Ron Brackin Quotes & Sayings

I read the writings of great men and women so that I can think bigger thoughts. — Ron Brackin

Re: Full Disclosure
Sharing with parents all the ways we tricked them as a child is no more amusing to them when we are in our fifties than it would have been had they caught us in the act. — Ron Brackin

When a lady accessorizes in here in Texas, she's selecting caliber, not color. — Ron Brackin

Laws without enforced consequences are merely suggestions. — Ron Brackin

Is there anything God cannot do?
Yes.
God cannot learn, because he already knows everything and never learned what he knows.
He cannot lie, because he is truth.
God cannot reject anyone who has accepted his Son.
Whether you accept or reject God, he cannot love you more, he cannot love you less, and he cannot stop loving you with all his heart.
What a wonderful, limited God! — Ron Brackin

People are fond of saying this or that "changed my life." What they mean is something influenced their life. Only Jesus Christ--or WITSEC--can really change a life. — Ron Brackin

I'd rather be frequently quoted than widely published. — Ron Brackin

The artist is the only one qualified to criticize his art, because only the artist knows what he was trying to express and how satisfied he is with the attempt. — Ron Brackin

When God asks a question, it is always rhetorical. — Ron Brackin

Courtship is driven by hormones; marriage is sustained by humility and self-sacrifice. — Ron Brackin

Many who have found Jesus Christ wanting in time of need have God confused with a genii. — Ron Brackin

Eyes are wonderful! Revelation is more wonderful! Eyes deceive you; revelation does not. Eyes evaluate; revelation is certain. God gives everyone eyes; revelation is reserved for those who pursue him for it. — Ron Brackin

If women don't like men staring at their chests, they shouldn't write on them. — Ron Brackin

To hear a truth, we must first suspect that our present truth might not be. Like Alice's White Queen, who often believed six impossible things before breakfast, I believed many things in my life, considering them to be true at any given time but suspecting that they might not be, until I met Jesus Christ. When we encounter The Truth, we know it and can only accept or reject it. Denial is not an option. — Ron Brackin

We praise God, not because he needs our praise (for all glory resides in and on him), but in order to see him more clearly, enlarge our soul, and relieve our spirit. — Ron Brackin

Capitalism - trade and industry controlled by people instead of a state - is a fine notion. Sadly, it has devolved into a culture in which tradesmen and industrialists lie, cheat, and sacrifice themselves and others for money to buy stuff that doesn't work, doesn't last, and doesn't matter. And after they're dead, their lives haven't mattered. Even if they built a city, others will tear it down one day to build a park. Successful capitalists invest themselves in the lives of others. — Ron Brackin

Nothing conquers the chaos around me like the calm assurance that I am at peace with God. — Ron Brackin

In the world, success is measured in terms of legacy, what we leave behind. In God's kingdom, success is measured by what we send on ahead. — Ron Brackin

God clues us in to the fact that, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." In short, God is not logical. This is not to say that he is illogical, only that he is not limited by logic. Simplified, "logic" is connecting the dots. We identify the dots we consider relevant, then connect them into lines and patterns. God, on the other hand, may see that, beneath one of the dots is a stack of a trillion more dots, each of which may be combined with the others. Little wonder that our ways and meanings frequently fail to match God's ways and meanings. Great wonder that, when they don't, we tend to fault him. — Ron Brackin

One of the difficult things about growing older is that you start losing so many friends. On the other hand, the older you get, the less time you have to wait until you see them again. — Ron Brackin

The essence of the Christian life is not attending meetings or even praying and fasting. The essence of the Christian life is looking intently for bits of God in everything and everyone, everyday, so that you see him a little more clearly, everyday, so that he becomes a little more dear to you, everyday. The essence of the Christian life is being unwilling to close your eyes at night until, having seen a little more of him, you have become a little more like him. — Ron Brackin

OMG, I think I've become a feminist. I mean, I've always been in favor of women voting and being paid the same as men for doing the same job. But then, the other day on the train, I didn't get up and give a woman my seat. I thought about it. But then I thought it might insult her, might imply that I considered her weaker than a senior citizen, maybe even inferior in some way. But that's not what prompted me to fire up my laptop. I was brushing my teeth this morning and thinking about romance. People do that when they get older, I suppose. Romance is one area where men and women are still different - unisex lavatories and fashions notwithstanding. And here's the difference: a romantic woman envisions a knight on a white horse; a romantic man envisions a dragon in a dark cave. Think about it next time you brush your teeth. — Ron Brackin

You know how we sometimes sigh, "Well, that was a waste of time."? Or we snap at somebody: "You're wasting my time!" What does that even mean in the age of texts and tweets, TV and video games? — Ron Brackin

America indeed has become a progressive nation, if we understand "progressive" to mean progressing away from God, his incomparable blessings, and the moral foundation that made America great, and advancing toward a mythical utopia where mankind is in control of mankind (think "Lord of the Flies"). — Ron Brackin

