

  3. JoAnn

    Haha. I understand!

  4. Carol Brewer

    Great article. Pat Summit, women’s basketball coach at Tennessee, often used the line, Suck it up cupcake even to Peyton Manning. Wonder how much more could be accomplished for God if we would just Suck It up Cupcake, quit playing the victim, and move on?

  5. Darryl Bogatay

    Thanks Ron for the mini-maxims list. I’m so glad we all accept the cupcake maxim as implied otherwise a trip to Indy’s Long’s Bakery could change one’s whole perspective on cupcakes – lol – It’s a great reminder that we must all FIND and REMIND ourselves of those mini motivators which keep us focused. Thanks my friend for today’s Horse Ride! – Bogie –

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