Jack’s Winning Words 2/6/15
“Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles.”  (Thomas Browne)  Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas allows visitors to search for real diamonds.  One of the “finds” was the Okie Dokie (over 4 carats).  There are jewels in other places, too.  An essay, “Acres of Diamonds” says that gems can be found in our own backyard, meaning that there are things, experiences and people of value, if we just look for them.  Have you seen any?    ;-)  Jack

 FROM HONEST JOHN:  "Acres of Diamonds" was Ted Levander's favorite oration====JACK:  One on my best lessons in "what not to do when giving a speech" was taught to me by Prof Levander.  I got an A on the speech, but an F on the content.

 FR4OM TARMART REV:  My Treasure Chest of Valuable Truths is full and running over; hoping I can get to the vast majority of them to share before having to leave this old world for a better one!! I started collecting "eye-catching" statements and articles from church bulletins from many sources back in the 1970's and up to 10-15 years ago when cost for publication and mailings slowed down many in their outreach of this kind (Top 100 A/G Churches, Evangelical Free, ELCA Lutheran, Temple Kol Ami, selected radio ministry churches and other churches I heard about) . . . some from Holy Spirit Lutheran Church of West Bloomfield . . . .for me they provide a storehouse of shareable truths and treasure!!====JACK:  I started collecting truisms when I was a young teen.  I would cut them out from newspapers, magazines and church bulletins and put them in a cigar box.  That was the start of my Winning Words ministry.  Those were "the good old days," before Google.

FROM CHESTER THE GOOD:  Everybody is a diamond in the rough. Some take to polishing better than others.====JACK:  There's an expression..."You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."  With God's help, miracles can take place...even in the lives of people.

FROM BB IN ILLINOIS:  I believe my father had Acres of Diamonds in the collection and it was a slender volume, like Og Mandino’s.====JACK:  You are probably right.  Mandino, Ziglar (and the like) would identify with the "positive thinking" in Russell Conwell's essay.  Through the magic of Google, you can read it...and sense why it might have appealed to your father.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I REMEMBER THAT ESSAY...BILL PREACHED ON IT, AS I IMAGINE MOST MINISTERS DID!  I DON'T IMAGINE MANY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE "DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH' THAT WE TOOK INTO OUR HOME DURING HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEARS WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE A RESPONSIBLE HUSBAND, FATHER OF 3 DAUGHTERS, AND SERVING AT THE STATE LEVEL AS YOUTH  LEADER, AND DEAN YEAR AFTER YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL BAPTIST CAMP IN SPRINGFIELD... AMAZING WHAT A  STABLE HOME,  AND A WISE FOSTER FATHER (BILL() CAN DO!  AND A FAITH IN THE 'HEAVENLY FATHER'!====JACK:  I just finished rereading Conwell's essay.  It was rather lengthy, but had many good illustrations about finding things of value in "your own backyard."  He was a Baptist preacher and a veteran of the Civil War.