Winning Words 5/19/09
“To wish to be the person you aren’t is to waste the person you are.” (John Wesley)
This quote reminds me of a poem that I learned long ago. I’ll put it on the blog. We
each have talents and opportunities that are ours, alone. Let’s take an inventory and
work on them, for as we’ve heard: A mind is a terrible thing to waste! ;-) Jack

FROM J.B. IN WISCONSIN: Do you recall the poem
De sunflower ain't de daisy De melon ain't de rose
Why is dey all so crazy to be somethin' else that grows?
Jes' stick to de place you're planted and do de bes' you knows
Be de melon or de daisy de sunflower or de rose.
That was in a book of poetry my parents gave me (purchased from you when you were still in Irma)
It was one of my favorites. I don't know where the book is anymore but that little verse has stuck with me all these years. Have a nice day. God bless.

BE YOURSELF (Anonymous)
De sunflower ain't de daisy, and de melon ain't de rose;
Why is dey all so crazy to be sumfin else dat grows?
Jess stick to de place yo're planted, and do de bes yo knows;
Be de sunflower or de daisy, de melon or de rose.
Don't be what yo ain't, jess yo be what yo is,
If yo am not what yo are den yo is not what you is,
If yo're jess a little tadpole, don't yo try to be de frog;
If yo are de tail, don't yo try to wag de dawg.
Pass de plate if yo can't exhawt and preach;
If yo're jess a little pebble, don't yo try to be de beach;
When a man is what he isn't, den he isn't what he is,
An' as sure as I'm talking, he's a-gwine to get his.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I remember that poem well! I'm not sure where I first heard it but I used to hear it a lot. I don't want to be anyone else, but I would love to have a few different "parts" to me. I am happy though with who I am, what I have done, what I will do. I read a saying in one of my books a few days ago....."Jesus Knows me, this I love."

FROM MOLINER C.F.: Yes, And a waist is a terrible thing to mind. That's where I wish I were the man I was.

FROM L.P. IN MICHIGAN: This is a great quote. I think I'll try committing it to memory. Thanks.

FROM B.G. IN MICHIGAN:
This is a good one; as are many of your WW’s! As I read this, I thought of a similar sentiment that I read somewhere. Not exactly sure who said it…”When the end of your life comes, God will not ask you, ‘Why were you not more like Rick Warren or Joel Osteen or (fill in the blank). God may, instead, ask why you were not more like yourself.”

FROM J.H. IN OHIO: love this one....

FROM M.L. IN ILLINOIS: as we prepare for pre-school graduation, one of our graduates expressed a concern to her mother. the child stated, "someday i'm going to miss me." this little one doesn't waste a minute of who she is. doesn't sound like she wishes to be anyone else either. she's going to kindergarten. i'm going to be the one missing.

Be The Best Whatever You Are
by Douglas Malloch

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill
Be a scrub in the valley--but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway some happier make;
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass--
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here.
There's big work to do and there's lesser to do,
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail--
Be the best of whatever you are!

FROM ME IN MICHIGAN: "I wanna be a supermodel."