Winning Words 11/15/12
“It’s a scary thing, never knowing where the money will come from.”  (Mr. Thanksgiving)  71-yr-old Bob Vogelbaugh has been providing Thanksgiving meals for the needy (no questions asked) for 42 yrs.  This year he and his volunteers expect 2,500 diners at a Moline, Il, mall.  He’ll need $16,000.  The MPD is giving $2,000.  People will be dropping off pies.  The world is better, because of Mr. Thanksgiving.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM WALMART REV:  Let's go out in our respective areas of ministry today and find "one last lamb" to nuture with the "Good News" of Christ!////FROM JACK:  "You in your small corner, and I in mine," is a line in a song that I learned in Sunday School.  We each have our task, using the talents that are ours.

FROM RJP IN NAPLES:  I met a man once who was a Medical Dr and Scientist who developed wonderful natural products. His motto was " Be ashamed to die until you have contributed something positive for mankind" Nice thought I believe. Don't we all wish we could have or would have done more.////FROM JACK:  Your comment, "We wish we could have done more," reminded me of the poem by Edgar A. Guest...
Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You've all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say "I can."

You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if only you will,
You're well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen, great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.

 FROM SAINT JUDE-Y: We need more caring loving people like him in the world.////FROM JACK:  I like this verse from a song about the saints of God.
    They lived not only in ages past;
    there are hundreds of thousands still.
    The world is bright with the joyous saints
    who love to do Jesus' will.
    You can meet them in school, on the street, in the store,
    in church, by the sea, in the house next door;
    they are saints of God, whether rich or poor,
    and I mean to be one too.

 FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS:  Absolutely; wonderful effort to make the day memorable and meaningful and to illustrate to everyone stepping up to the plate to help that meals are needed every day….////FROM JACK:  It causes me to ponder....What can I do, besides writing a check to the food bank?

 FROM WATERFORD JAN:  With citizens like Vogelbaugh and the MPD, no wonder you are proud to claim that you are a Moliner!////FROM JACK:  I know a young lady who would pack and extra sandwich for her lunch.  Every day, on her way to work, she would pass a homeless man sitting by the sidewalk.  She'd say, Hello, hand him the sandwich, and be on her way.  Another friend was standing in line at McDonald's and, impulsively, told the cashier that she'd pay the bill for the man behind her.  He was so impressed that he paid the bill for the man behind him.  I'm proud to have friends like that.

 FROM HR IN MICHIGAN:  There was a Greyhound terminal in Rock Island  that had a Greek restaurant attached. It was the only place that served Gyro sandwiches. My friends from Palmer never had a Gyro until I introduced them to the Best Ever Gyro Restaurant. We used to cross over at the Rock Island armory bridge to get to the restaurant.  . It takes local people to take care of local problems.  I am surprised that this is the first I have heard of Mr. Thanksgiving, but he embodies the spirit of giving.////FROM JACK:  A friend of mine often orders a Gyro when we eat out.  I usually order something else.  I can't say why.  I'm still amazed at Mr. Thanksgiving.  To do what he does, and to do it once, would be a daunting task...but to do it 42 years in a row....  WOW!

 FROM TH IN MICHIGAN:  I was telling a rather affluent, but financially conservative (careful) a divorce client this morning how fortunate she was/is that all she was fighting over was property -- money; and that whatever happened, she would be OK -- (just maybe OK-er if I'm successful in pursuing her interests):
She does not have to worry about food on the table, housing, paying utility bills, fight to provide for her children, worry about their clothes, education, financial well-being.  She does not have to worry about custody battles, parenting time, sharing vacations -- Where, indeed, will the next dollar come from? ////FROM JACK:  I placed an order by phone this morning.  In talking with the order clerk this morning, I discovered that she was in New York.  "Did Hurricane Sandy affect you?"  She said that she was without power for two weeks, and she's soooo glad to have it back.  Thanksgiving means different things to different people.  We take so many things for granted.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Bless Mr. Vogelbaugh, and in our home town of Moline!  I'd never heard of this.  We'll be feeding 55 at our house, with brother Ted's family, Jan's family and mine.  I guess we have fulfilled the mantra, "Go forth and multiply!"////FROM JACK:  I'm asking myself, "If you were in Moline on Thanksgiving Day, would you be at home with family and watching football, or would you take time out to go and work at the mall, or, at least, go there with a pie?"  It's easy to answer that, sitting here in Detroit.////BO: 

I'd be at home with all my family...but I would definitely donate pies...I bake a lot of them!  a sister church in Springfield has a public Thanksgiving Dinner, including carry-outs for those who can't come to the church. and serve hundreds. I've always admired that they unselfishly give up their mornings and noon time through 2:00 to serve any who come, and it is hundreds!  But I have always had such a crowd here on Thanksgiving, I've never participated...My friends who celebrate with families, have their dinner late afternoon or evenings.
  Our church used to have a Thanksgiving Bazaar in early November, when we served a Turkey dinner and all the trimmings, and it was quite famous in the area...we'd all bake a turkey or two at home, and bring it to the church, and work in the kitchen for hours in preparation! Lots of comraderie in that. But as leaders of the Aid who  sponsored it died off, it was eventually discontinued about 12 yrs. ago...not enough workers or handicrafters! Now we feed the homeless once a month...Happy Thanksgiving. There will be 55 at our celebration, which is the most ever!