Jack’s Winning Words 11/12/15
“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket.”  (Sent by MBO)  When John Lennon was 5-yrs-old the teacher asked what he wanted to be when he grew up.  When he answered, “Happy!” he was told he didn’t understand the assignment.  Have you become what you wanted to be, now that you’ve grown up?  What has determined your happiness?  Things?  Family?  Health?  Approval by others?  Do you have a definition for happiness?    ;-)  Jack

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I see "happiness". As a feeling that comes and goes....like anger or sadness. Peace is a state of mind or being.   I do feel at peace.====JACK:  How did you feel when candidate Rubio said that we need more welders and less philosophers?  Was your "happiness key" in his pocket?====JOHN:  No.    Rubio is another lightweight who sounds good but has no balls. ====JACK:  No comment on "less philosophers?"

FROM DLM:  . I love this one!  Have a great day!====JACK:  When my friend, MBO, sent this quote, it resonated with me, and I thought that others would like it, too.

FROM TARMART REV:  You sure put a smile on my face, Jack!!====JACK:  Much obliged!  Ask someone today what the word, oblige, means.====REV:  My lady friend on Google this morning said it "makes (someone) legally or morally bound to an action or course of action."  May we both continue to oblige ourselves serving Him!! Blessed to be able to walk along together doing so. ====JACK:  I'd challenge you to ask someone, other than the Google lady.====REV:  A young lady when asked defined oblige as honoring somebody.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  I'd rather have joy than happiness if I had to choose.====JACK:  One of the synonyms for joy is happiness; another is euphoria...like the feeling  Iowa alums have when their football team is undefeated (so far).

FROM EMT SINGS IN TRAVERSE CITY:  I had meant to get a note written to you but time got away from me!  It was going to be a kind of thank you note.  On November 10th Rick and I observed our 25th wedding anniversary!  You cannot know how many times over the years that your name has come up in our conversations with people with regards to how we met, our wedding, meeting you for the first time, your influence,especially for Rick.  Fast forward 25 years and we are active in church, the homeless community and how easily Rick makes many personal decisions by asking "What would Jesus do?" to anyone.  We would have had our vows renewed if it would have been more logistically possible.  We would not want anyone else to do it but you.   Please know how dear to our hearts you are !!  God Bless!====JACK:  Thanks for putting the "key to happiness" in my pocket today.  I've always felt that God has a way of leading us into circumstances and relationships.  What we do with them is our decision.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Happiness is knowing God loves me, faults and flaws included.  Hold on to your hats today!====JACK:  I'm sure that in Sunday School you sang, "If you're happy and you know it...."

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Although Tolstoy has said, "Pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete Joy"...I feel my life has held a preponderance of happiness in my chosen vocation as a teacher (In my day, a girl's choice of work was pretty much a nurse, teacher, or secretarial; it was really avant garde to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc!), in my chosen spouse, family,  ministry, and leisure activities. So blessed, in spite of some serious losses as "life goes on"!!====JACK:  For better or worse, we are the product of the times in which we lived, the home in which we were raised and the people we have met along the way.  I feel sorry for those who say, "I shoulda...."

FROM ME IN NEWPORT BEACH:  One of the keys is liking yourself.  Although that is one of those chicken and egg conundrums.====JACK:  Of course we don't want to like our self so much that we become like Narcissus.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Just enjoy each day and to do the very best that you can do to make this a better world.====JACK:  I've read that Belgians have a thing about cleanliness.  In the "old country" some of them can be seen sweeping, and even washing, the street in front of their house...making the world a better place, at least where they live.  But, that's where it starts.

FROM INDY GENIE:  Wow... Good one for me today:) btw..I love John Lennon's answer! As teachers it's very smart of us to stay open to learning from children...their minds are often so much more open than ours:)