The KellyGram

Wisdom and Wit About the Wonderful and Often Wacky World of Words

Published by Bob Kelly

Resident Wordsmith and Quotemeister

WordCrafters, Inc.

www.wordcrafters.info

Providing the Right Word for Speakers, Writers, Ministry Leaders, Business Executives and Just Plain Folks – since 1979!

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Volume 6 – Number 12 December 2008

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Welcome to Issue 72 of The KellyGram!

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In light of the difficult economic and financial conditions facing us today, the choice of "Joy" as the focus of this month's quotations may seem untimely at best. The bad news seems to keep coming, with little consensus as to when we may reach bottom and begin the upward climb. Yet, it's also the month when "Joy to the World" will be sung all across our land, commemorating that centuries-old angelic proclamation: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

So, in the midst of all of today's gloom and doom, is there a place for joy? Well, in the words of Mother Teresa: "Profound joy of the heart is like a magnet that indicates the path of life. One has to follow it, even though one enters into a way full of difficulties." That theme was echoed by author Robert D. Foster, who wrote: "Joy is an inward singing which cannot be silenced by outward negative circumstances. Yes, even when life seemingly is falling apart."

Earlier this year, I was given a copy of a beautiful little book titled: Finding Joy: Simple Secrets to a Happy Life. Written by Mac Anderson, founder of Simple Truths, LLC, the book contains dozens of meaningful quotations and a spectacular collection of gorgeous color photographs.

To see a brief video featuring excerpts from Finding Joy, please click on the following link: http://www.simpletruths.com/a.aspx?af=1082&mo=FJOY. It might be the perfect gift for your loved ones who are having a difficult time finding joy during these troubling days.

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In This Issue:

Fun with Words
The Quote Corner (Joy)
Some "Tremendous" Replies
A Web Site Worth Checking
Smile Awhile
Odds and Ends
The Last Word

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FUN WITH WORDS

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Gift giving is one of the primary activities of this Christmas season, so we've selected six words or phrases which include the letters G, I, F, T in that order. As our GIFT to you, we're showing you where those letters appear. Your challenge is to fill in the blanks, using the clues we've provided.

Very important __ __ G __ I F __ __ __ __ T

Gym Rats __ __ __ G __ __ __ I F T __ __ __

Mayberry's Andy G __ I __ F __ T __

Let there be light __ __ G __ __ I __ __ F __ __ T __ __ __

Most older cars had them G __ __ __ __ __ I F T

Breathtakingly beautiful __ __ G __ I F __ __ __ __ T

You'll find the correct answers elsewhere in this issue.

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THE QUOTE CORNER (Joy)

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Joy is different from happiness, because happiness depends on what happens. There are elements in our circumstances we cannot help, joy is independent of them all.
Oswald Chambers

There are souls in this world which have the gift of finding joy everywhere and of leaving it behind them wherever they go.
Frederick W. Faber

Joyfulness is the mother of all virtues.
Johann von Goethe

Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulty.
Helen Keller

For happiness one needs security, but joy can spring like a flower even from the cliffs of despair.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself. In giving you will accumulate a deposit of joy greater than you ever believed possible.
Norman Vincent Peale

Joy is that deep settled confidence that God is in control of every area of my life.
Paul Sailhammer

If life seems full of struggle, it is also full of joy. Trouble is temporary; happiness is eternal.
Charles M. Sheldon

Joy is the standard that flies on the battlements of the heart when the King is in residence.
R. Leonard Small

Joy seems to me a step beyond happiness – happiness is a sort of atmosphere you can live in sometimes when you're lucky. Joy is a light that fills you with hope and faith and love.
Adela Rogers St. John

There is sweet joy in feeling that God knows all and notwithstanding loves us still.
J. Hudson Taylor

Joy is not gush; joy is not jolliness. Joy is just perfect acquiescence in God's will because the soul delights itself in God Himself.
Hammer William Webb-Peploe

(Note: These quotations are taken from our collection of more than 400 published volumes of quotations and 1.5 million entries. If you're looking for some quotes on virtually any subject, send us an email at bob@kellygram.com, or call us at 480-895-7617. Or, if you have a quote topic you'd like us to feature in an upcoming issue, email it to us and we'll get it on the schedule.)

