Jack’s Winning Words 5/23/14
“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways—either by losing hope and falling into destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find inner strength.”  (Dalai Lama)  In the Buddhist tradition, dalai means, great, and lama means, teacher…   Great Teacher.  One of the DL’s teachings is that we have an inner strength that can help with life’s challenges.  God, says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will answer you.”  A book title puts it this way, “Unleash your Inner Strength.”    ;-)  Jack

FROM TRIHARDER:  Yes, I knew a whole generation of people like that.  My  parents and all of their friends.====JACK:  I think Tom Brokaw got it right when he called them, "The Greatest Generation."  The Finns have a word for a characteristic that they had...SISU!

FROM TARMART REV:  I have most likely posted this before to you in response to something . . . but worth re-posting again! " (Chorus) You can have A SONG IN YOUR HEART IN THE NIGHT, After every trial, after every mile. Anyone can sing when the sun’s shining bright. But you can have a song in your heart at night." A-nticipating Monday!!====JACK:  Hum a few bars for me, and maybe I'll recall it.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  the dalai lama is a cool guy, but i wish he'd get a dress with two sleeves... ====JACK:  Guys don't shop in the dress department.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  If you read Lost Survivor, you come away with the message that you can endure almost anything.  It puts your life into perspective, in my opinion.  Usually, though, when you are going through difficult time. you don't have the time to read an entire book.====JACK:  When it comes to a survivor story, I'm impressed with the story of Job from the Bible.

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  Hardships do come along in our lives, sometimes they seem insurmountable, we lose our rationale and can't seem to handle the situation.  Looking back I can remember such situations.  Fortunately, given a bit of time, things begin to sort themselves out.  Or another Hand does "handle the situation."  As a child I memorized the scriptural reference you quoted, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me."  It's still effective.====JACK:  I quoted it recently..."Give time time."  I think that "the younger generation" hasn't lived long enough to experience the real truth of that statement.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Inner Strength, the unseen perhaps unquantifiable “something” that we all draw upon in the low tides of faith. Life is Choices…====JACK:  Maybe the Inner Strength is what is expressed in this hymn...
 God be in my head, and in my understanding;
 God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
 God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
 God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
 God be at mine end, and at my departing

. FROM BLAZING OAKS:  The Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong'o (12 years a Slave film) had a quote recently that made me think:"JOY is not the negation of pain, but rather acknowledging the presence of pain, and feeling happiness in spite of it."  Nice trick if you can do it!  I think by the time we are in our 8th decade, we have had sorely trying experiences, where inner strength was given. I have come to trust that!====JACK:  The former White Sox player, Luke Appling, used to be called, "Old Aches and Pains," because he often played, despite his aches and pains.  Life goes on!