Winning Words 1/22/13
“When yu’ can’t have why you choose, yu’ just choose what you have.”  (Owen Wister)  A quote like this raises my curiosity.  Where’s it from?  In the novel, The Virginian, a man is looking at a menu which includes Frogs’ Legs.  That wasn’t what he wanted, but he had to eat.  In life we don’t always get what we want, so we must try  to make the best of it.  If I’m served frogs’ legs, I’ll have to learn to deal with it.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM HY YO SILVER:  But what if frog legs aren't kosher (which they aren't)? Kidding. I understand and respect the message.////FROM JACK:  So, a frog's legs aren't kosher, even if a rabbi says words over them?  So kosher involves the product, as well as the words?  I'll have to look that up, or wait to hear from you.  Was there a kosher menu provided at yesterday's luncheon?////HY YO:  My dear friend, come on: you know that some foods are not kosher! Don't you? Pork!  Well, if you didn't - and you live in West Bloomfield - then I am truly astonished.  There are many foods (animals) that are not kosher no matter what. Most of the laws - and some of the specific prohibited animals - are listed in Leviticus.  But to answer your question, a rabbi - or anyone saying "words" or a "prayer" in no way has anything to do with making food kosher.  There are indeed kosher options on Capitol Hill.////J:  Then, what do the rabbi's words mean?  Does Leviticus specifically mention frogs' legs?

 FROM WALMART REV:  I will always remember the lad with the few fish and loaves of bread, presenting them to Christ, and Christ blessing what was offered while feeding a multitude of folk like you and me. ////FROM JACK:  What about the people who don't like fish or who are vegans?////REV:  The Catholic Minnesotans, I'm told, always converted their deer shot in the fall to righteous Gentile walleye on Fridays!!////J:  It actually happened in Michigan, near Monroe, that the bishop declared the muskrat as being edible on Fidays and during Lent, because it spent more than half of its life in the water.

 FROM HONEST JOHN:  Customer..."I'll have a cup of coffee without cream"  Waiter..."sorry, sir, we don't have cream.  You'll have to have it without milk"////FROM JACK:  I was in a Starbucks the other day.  When I wanted a "small," I had to order a "tall," which was their "small."

 FROM BEE CEE:  Is it supposed to be "what" you choose?////FROM JACK:  Normally you would be correct, but Wister was writing a "Western" novel and was using the lingo of cowboys.

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  I read this quote before, or something like it, from the writing of a Buddhist monk who wrote: "A man with no food is wise to choose hunger." He is right to note the acceptance of one's condition. But, I would add, that a man with no food is wise to choose Faith. We live the "fishes and loaves" parable every day. We are disciples with provisions of few scraps of fish and small pieces of bread, while we are led to feed the multitudes who hunger for Truth and the Christ within. This is evidence of that same miracle of reaping where He has not sown that continues into our lives today! Choose Faith, and act accordingly. ////FROM JACK:  I don't think we realize how fragile is our source of food and drink.  Drought and contamination are conditions that should be taken seriously.  It should lead us to a "faith" realization that the creation is dependent on the Creator.

FROM HAPPY TRAILS IN NOVA SCOTIA:  reminds me of the flower-children-age lyrics "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."////FROM JACK:  My brother-in-law bought a metal detector.  He and his son went to the beach and spent the morning in the rain looking for lost coins.  Finally, at noon, they decided to go to a McDonalds for lunch.  When they stepped out the car, there was a $20 bill on the pavement.

 FROM DC IN MI:  I've had frogs' legs several times in a restaurant.  They're French fried and they're fine.  I wouldn't try fixing them at home.  I know Maryland Crab House on Opdyke usually has them.////FROM JACK:  Do you know what's white on the outside and green on the inside?  Answer: A frog sandwich.  I wonder if they have them at the Maryland Crab House?

 FROM LEE & MARIE:  Luv frog legs, taste like little chicken legs only better.////FROM JACK:  I'll just take your word for it.

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  Yeah, frogs legs, you've taken me back to my youth.  At age 16, in mid-summer, my friend and I decided to go after some frogs.  About 11 p.m. well after dark we grabbed our nets and burlap sacks and headed down to the pond in the pasture.  As we approached we could hear the croaking.  As I remember we each got about a half dozen and headed back home, depositing the wet sack in a dark corner of the shed.  I prepared them next day before supper, at which time my mother floured those plump legs and fried them in butter.  Ummmmm!  You have any WW coming up about snails or octopi? ////FROM JACK:  Mary and I went to a high class restaurant, because we knew the manager.  He served us an appetizer, "compliments of the house."  After eating it, we found out that it was escargot.  Once was enough.

 FRIN RICE LAKE CS:  I’m told they taste like chicken…just like snake meat and a lot of other things…why don’t they just serve chicken…a lot easier to catch and prepare!////FROM JACK:  That cow on the Chick-fil-A commercial agrees with you.  "Eat Mor Chikin!"

 FROM KF IN MICHIGAN:  I'd like it to be sunny and 85 today. I'll just have to deal with the arctic blast. At least it's not frog legs...; )////FROM JACK:  Some people are hard to please.  Last summer, when the thermometer showed 100, you probably wanted it to be colder.  Sometimes when people are hungry, they say, "I could eat a horse."  Frog's' legs or horse meat?

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  If you are served frogs' legs pretend it's chicken.  That's what they taste like anyhow.////FROM JACK:  Why did the frog cross the road?  Somebody glued him to the back of a chicken.

 FROM JL IN MICHIGAN:  Story goes that a famous Eastern mystic was treated by a very poor family to dinner. They honored him in their home with a meat meal which clearly set their resources back. Those that heard the story were horrified. He was a vegetarian!!! They asked him what on earth he did. He said that he blessed the food, ate and was very appreciative. Wish I could remember who the story was about.////FROM JACK:  "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."  In a letter from St. Augustine (390 AD), there's this quote:  "Cum Romanum venio, ieiuno Sabbato; cum hic sum, non ieiuno: sic etiam tu, ad quam forte ecclesiam veneris, eius morem serva, si cuiquam non vis esse scandalum nec quemquam tibi."  which was translated as:  "When I go to Rome, I fast on Saturday, but here [Milan] I do not. Do you also follow the custom of whatever church you attend, if you do not want to give or receive scandal."

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Great quote!  We must learn to deal with what we are given and learn to smile that we are so fortunate to be given what we have.  That goes for the hard times too.  We just plug along and smile because our reward is not of this earth.  Thankfully!////FROM JACK:  I saw a book ad for "Just Deal With It...for Life's Not So Funny Moments."

 FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Just think how bad the frog feels about it...////FROM JACK:  The frog probably wishes that there would be more people like me.

FROM SAINT JAMES:  Don't they taste like chicken?////FROM JACK:  But the chicken drumstick is larger than a frog's.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  HA!  I'VE HAD A MEMO FROM BILL ON MY FRIDGE FOR DECADES: "WANT WHAT YOU HAVE, AND YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE WHAT YOU WANT."  HE WAS ALWAYS PERFECTLY CONTENT WITH WHAT WE COULD AFFORD (OR SEEMED TO BE) WHILE I SOMETIMES PINED FOR "THINGS"...THAT MEMO HAS STOOD ME IN GOOD STEAD.  BTW, TRAVEL IN THE CONGO, AND YOU'D REALIZE  FROG LEGS AREN'T THE WORST THING YOU MIGHT BE OFFERED TO EAT!! :-)   AND YOU GULP, AND PARTAKE... ////JACK:  I must admit that I'm not one to "try" items on the menu that I'm not familiar with.  That probably means that I've never tasted real hunger.