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SOME "TREMENDOUS" REPLIES

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Our tribute in last month's issue to Charlie "Tremendous" Jones triggered a record number of responses, both from long-time friends and from others who were "meeting" him for the first time. The following are excerpts from some of their messages:

Thanks, Bob, for the beautiful tribute to Charlie. You put words to many of my feelings!!!
Dear Bob, Thanks so much for this month's KellyGram. I had never heard of Charlie Jones before, but in only a few short paragraphs you've helped me come to know him. Yay. Best Wishes,
Bob - What a wonderful tribute to someone who obviously contributed much to your life. I feel 'less' in a way for not having known him. However, your wonderful depictions remind me of other 'tremendous Charlies' in my life.
Thank you for the tribute to Charlie Jones. I never heard of him before. Now, I have – and it was a great pleasure to meet him, through your words – if only for a little while.
Thanks for the "tremendous" quotes. I sent some of them on to my son. I remember Charlie from a conference back in the early 1970s. Quite the guy. I still have space on my bookshelves for his Life Is Tremendous!
Really enjoying reading about Charlie T. Jones. What a man – sorry I never met him, but know I will when I arrive in Heaven. You described him very well, so in a way, I feel I do know him. Thanks.
Hi, Bob - I loved reading about Charlie in the Kellygram. I imagine writing about him was both heartwarming and heartbreaking for you. Thank you for all the stories you included about Charlie. All were uplifting.
Bravo, my friend, this is a beautiful tribute to a "Tremendous" man.
It was great to get this month's KellyGram about Tremendous Jones. I had the privilege to hear him a couple times. He spoke once to the staff at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He was certainly a dynamic speaker and one you had no difficulty staying focused on what he had to say.
Wonderful tribute, dear friend...of a dear friend!! How rich we are to have known and loved Charlie, and to 'have' him still in our hearts...AND to spend eternity with him!!!

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A WEB SITE WORTH CHECKING

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As a word lover, I subscribe to several word-related ezines, including A.Word.A.Day, published every weekday, featuring one specific theme each week. For example, the theme for the first week in December of this year was "Americanisms." The featured words were: skedaddle, absquatulate, discombobulate, flummadiddle and hornswoggle.

For those who may not be familiar with such words, and would like to amaze your friends by sprinkling them throughout your conversations, or in your speeches and other writings, publisher Anu Garg includes the pronunciation, definition, etymology and a sample usage of each.

For a free subscription, visit wordsmith.org.

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SMILE AWHILE

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In the spirit (sort of) of the season, we present the following "Christmas Carols for the Challenged":

Schizophrenia: Do You Hear What I Hear?

Dyslexia: slleB elgniJ

Amnesia: I Don't Know if I'll Be Home for Christmas

Narcissism: Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

Paranoia: Santa Claus Is Coming to Get Me

Obsessive Compulsive: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells.

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ODDS AND ENDS

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Back Issues:

All previous issues of The KellyGram, dating back to January 2003, are available on our website: http://www.wordcrafters.info/back_issues.html.

Privacy Policy:

Your privacy is very important to us. We assure you that under no circumstances will we share, distribute, publish, give away or sell our mailing lists or other information about you to any other party.

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You may copy or distribute excerpts from The KellyGram by using the following credit line: "The following is taken from the December 2008 issue of The KellyGram, and is used with permission." We will appreciate receiving copies of any publications in which you use materials contained herein. Thank you.

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As always, I welcome your support. If you've found The KellyGram to be a helpful resource, I'd be grateful if you'd send this issue along to your friends, family members and colleagues. If they'd like to subscribe – it's FREE – all they have to do is send an email to bob@kellygram.com or use the form at http://www.wordcrafters.info/newsletters.html. Thanks so much!

Comments/Questions:

Your comments and questions are always welcome. Please contact us at bob@kellygram.com, or call Bob Kelly at (480) 895-7617.

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Answer to Fun with Words:

Here are the answers to this month's puzzle:

Very important S I G N I F I C A N T

Gym rats W E I G H T L I F T E R S

Mayberry's Andy G R I F F I T H

Let there be light L I G H T I N G F I X T U R E

Older cars had them G E A R S H I F T

Breathtakingly beautiful M A G N I F I C E N T

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THE LAST WORD

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"Somehow not only for Christmas
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you."

(Elwyn Brooks White)

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