Winning Words 8/2/12
“Other times; other customs.”  (French Proverb)  In simple terms, this proverb says, “Times change.”  Do you know of people who have a hard time ”adjusting?”  The mores of society are continually in flux.  The community in which I live is far more diverse than a few years ago.  I now have Jewish, Chaldean, Asian, African, Arabic and other friends who are different from me.  205 countries are in the Olympics.  I like that.   ;-)  Jack

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Gone to Chick-fil-a lately?////FROM JACK:  Politics has a way of ruining my appetite.

FROM CWR IN B'MORE:  .......me too.////FROM JACK:  20 countries aren't participating, including The Vatican.

FROM PASTY PAT:  Re knowing people who have a hard time 'adjusting' --- I vote for (many, many) entire congregations --- said in Christian love, of course!////FROM JACK:  Perhaps you've read the book... "Who Stole My Church?" by Gordon MacDonald.

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  Other times; other customs...as well as other motivation, other insight, other spirit, other opportunities.  Change keeps life from going stale, unless we let it.////FROM JACK:  "Seasoning" enhances the taste of food and also the enjoyment of weather...for some people.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  There are certain times when I have a hard time adjusting and as I get older, the familiar is very comforting.  I don't mind change when it's not just change for change's sake.  The mores have certainly changed and I don't think for the good.  We struggle to keep up but there is a definite line in the sand where right is right and wrong is wrong.  Bible facts can't be changed no matter how "politically correct" society wants to be.////FROM JACK:  A lot depends on who draws the line in the sand.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  And some things don't change.  The people in back of me have homing pigeons that fly around every night.  My great grandfather Matthys had the home pigeons and a huge coop for them.  They used to carry messages during the war.  I wonder what they carry these days.  By the way, I do hope to go to Moline in September to see my cousins and friends, who are not in the greatest shape at the moment.  Ann wants to drive me, and I do love road trips to see the country.  I have been flying everywhere since 1978 when I got my fantastic part-time job with Eastern Airlines.  Yes, our country is amazing, not perfect, as it has always been.////FROM JACK:  One of these days, instead of just quoting from it, I'm going to read Thomas Wolfe's book, "You Can't Go Home Again."

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I realize that ever since Cato, Plato and Pliny, folks have thought "the next generation" is going to the dogs, but it does seem to me that morally, the changes are going in the wrong direction! However, our goal as Christians remains firm: To spend out lives for something that will outlast it!  As Wm.Penn said, "I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again."  Showing kindness and love never goes out of style. After visiting with, helping to cook, and passing out meals to 106 homeless men, women and children last night, one is again reminded that the smallest act of kindness is worth much more than the grandest intentions!  Keep on, keeping on.////FROM JACK:  Each generation has to define morality, what is proper behavior, what is right and wrong.  And even within a generation there a difference with regard to what is right and wrong.  Yesterday I read that in early New England, a colonist could be put to death for missing church 3 Sundays in a row.  Today, what's the penalty for missing church 3 Sundays in a row?

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  I enjoyed your WW this morning.  Yesterday evening, some friends and I went downtown and took the Detroit Agriculture bus tour.  We visited half a dozen community gardens.  Our church also has a community garden.  The person who directs our community garden helps us to keep it looking very neat and tidy, not weedy and grassy, etc., etc.  The gardens down town were “loose” and, while the vegetables were lush and green and actually huge, the grass and weeds were evident everywhere and it all looked much more casual and sort of more natural.  Both types of gardening “get the job done of producing food for people” but they look different from each other.  I and my friends were wondering if our director of the church's community garden feels constrained to keep such a tidy community garden because people are more wanting to be tidy in the suburbs, appearances need to be kept up more or what.  I actually don’t think it’s a matter of volunteer hours but maybe wrong here.  My husband's method of gardening is closer to the community gardening in Detroit but he keeps it all to the back of the property so neighbors haven’t complained (so far).  Just socially, it’s very interesting to me and I’m very inspired by the gardens I saw yesterday and also Jerry’s gardening but do wonder about the different types of people living together in a neighborhood and how much cultural differences play into these things.////FROM JACK:  What a great analogy.  It reminds me of the title of an E.B. White book:  "One Man's Meat."  My college English professor asked our class, "What's the rest of that title?"  I learned something that day.

FROM EMT SINGS IN MICHIGAN:  I know what you mean.  Being a real foot dragger, I am determined to make my rear view mirror smaller than my windshield!  I think that I am improving!////FROM JACK:  I once read of a man who always drove his car backward, because the transmission was stuck in reverse.  He didn't bother to have it fixed.  There are people who are reluctant to move forward, preferring to think that things look better in the rear view mirror.