Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Jack’s Winning Words 11/23/16
Thanksgiving Prayer:  “Give us this day our daily bread, O Father in heaven, and grant that we who are filled with good things from your open hand, may never close our hearts to the hungry, the homeless, and the poor.  Amen"  (From Abbey of New Clairvaux, Vina, CA)
This is a prayer that you might use at your Thanksgiving table tomorrow.  In fact it’s a prayer that’s appropriate for any time we want to acknowledge God and remember the poor.    ;-)  Jack

FROM IKE AT THE MIC:  You're right this is a perfect prayer for all our Optimist meetings.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!====JACK:  The best prayers translate words into actions.

FROM KB:  Happy Thanksgiving, dear friend. I am grateful for your daily words of wisdom. ====JACK:  I'm thankful for the many friends I have who receive the words...and you are one.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I love the name of her Abbey...obviously named after Bernard of Clairvaux's home Abbey.    What a powerful character was he!    Not so nice to poor old Abelard, however.====JACK:  I like this Abelard quote:  "The key to wisdom is this - constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question and by questioning we arrive at the truth."  I tend to be like the disciple, Thomas,  Sometimes I think that he gets a bad rap.  I have a friend who is a Thomas Christian.====JOHN:  Richard Charlesworth has written a book that suggests that Thomas was the Beloved Disciple....it makes a lot of sense....too bad we in the West have ignored him

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  I also like the Psalm: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (how easily we do forget).   and then, yes,  HOW best to share these benefits with those less fortunate that us?====JACK:  I give this mantra to my grandchildren as they move into adulthood..."Remember the poor!"

FROM F.I. TG:  Have a nice Thanksgiving Jack and your family.  We all have a lot to be thankful for.  All the best.====JACK:  We have to guard against letting the "headlines" divert us from remembering the many blessins we have...and so often take for granted.

FROM AW IN ILLINOIS:   Thanks  and happy thanksgiving...and a blessed Advent. ====JACK:  Don't get ahead of yourself.  The next holiday is today...Black Friday.

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:   HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you all from across the pond! ====JACK:  Brexit and Trump!  It's been an unusual year on both sides of the pond.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  There'll be a new empty chair at our Thanksgiving family gathering this year, but we will still count our blessings, which are many!  As we partake of such abundance, we do remember those who are hungry and without homes. How could we not?!  As Jesus reminded us, "The poor you will always have with you". Even in America this is true...(tho from what I've seen in India, Congo, Haiti, etc. they are not the majority in our country!) That is something to remember, too.====JACK:  There's a song from "Les Miz...Empty chairs."  I was going to use it , but couldn't get it to work.  But, I was thinking of some tables, like yours this year.

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