Enthusiastic Ideas

Gary Henry
  • 5.0 (1)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED DAILY

Let’s make room for better thoughts. On Enthusiastic Ideas, Gary Henry shares a daily reflection focused on a single, positive word. It takes just three minutes to explore a concept that can benefit your character and enrich your life. Join us in finding ideas that deserve a home in your heart.

  1. Predictability (February 15)

    9H AGO

    Predictability (February 15)

    PREDICTABILITY (FEBRUARY 15) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/predictability-february-15/ "Our peculiar dangers are those that surprise us and work treachery in the fort" (Henry Ward Beecher). PREDICTABILITY IS ONE OF THE LEAST APPRECIATED OF ALL CHARACTER TRAITS. It’s one of those virtues that operate below the surface, and as long as it’s there, we tend to take it for granted. When someone conducts their relationship with us in such a dependable way that we never have to worry whether they’ll do as we’ve come to expect, we may think that’s just the way life is supposed to be and fail to appreciate that we’re actually being given a gift. It’s not until we have to deal with someone who’s erratic and unpredictable that we remember to give thanks for our more dependable friends. Their predictability adds emotional safety to the relationship. Some of life’s most difficult tests come as the result of unpleasant surprises sprung on us by other people. It’s hard enough to exercise wisdom and strength when problems march up and challenge us in broad daylight. But, as Beecher said, it’s even harder to deal with dangers “that surprise us and work treachery in the fort.” And it’s not only difficulty that is worsened by unexpectedness. Grief is that way too. “Unfamiliarity lends weight to misfortune, and there never was a man whose grief was not heightened by surprise” (Seneca). So aren’t you grateful for the “count-on-able” friends you have? Mine are valuable to me, and I try to thank them for their gift of predictability. Knowing what to expect takes a great deal of the stress out of life, and never having to worry that you’re going to be hurt by the fluctuations in someone else’s behavior is a blessing. In short, then, predictability is a simple but important part of friendship. Spontaneity is wonderful, to be sure, but the things we want people to do spontaneously are good things. What we don’t want are unfulfilled promises, broken commitments, frustrated expectations, and uncertain performance of duty. Life has enough ups and downs as it is; it will test us with enough surprises on its own. In the midst of these uncertainties, we need friends who are steady, those who are comfortably and confidently predictable. And since our friends also need that kind of friendship, it wouldn’t be a waste of time for us to move our own predictability up a notch or two. "The shifts of Fortune test the reliability of friends" (Cicero). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
  2. Romanticism (February 14)

    1D AGO

    Romanticism (February 14)

    ROMANTICISM (FEBRUARY 14) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/romanticism-february-14/ "Life is a romantic business. It is painting a picture, not doing a sum, but you have to make the romance, and it will come to the question of how much fire you have in your belly" (Oliver Wendell Holmes). ROMANTICISM IS A SPIRIT THE WORLD NEEDS MORE OF, AND TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT. “Life is a romantic business,” as Holmes said, but too few of us approach it that way. Too few of us see romance as anything more than the doing of special things by sweethearts and spouses. In our daily lives, we often fail to appreciate the power of romanticism in its older, more general sense. “Romance encompasses so much more than the spark of love between sweethearts,” wrote Thomas Kinkade. “[To be romantic] is quite simply to allow yourself to fall in love with life — all of life — and experience it fully, openly, passionately, and purposefully.” I agree with that assessment. Romanticism loves the adventure of life. And to sweethearts, I would add this: if you find no evidence of romanticism in your lover’s life outside of his or her interaction with you personally, watch out. You’ve probably got an unromantic lover trying to splash on a little romance just to win you over. It will pass! But I digress. Let’s get back to something more fitting for Valentine’s Day. It’s a fact, isn’t it, that we could do with a little more romantic love. While there’s more to the romantic spirit than the way it expresses itself in love, we should try to keep love from being anything less than romantic. It would be helpful to our marriages if the thoughtful things we do on this day on the calendar were spread out a little more evenly throughout the year. It takes work to keep the romantic fires burning, but it’s well worth it. However, to be honest, something else needs to be said. When a man and a woman pledge their love in marriage, something deeper than romantic love must guarantee the relationship. Romanticism may be the icing on the cake, but the cake must be cooked with ingredients that are delicious and healthful in their own right. "Love as distinct from 'being in love' is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit . . . [Spouses] can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be 'in love' with someone else. 'Being in love' first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it" (C. S. Lewis). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
  3. Breakthroughs (February 13)

