Jack’s Winning Words 4/21/15
“You know you’re really stressed when you start getting on your own nerves.”  (Sent by NCD)  Each year my insurance provider asks for a health assessment, including a part which asks me to rate my stress level.  I’ve read that some stress is good for all of us.  As with much of life--All things in moderation!  But, when nerves get you down, take some deep breaths, write a thank you note, go for a walk, make a gratitude list, and don’t forget to pray.    ;-)  Jack

FROM LBP IN PLYMOUTH:  Ha! I think I've actually been there!!  However, given that you've noticed me commenting on your stress related WWs, you'll be glad to hear that I'm getting help to learn to manage my anxiety/stress. I'm still working on it, but learning to refocus my thinking and my priorities is making for a happier, much less irritable, me. :)====JACK:  Which stress is worse, that which we place on ourselves, or that which the job places on us?  Stress is stress, isn't it.  I never felt stress connected with my job.  I felt challenged.  That helped alleviate personal stress for me. ====LBP:  Well, to date the worst has been my self imposed stress. There is lots from work, kinda. I hedge because the stress of it is mostly my doing .... from placing high expectations on myself and taking on more than can be handled at once... And procrastination. As I say, with help I'm leaning to see things differently by placing "importance" measures on my to do list. ... as well as to be better at saying no. One of the best skills I've been learning is to change "I should" into "it is important to me that". Funny how lots of those "shoulds" really aren't that important.====JACK:  Good advice.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  Great advice....been living that way a long time and it sure helps. ====JACK:  Is self-confidence nature or nurture?====JOHN:  Probably both...but, I think, primarily nurture.   Certainly living within God's Graciousness ought to make one confident to live boldly. ===JACK:  I'm sure that being on a debate squad helped give you confidence.  What caused you to "sign up?" ====JOHN:  I scored very very high on the College Entrance tests and had forensics experience so Prof Holcomb asked me to come out for debate.   I hadn't really intended to...thought I would probably play tennis at Augie.   It was a great break for me that Prof invited me.   It turned out to be a life changing experience.   I treasure my days at Augie because of that experience.   I had little purpose in life at that point.....wasn't really interested in much of anything...wondered why Zi was even in college. ====JACK:  I like the hymn line..."God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform."

 FROM TARMART REV:  Occasionally I will run into some confrontation when someone will say, as I will put it,  "I don't like you!" . . . my response is, "Sometimes, I don't like me either!!" 0;-/  ====JACK:  I don't think that anyone has said to me, "I don't like you."  That doesn't mean that they haven't thought it.  Everybody didn't like Jesus, either, but that didn't stop him.

FROM ST. PAUL IN ST. PAUL:  or send an email to an old friend...====JACK:  I think back to the days before e-mail.  The good old days weren't necessarily the better old days.  I'd hate to put an end to progress.

FROM JB IN CHICAGO:  This happens all the time with me, but then, I live alone. Who else’s nerves am I going to get on?  Thanks for the stress-reducers. I employ all of them.====JACK:  You're probably too young to remember, but Post Cereal came out with a substitute for coffee.  They called it, Postum.  In their advertising they used a shaky cartoon character called, Mr. Coffee Nerves.  Does coffee make you shaky?  Not me.====JB:  No, I remember Postum, although it was before I was of coffee-drinking age in my family. I drink only decaffeinated coffee and LOTS of green tea (not together). Too much caffeine makes me loopy.====JACK:  Loopy is a word that makes me smile.  I had to find out more about it....It describes a state of goofiness in someone, usually occurring after a long night of partying or any other activity, such as drinking coffee instead of green tea or Postum. 

FROM DAIRYLAND DONNA:  Yup!====JACK:  I'm not saying that this applies to you...but I read:  "Yup is a generic term of agreement issued often by a non-listening party, typically used while performing an additional important task, such as watching tv."====DONNA:  And what I meant is, lately I am getting on my own nerves. Yes, I am.====JACK:  You looked and acted just like your usual self today.    

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  HA! GOOD THOUGHT! A BIT STESSED AS I GET SONG SHEETS READY FOR CLERGY SPOUSES RETREAT THIS WEEKEND, HOST MY BRIDGE CLUB, AND CHAIRMAN OUR SENIOR LUNCHEON AND PROGRAM AT CHURCH:, AND "TAKE CARE" OF MY SON'S 89  YR. OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW, AND MY GOOD FRIEND, WHILE THEY ARE IN CA!   SO I'LL TAKE SOME DEEP BREATHS, (AAAH) AND SAY, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK  YOU, GOD" FOR HEALTH, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL, TO  UNDERTAKE  THESE STRESSFUL TIMES, SO I WON'T START TO GET ON MY OWN NERVES!!:-)  THIS WW MADE ME LAUGH!====JACK:  Too blessed to be stressed.  I think I quoted that saying a few weeks ago.  The words were printed on a coffee cup.  In the best sense of the word, you'd be called a busy body.