K The Ken Bradbury Foundation

← Speeches & Workshops

Howe Electric Employees

December 1999

Some day I’ll give a speech on speaking experiences. ---IC.. “Shut up! The sooner…” ---Large church in S’field. Senior Saints Club.. all there had been members for over 50 years. Nearly all in wheelchairs and walkers. 2 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. Huge room. No P.A. yet. “You may have to speak up.” ---Peoria.. during Caterpillar strike.. Management on one side and labor on the other.. asked to speak on “Effect Communication”… there was none present. ---YMCA here in town.. 11 and 12-year olds.. had not slept all night.. Supposed to sing for them. They’d forgotten the piano. They put them on couches.. Night of the Living Dead. ---Pilot Club last April… The strange feeling that no one remembered I was coming. (finally admitted last night) “We’re behind. Would you mind speaking while the meal is served?” ---Decatur last week.. in the Decatur Holiday Inn 75 inner city kids “I don’t want to disturb you, but I think you might like to know that Jesse Jackson is at the front desk.”

Bummy … Mark’s Brother’s Chilochothe

You’ve spent the last week getting ready for Christmas.. trees..decorations...buying gifts ... worrying about time... If you’re under 16: Oh Boy! If you’re over 21: Oh No! Between 16 and 21, you’re not sure of anything.

Christmas lasts only one day. The Prep. lasts weeks.

We get everything ready but the thing that needs the most work: Our head...our brain...our mind....(our heart)... WHY? BECAUSE WE’RE “TOO BUSY”

BUSY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT: ---Jim Kern: Mrs. Brown ---Anxieties? Look in your own purse or billfold. Me: Draft card. Comb.

SO..A FEW TIPS ON GETTING YOUR HEAD READY FOR CHRISTMAS....

THIS IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

  1. LIGHTEN UP! ---church lady ---Wear something really outrageous to work or school some day, just to celebrate Christmas. Stop being so normal. ---Take your shoes off more often. ---build a snowman in someone’s yard who can’t build one anymore ---Next time shopping: Say Merry Christmas to 10 total strangers. This week: 7th-grader in ShopKo.. “Come back here, you jerk!” ---Next time somebody at Hardees or McDonnalds tells you to have a nice day, ask them why. ---Send a love letter to someone you love then don’t sign it..let them suspect everybody in the whole world. ---Eat more ice cream this Christmas. ---Matt-Kim baritone.

  2. STOP GIVING SO MUCH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO AND GIVE MORE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO: ---What do you dread the most? Those things you have to do because you always do them and somebody expects you to do them.

GIVE MORE SURPRISES! The fifty-dollar gift you always give to the same person isn’t much of a thrill..to them or to you. Go ahead and give it if you have to, but give the one-dollar gift that nobody expects you to give. ---Give a flower to the lady at the checkout counter who’s always so friendly ---a decorated apple to the lady who always smiles at you at church..tell her it’s just because she smiles. ---Simply tell someone...”I’ve waited all year to say this, but I really appreciate you.” It’ll be remembered long after their Nintendo or their designer scarf has worn out. ---Give more gifts without letting anyone know who did it. The best gift: when the giver is unknown. Lockers at school for Mary. Goon Squad. ---I know a man: 10, $10 gift cert. At Lonzerotti’s. Clerks. Pulls into Burger King.. “Tell them Merry Christmas.”

THE IDEA BEHIND CHRISTMAS IS “SURPRISE”...When I was born, I had no idea that a baby was born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem to take away my sins. It was a surprise to me!

  1. FIX SOMETHING: ---Think of a problem you have which you just can’t get off your mind and you can’t do anything about. MAKE YOURSELF FORGET ABOUT IT FOR ONE WEEK. ---Think of a relationship you have which has been damaged. HEAL IT THIS SEASON. I know.. I know.. it’s their fault, but…

  2. Give Yourself this Christmas. It’s the one gift God wants most from you. ---It’ll make your load lighter. Jeff W: giving person. Tied up. Gave of himself even then. ---Becky E Albert Sweitzer: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who’ve sought and found out how to serve others.

Finally: 5) Stop trying to please everyone. You can’t do it. But by making a few happy, it’ll spread. Hiney the Mule.

I wish you the best Christmas ever...And ask you...while getting the tree, the house decorations, the cookies and the presents ready...take a few minutes to prepare your heart.

  1. Don’t worry about being thanked. Conway Twitty.

Merry Christmas

PAGE

PAGE 1