Wooden Wednesday

As a young boy growing up on a small Indiana farm, John Wooden’s family didn’t have a lot of money, but what they did have was the love and wisdom of his father, Joshua Wooden, to lead and guide him through his formative years. Upon his graduation from grammar school, John’s father gave him a two dollar bill and a 3×5 index card. On this card there were seven points on one side and a poem written by Reverend Henry Van Dyke on the other. The seven points  and the poem on this index card were the foundation John Wooden built his life upon.

Joshua Wooden’s Seven Point Creed:

1. Be true to yourself.
2. Make each day your masterpiece.
3. Help others.
4. Drink deeply from good books, including the Bible.
5. Make friendship a fine art.
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

Four things a man must learn to do
If he would make his life more true:
To think without confusion clearly,
To love his fellow-man sincerely,
To act from honest motives purely,
To trust in God and Heaven securely.
—Henry Van Dyke

I am declaring Wednesday to be Wooden Wednesday, so in keeping with that theme I will be expanding on one of these principles each week for the next seven weeks. I look forward to this  journey, and I hope that you will ride along with me.

I want to leave you with this brief YouTube video of Coach Wooden talking about his Dad’s Seven Point Creed at an awards ceremony. It’s only 6 minutes long, so grab a coke and watch.