Jack’s Winning Words 4/11/17
“There are millions of interesting things in this world, but they don’t actually become interesting until we devote our attention to them.”  (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)  I quoted Mihaly about a month ago.  He’s called, the Professor of Happiness.  Happy people generally are fascinated by the world around them.  Robert Louis Stevenson wrote: “The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.”  What do you find especially interesting in this world?    ;-)  Jack

FROM TARMART REV:  That for 2017 years and especially still in America, every person, a Christ-follower or the most animate agnostic or atheist, documents his life from birth to death and every time he or she documents any date as a verification of authenticity, they do so after the recognition of Jesus Christ as coming to this world and the giving of His life for the remission of our sin. Please don't share this with the ACLU====JACK:  In the Jewish calendar the year is 5777, and in the Islamic calendar it's 1438.  Oftentimes CE (Common Era) is substituted for AD (Anno Domini - The year of our Lord) after the year number.====REV:  Which calendar do the Jews of West Bloomfield use when writing their checks?

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  It's hard to narrow down the things I find interesting and I'm interested to see what other people find interesting.  I love to watch the interaction of the birds at my bird-feeder.  I love to hear of true stories of the history of the Oregon Trail, the Orphan Train, the history of our country and the founding fathers, geography, flowers, gardening, scrapbooking, grandkids, kids, outhouses and many many other things!    What do YOU find interesting?====JACK:  You are an interesting person in many ways.  Through the blog exchange we find out a variety of information about each other.====OJ: You learn a lot about me but I don't learn a lot about you except snippets.  I talk too much about myself.

FROM DR J IN OHIO:  He’s one of my favorites… his theory of FLOW really fits well with what I believe about learning… I talk about “goldilocks” learning… not too hard, not too easy… but just right. When challenge is just out of reach of current skill… that’s when the magic happens! ====JACK:  Have you ever learned to pronounce his name?  I think that the Goldilocks analogy can be applied to theology, too.  In my training for preaching, I was taught to always try to connect my sermon up with life...to make "real life situations" relate to the Bible...not too hard or too easy.  A pastor friend of mine had a child in Sunday School whose father (a nuclear physicist) would drop her off and wait in the parking lot until Sunday School and church were over.  One day the pastor spoke to the man and said, "you know, when you come to this church you don't have to leave your brain in the parking lot with the car.  The rest of the story...That man eventually did go into the church and later became a pastor.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Good question.  I am definitely old school.  Family, books, politics, education, space, all things new.====JACK:  "All things new" doesn't sound old school to me.  I don't know many seniors who attend college classes as you do.

FROM RJP IN NAPLES:  PEOPLE====JACK:  That's my response, too.  Finally we can agree on something.====RJP:  Happy to see you are finally coming around to my way of thinking. Isn't elevating your game fun??????????? LOL

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  The budding and flowering trees and spring flowers are so beautiful!  But INTERESTING; Good books, programs that educate us,great movies,  people that have unique hobbies or other entertaining interests to share, etc.  The world is indeed so full of any number of things! We're so blessed!====JACK:  Early in the morning when I go out to get the newspaper (some people still read newspapers), I'm fascinated by the singing of the birds.  In fact I just stand there for a while and listen.

FROM EMT SINGS IN TC:  Everything!  In fact,when one of the grandsons was very small, he said "Grandma, don't say "isn't that interesting" again".  Now he is 19 and thinks everything is interesting too!====JACK:  Now, that caused me to laugh.  It's interesting how young children can reflect what they see in us.

FROM AW IN ILLINOIS:  The blessings of Easter be upon you and all your loved ones. Your faithful message brightens my life  Thanks.====JACK:  Easter is "interesting", isn't it...for those who see beyond this life?  Those who only see bunnies, chicks, candy, flowers and clothes don't know what they're missing.