Jack’s Winning Words 3/9/16
“If it doesn’t suck, then don’t do it.”  (Jesse Itzler & David Groggins)  Jesse was in a rut and decided to move in for 31 days with David, a Navy SEAL, and train as a SEAL would train with lots of push-ups, running in a snow storm, swimming in an icy lake, for example.  It did the trick.  Jesse and David advise doing something that sucks each day.   When you find yourself in a rut, here are some ideas.  Clean up “that” mess; make “that” call; get down on your knees.    ;-)  Jack

FROM TARMART REV:  "running in a snow storm, swimming in an icy lake"...Minnesota normalcies with their novelty 5k runs and "Polar Plunges"...Hopefully, a pastoral normalcy for me more often than not, "cleaning up that mess, making that call and being found on my knees or sitting in the pew praying (hard to get down on my knees anymore physically).====JACK:  Although "sucks" isn't in my vocabulary, there are things that I'd rather not do, like a Polar Plunge.

FROM LBP IN PLYMOUTH:  2 stories:  In a stress management class I took 2 years ago, there was a cd of meditations. One was a prayer (I forget the origin). Essentially, each day seek to make someone else happy, solve one nagging problem, and find one way to get closer to the divine. I'll see if I can find the cd and get the actual words. I made a picture reminder for by my computer. I liked the idea of just solving one nagging problem though. There can be so many things calling for attention (i.e., nagging) but if I get one off the list then that is progress. One each day? That is some forward movement.....A more crass version of this is the mantra "scrub the shit" that arose from a personal scenario where I was avoiding scrubbing something waiting by the laundry tub because it had poop on it (Potty training toddler). I will not admit how long that lived there. I dreaded it. It gave me stress because it was there and because it had been there. Finally I just cleaned it. It was not a hard job. It was done quickly. I had given myself so much grief over something that sucked but honestly not that bad. So, because the alliteration is fun and the crassness helps the sucky-ness of the situation, when I find myself ignoring something annoying but easily remedied I remind myself to just "scrub the shit" ====JACK:  You made me LOL.  "Just scrub the shit" is a great winning words, if I'd ever dare to use it.  People tend to have certain expectations of pastors.

FROM SETH:  Great post Jack!====JACK:  So often, we put off the unpleasant task.  It only becomes worse as the unpleasantness continues to grow.

FROM QUILTING CAROL: You have to get past the chores of the day to have time for fun…and feel good.  Think that’s why I go to the pool at 5:45 AM three mornings a week….it wouldn’t get done if I left it for later.====JACK:  Now, that's what I call, gumption.  How long has it been since you've heard or used that word?

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  This reminds me of a saying my mom would say about our "messes"..."This looks like the wreck of the Hesperius!"====JACK:  The Wreck of the Hesperus is a poem by Longfellow.  It's worth reading, or, at least, a synopsis.  Groucho Marx sang a song about Lydia the Tattooed Lady.  On her back is the Wreck of the Hesperus.  YouTube has the song.