Jack’s Winning Words 8/28/07
“Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.” (Sophia Loren) Sofia will be 73 next month. Life was not easy for her as she grew up, but she persevered and went on to fulfill her dream of being an actress. She made some mistakes. We all do. I think that it was Robert Schuller who wrote about turning your scars into stars. Sofia Loren did it, and we can, too. ;-) Jack

FROM G.G. IN INDIANA: She's a wise and woman. I had another quote of hers on the kitchen cabinets when the kids were growing up....."Problems create our courage and wisdom."

FROM SOMEONE IN MICHIGAN: My husband thinks I look like Sofia Loren...I laugh every time he says it...I just don't see the resemblance.

FROM J.L. IN MICHIGAN: Believe it or not, this is a hard one for me. I am much more able to forgive others but tend to "hold on" to my mistakes. Isn't that strange? I can dredge up the weirdest mistakes from years and years ago. I do pray about them and I know God has forgiven me, but some mistakes, I just can't forget. I wouldn't change them though they helped lead me down this dear path of life. And who knows where I would be without being humbled by mistakes! I might even be haughty!!!!

FROM T.S. IN MICHIGAN: Last week I attended a men's prayer breakfast. The speaker was Mr. Larry Carlson of Youth Haven, a Christian non-profit that operates in Michigan and Arizona for children 7-12. Special children, that is. From Youth Haven's website: "The children who come to Youth Haven face various negative influences and circumstances such as abuse, neglect, broken homes or poverty. Some have experienced tragic losses or suffer from the devastating effects of drug and alcohol abuse. The boys and girls are referred to the Ranch by welfare agencies, school counselors, social service agencies, churches, family members, and parents. Sadly, many of the children who attend Youth Haven's programs believe they have no real hope for the future." One such child came up and asked Larry Carlson about Jesus Christ. "Why did his parents give him a swear word for a name?" Mr. Carlson told us that many of these children grow up in homes where everything has been damned. Jesus Christ was invoked to cuss out the mom or dad, to cuss out the neighbor, the boss, the teacher, to cuss out the young, impressionable child. Children learn what they live, and they learn only a Jesus who has damned everything in their young, fragile lives.
Think about it.