    2D AGO

    Breakthroughs (February 13)

    BREAKTHROUGHS (FEBRUARY 13) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/breakthroughs-february-13/ "In life it is more necessary to lose than to gain. A seed will only germinate if it dies" (Boris Pasternak). A “BREAKTHROUGH” IS A MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT, ONE THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO MUCH FURTHER PROGRESS. It’s important in life to take whatever steps we can take, however small, and we ought not to underestimate the value of ordinary progress. But isn’t it exciting when a big step can be taken? On those occasions when some significant barrier or obstacle is overcome and we find ourselves in the presence of a whole new range of possibilities, that’s when we’re glad we kept going when it would have been easy to give up. As can be seen from the word itself, “breakthroughs” involve “breaking through” limits. The limit might be what we think is possible. It might be what we’ve been able to do in the past. It might be what we presently know or understand. Or (and this is perhaps the most common limit of all) it might be what we feel in the mood to do. Limits come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have this in common: they keep us from going anywhere but where we are right now. In one way or another, limits bind us to the status quo. When we have a breakthrough, we burst out of our limits and move ahead into new territory. The barriers are broken, and we learn that what we were previously limited from doing, we can now do. We’d all like to enjoy breakthroughs more often, but we don’t because we’re not willing to pay the price. Although they hinder us, limits do provide a certain amount of comfort and familiarity. And people who aren’t willing to experience the discomfort of “breaking through” are doomed to stay where they are. We have to lose certain things in order to gain others, and the loss can sometimes be so dramatic that it feels like death. But we can’t have it both ways at once. As Pasternak observed, “A seed will only germinate if it dies.” Perhaps that’s why people with the pioneering spirit aren’t very common. For all our talk about wanting progress, most of us are content to stick with what we’ve already got. But thank goodness for those who’ve got the courage to break through their limitations! Let’s appreciate them for the sacrifices they’ve been willing to make, especially when those changes were scary and unsettling. "One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time" (André Gide). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
  4. Courage (February 12)

    3D AGO

    Courage (February 12)

    COURAGE (FEBRUARY 12) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/courage-february-12/ "I am tired of hearing about men with the “courage of their convictions. Nero and Caligula and Attila and Hitler had the courage of their convictions . . . But not one of them had the courage to examine their convictions or to change them, which is the true test of character" (Sydney J. Harris). TODAY, AS WE CELEBRATE ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY, LET’S MEDITATE ON THE VALUE OF COURAGE. There can be little question that Lincoln’s place in history was secured by the courageous coupling of his character and his well-informed conscience. Courage is a quality of such fundamental importance that from ancient times it has been counted as one of the four “cardinal” virtues: justice, wisdom, courage, and moderation. The word “cardinal” comes from the Latin cardo (“hinge” or “axis”), and these virtues are cardinal in the sense that all the other virtues hinge, or depend, on them. They’re the necessary foundation on which the other virtues must be built, and there is even a sense in which courage is the prerequisite for the other cardinal virtues. In the practice of any good human trait, there are challenges and hardships that must be dealt with. Since courage is what overcomes these difficulties, nothing much can be accomplished without it. As James Matthew Barrie put it, “Courage is the thing. All goes if courage goes.” And yet it should be equally obvious that courage must be balanced by other virtues or it becomes an evil thing. As Sydney J. Harris pointed out, many of the most sinister figures in world history have been persons of courage, but their courage was not informed by justice and equity. It is no great thing to act courageously if our actions are not governed by a conscience grounded in valid principles. And so, as Harris suggests, what we need are folks with “the courage to examine their convictions,” and also the courage “to change them, which is the true test of character.” Abraham Lincoln was old-fashioned enough to believe that there are objective standards of right and wrong, and for all his courage, he also had humility. On more than one occasion, he took a position that varied from his previous policies, based on his growing understanding of the requirements of rightness for himself and for his nation. We’re indebted to his example, and we need to be more Lincolnesque in the living of our lives. May we always be courageous in what is right! "Without justice, courage is weak" (Benjamin Franklin). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
  5. Standards (February 11)

