Winning Words 2/8/11
“Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” (Samuel Beckett) Thomas Edison is known for the many things he invented, but he also had more failures than successes. Babe Ruth had more strikeouts than home runs. When I started a new congregation, I made door-to-door “cold” calls. I discovered that for every ten calls I made, I’d get one prospect. So, I kept on truckin’. ;-) Jack

FROM JACK: I thought of this New Year's poem as I read today's Winning Words.
He came to my desk with quivering lip--
The lesson was done.
"Dear Teacher I want a new leaf," he said,,
"I have spoiled this one."
I took the old leaf, stained and blotted,
And gave him a new one all unspotted,
And into his sad eyes smiled,
"Do better now, my child."
I went to the throne with a quivering soul--
The old year was done.
"Dear Father, hast Thou a new leaf for me?
I have spoiled this one."
He took the old leaf, stained and blotted,
And gave me a new one all unspotted,
And into my sad heart smiled,
"Do better now, My child."
-- Kathleen Wheeler

FROM PEPPERMINT MARY: i've done all. being with children is a great lesson in try-trying again. they just, "pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and start all over again"! FROM JACK: Sometimes children can be the bets teachers.

FROM JK IN MICHIGAN: Thank You Jack for your 'keep on truckin' messages the past two days. Just what I needed FROM JACK: I like those words, "Fail better."

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: The poen was wonderful and fit right in. We can all use new leaves. One of my favorite movies is "A New Leaf". FROM JACK: One of the gifts of God: Each day is a new day. MORE FROM JUDY: Yep, just like a drawing on an Etch-A-Sketch! FROM JACK: Or the computer's DELETE key.

FROM MOLINER CF: Used to have a sampler hanging in my office , "The harder I work, the luckier I get." Still have the sampler. Maybe I should hang it up again. FROM JACK: I thought that you'd already "hung it up."

FROM MINNESOTA DOT: It all depends on one's motivation and perseverance, right? FROM JACK: We are who we are.

FROM IE IN MICHIGAN: You also kept on "prayin & tryin"... FROM JACK: In the Bible it says, "Pray without ceasing."

FROM CJL IN OHIO: You always were persistent.. This is not new news! Congratulations anyway! FROM JACK: Try again and fail; try again and fail; try again. One of these times..... Reminds me of the Mary Tyler Moore theme song:
Love is all around, no need to waste it You can have a town, why don't you take it
You're gonna make it after all You're gonna make it after all

FROM AM IN MICHIGAN: I remember my first visit to Bloomfield Township in 1973 to ask for help with transportation for seniors. Supervisor Homer Case turned to a group of 125 homeowner representatives and laughingly asked if the township needed this service. They too. laughed. At the time, I was active in my homeowners group and volunteering with the seniors through St. Hugo's Christian Service program. Within a few years, Mr. Case recognized the value of seniors and called me offering to provide bus transportation using donations and municipal credits which came from gasoline tax. The bus service continues today. One must continue to knock on doors. FROM JACK: Your middle name should be, "Perpetua."

FROM BLAZING OAKS: Fail better? :-) Somewhat of an oxymoron, but I get the idea. Move forward, at least a little, the next time...We all learn lessons by failing...at least you know what DIDN'T work! I guess the secret is having the heart to try again. There are a lot of inspirational stories of folks who tried and tried, and finally had success. I just read the story of a Rock climber (Craig DeMartino, Ft. Collins, CO) who fell 100 ft., and injured his leg so badly that it eventually had to be amputated. Rock climbing had been his "life" (his wife and two children also joined him in this sport) and it of his struggle to get up courage to try it again, with so much pain, etc. and with much therapy, and determination, and faith in God, he is climbing through the pain, and just did the sheer steep cliff in Shoshone Nat'l Forest. Artificial leg, and all...True Grit!! FROM JACK: A long time ago I remember reading a magazine called, GRIT. I see that it's still being published. It extols the basic values of the rural life. I, for one, admire the gritty farmers who don't get enough praise.

FROM MW IN ILLINOIS: I remember your door to door call. When you came into my house, you said "you must have a new baby", my windows were steamed up from the old fasioned sterilizing bottles. That baby will turn 49 in April, so Jeanne must be the same age. And, SOTL will be 50 in 2012. We are currently beginning with plans for that event.