Jack’s Winning Words 10/26/15
“Never confuse a defeat with a final defeat.”  (F. Scott Fitzgerald)  This isn’t going to be about an exciting end to a football game, nor about Yogi’s famous “It ain’t over” quote.  It’s about how we handle the disappointments in life.  We’ve all had our “What if..” situations.  I’ve lived long enough to see that some bad things turn out to be good things…given enough time.  The “end” for a caterpillar magically becomes the beautiful “beginning” for a butterfly.    ;-)  Jack

FROM RJP IN NAPLES:  Good morning........Today's WW remind me of one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost " The Road Not Taken"    final stanza says "and that has made all the difference" ====JACK:  That's one of my favorite poems, too...along with "Mending Wall."  Do you remember Frost reciting poetry at the Kennedy inauguration?  Or, was that before you were born?====RJP:  I remember it well. Mending Wall indeed. Where are the great poets of today??? Maybe I just don't hear them. Are our children imbued with the same love of the verse today that we were fortunate enough to receive? Based on what I see from my grandchildren and those of friends, they are not. Sad I think.====JACK:  For my age, I had pretty good educational opportunities, but my grandchildren are far better educated  than I am.  I could never "cut it" sitting beside them in their classes.  But that's not expected of me.  BTW, knowing the poem, Mending Wall, is not as important as knowing the meaning of the poem.  In today's world, many walls are being constructed...or are being touted as a solution to problems.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  Like====JACK:  Just as an aside....Facebook "Like" seems to mean that you agree.  In Face to Face conversation, I would follow up by asking, "Why?"

FROM DR JUDY:  Assuming there is no request otherwise, I expect this will be a Quote in a future newsletter.  Thank you!====JACK:  As you may recognize, Winning Words is not meant to be an "end" statement, but an opening for further thought.  The Blog allows that to happen.  Notice some of that today.

FROM TARMART REV:  ...flying into a brand new week with anticipation it is going to be a delightful one, if only for me alone!!====JACK:  As long as you have a friend and an omnipresent God, you are never flying solo.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Good thought, Jack.====JACK:  In life's choice as whether to be an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist, I choose optimism, believing that the current circumstance is not necessarily the final one.====GEORGE:  I'm usually an optimist, but there are situations where I've learned to be skeptical.====JACK:  C.S. Lewis wrote a book for you, "Apostle to the Skeptics."

FROM ATTY GT:  According to your message this morning--one door has closed but another should open. I'll be looking and working for that open door.  I can't remember where I heard this--perhaps it was one of your sermons--you know the verse about the lilies of the field? Someone once said that even though the birds are fed by God, God does not toss the food into their nests--the birds have to seek and work for their food. I often remind myself of this.====JACK:  Both of those ideas (door and nest) are a part of my philosophy and have been part of my preaching, too.  I'm sure that they have come up in our conversations, too.  Another belief of mine is, "I'll work out."

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  These are two sayings that came to me when I was facing my uterine cancer surgery a year ago… They were very helpful in those days leading up to surgery and during recovery.  Sometimes the best things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us.  lessonslearnedinlife.com====JACK:  This hymn, by William Lloyd, has been of great help when people are in a difficult life situation...
Our times are in Thy hand;  O God, we wish them there;
Our lives, our souls, our all, we leave  Entirely to Thy care.
Our times are in Thy hand:  Whatever they may be;
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,  As best may seem to Thee.
Our times are in Thy hand;  Why should we doubt or fear?
A father’s hand will never cause  His child a needless tear.
Our times are in Thy hand;  Jesus, the Crucified,
Whose hand our many sins have pierced,  Is now our guard and guide.
Our times are in Thy hand;  We’ll always trust to Thee,
Till we possess the promised crown,  And all Thy glory see.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  I'm certainly glad this isn't your "final" defeat.  We suffer little "defeats" everyday and yet they make us better each day.====JACK:  Our "works" lead to final defeat.  We only "gain" the final victory by the grace of God.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:    So true...J.K.Rowling (HARRY POTTER series) put it this way: "It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all!"  You should learn something from the things that didn't work well....:-) ====JACK:  Thomas Edison failed most of the time when he tried to invent something.  His response was, "I haven't failed.  I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."