Winning Words 3/25/10
“We cannot alter the facts, but we can alter our ways of looking at them.” (Phyllis Bottome) She and her husband started a school in Austria which combined psychology and education. One of their students was James Bond author, Ian Fleming. They hoped their approach to education would go a long way toward curing the ills of the world. If the ills are a fact, can we alter how we look at them? ;-) Jack

FROM JUDGE EA IN MICHIGAN: Not so in court. FROM JACK: Do you mean to say that there are no gray areas from your side of the bench?

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: You can't alter the facts, although many try to change them just by saying they are different, but to know what the actual facts are makes a world of difference. How you gather the information, what you do with it when you find the true facts, and your attitude towards what you have found can and do make the difference. FROM JACK: What are facts. Who is to determine truth? MORE FROM OJ: I think that is my point. What is the truth? Who is correct? How do we know we are getting all of the truth...especially now-a-days when people make up whatever they want people to think is the truth. It's a very hard thing to discern. All we can do is hope we are hearing, reading or researching as much of the truth as possible and pray we are going in the correct direction.

FROM MOLINER CF: Some ills can be changed , others cannot. I look for several ills to be changed in November. FROM JACK: Not me. I'm satisfied.

FROM SL IN MICHIGAN: This happens to be something that I often tell myself. I can't change the situation, I can only change MY reaction and handling of it. It is amazing how much that small shift in thinking can change the day! You have a delightful one.

FROM JK IN MICHIGAN: Wow - right on. What is truth? I have been observing that many people live by the motto "your' truth is not my truth". I wonder if we are losing synergy as a people group in lieu of our personal
perspectives? FROM JACK: As you imply...truth is in the eye of the beholder.

SH IN MICHIGAN SOUNDS OFF: I've found that it helps me to just acknowledge the facts as I see them, i.e., this is a really crappy situation, so-and-so is not validating me, I feel like I am being abused, exploited, persecuted, misunderstood, etc., etc., etc., or else someone else I'm worried about is going through these things; right now things seem pretty crappy and I'm just relieved I can identify it to you, God. Help me to endure some more until things turn around again. Amen Amazingly, just even stating the facts helps me to
feel better. Maybe it's because I feel God is listening and always brings action of some kind.