    4D AGO

    Standards (February 11)

    STANDARDS (FEBRUARY 11) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/standards-february-11/ "Pray to God we may have the courage and the wisdom and the vision to raise a definite standard that will appeal to the best that is in man, and then strive mightily toward that goal" (Harold E. Stassen). LITERALLY, THE WORD STANDARD MEANS “RALLYING PLACE.” On the battlefield, a standard is a flag or banner that rallies the troops to their cause. In ancient times, to be the standard-bearer was an important responsibility: the flag could not be allowed to fall. Then the word came to be used figuratively to mean an acknowledged measure of comparison, a criterion. Today, we often think of a standard as an expected level of conduct or performance. We speak of moral standards, ethical standards, business standards, and so forth. Without these reference points, life would be a chaos. A nation needs a worthy set of standards, and so do individual people. If we have no rallying point in our lives, and if there’s no minimum level of honor to which we hold ourselves, then we’re simply adrift, and nothing very good will come from our activity. Living with no standards produces mediocrity rather than excellence. We ought to be careful in selecting our standards. In the marketplace of ideas, there are all sorts of standards to choose from, many with a flashy appearance but little long-term value. It pays to be careful. There ought to be some standards that we refuse to compromise. There comes a time in life when we’re tempted to barter with the devil and “sell out” our standards. But there ought to be some things that are simply not negotiable. We may back up and back up and back up, but eventually honor must assert itself and say, “No further!” We need to be improving our standards constantly. Some of the best work we ever do is upgrading our standards. None of us has a perfect set of standards at present, and so we need to work on their quality continually, aligning them with principles of time-tested value. In many homes, there are two sets of dishes: one for everyday use and another for special occasions. Most of us also have more than one set of standards, one “idealistic” and the other more “realistic.” While meeting our highest standards may not be possible every instant, those standards can certainly be met more than once or twice a year. We should use our “good dishes” more often! "You must regulate your life by the standards you admire when you are at your best" (John M. Thomas). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
  6. Participation (February 10)

    5D AGO

    Participation (February 10)

    PARTICIPATION (FEBRUARY 10) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/participation-february-10/ "To say yes, you have to sweat and roll up your sleeves and plunge both hands into life up to the elbows. It is easy to say no, even if saying no means death" (Jean Anouilh). LIFE CALLS US TO MAKE A DECISION: WILL WE PARTICIPATE OR MERELY OBSERVE? Will we take part in the great drama or be content to sit among the spectators? Quite a lot depends on our decision. If we choose to be active in the living of life, good things are more than likely to happen. If, on the other hand, we decide to remain passive and uninvolved, it’s less likely that we’ll enjoy life’s goodness. Whether we’ve studied philosophy or not, most of us understand the practical difference between “subjective” and “objective.” Subjective things have to do with ourselves and the life that’s “inside” our minds, while objective things are those that exist “outside” of us. Regarding the objective world, Paul Goodman has said this: “It is by losing himself in the objective, in inquiry, creation, and craft, that a man becomes something.” Outside of our own minds and experience, there lies a vast, marvelous world to engage in, inquire after, and be involved with. And we aren’t really living a human life if we’re not immersing ourselves in this external world. Going back to the analogy of life as a drama or play, isn’t it true that each of us has some part, some role to play in the story? Surely we do, and the world loses some degree of goodness every time we back away from playing the part we’re uniquely equipped to play. Does participating require more effort than being an observer? Yes, indeed. Does it involve more risk? Without a doubt. That’s why, as Jean Anouilh said, “It is easy to say no, even if saying no means death.” But who wants death? It’s worth whatever it takes to overcome our inertia, break the bonds of gravity, and say yes to life! The word “life” can be used in different ways, and there is a sense in which the laziest, most passive person you’ve ever met is still “living.” But in a greater sense, that person is not really living; they are just “being lived,” as the saying goes. In the end, that kind of life has in it more to regret than to rejoice about. "The notion of looking on at life has always been hateful to me. What am I if I am not a participant? In order to be, I must participate" (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
  7. Caution (February 9)

    6D AGO

    Caution (February 9)

