Winning Words 2/18/13
“Good or bad start, each day is an opportunity to make the world a better place for others and for yourself."  (3 Minutes a Day)  Jimmy Durante sang: “You gotta start off each day with a song.”  I start off each day by sending out a positive message to friends.  I also read something uplifting from a book, “3 Minutes a Day.”  It’s not always easy to be positive in a negative world.  Accent the positive; eliminate the negative!    ;-)  Jack

 FROM DR JUDY IN MICHIGAN:  And I'm so appreciative that you do -- start off your day with a positive message to friends. I'm honored to be your friend!!////JACK:  The first response for today...and it's a good way to start a Monday.

 FROM WALMART REV:  AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE (Mister In-Between)
(Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen)////JACK:  I'll bet the shoppers are wondering about that basso-profondo  singing coming from the coffee shop.

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene

(To illustrate his last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they do
Just when everything looked so dark)

Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No, do not mess with Mister In-Between
Do you hear me, hmm?

 FROM MS IN MICHIGAN:  Your Winning Words helps the rest of us start the day in a positive way! ////JACK:  There's an old saying..."One hand washes the other."  Think of the that as you stand at the sink today.  Life is about helping one another.

 FROM DR IN REMISSION:  Jack - told you before how much I appreciate your daily words - have used them at staff meetings and in bulletins and news letters - have meant most these past 10 months as I've battled cancer into PTL remission - keep good words coming - best usually reflect The Word - gratefully ////JACK:  I'm reminded of the words of Longfellow: "I shot an arrow into the air and where it fell, I knew not where."  Winning Words are sometimes like that.

 FROM ILLINOIS LIZ:  ok, devil's advocate here... just how does one eliminate the negative?////JACK:  "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world."
(Buddha)   For some people, it's harder than for others.  A lot of it depends on one's circumstances.  It's like with many situations..."I'm gonna try."   Baby steps!

 FROM DAIRY STATE DONNA:  Amen. ;o)////JACK:  Do you mean...    Accent the positive?  Or, eliminate the negative?  Or, both?////DD:  You have to accent the positive since it’s not always possible to eliminate the negative. Right?////JACK:  Just does mess with Mister In-between.

 FROM EMT SINGS IN MICHIGAN:  Besides reading your WW , I read the daily message from "Daily Guideposts--A Spirit-Lifting Devotional"  My Mother's sister, my Aunt Aggie is now 98 and in a nursing home in MN.  She is as mentally alert as my Mother was and  we enjoy the connection of knowing that we are both reading the same message to start the day. That book has been my Christmas gift to her for years. ////JACK:  Guideposts always seems to have some interesting and uplifting stories.  It's good that you can share them with someone older than you.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Makes me think of an article  I read recently about Possum  Trot, TX (pop 600) whose residents were caring for 76 neglected and abused  children through Foster  Care, (later adopted, every one!) and they've been doing this for 16 yrs. What a difference they've made in those tragic lives! Their 24/7 commitment was humbling to this "sometimes" do-gooder!!////JACK:  Sometimes we're surprised when people take the Parable of the Good Samaritan seriously.  Why should that be.  I read this verse somewhere...."O ye of little faith."  Do you remember this hymn verse..."If our love were but more simple,  We should take Him at His word;  And our lives would be all sunshine     In the sweetness of our Lord."

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  In a battery, current flows from negative to positive. life's like that. Shocking discovery.////JACK:  Not that I don't trust you, but going to check this out with a friend who's an electrical engineer, specializing in batteries.

FROM CL IN CALIFORNIA:  latch on to the affirmative don't mess with Mr in between  I remember that song very well////JACK:  Johnny Mercer also wrote: Autumn Leaves, Moon River, Lazybones, Fools Rush In and many others that you probably know.  Most are "message" songs.

 FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  And it helps a lot to hang around positive people during the day.  Children who are involved and happy can be a very good influence on everyone.////JACK:  When the children "age" into adults, some of us are fortunate to have grandchildren////SHIRL:  .I have just returned from a week in West Palm Beach where I attended a Grandparents' Day for Liam (8) who is my youngest grandchild and for Madeleine, who is 12.  We all had many adventures.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Happiness can be had anyday.  It's attitude and smiles.  Today I spent the day with a mirror and sunshine.  I "made" Tinkerbell with the sunlight shining off of the mirror.  It made a little spot of light on the walls and my granddaughter, Alyssa, just loved it.  We played with Tinkerbell for at least an hour.  Nothing is better than a granddaughter and sunshine....she is my sunshine...straight from God's Hands.////JACK:  I recall using my watch as a reflector and making a dot of light dance over the teacher's head during class, much to the delight of my friends.  I don't think that I was ever caught, but I did go to the principal's office on a couple of occasions for other infractions.

 FROM CS, THE ARTIST:  Thanks for starting my day with a positive note. I often share your "words" with others!////JACK:  Learning to share is a lesson taught at an early age.  You paid attention.