Jack’s Winning Words 10/23/13
“My father used to say, ‘Let them see you and not the suit.’”  (Cary Grant)  C.G. did not have a happy childhood, but he did remember what his father said about clothes not being so important.  Cary was a handsome movie star, but, in the mirror, he was just an ordinary person.  I recall hearing my mother say, “Just look at yourself!”  That’s pretty good advice for an adult, as well as a messy kid.  Look at yourself, today!!    ;-)  Jack

 FROM HONEST JOHN:  Why not see both you and the suit?   The option is to go nude.====JACK:  We both know that clothes often make the difference.  I would usually wear my clergy collar when making hospital calls.  No questions asked.  Not so much now, but in the past, there were unwritten dress codes in church.  Even in Jesus day, the back of the Temple was for those who didn't measure up to appearance standards.  Jesus got into trouble with the "religious" officials when he saw the person and not the suit.  When Jim Leyland appeared in a suit to announce his retirement, one of the reporters mused, "Whenever you see a baseball manager in a suit, you know that he's either coming or going."

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  "Look at yourself" reminds me of how I have most likely looked at myself in the mirror at least once everyday. Each day, as I look at myself, it seems that I look just like I did the day before. However, when I look at a picture of myself from many days gone by, I wonder how I could have changed so much without noticing the changes! Even when we do look, it is very easy to miss all the subtle changes! I think it can be good for us to consider both our current "clothes" in the context of the clothes we wore long ago.====JACK:  The changes in us are more than physical differences.  My philosophies and opinions have also changed.  Sometimes it's been subtle; at other times, more dramatic.  I've often thought that the body is like a suit being worn by the soul.  Philosophers have a term for that idea.  I think that it's called, Dualism.

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Women have a more delicate path. Both my daughter and I remember how often I advised her not to wear skin tight biker shorts and so forth because "people would get the wrong idea of her". To this day, she is a professional woman and she wears conservative clothing to the office. She also dresses nicely for leisure and at home but must admit lots of women are showing more cleavage than in past decades. Guess with women's dress often people are looking "at them", at their skin and not at their suit. ====JACK:  I was reading today about a Western woman, traveling in Morocco, who literally stopped traffic, because she wasn't wearing a veil.  She received both glares and leers.  Our ancestors would be shocked beyond belief if they suddenly woke up on one of today's beaches.

 FROM TARMART REV:  Pretty (sometimes not very pretty) advice for us to ponder and be challenged by . . . another good word this morning, Jack. ====JACK:  Does your "conservative" church also espouse "conservative" dress for its members.  Are there church clothes, compared to Walmart clothes?====REV:  Against my up-bringing and comfort level today, our church is about as casual as one will find . . . from our pastor's attire to throughout the pew with coffee in hand by many. The definition of presenting God our excellence is about as far removed as our definition of marriage. My Lutheran brethren are much more conservative in this regard nowadays.====JACK:  When my sister was a grade-schooler she went with our aunt to a Catholic church.  The aunt pulled out a  Kleenex from her purse and put it on my sister's head, because women were not to go to worship without a hat.

 FROM IKE AT THE MIC:  On that theme, I believe the best strategy on having a happy life is "Always be yourself,because the people that count won't mind,& the people that mind don't count"...====JACK: Would you dress differently if your program were on TV instead of on the radio?

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  "Look at yourself" is good advice in every sense of the phrase.  When I take the time to assess my own self about things, I usually find plenty room for improvement.====JACK:  Have you every sung the song, "It's hard to be humble?"
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror
'Cos I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man.
O Lord it's hard to be humble
But I'm doing the best that I can.

 FROM HR IN MICHIGAN:  Billy Crystal, as one of his characters ( I think he was playing Ricardo Montalban) on Saturday Night Live years ago, said (with sarcasm), “It is better to look good, than to feel good.”====JACK:  I'm sure that you've come in contact with many people who are anxious to feel good.  Forget the "looking good" part.  BTW, when you were in the dating game, did you ever sing the Hank Williams song, "Hey, good lookin', whatcha got cookin'?  How's about cookin' somethin' up with me? ====HR:  Tried that line in a bar once,  never went back.====JACK:  You got the cold shoulder?

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  I did!  Man, what a handsome lad. Wonder what I'll look like when I grow up.====JACK:  Where did you get that crazy sideshow mirror?