Jack’s Winning Words 2/27/17
“For age is an opportunity no less than youth itself though in another dress.”  (Longfellow)  “Put yourself in the other person’s moccasins” needs to be updated to, “put yourself in the other person’s skin.”  Last week I met Tanya and heard her experience with profiling…by a cop and a judge.  I admit that I, too, had “profiled” her before our conversation.  The “dress” that age, sex, race give us is just a disguise.  Today, try to see the real person you’re talking to.    ;-)  Jack

FROM COPPER COUNTRY BOB:  Excellent!  I’m supplying for Lent in a congregational vacancy.  Expounding the texts for Wed I’m asking,  “What kind of preaching (preacher) do you want?”    For myself I want preaching that  a) Strengthens  my faith and  b) Deepens my commitment.  But in order for that to occur a third ingredient is necessary; namely  c) Confronting my sin and lack of obedience. We just heard at Transfiguration  “This is my Son.  LISTEN! to Him.”    They did listen that he was on the way to Jerusalem. But they failed to comprehend.    We are like that.  God continually needs us to listen to His winning words as the Spirit develops us into being disciples.   That’s what putting ones self into the other’s skin does to us.  Thanks!!!!!!!====JACK:  God spoke to me last week through Tanya.  Trans-figure-ation!

FROM AW IN ILLINOIS:  Jack...your comment that the "dress we put on"  age, sex, race et....is a quote worth remembering in itself.====JACK:  What you and I see in the mirror...That's not us!  We are spiritual beings.  God has made us in his image.

FROM SHALOM JAN:  I like your use of the word "disguise".  Well put!====JACK:  We make too many judgments based on disguises.  That's probably the reason we find ourselves regretting choices we've made.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  How true! "Son, How can I help you see? Can I give you my shoulders to stand on? Now you see further than me. Now you see for both of us. Won't you tell me what you see?" (poem: For Adam my son, (and in many ways my teacher). by H. Jackson Brown Jr.  We can all keep learning, from all ages, and keep "doing" every day!====JACK:  It's surprising...how much I 'm learning from my children and grandchildren in these latter days.  Now, I'm standing on their shoulders.

FROM BB IN ILLINOIS:  Always thoughtful and affirmative; thanks for the winning words today. ====JACK:  Fake news?  Fake people are the ones who scare me.  That might not be affirmative, but it's worth thinking about.

FROM ST PAUL IN MESA:  Jack,  three films that are very good to see are Hidden Figures,  Fences, and Moonlight.  all about the black experience in America.  plh    Manchester by the Sea is also good but very heavy with pain and without much sense of hope.  faith, of course, was completely non-existent in the film.====JACK:  I think that the last movie I saw was, Inspector Gadget.  I get my kicks from watching and talking to the people around me...and people like you who respond to Winning Words.