    CAUTION (FEBRUARY 9) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/caution-february-9/ "Be cautious. Opportunity does the knocking for temptation too" (Al Batt). WHEN WE’RE CONFRONTED WITH DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES, WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS. There are forces at work in the world that will destroy us and our loved ones if we don’t watch out. In the living of a human life, it pays to be careful. It is possible to be overly cautious, and if that’s your problem, today’s reading may not be helpful. But in my experience, those with that problem are in the minority. The swindlers of the world haven’t reported any downturn in their business lately; you don’t hear them complaining that people in general have become too cautious. No, I think P. T. Barnum (who said, “There’s a sucker born every minute”) would be tickled to death if he were alive today. We need to exercise caution in our beliefs. When we’re forming our basic beliefs, convictions, and opinions, we need to double-check for accuracy. “Opinions should be formed with great caution — and changed with greater” (Josh Billings). It’s easier to verify the truthfulness of our ideas and principles than it is to rebuild what we’ve destroyed by acting on false information that we carelessly accepted. We need to exercise caution in our relationships. Of all the damage that carelessness can do, none is more heartbreaking than the damage we do to other people. To a greater or lesser extent, everything we do impinges on someone else, and it’s not sufficient, when we’ve hurt someone, to brush the incident aside with a simple, “I just wasn’t thinking.” That’s the whole point, isn’t it? We should have been thinking. We owe it to those around us to use caution in our conduct. When we’ve been careless, we can’t expect the laws of the universe to rescue us. Those laws operate with great predictability: the crop we reap will always be the one we sowed. If we sow incautiously, it’s foolish (and also a bit arrogant) to expect the “law of the farm” to be set aside just for our convenience, as if we could make poor choices and still get the results that would have come from better choices. And in the real world, poor choices can be disastrous, not only for us but also for the friends and family members who are affected by our actions. It pays to be careful. "The sower may mistake and sow his peas crookedly: the peas make no mistake, but come up and show his line" (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
  8. Tranquility (February 8)

    FEB 8

    Tranquility (February 8)

    TRANQUILITY (FEBRUARY 8) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/tranquility-february-8/ "Calm's not life’s crown, though calm is well" (Matthew Arnold). IF OUR INWARD CHARACTER IS ONE THAT CAN BE CALLED “TRANQUIL,” THEN WE HAVE SOMETHING TO ENJOY. Our individual characters are the result of our choices, of course, and unfortunately, we may not have made choices that lead toward tranquility. If we haven’t, perhaps we should consider doing so. As Matthew Arnold suggests, a calm, peaceful state of mind is not the highest goal that should claim our attention, but rightly considered, it’s an honorable thing, worthy of our pursuit. It’s not the highest goal in life simply because many things would be worth sacrificing our tranquility for. For example, suppose a house is burning down and there are young children inside who need to be rescued. No one in their right mind would say, “Well, I’d like to get involved, but I prefer not to disturb my peace of mind.” No, we would courageously sacrifice our tranquility in a moment like that. So, peace of mind is like any other kind of peace: it is right for us to want peace, but we shouldn’t want peace at any price. Emotional feelings are fine, but life involves considerations more important than how we feel at any given moment. Come to think of it, one of the things that’s more important than our own tranquility is being an agent who influences others to enjoy that quality. We live in times that are agitated and stressful, and most of the people we meet need more calmness in their lives. The most practical reason, then,  for pursuing tranquility is so that we can have a peaceful influence on those we love. There is no possibility of being tranquil, however, if we look for it in the wrong places. It doesn’t come from diets, exercises, self-help seminars, faddish lifestyles, or hip philosophies: it comes from having characters that are aligned with true-north principles. As La Rochefoucauld said, “When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.” In a world of disturbing ups and downs, tranquility must come from living on the basis of truths that don’t change. "To live in the presence of great truths and eternal laws, to be led by permanent ideals — that is what keeps a man patient when the world ignores him, and calm and unspoiled when the world praises him" (Honoré de Balzac). Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

    3 min
See All (46)

About

Let’s make room for better thoughts. On Enthusiastic Ideas, Gary Henry shares a daily reflection focused on a single, positive word. It takes just three minutes to explore a concept that can benefit your character and enrich your life. Join us in finding ideas that deserve a home in your heart.

Information

  • Creator
    Gary Henry
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Gary Henry & WordPoints
  • Show Website
    Enthusiastic Ideas