Jack’s Winning Words 2/10/16
 “You must make the world better by making yourself better.”  (Father Basil)  Basil is one of two Detroit guys who started a monastery in a remote spot in Michigan’s U.P.  It’s become a place for prayer and contemplation for them and for others who’ve joined them.  To exist they pick berries and make them into jam, which they sell.  We may not be cut out for the monastic life, but the truth is that this world can be better as each of decides to be better.    ;-)  Jack

FROM TARMART REV:  I've always dreamed of "Paul's Popcorn Palace" . . . but looks as though now I will just sit at Target, eat their popcorn and work at making the world a better place by greeting those God sends by my way.====JACK:  You seem better fitted for Target than for a monastery, especially a Trappist one.

FROM HUNGRY HOWIE:  Where can we buy the jam?====JACK:  Google.....The Jampot.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  We have gone to the bakery...when we went in the first time we were the only people in the store.  I thought the monks couldn't talk so I was pointing at the items I wanted.  They must have thought I was nuts. When I went to pay the monk said, "thank you".  We still laugh about it!  If you have never been there, it's a beautiful part of Michigan and the baked goods and jellies are fantastic!   They definitely leave this world a better place.====JACK:  Since you've been to all 50 states, you must have met some interesting people, seen some unique spots and had some memorable experiences.  We've been to Eagle Harbor...before the Monastery.====JUDY:  We did meet many many great people, including this trip.  Our next door neighbors came down for the week and we are having a blast.  Gary favorite trip's were to Hawaii.  My were the Sawtooth mountains in Idaho, following the Oregon Trail and Arcadia park in Maine.  But, I love this big beautiful country from sea to shining seas!  And all the wonderful people we met. Including the astronaut at Kennedy Space Center ....John Ross.

FROM EMKAY:   Here's the artist. The song is from this album. "You've got the love" is the song. Believe me, the song speaks to me some days:)  'Dog days are over' & 'Shake it out' are another two.  And while I'm at it, Jason Marz, 93 Million Miles is fabulous. Saw him play it on tv, what a talent.  Hope you enjoy! Have a wonderful day!!====JACK:  Thanks for introducing me to Florence & the Machine.  Being on the UK's Top 40 list for 65 weeks is quite an accomplishment.  "Shake It Out" on YouTube makes me want to hear more.  Music certainly makes the world better.

FROM MT IN PENNSYLVANIA:  With a name like that (Basil), I’m surprised he doesn’t also sell herbs.  (Sorry, couldn’t resist.  lol!)  Lovely thing to know about. And to your comments about the world 'getting better as each of us decides to be better'…that concept is (to me) the core message of ‘Groundhog Day’, which movie inspired me an many ways. It speaks to the fact that every day, we make choices about how we will view our world, and what we will do about that. The brilliance of the presentation is that the writers stripped away all the distractions: weather, traffic, coincidence, chance meetings, appointments, and so on — laying bare the protagonist and how he chooses to deal with his one and only day (after day, after day, after day…)  Groundhog Day may not be my most favorite movie of all time (though it’s certainly ’top 10’), but it is definitely the movie that most influenced how I try to live.  p.s. The mission of The Gabriel Institute, and the fundamental value of Teamability, is in helping people to better understand each other, and to live more satisfying and beneficial lives. That’s what drew me in.====JACK:  Groundhog Day is one of my favorites, too.  It's one of those "what if" movies that stirs the imagination.  Also...thinking about how to improve the lives of others...stirs the imagination, as well.

FROM INSTRUCTOR TOM:  By the way, the Priests in the UP make excellent jam especially the "Thimble Berry"!!  Happy Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent!! Too snowy to fly today. ====JACK:  Did you order some of their jam, or did you visit the store?

FROM ST PAUL IN MESA:  i also liked the Berrigan brothers (2 rcc priests) back in the 1960s who once said,  "if you want to really follow Jesus,  you better look good on wood!"====JACK:  They were activists when being an activist meant taking real risks.