Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Jack’s Winning Words 1/16/19
“What is permissible is not always honorable.”  (Cicero)  I wonder if Cicero’s mom ever said to him,. “Just because everybody jumps off of a cliff, does that mean you jump with them?”  It’s important to learn good decision-making early in life.  Knowing how to make good choices can dramatically affect our well-being…our friends, values, careers, work ethic.  Sociologists refer to  the herd mentality…”Everybody’s doing it!”  More importantly: “What will you do?”   ;-)  Jack 

FROM CH IN WB:  Just wanted to say I really enjoy your winning words and let you know my dad always used that jumping off a cliff example. He was quite a strict father and I think I'm better for it. ===JACK:  Blessed are those who have learned from others....How to make good choices.  How do you learn to make good choices?  Sometimes it's by making bad choices.  "I'll never do that again!"

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  As William Penn once said (and Bill quoted if on occasion) "Right is
right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if  everyone is for it." I'm reading Michelle Obama's book " BECOMING" and she stresses how her mother always made them make their own decisions, trusting that they would do the honorable and right thing. Might not work in every family, but it did for her and her brother!  Most of us know the right thing to do, and God does guide!  Good to think about Cicero's quote!===JACK:  Some people believe that we are born into a world as sinless beings.  In a sense that is true, except that we are "conceived and born in sin (into a sinful words)."  We already have two strikes against us, except for people (and situations) who happen to meet us along the way.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  We took the 3 little grandkids to their basketball practice.  They had lessons one at a time do we were there 3 hours.  Middle granddaughter Melanie kept asking us if she could go play in the hallway “because all of her friends were out there!”  Well, we could hear the ruckus out there and knew it wasn’t the place for her.  One of my questions to her was “If your friends jumped off a bridge would you?” And of course she said yes.  So we (I) talked a little longer to set her in the correct path.  She’s very intelligent and very loving so it’s very easy to correct her.  But it’s funny how your quotes often hit right on spot.===JACK:  Maybe you used the wrong illustration.  To Melanie, jumping off of a bridge into water might sound like fun.  Perhaps better... If all of your friends decided to throw their iPhones into the river, would you?===JUDY:  You are correct!  She would love jumping off a bridge!

FROM ST PAUL IN MESA:  i am avoiding all cliffs today!  thanks.===JACK: You'd make a bad leader for lemmings.===PAUL:  i would just tell them to go on i will catch up with them later!

FROM SHALOM JAN:  Long ago when WWJD was popular, I changed it to WWJHMD -- what would Jesus have me do?  As you say, it's important to set values in place to live by, but also to ask what challenges the Lord might have for me to live outside of my comfort zone so that others may thrive.===JACK:  Do you know why Cicero would never join "the crowd" in a wearing WWJD bracelet?

FROM DAZ IN CO:  That is so applicable in our world today, but I guess if Cicero said it all those years ago, it was applicable then too. The more things change the more they are the same.  ===JACK:  Forgetting "politics," I'm distressed by the erosion of basic values in the world today... the acceptance of less than the best as being OK.===DAZ:  We do our best and change things we can change and endure those we can’t.===JACK:  ...and then let it go.

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  AMEN to that!

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Yes life is all about making decisions each day! That is what makes it all so interesting!===JACK:  Yes, interesting! but they can sometimes be distressing at the same time.

FROM OPT MV:  I heard JFK’s mother Rose once said if it’s not illegal, it’s okay.===JACK:  Even though prohibition has ended, there are some churches that still use grape juice for Communion.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  "We have sinned against thee in thought, word, and deed...."    Many things that I think, I believe, are probably not permissible in regard to the "thought" aspect of that confession......they certainly are not honorable....e.g.   I despise the man sitting in the White House  ===JACK:  One of the "sins" is making judgment of others...but "word and deed" can be added to "thought" when it comes to the current White How.  Now, I join of people who kneel and confess: "Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned."




No comments: