JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/30/06
“As life runs on, the road grows strange with faces new—and near the end, the milestones into headstones change, Neath everyone a friend.” (James Russell Lowell) I just read about the death of a friend in his 90s. I’m sorry I didn’t get to the funeral, but I have the memory of a fine person. Milestones and headstones…an interesting connection, isn’t it? Life runs on! ;-) Jack

FROM OHIO'S JON: Thanks for the timely line. I just used it in writing to my sister. Her son-in-law died suddenly at age 51. Along with the quote I also observed:
I suppose that is one reason we are taught to have faith--if we considered the reality of life daily (that we could be gone any minute) it would be paralyzing.

FROM ANOTHER JOHN: Were it not for our hope in Christ, those headstones would weigh down awfully heavy upon us. They are no problem because God has intervened in Christ. The child in the manger who will experience "nails and spears" ("What Child is This?") makes certain that the milestones lead to a wonderful definition....

FROM FRIEND DALE: It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all... And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams... But, here it is…. the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my babies go? And where did my youth go?

I remember well... seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like... But, here it is...wife retired and she's really getting gray...she moves slower and I see an older woman now. She's in better shape than me... but, I see the great change... Not the one I married who was young and vibrant... but, like me, her age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore...it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will...I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things.

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...This I know, that when it's over...its over....Yes , I have regrets .There are things I wish I hadn't done ,,,,,things I should have done. But indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done Its all in a lifetime.. .

So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly!

Life goes by quickly So, do what you can today, because you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for good today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...

"Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who came after. Make it a fantastic one."

LIVE IT WELL!! ~author unknown~

FROM WATERFORD, MICHIGAN: DO as much, and enjoy as much as if everyday is your last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/29/06
“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.” (Reba McEntire) I suppose you could argue the point of this quote, but the value of each “bone” by itself is a truism, especially the funny bone. Incidentally (and beside the point), have you hit your funny bone lately? And, it’s not really a bone; it’s the ulnar nerve. Funny that you should ask! ;-) Jack

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/28/06
“Tis sometimes the height of wisdom to feign stupidity.” (Cato the Elder) In some of your dealings with those around you today, be wise! BTW, Marcus Porcius Cato was a Roman statesman who lived about 150 BC. Evidently they knew about wisdom and stupidity then, too. ;-) Jack

FROM NEWLY-RETIRED, J.S.: Cato the Elder was a windbag and a clown who persecuted and prosecuted Scipio Africanus who had saved the nation from Hannibal. Cato didn't have to feign stupidity.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/27/06
“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out, it’s the pebble in your shoe.” (Muhammad Ali) Why not stop and do something about that pebble, that little irritant in your life? I like Ali’s quotes. Here’s another that caused me to smile. “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” I know some people who still refuse to buckle up, and they ain’t Superman, either. Click it! ;-) Jack

M.L. FROM ILLINOIS HAS THIS TO SAY: i shall call the pebble dare'...remember the great song from "godspell"? "dare shall be carried and when we both have had enough...i will take it from my shoe saying...meet your new road...then i'll take your hand...finally glad that you are here...
by my side". pondering thought.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/24/06
“When a woman is hungry, she says, ‘Roast something for the children that they may eat.’” (African Proverb) On the day after Thanksgiving, let’s not forget that there are hungry people in many parts of the world. Try to be generous when asked to help those in need. In your life, did someone sacrifice for you? ;-) Jack

F.M. HAS THIS TO SAY FROM WISCONSIN: a good word for the day after Thanksgiving . . . yes, many have sacrificed for me, but especially my mother.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/22/06
“Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines." (Satchel Paige) Old Satch knew a lot about baseball, and he knew a lot about prayer, too. I’ll bet that he and his family said a prayer at their Thanksgiving dinner, too. Is that a part of your tradition also? ;-) Jack

FLORIDA B.S. SAYS THIS: Thanksgiving Day was a facinating day when we were kids. We got a ride in a cold delivery truck out to the farm where the entire family convened a day of hugging and squeezing, combined with laughter and love. After the dishes were washed Aunt Laura would sit behind the piano and would beltout hyms and everyone joined singing.

