Jack’s Winning Words 4/13/17
“It hurts to find out that what you wanted doesn’t match what you dreamed it would be.”  (Randy Milholland)  Randy is creator of the webcomic, Something Positive.  He began the comic, because some girl criticized him and said that he should do something positive with his life.  And he did that…only in a weird sort of way.  Has anyone ever encouraged you to follow your dreams?  The idea for the song, Yesterday, came to Paul McCartney in a dream.    ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  Paul McC.'s song is so plaintive and even rather sad.  but it also makes a person think about how fast time moves on...====JACK:  It seems like only yesterday that you and I were talking about whether to buy the house (on Walce?) or to move to Minnesota.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  Criticism often makes me angry....first, at the person who did it...and, second, if it is valid, at myself...====JACK:  I belong to the Optimist Club, and each week we say The Optimist Creed.  One of the lines from the creed says, "to forget the mistakes of the past."  Recently club members voted to change it to read, "to learn from the mistakes of the past."  Which version do you prefer?====JOHN:  The latter....the former version means no growth. ====JACK:  Here’s the problem.  The Optimist Creed was written in 1912 by Christian Larson.  Can you (should you) change something that is someone else’s writing without the author’s permission…and the author is dead?====JOHN: Yes.   A creed is a statement of faith and should, therefore, reflect the beliefs of those who use it.   It is quite different to change a creed than to change, for example, the wording if a hymn...or the wording of a book

FROM TARMART REV:  A beautifully gifted blessing, to live one's dream!!====JACK:  I just read an article...a day in the life of a refugee family.  The family is living a "dream" in Minnesota, having escaped persecution and death in Somalia.  The President says that Minnesotans have suffered enough from Somalian refugees.  This refugee family's dream is turning into a nightmare.  Do you have any Somalis in your community?====REV:  We have a goodly number working in our Jennie-O turkey plants...20,000 residents with 1/5 Hispanic and most likely 1500-2000 Somalians. They have pretty much taken over the older downtown portion of Willmar with several businesses and apartments above the businesses.  I've learned to greet them in their own language and have been received as their friend from many. I have one who wrote very kindly of our relationship and mine to the community. I have it included in my references in coming to Michigan.  They are very interesting to observe, double parking often, sitting outside their stores and when the men wear their white outer garment on Fridays for worship.====JACK:  I must say...Your answer caught me by surprise.

FROM GJ IN TEXAS:  Yes, as a matter of fact. A pastor in West Bloomfield, Michigan in the ‘80’s  helped me become a very good pastor and church builder.====JACK:  It's a good idea for all of us to review our life and its direction from time to time.  Do you remember the song, Swinging On A Star?  One line goes..."You can be better than you are."  Sometimes we need someone to tell us that.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Encouragement from many different places in our lives.  Family, teachers, friends and even complete strangers can encourage us.  And of course, we have the added blessing of the Holy Spirit!====JACK:  The word angel comes from the Greek language..angelos, a messenger (from God).  God sends angels into our life from time to time...like in the movie, It's A Wonderful Life.

FROM CHESTER THE GOOD:  And sailboats go upstream.====JACK:  If you say so.  I prefer a motorboat.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  It hurts even more not to find out.====JACK:  You're on the safe side, because it seems that you've had several dreams to follow.