Winning Words 5/8/13
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.”  (Seneca)  I recently read an article, “How to stay positive in negative situations.”  The gist…Attitude makes the difference!  I know some people who live daily in difficult situations.  Their attitude is an inspiration to me.  They “practice the presence of God.”  Through their faith they’ve found a kind of strength that a physical exercise program could never give.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  The priest yesterday was commenting on the Apostle Paul's stay in prison where the guard and all his family were converted. "Two men looked out the prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw stars." "Our outlook is so very important, isn't it? We aren't so naive as to believe there is no evil in this world. Some things need to be changed, but they won't be changed if we have a negative attitude. Let's us have a positive attitude." That priest could be in the Optimists Club as it sounds like Seneca could too. ====JACK:  We "see" what we're looking for.  It happens in the church, in the home, in the neighborhood and in the world.

 FROM WALMART REV:  Notice the same type of friends and acquaintances in my life...definitely special people with an unusual display of an over-coming attitude. Good word again this morning.====JACK: "Birds of a feather flock together."

 FROM SC IN ILLINOIS:  Thanks, Pastor Jack.  I I live by that motto, but it is so good to be reminded.  Through the many difficulties with Russ' illness and death and my cancer, it helped me get through it and also helped my children and friends know that I could deal with it because of my faith.  I start my day with you. ====JACK:  Your response reminded me of Longfellow's poem.  Winning Words is something like that.
 "I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For so swiftly it flew, the sight Could not follow it in its flight. I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For, who has sight so keen and strong That it can follow the flight of song? Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroken; And the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend."

 FROM PH IN MINNESOTA:  good words for today, Jack.  thanks.  i am helping to emcee a luncheon today hosted by LSS on behalf of homeless youth in MN.====JACK:  I wonder how the home;ess might respond to this quote?

  FROM CJL IN OHIO:  But, as the exercise manager says:  You need both!====JACK: We've been carrying stuff out of the basement to give to the church's rummage sale.  My son and grandson can carry loads that would be impossible for me to life.  Why is that?

 FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS:  Amen!   I want to send you the link to my Spiritual photography course.  This week our topic was Attitude of Gratitude.  There’s a link to a 10 min TED talk – time lapse flower photos mostly that – 3 minutes in has a discourse from a little girl and then an old man on how time outside can change your attitude.====JACK:  What you don't want to see on a job evaluation -- BAD ATTITUDE!

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  A positive attitude strengthens the body, too. "I think I can, I think I can."====JACK:  A better attitude..."I know I can!"

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  He definitely never went through birth-labor.  :-)  However, I do truly believe this statement as nothing feels better than to overcome or finish a hard project, illness, situation, whatever the circumstance.  Faith gets us through all kinds of things we never could have thought we would be able to manage.  Thank you God!====JACK:  I didn't, either.