The Holy Spirit never uses guilt or shame to persuade us to give. For that matter, he never persuades us to give in the first place. That's called manipulation, a device employed by a different spirit. — Ron Brackin

If one man challenges a statement and another cannot prove it, it does not necessarily follow that the statement is false. — Ron Brackin

While many people are proud of being self-made, it only explains all the flaws. — Ron Brackin

Writing is a solitary occupation, except for Presidential speeches and sitcoms. — Ron Brackin

We were created with the ability and the inclination to admire beauty. We should, however, do our best not to fall in love with it. — Ron Brackin

The problem with today's culture is that we have too many rights and not enough wrongs. — Ron Brackin

God cautions us in Isaiah 55:9 that his ways are not ours and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts (undoubtedly one of the grander understatements).
God is warning us that he is not logical and that believing him to be logical will lead to all kinds of disappointment.
Logic has been defined as 'the science or history of the human mind, as it traces the progress of our knowledge from our first conceptions through their different combinations, and the numerous deductions that result from comparing them with one another.'
Doesn't sound much like God. Yet, we so often strain our relatively minuscule brains to conceive, combine, compare, and deduce. Then we fault God when his conclusions disagree.
The repetition of this useless exercise leads to a form of insanity which ultimately manifests in denial of the existence of such an illogical God. — Ron Brackin

SUPPORT LITERACY! A child who cannot read cannot text. — Ron Brackin

In his natural perversion, a man wants to lie with a hooker, wed a virgin, and keep both. — Ron Brackin

We always find what our heart desires. If we search the Bible for loopholes and contradictions, we will find them. If we search the book for truth, it is there for the seeing. If we look for flaws in others, they become obvious. If we want to see others as a loving God sees them, he opens our eyes. If we look for a way out of temptation, it is always there. If we look for justification for sin, we will always find that, too. And if we really want to know God, he never fails to reveal himself. — Ron Brackin

Homeowners' Association: the means whereby people who own homes are able to transfer their rights to the neighborhood control freaks. — Ron Brackin

Complete honesty is not the same thing as full disclosure. — Ron Brackin

Judging art is like caging a bird. Instead of seeing it soar, you can only watch it flutter. — Ron Brackin

Gray areas are just the inability to distinguish between darkness and light. — Ron Brackin

America is a post-Christian nation only in the sense that we have built a tenement on the foundation of a palace. — Ron Brackin

A curse of being a writer is the compulsion to edit. Take the sign on my walking trail, for example. It reads, 'Watered by well water.' One of these days, no matter how hard I try to resist, I just know I'm going to paint it out to read, 'Irrigated by well water.' If you don't get this, it's because you're not a writer. — Ron Brackin

Who but the Christian, among the religions of the world and throughout time, worships a God who loves him so much that he died an agonizing and wretched death to pay for his sins? — Ron Brackin

The massive doors of Area 51 closed behind him, echoing like iron thunder. Carl stood for a moment, inhaling the hot desert air, wondering whether to tell the world the wonders he had seen, and, if so, how. Amazing things. Other-worldly things. Also a set of car keys. And one brown sock. — Ron Brackin

Mankind's first sin gave us the ability to know both good and evil. Our subsequent sins make us increasingly unable to tell the difference. — Ron Brackin

That America is an exceptional nation is unclear only to one who has not been taught its true history. It ceases to be exceptional only when its representative leaders cease to be exceptional. America, it has been said, is a nation of laws, not of men. The more it becomes a nation of men, the less it remains America. — Ron Brackin

RON BRACKIN'S TEXAS GLOSSARY "Peccadello" n. roadkill. — Ron Brackin

Man's strongest instinct is not sex or self-preservation. it's to level the playing field. — Ron Brackin

The right to choose does not mean the choice is right. — Ron Brackin

The more we thank God, the less we ask of him. — Ron Brackin

Do what you will, but never out of fear. — Ron Brackin

I am old enough to enjoy a bit of nostalgia, but wise enough to know that there haven't been any "good ol' days" since Eden (the garden, not the prime minister). — Ron Brackin

One problem with today's culture is that we defend too many rights and ignore too many wrongs. — Ron Brackin

There's no such thing as great art or poor art. Art is subjective expression. As such, it can be judged only as popular or unpopular. What is banned in Boston may one day receive a million-dollar bid at Christie's. Art has, therefore, no use for critics but frequently finds itself amused by commentators. — Ron Brackin

A truce between Israel and Palestine? Imagine walking into a doctor's office. You sit down, pick up a magazine, and begin to read. A few minutes later, a man walks in, the man who killed your wife, the man whose son you murdered. He sits down, picks up a magazine, and begins to read.
A two-state solution to the problem between Israel and Palestine? Imagine walking into a doctor's office. You sit down, pick up a magazine, and begin to read. Next door, a man walks into the restaurant, the man who killed your wife, the man whose son you murdered. He sits down at a table, orders a meal, and begins to eat.
In either case, there is an intolerable tension that has resisted resolution by diplomacy, combat, sanctions, or segregation. Forgiveness is the only reasonable solution. — Ron Brackin