THIS WHAT F.M. AND HIS FAMILY DO IN WISCONSIN: Yes, prayer is a part of our Thanksgiving - usually each person at the table offers a reason for thanksgiving, prior to our prayer.

GRANDPA L.K. RESPONDS FROM OHIO: My two year old grandson will lead us (20 plus) in prayer at Thanksgiving. He reaches out, we all hold hands, he mumbles a few things, then says AMEN. Is this grand?

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/21/06
“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” (Gloria Steinem) I don’t know if this is really a Winning Word, but I think it’s funny and typical of what Steinem would say. What are some of your favorite things? ;-) Jack

FROM GOOD DEBT JON IN OHIO: A woman without a man is the last woman of that lineage

J. B. HAS THIS WORD: It seems some women think they can't exist without a man. I just read a biography of the much married Elizabeth Taylor. She would be an example of that, I think.

L.S. CHIMES IN: I like my bicycle, although I dont love my bicycle.

FROM B.S. IN FLORIDA: Hi one of my Dad' s (relatives) never married, so I asked one time whether or not she missed life without a male companion, and she said to me as she gave me a hug,"Bobby, you're all the man I need or want", so some people choose to remain single in life. When I shipped out to sea, I discovered early on, that a sailor's life was very lonely, and not for me.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/20/06
“A man doesn’t know what he knows until he knows what he doesn’t know.” (Laurence J. Peter) LJP is the author of The Peter Principle. I didn’t KNOW that! Do you KNOW what the Peter Principle is? Seek to learn something new today. ;-) Jack

If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day.
John A. Wheeler

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/17/06
“The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions.” (James Russell Lowell) As I look back over the years I see that I have changed my opinion on certain societal and theological issues, so I guess I’m not dead yet. I don’t know about foolish. How about you? ;-) Jack

B.G. HAS THIS CHURCHY OPINION: The problem, I think, is that people too often perceive the church to be a place where reconsidering significant societal and/or theological issues is strongly discouraged.

N.R.BURR HAS THIS COMMENT: A more contemporary version of James Russell Lowell's quote is, "I've made up my mind; don't confuse me with facts."

C.B., A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR RESPONDS: It reminds me of another quote and I don't know the author ... "I'm not young enough to know everything."

D.S. HAS THIS TO SAY: I am a supporter of our President, but I think he needs a little help in this area.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/16/06
“Possession isn’t nine tenths of the law. It’s nine tenths of the problem.” (John Lennon) Here are some good words to consider today: charity, generosity, sharing, benevolence, love, philanthropy, kindness, mercy. Can you think of others that relate? Sharing is caring. ;-) Jack

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/15/06
“All that is gold does not glitter; not all those who wander are lost.” (Tolkien) I especially like this quote, just as I like The Parable of the Prodigal Son. I think we all have to work on our tendency to give up on people. ;-) Jack

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/14/06
“The most important thing in communication is listening to what isn’t said.” (Peter Drucker) A lot of problems in this world are caused by people who “miss” the message. Make it a point today to look for these unspoken messages. Drucker was born in Austria, but fled to America to escape the Nazis. He especially appreciated people who used their minds. ;-) Jack

D.S. WHO WORKS WITH KIDS AND PARENTS SAYS: This is one of the biggest communication breakdowns. Depending on the issue 70-90% of the message is communicated non-verbally. This is where a lot of us mess up as parents and friends. (In reality - everyone)

G.S. GIVES THIS STATISTIC. IS IT TRUE? Jack, there are some 17,000 non-verbal forms of communication - many, many more than with words. Just ask your wife.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/13/06
“I’m quite sure that in the hereafter she will take me by the hand and lead me to my proper seat.” (Bernard Baruch) B.B. was an economic advisor to FDR and helped craft the New Deal. He had an interesting concept of heaven, too. How about you? Will she take you by the hand and show you to your seat? ;-) Jack

FROM M.L. IN ILL: perhaps a believer in the creator image...the androgenous goddess/god. i'm not sure if she'll take me by the hand or if he will lead me to my seat. i just know that god will be there, as she is everywhere that i am.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/10/06
“We don’t know a millionth of one per cent about anything.” (Edison) These words are from one of the greatest inventors of all time. Think about how they can be applied to religion, psychology, the way the earth works, the sea, the universe, the body and mind. What else can you think of? ;-) Jack

MORE WORDS FROM N.R. BURR: Each of us has enormous potential,more than we can imagine, if we strengthen our faith and then act on it.

