Winning Words 1/30/13
“There is no such thing as a hopeless situation.  Every single circumstance of your life can change.”  (Rhonda Byrne)  I’m a curious person.  Who’s Rhonda?  I discovered that she’s famous because of her New Thought book, “The Secret.”  So, what’s Rhonda’s secret?  Beethoven, Einstein and Henry Ford knew it.  Finally…The secret is revealed. “Everything’s possible, and Nothing’s impossible.”  I know that.  Do you?    ;-)  Jack

 FROM HONEST JOHN IN MICHIGAN:  Are you able not to sin?////JACK:  Are God's rules meant to be broken or meant to be followed ?////HJ:  They are meant to be followed and in asking the question, you deftly avoided mine....I await the answer...beware of Augustine if you answer incorrectly....////JACK:  You know the saying, "Not to decide is to decide"...well, "not to answer is to answer."  I like Augustine's prayer, "Help me to be pure..."  I'm not there, yet....

 FROM WALMART REV:  I don't hear these little choruses anymore sung in church, as was sung back when I was growing up and early on in my ministry . . . they would naturally come to mind when I would read something like your post, asking a follow-up question. Here's mine for today: "GOT ANY RIVERS you think are uncrossable? Got any mountains you can’t tunnel thro’? God specializes in things tho’t impossible and He can do what no other pow’r can do."  I hope they never get pushed back so far in my mind that I forget them. They have always been an inspiration on those "cloudy days" in life!////JACK:  You are right.  In seminary I was one of the few in my class who could name the books of the Bible.  I had learned them by singing a song in Sunday School which began, "Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, etc."

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  I enjoyed your WW this morning--especially when I could put emphasis in different places NOTHING is impossible vs. nothing IS IMPOSSIBLE.  I find I'm really enjoying the Catholic Church next door - Transfiguration and the Presbyterian Advocacy group I attend - All God's Children - for inclusivity of gays and lesbians, transgendered so forth.////JACK:  There are many lessons to be learned when we keep our eyes and ears (and mind) open.

 FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  I watched a program about Henry Ford last nite. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely would be a good description of his life. He started out as a wonderful and caring man, but too much success hurt him. It's a feeling that one cannot do any wrong. Thomas Watson, founder of IBM, almost lost his company because he thought that there eventually would be only 2 or 3 computers in the world. He kept making his business machines work faster and faster to show that they were better than the early simple computers. Good lesson for all of us.////JACK:  I watched that same program.  Just because you know how to build cars does not mean that you know how to raise children.  Today's quote doesn't mean that you are able to perform miracles, but only that you should not give up trying...and learning.

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 ESV). Well....it appears that there is a qualifier to what is possible! ////JACK:  The quote is about trying.  Some people give up, even before they try.///RAY:  I completely disagree (that the quote is about trying). The quote is about "hope" and the idea that Hope exists as a consequence of the inevitability of "change" or temporality. Hope exists only at the point one has no authority or ability to alter the circumstance. At that point, Hope, is all there is. I don't hope I will eat, because I have the ability to eat; so I do it. I hope it is sunny and warm outside, because that is beyond my ability to do anything about it. Those who "give up" have given up hope itself (hopeless). Not "trying", or better stated, "not doing", is not to have hope --- doing nothing is merely the conclusion of hopelessness, not the cause or source. My point is that it is wise for one to know what one's limitations are...what I can do and must do, and what is not of mine to do; but for which I can hope. "Trying" holds no water.////JACK:  It's OK to be disagreeable.  Conversation is about clarification.  Thanks for your comments on hope.  I was thinking about the last part of the quote.  Sometimes circumstances can chance because of our trying something, instead of sitting and moping.

 FROM NW, THE REALTOR:  I don’t know whether you follow my blog or not, but here’s what I did with your quote today - ////JACK:  I'm going to have to read (www,normsmilfordblog.com) more often.  I read today's...and, you're right about it being the "seed" of a sermon.  My pulpit is now mainly a computer screen, so I'm posting your blog.  "The Real Secret to Awakening the Giant within"

Today’s quote from the Jack’s Winning Words blog was –   “There is no such thing as a hopeless situation. Every single circumstance of your life can change.” (Rhonda Byrne). Jack discovered that she’s famous because of her New Thought book, “The Secret.” So, what’s Rhonda’s secret? Beethoven, Einstein and Henry Ford knew it. Finally…The secret is revealed. “Everything’s possible, and Nothing’s impossible.”

I remember viewing the video presentation of The Secret several years ago. There was enough skeptic in me to temper the message; however, I found it to be generally uplifting and a positive experience. One would certainly like to believe that anything is possible. I also went through the Tony Robbins course based upon his book “Awaken the Giant Within” many years ago, which is another anything is possible message, but with some training on how to take steps to make the possible come true through careful observation and modeling techniques. The basic Robbins message was to be successful look to see what the successful people do and do the same things.  Both Byrne and Robbins stress that you can’t get what you want by sitting there going “woe is me.” You first have to realize and believe that the key to changing things in your life lies within and starts with the belief that you can do it. Both rely on visualization techniques – see yourself winning and you will win.