When a friend of mine boasted about living in a gated community, I thought he meant Folsom, and I wondered whether he knew Charles Manson. — Ron Brackin

The nature of a true seeker after beauty is to overlook flaws. — Ron Brackin

Writing a NYT bestseller was a delightful experience. But there are many books which are read by few that should be read and reread by many, as well as books bought by many that are hardly worth the ink. — Ron Brackin

Not much has changed in the past 6,000 years. We still hide from God because we know we're naked. — Ron Brackin

Faith is such a wonderful thing. Without it, we would be panicky when we feel like we're standing alone and when the things we need and yearn for seem to be beyond our reach. — Ron Brackin

I don't object to the proliferation of the 'f-bomb' in screenplays because the adjective is vulgar but because it is unimaginative. — Ron Brackin

Writing is like gardening. Planting, watering, and weeding are not enough. You have to prune if you want growth. — Ron Brackin

What I like best about cell phones is that I can talk to myself in the car now and nobody thinks it's weird. — Ron Brackin

There's no such thing as good art or bad art. Art is popular or unpopular. What is banned in Boston may be bid on at Christie's. — Ron Brackin

Everybody has faith of some kind in one thing or another. Even the atheist has faith that there is no God. And the agnostic has faith in his belief that he is unable to believe. — Ron Brackin

Forgiveness is the virtue of the courageous, the response of the forgiven, the mercy of the just. — Ron Brackin

Q. How many docents does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Two. One to remove the old lightbulb and the other to tell the story behind it. — Ron Brackin

Subjective truth is an oxymoron; objective truth is redundant. Subjective truth is feathers in a wind tunnel, blowing anywhere and everywhere. Objective truth is an anvil, bolted to the floor of the wind tunnel. Subjective truth is your truth and my truth; objective truth is Jesus Christ - immovable, immutable. — Ron Brackin

If wool shrinks when you wash it, why don't sheep get smaller when it rains? — Ron Brackin

Reading book reviews is like asking other people to chew your food for you. — Ron Brackin

There is no such thing as a bottomless pit. If it were bottomless, it would not be a pit. The only thing that comes close to being a bottomless pit is the intrinsic depravity of mankind. — Ron Brackin

An individual who delights at all in the beauty of language does well to avoid becoming an attorney or a legislator. — Ron Brackin

Harpies, n. A disease transmitted to humans by birds with human faces. — Ron Brackin

Choose your words carefully. The only place you can take back what you said is the Congressional Record. — Ron Brackin

Science can neither prove nor disprove Scripture; it can hope only to begin to understand it. — Ron Brackin

Followers of Jesus do well to spend more time engaging him than explaining him. — Ron Brackin

Lust is insatiable, whether it feeds on power, wealth, or flesh. It eventually consumes our morality and ultimately consumes our humanity. — Ron Brackin

Confusion and doubt are an important part of faith. — Ron Brackin

It is not sufficient for artistic expressions to serve as "signposts declaring what it is to be fully human." They should impart a vision of what it can be to become divine. — Ron Brackin

If it's not whether you win or lose but how you play the game, why keep score? — Ron Brackin

Progressive. n. One who is unable to distinguish between novelty and enlightenment. — Ron Brackin

If sex is a skill, with its attendant expectations, frustrations, and failures, you are graded on performance; if it is an expression of love and commitment, you are not graded at all. — Ron Brackin

One difference between the Bible and the Constitution is that we can still talk to the author of the Bible to discover original intent. — Ron Brackin

Patience is not developed by being forced to wait in long lines or for long periods of time. Patience is a decision: to sit back rather than lean forward, to shift your weight from the balls of your feet to your heels. To settle your thoughts on now, to enjoy the journey, to give something or someone time to grow. — Ron Brackin

Lest we lay too heavy a criticism against any government administration
local, state, or federal
we are reminded that American government is representational. Political leaders reflect the people who elect them (as well as those who fail in this civic responsibility) as a mirror reflects those who gaze into it. — Ron Brackin

I'm 68 years old, and somebody asked if I'm retired. I told him, No, I'll still be writing long after I'm dead. — Ron Brackin

The words 'good' and 'love' have become so trivialized in our culture
not that our definitions were so accurate to begin with
that, in times of distress or disappointment, we struggle to believe that God is either. — Ron Brackin

We can read a good spiritual book in search of information or in search of God. We will find only what we're looking for. — Ron Brackin

The habitual use of profanity is not progressive, just unimaginative. — Ron Brackin

No one can take credit for inspiration or creativity. — Ron Brackin

Save the trees! Return to the gold standard! — Ron Brackin