I LIKE THIS ONE FROM S.H.: Read John 21:25. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen

D.S. SENDS A GOOD ONE: Teenagers

J.S., THE PHILOSOPHER/THEOLOGIAN GIVES THIS THOUGHT: We don't know much about the Nature of God (unless one reads Anselm...and actually understands it); however, we have been given his Word. Too bad that so many in the church choose to avoid that wonderful knowledge that has been given us and look instead "beyond the scriptures" for their answers as to what God requires of us!!!

R.H. HAS THESE THOUGHTS FROM LAKE LEELANAU: I have a large picture window in my bedroom. The window is on the north side of our house. I have an excellent view of our front yard, the lake, and the northern sky. I remember the familiar words of the song, "O give me a home where the buffalo roam." When I go to bed at night and everything is quiet and the moon is not bright, I can see the stars and I think of the words, " How often at night, when the heavens are bright with the light from the flickering stars, have I stood there amazed and asked as I gazed, does their glory exceed that of ours?"
Although I am not standing outside in the darkness, I am lying on my left side in my cozy bed gazing at those same stars and I begin to ponder the glory and the greatness of God's handiwork. Edison was right. We know so little about the vast universe. We are led to think of a favorite hymn, "How great Hour art!"

The more I see the less I know for sure. John Lennon

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/9/06
“Everybody likes a kidder, but nobody lends him money.” (Arthur Miller) All kidding aside, trust and integrity are real virtues. So is believability (Is there such a word?). ;-) Jack

I BELIEVE P.C.: Yes, believability is a noun and it is an actual word.

A JUDGE'S VERDICT: There definitely is such a word. I just arbitrated a case in which there was absolutely no believability to the testimony of the plaintiff. His credibility was nil and we no caused his case. "So use the word in good health" (The last is an ancient Yiddish expression.)

HERE'S A SUGGESTION FROM JOHN: How about credibility?

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/8/06
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” (Michael Altshuler) This reminds me of the book/movie from WW 2, God Is My Co-Pilot, telling the story of Robert Scott, one of the Flying Tigers. In this life, I’m glad to have a co-pilot. ;-) Jack

ANOTHER N. R. BURR COMMENT: It is so true that time "flies" during our lives. Being the "pilot" gives us some advantage, but the problem is we get so old before learning the best way to fly.

G.S. GIVES THIS INFO: Van Johnson was the actor.

J.S. GIVES HIS OPINION: Jack...I never bought into that concept. To me God is the pilot and we are the neophytes simply trying to learn how to do things...never really getting it right. If you don't buy that, how do you explain the world? With all of those "pilots" out there why are we in such a mess? Could it be that we aren't listening to the Pilot?

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/7/06
“I don’t agree with every thing I say.” (Marshall McLuhan) I wonder if those politicians believe some of the preposterous statements they make. Where’s Jimmy Stewart when we need him? ;-) Jack

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: It takes a special person to be a politician, because you are often forced to support beliefs that are counter to your real beliefs to be "elected." It reminds me of the college professor that believes in God, but supports evolution in whole to be a part of the university culture.

JACK'S WINNING WORDS 11/6/06
“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” (Nelson Mandela) Yesterday was observed as All Saints’ Sunday. Have you met up with any saints in your life? ;-) Jack
Mary and I have just returned from spending a week in Fort Myers/Cape Coral in Florida. Son David was playing in the Roy Hobbs (The Natural) Hardball World Series. Over 3000 players from all over the country (and even Russia) participated. He was in the Over-35 Division. Games were played on the spring training sites of the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox. We saw his team win four and lose one. It was a great vacation!