4. Cyndi Darnell:

Elementary school librarian, nurturing spirit, and a crucial family stone as mother, daughter, wife, sister, and in-law in one of the healthiest families I have ever known.

There are two kinds of librarians I have observed. First, there are the mean-as-fire-ants noise hawks who give you a spit bath with their shushing every time you enter the presence of a book. These, of course, have their merits when you want to hunker down to study and need someone to lay down the law, but they certainly tip Machiavelli's scale towards fear rather than love.

Every once in a while, though, you find the other kind of librarian: a gem like Cyndi Darnell who inspires (even in children) the same silence by instilling love and respect for the books and reverence for knowledge.

In addition to being a world-renowned children's librarian, Mrs. Darnell (in partnership with her husband) has successfully raised four well-rounded children who love each other, seek things that are truly important in life, and contribute beautifully to society in their respective fields of interest. To me, in this day and age, that in itself is a miracle worthy of admiration.

Life Principles:

1. Remember that to whom much has been given, much is required and expected. As someone who has been given much, God expects more out of us than what we naturally would do (e.g. relax in a recliner and fall asleep reading a book). God blesses us to bless others, not because it's all about us.

2. Be content in all things- will your circumstances make you bitter or better? We have been given a choice of whether our experiences will make us more of a person or less of one. We should always seek to be patient, and to be content as we wait for the plan of our lives to unfold.

3. Use your time and resources to make a lasting difference. Most people do not have spare time in abundance, so make it count for something beyond yourself and the immediate future, and choose your causes wisely.

4. Hold out for the best. Many good things come in and out of your life for a season, but good things are just good things. Seek out what is truly the best.

5. Keep an "all for one and one for all" mentality with your family. Any time someone has an event, everyone goes and supports. Any vacation, any time you're eating out- stick together. No one gets left behind and no one gets to choose to stay behind, either.

6. To relate to children, seek them out and show them they can trust you. Smile, bend to eye level, play games to eliminate shyness, use their name, etc.

7. Have a "let me make your day" attitude in all you do. Every person, young or old, works hard to get noticed in some way or another because they crave attention and validation. Make people feel special by being an encouragement and complimenting them. Show them you think they are important and you care about their lives by asking questions and following up with more questions about their answers.