Sent by Judy

O Beautiful For Spacious Skies
Written in 1893 by Katherine Lee Bates the beautiful and moving lyrics of this classic American song were inspired by a trip to Pikes Peak, Colorado. They weren’t set to the tune we know today (Materna—a tune written more than a decade earlier). In fact, for a few years, they were sung to almost any folk tune that would fit the lyrics. The most popular was the traditional New Years celebratory tune, Auld Lang Syne.

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

Winning Words 6/30/06
“Quarrels end, but words once spoken never die.” (African Proverb) This reminds me of the children’s song: Be careful little mouths, what you say. Do you know it? Don’t you wish that we could consistently think before we speak? ;-) Jack

FRIENDSHIP

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT. DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE. THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, WROTE IN THE SAND: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE. THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH. THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM. AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE. THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM, "AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WROTE ON A STONE, WHY?" THE OTHER FRIEND REPLIED, "WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY. BUT WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US, WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT." LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE. THEY SAY IT TAKES A MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL PERSON, AN HOUR TO APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN AN ENTIRE LIFE TO FORGET THEM. SEND THIS PHRASE TO THE PEOPLE YOU'LL NEVER FORGET. DO NOT VALUE THE THINGS YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT VALUE WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE! (SENT BY FRED)

Leave a problem alone, and it will often solve itself.

Winning Words 6/29/06

“There is only one group of people who don’t have problems, and the people in that group are all dead.” (Norman Vincent Peale) I guess we all have problems of one sort or another. It’s like it was in math class. Some, we can solve; and others, we can’t. We simply have to move on. ;-) Jack

For Teachers!

Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know it just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers. Richard Bach (1936- ) American author

Anne sent this.

Did you see this quote from Colin Powell? It was in a recent AARP magazine. I thought it was good.
"There is nothing I can do about what is in the rearview mirror., and if I go fast, that which is behind me will disappear more quickly".

I'm going to have to read the AARP magazine more closely, so I don't miss good quotes like this.
What magazines do you read? Jack

Winning Words 6/28/06

“We carry within us the wonders we seek without us.” (Sir Thomas Browne) Sir Thomas was a medical expert 400 years ago. He saw the wonder of the human body and the mind. What is there about yourself that you appreciate most? ;-)

Winning Words 6/27/06

“I need to learn patience. Where can I take a crash course?” (Ashleigh Brilliant) Do you need to learn patience with regard to people and certain situations? Isn’t it interesting? We have to practice patience to learn patience. ;-) Jack

Winning Words 6/26/06

“What you are to be, you are now becoming.” (Russell Snyder) This is from the book Wisdom Of Our Fathers by Tim Russert. I like this quote, because it’s a reminder that life is a process. Or, as Yogi said, It ain’t over til it’s over.” ;-) Jack
http://jackswinningwords.blogspot.com

Winning Words 6/23/06

“When in doubt of what is right, consult your pillow overnight.” (Folk Wisdom of Mexico) Several of my best decisions have been to sleep on it!” ;-)

Jack

I got a variety of responses to this one. Someone suggested that when you want to send a letter of complaint, write it out, put it a drawer overnight; then re-read it in the morning before mailing it.

Someone else asked: What do you do when that which is on your mind keeps you awake during the night. It reminded me of the Hank Williams song: Your Cheatin' Heart. "I toss and turn the whole night through...."

If you want to send an e-mail (to me or to others) regarding any of the posts, click on the little envelope icon next to the word COMMENT. Or if you would like to share your comments with others, click on the word "COMMENT".

Winning Words 6/23/06

“When in doubt of what is right, consult your pillow overnight.” (Folk Wisdom of Mexico) Several of my best decisions have been to sleep on it!” ;-) Jack

Winning Words 6/22/06

What is, was; what was, is; what will be, is up to me.” (My Cigar Box) This reminds me of the story by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken. It also reminds me of what Yogi Berra said: When you come to a fork in the road, take it! I hope you pick some interesting roads to travel today. ;-) Jack

Winning Words 6/21/06

“Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.” (Janet Lane) Take a look in the mirror (when no one’s watching) and practice some expressions to use during the day. JL is called enigmatic and intriguing and a new breed of actress. It must be her expression. ;-) Jack

Winning Words 6/20/06

“When someone asked Edison what the secret of success was, he is said to have replied, Don’t look at your watch.” (Bits & Pieces) Have you ever become so absorbed in something that time passed without notice? During his experiments, Edison would sometimes forget to eat or sleep. Try to ignore the clock today. ;-) Jack

Winning Words 6/19/06

“Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.” (Annette Funicello) You remember Annette, don’t you? Things were not always perfect for her, but she made the best of it. It can be that way for each one of us In retrospect, some “bad” events in our life might have been for the “good.” Have a wonderful day! ;-) Jack

Here is some more information on Annette.
Annette Joanne Funicello (born October 22, 1942) was Walt Disney's most popular Mouseketeer.Born in Utica, New York to an Italian-American family, she took dancing and music lessons as a child and was discovered by Disney while performing in Swan Lake. Her family moved to southern California when she was 4.She was cast as one of the original "Mouseketeers". She was the last as well as the only one picked by Walt Disney. She soon went on to television roles in Zorro and Elfego Baca, and Disney-produced movies such as The Shaggy Dog, Babes in Toyland, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, and The Monkey's Uncle.Annette had a number of pop record hits in the late 1950's and early 1960's mostly written by the Sherman Brothers, including: "Tall Paul," "First Name Initial," "O Dio Mio," "Train of Love" (written by Paul Anka) and "Pineapple Princess."After maturing, she became a teen idol and went on to star in a series of "Beach Party" movies with Frankie Avalon including Beach Party, Muscle Beach Party, Bikini Beach and Beach Blanket Bingo. Funicello and Avalon re-united in 1987 for Back to the Beach, and toured the country as a singing act.Funicello announced in 1992 that she suffers from multiple sclerosis. She had kept her condition a secret for many years, but felt it necessary to go public in response to rumours, due to her impaired carriage, that she was an alcoholic. In 1993 she opened the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders at the California Community Foundation.Her autobiography, published in 1994, is A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story. A made-for-TV movie based on the book was made the following year.

The Cautious Man

Here is something that Jon Hanson, author of "Good Debt, Bad Debt" sent to me. I found it thought provoking. What do you think?

There was a very cautious man
Who never laughed or played
He never risked - he never tried
He never sang or prayed
And when one day he passed away
His insurance was denied
For since he never really lived
They claim he never died

Unknown