Winning Words 12/21/12
“People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.”  (Anton Chekhov)  Did you notice that today is the first day of winter?  Shelley wrote:  “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”  The first Spring Training game for the Detroit Tigers is Feb 22.  That’s just two months away; and Groundhog Day is sooner than that.  What are the events that make you happy?  Usually they’re not related to seasons.    ;-)  Jack

   FROM MS IN MICHIGAN:  It makes me happy that the days will start getting longer now….////FROM JACK:  Longer days until the next apocalypse...the Fiscal Cliff.

 FROM WALMART REV:  "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world!" New every morning are events that spring up where I'm involved with a particular season in someone's life...I discovered a new one when on sabbatical in Michigan and having lunch with an old acquaintance at Panera's in West Bloomfield...a wonderful season sharing ministry together once again! 0;-)////FROM JACK:  Everything happens for a reason! Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck.  This hymn says it well.
God is working His purpose out  As year succeeds to year;
God is working his purpose out,  And the time is drawing near;
Nearer and nearer draws the time,  The time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled  With the glory of God  As the waters cover the sea.

 FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS:  Great quote; the sun is peeking out from my window perspective just now.  Enjoy the day.////FROM JACK:  If you remember this song, perhaps you can sing it, now!
So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin  Smilers never lose and frowners never win
So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin  Open up your heart and let the sun shine in

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  I started to notice winter and summer more when we started our local Emmanuel Community Farm and I also started noticing winter and summer as they are more appreciatively than I had before. Now when we get a good dose of moisture or a nice cool period for the dormancy of the trees and plants I don't begrudge it so much because I realize that the trees/plants need it and people depend on them for food so we also need moisture and cold. Makes me muse a bit--was Anton Chekhov a city boy or a country boy? ////FROM JACK:  Chekov grew up in a port city in the south of Russia.

 FROM ILLINOIS LIZ:  i like winter just as it is... happy winter solstice!////FROM JACK:  The winters don't seem as severe as they once were...or is that because someone now plows the driveway, and I don't have to shovel?

 FROM KF IN MICHIGAN:  Today I realized a. the world didn't end :} b. it's the first day of winter; c. spring is ONLY 90 days away!!!  and I usually start seeing some action in my gardens before spring. A lot of things that make me happy are related to the seasons - I feel like I'm out "in it" all the time, so I really look for the changes and celebrations each season.////FROM JACK:  On second thought, many happy occasions ARE related to the seasons.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  IT WAS HARD NOT TO NOTICE WINTER YESTERDAY! FREEZING SNOW AND ICE WITH BLIZZARD WINDS. 8 CARS IN THE DITCH ON MY ROAD, AND MORE ON THE  HIGHWAY.  I WAS HAPPY TO GET HOME FROM MY SR CHURCH CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON  (I WAS CHRM AND HAD TO STAY TO THE END...HA!) UNSCATHED, EVEN IF MY HOME HAD NO ELECTRICITY FOR A FEW HOURS.  HAPPY IS IN PERSPECTIVE...INSIDE WAS HAPPY!!  MOST DAYS BRING SOMETHING ONE CAN BE HAPPY ABOUT, RIGHT? TODAY IS  VERY COLD, BUT SUNNY!////FROM JACK:  The ground by our house is white with a light covering of snow...not the the midwest blizzaed.  I don't mind the storms, so long as the power stays on.

 FROM JT IN MICHIGAN:  Today is the day after the shortest day of the year.  That means that each day coming will have about a minute more of light both in morning and night.   Light makes me happy!////FROM JACK:  Then you must really be happy when it's your birthday.