I’m almost sure that, if Jack had to base a sermon on this saying and the personal success themes of Byrne or Robbins, he would conclude that in order to believe in yourself and visualize your way to success, no matter which method you choose; you must start by having a strong underlying faith.

I have concluded more than once in my life that I could not solve things by myself, only through the power of my own thoughts or actions or visualization. It is during those periods of introspection that I always end up back at the same place, in prayer. A good, honest prayer session puts you in touch with the original author of the “Everything’s possible” message. Once you have Him back on your side, “Nothing’s impossible.”  So, start off with a little prayer and then visualize yourself having a great day; and, it will happen!

 FROM MF IN MICHIGAN:  Jack, my Dad was often saying and believing that quote, I believe he studied both Einstein and Henry Ford.  Is funny how reminders of him pop up so often, just last week I was talking on the phone with somone about a difficult situation with one of her students, my final suggestion was to "never give up" on this student.  At that instant, I recalled how many times my Dad said same thing to all of us, is nice to be reminded of him, gone but not forgotten.////JACK:  The mind is such a wonderful gift.  I'm glad to know that you're using it.  Your dad would be proud.

 FROM MEDD-O-LANE: If everything means everything then I have to think it is impossible for me to hold my breath for hours.////JACK:  One of the things I learned in college and seminary was to ask the question, "What does this mean?"  It helped me in understanding the Bible...What is the context?....What is the point that is being made?  Problems develop when we tend to take everything literally...like today's quote.  What is hopeless?  What is change?  What is Impossible and Possible?  Life's problems usually don't have bland while answers.  Often there's a lot of gray.

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  To dream ... the impossible dream ...
To fight ... the unbeatable foe ...
To bear ... with unbearable sorrow ...
To run ... where the brave dare not go ...
To right ... the unrightable wrong ...
To love ... pure and chaste from afar ...
To try ... when your arms are too weary ...
To reach ... the unreachable star ...
This is my quest, to follow that star ...
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far ...
To fight for the right, without question or pause ...
To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause ...
And I know if I'll only be true, to this glorious quest, That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm, when I'm laid to my rest ...
And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars, Still strove, with his last ounce of courage, To reach ... the unreachable star ... 
////JACK:  You sound just like Don Quixote.

 FROM MY FLORIST:  “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”  -Michael Jordan ////JACK:  A similar one from Wayne Gretzky..."You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."  And, from Yogi..."It ain't over till it's over."

FROM MOLINER JT:  A great secret !!////JACK: It's OK if you let the cat out of the bag.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  GOOD THOUGHT TO KEEP IN MIND,  ESPECIALLY IN THESE TROUBLED TIMES!  I WAS READING IN THE SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE TODAY OF GEOFFRY KHAN'S WORK (U OF CAMBRIDGE) TO DOCUMENT ALL OF THE DIALECTS OF THE ARAMAIC LANGUAGE, ONCE THE LANGUAGE OF ENTIRE EMPIRES ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST, AND JESUS' LANGUAGE, BEFORE IT FOLLOWS THE LAST SPEAKER TO THE GRAVE. AT ONE TIME PEOPLE USED ARAMAIC FROM EGYPT AND THE HOLY LAND TO INDIA AND CHINA.  NOW THE  CHRISTIAN VILLAGE OF MAALOUIA, NEAR DAMASCUS IS THE ONLY PLACE IT IS SPOKEN AS AN  EVERYDAY LANGUAGE, AND TAUGHT TO THEIR CHILDREN.  BUT, SURPRISE!  THE NORTHERN  SUBURBS OF CHICAGO ARE HOME TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ASSYRIANS WHO HAVE FLED THEIR HOMELAND, AND STILL SPEAK ARAMAIC, WHICH KHAN WAS RECORDING.  THAT TASK MIGHT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO SOME, BUT TO  KHAN ...VOILA!////JACK:  We have a large population of Chaldeans in our community.  They are Christians who have fled persecution in Iraq.  Chaldeans are the ones who still speak Aramaic, as they have done since the time of Jesus.  Although I have many Chaldean friends, I have yet to hear any of them speak in Aramaic, even though they are able to do so.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  At one time I would have told you this is wrong because ~ as my art teacher said to one of the guys..."Not everything is possible, I man can't have a baby."  But, that's been sort of disproved.  And it is nearly impossible for me to get my youngest granddaughter to give up her "bear".  Nearly impossible, but I have done it!  So, maybe everything is possible!////JACK:  I like riddles, especially those that seemingly have no answer.