I praise the Lord here today. I know that all my talent and all my ability comes from him and without him I'm nothing and I thank him for his great blessing.

There is no despair so absolute as that which comes with the first moments of our first great sorrow when we have not yet known what it is to have suffered and be healed to have despaired and have recovered hope.

A great mind becomes a great fortune.

There may be a great fire in our hearts yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke.

Youth is the period in which a man can be hopeless. The end of every episode is the end of the world. But the power of hoping through everything the knowledge that the soul survives its adventures that great inspiration comes to the middle-aged.

Life in abundance comes only through great love.

Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow-men.

Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness not through insensibility but through greatness of mind.

As more people rely on government programs the harder it becomes to conduct the necessary reforms to preserve them to help our society's most vulnerable.

Where there is little or no public opinion there is likely to be bad government which sooner or later becomes autocratic government.

All of us should have free choice when it comes to patriotic displays... a government wisely acting within its bounds will earn loyalty and respect from its citizens. A government dare not demand the same.

I've been in and out of Wall Street since 1949 and I've never seen the type of animosity between government and Wall Street. And I'm not sure where it comes from but I suspect it's got to do with a general schism in this society which is really becoming ever more destructive.

There is nothing inherently fair about equalizing incomes. If the government penalizes you for working harder than somebody else that is unfair. If you save your money but retire with the same pension as a free-spending neighbor that is also unfair.

As Americans we don't see the role of government as guaranteeing outcomes but allowing free men and women to flourish based on their own vision their hard work and their personal responsibility.

I hope all of you are going to fill out your census form when it comes in the mail next month. If you don't return the form the area you live in might get less government money and you wouldn't want that to happen would you.

Today if you invent a better mousetrap the government comes along with a better mouse.

The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest insane intolerable.

Our government... teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker it breeds contempt for law it invites every man to become a law unto himself it invites anarchy.

It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.

Do not think of your faults still less of other's faults look for what is good and strong and try to imitate it. Your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.

If you want that good feeling that comes from doing things for other folks then you have to pay for it in abuse and misunderstanding.

At Christmas play and make good cheer for Christmas comes but once a year.

You know when you really connect with the instrument and everything just comes out on an emotional level very naturally through your playing. That's you know a great night. And I think the reason I love touring so much is you're chasing that high around all the time trying to have another good night.