Jack’s Winning Words 1/13/16
“Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo.”  (John Sinclair)  My temptation is to comment about tattoos, but Sinclair’s words are about failure and how to overcome it.  Jerome Kern wrote: “When my chin is on the ground, I pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again.”  There’s a  Schuller book, “Tough Times Never Last, Tough People Do.”  I’ve known some tough people in my life.  Perhaps you have, too.  They’re an inspiration for us to hang in there!    ;-)  Jack

FROM STORMIN' NORMAN:  Thanks Jack I'm one of those tuff people too.  Thanks for all the great words, my Starbucks friend Ted is enjoying them too.  See you this summer.  I now have a five year old adopted grandson named Jack.====JACK:  So...you're one of those graduates from the "School of Hard Knocks."  You could write a book.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  You can't just ignore bruises and cuts.  You have to do something about them or they will cause a lot of problems.====JACK:  Some failures can be temporary, if we treat they as we do with cuts and bruises...but if we "tattoo" them, it will eventually take a major and painful effort to remove them.

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  Whoa....John Sinclair!  I knew him at Wayne State.  Can you imagine students waiting in line to get the latest copy of the West End.  He really shook things up! He was sent to prison over Marijuana...what a waste!====JACK:  I was wondering who'd be the first "radical" to pick up on Sinclair.  Isn't it interesting that yesterday's "hippie" becomes today's "hip?"

FROM CBer: Thank you ~  I'm not doing this alone.====JACK:  It's a great thing to know that while we might feel alone at times, God promises, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you!"

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Many times we learn more from our mistakes than our successes.====JACK:  Do basketball players subscribe to these words when the coach "benches" them?

FROM TARMART REV:  Have a few folk that inspire me walking through their tough times even today! Seemingly the more we personally reach out and add new people into our lives, the illustrations of such folk are added at a more frequent level. Perhaps those are the individuals and couples God's gives us for ministry!?====JACK:  Even "spiritual" people need their batteries recharged from day to day.====REV:  Always appreciate your daily comments, challenges and re-charging.

FROM CHESTER THE GOOD:  It's not a failure if you learn from it.====JACK:  One can learn to be gracious in winning, too.  I don't like those who strut around, yelling out, "We're number one!"

FROM NAPLES:  Friday we go to court for M son's custody battle. We have helped him fight this tough battle for almost three years and sadly his ex wife gets nastier all the time. Here is where we embrace the chin on the ground tough times philosophies. We also pray hard for the right things to happen. If you can send a prayer our way it would be appreciated. Our little three year old great grand son is the light of our life.====JACK:  It was FDR who said, "When you come to end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  The knot is your faith.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  i wish you'd comment on tattoos...====JACK:  It seems that people with tattoos are trying to make some kind of statement.  Do you ever watch tattooed Danielle on American Pickers.  She recently got a rather large "statement" tat.  One of my grandsons has a tattoo of the Bible verse that he chose for his confirmation.  Some people use bumper stickers; others choose to use ink.  Some Jews believe that it is a sin to "stain" the body.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  I'm reading "Woman in the Wilderness".  It's a collection of letters written between 1813 and 1891 about Harriet Wood Wheeler.  She was a missionary in upper Michigan.  Missionaries have always been such strong people both in fortitude and faith.  They were tough back then and they are still tough today.  pray for them!!!====JACK:  Many of God's people have tough jobs and need prayer support.  I like the song, "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God..... You can meet them in school, on the street, in the store, in church, by the sea, in the house next door;
they are saints of God, whether rich or poor, and I mean to be one too."====JUDY  How true.  I see saints wherever I go.  In fact, it's hard not to see them!