Jack’s Winning Words 1/15/18
“We relish our heroes, forgetting that we are extraordinary to someone/”  (Helen Hayes)  Just as “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” so are our heroes.  Lincoln was admired by many, but not by all..  MLK Jr is considered to be an America hero, but not all would agree.  Even Jesus couldn’t reach 100% in terms of admiration.  What do you consider to be the attributes of a hero?  Helen Hayes points out that each of us, in some way, can be heroic to someone.    ;-)  Jack

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Helen lived in nyack on the Hudson and had a book club which met there (I am sure they discussed many heroes) my bridesmaid was a member of the club and an English teacher ====JACK:  Sometimes we forget that "stars" are just ordinary people who read books, who have friends, who discuss topics, who tell jokes and laugh.  It's interesting that you and H.H. had a mutual friend like that.====SHIRL:  Helen Hayes would come to Ann Arbor and read to cappaert's daughter in the iron lung.  lael wrote a book about it "And God said no" Andi died at 28 London while disembarking from a plan she got polio at 2 years in Michigan

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Attributes of a hero?  How about....puts others before themselves, humble, a giver, an example you would want your children to emulate....to name a few.====JACK:  Something to ponder today....Who has been a hero in my life?

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Heroic, definitely in the eye of the beholder! Over the years, Bill became a "hero" in the eyes of the family, and often to his church "family", but he would say, "I wish I was half the guy they think I am!"  We all know we have feet of clay...I don't know that I thought of them as "heroes", but I certainly had people I looked up to, and wanted to emulate, as I grew up.  I'm sure Helen Hayes had a good point: We may not consider ourselves heroic, but we surely are in the eyes of at least a few! That's a bit scary! :-)====JACK:  I certainly remember Bill as a hero at Augustana  College when we were classmates there.  (Reading from the college website) "If a poll were taken to determine Augustana’s all-time greatest athlete, it is almost a certainty that every ballot would at least mention the name of Bill Oaks. During his athletic career at Augustana, Oaks earned 11 varsity letters and was a four year regular in both football and baseball and a three year starter in basketball.  Oaks wasted little time displaying his caliber after arriving at Augustana. As a freshman on the Vikings’ football squad, he was singled out as one of the team’s hardest hitting linemen, despite the fact that he hadn’t even been issued shoulder pad yet because of an equipment shortage! Oaks went on to compile a brilliant football career, which included numerous all-conference and all-state awards. He was named to two Little All-America teams and was signed to play professional football with the Chicago Bears. After breaking into the Bears starting lineup at pulling guard, Oaks’ career was ended by a knee injury.  The talented gridder also held the distinction of being the only three year team captain in Augustana history.  He didn’t limit his talents to the gridiron, however. He stepped into the starting lineup on the Augustana baseball team as a freshman and stayed there for four years, playing every position except shortstop and centerfield. He was a consistent .300 hitter and attracted the attention of several professional teams as a catcher.  Oaks left his mark on the hardcourt as well, where he displayed the same rugged aggressive style of play that exemplified his football career. He was a defensive specialist who readily admitted that there were several times when his points scored in a single game were less than his fouls committed.  Oaks, a 1950 Augustana graduate, went into the ministry after graduation and eventually served as the president of the American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region. He also served on an advisory committee of equal opportunity in education for the state superintendent of instruction."  ...and, he was a great and humble, person, too.  Heroic!  ====OAKS:  WHOO-HOO! That is awesome! I haven't seen that for years and years. Can't remember if that is in his Augie Hall of Fame write up, but I doubt it.  Thanks, Jack!  Bill deserves to be our Hero!

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Helen Hayes played Emily Dickenson at the Fox Theatre.  Loved her and the play.    A hero has to be someone willing to sacrifice by action or word, for something or someone.  There are so many people who have changed this world for good or bad who have left a tremendous mark on us all.====JACK:  I think that the greatest heroes of all are the ones who have personally impacted our lives, often in an unsung way.

FROM SHALOM JAN:  Amen! for Helen's insight!====JACK:  The most effective pastors are not necessarily those appearing on TV or those serving the large congregations.  "When the roll is called up yonder," don't be surprised when people come up to you and thank you for your influence upon them.

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  Is it just the sign of the times or is it something that has always been  so...The hero for some is the despite of others.  I think about this more often than I’d like.  ====JACK:   Please clarify.  Is it despite, or despise? \====PAUL:  Despite  Using it as a noun. ====JACK:  I checked up,,,because it's use in that way seemed questionable.  So...You are tight, but "despite" as a noun is rarely used anymore.  Despise as a noun is also unusual.  I always enjoyed the study of English.

FROM ROBERT:  Sharing for today... "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."  (Martin Luther King, Jr)====JACK:  When I would ask Confirmation student who Martin Luther was, almost always they would describe MLK Jr.  It would give me an opportunity to talk about both men and their impact on the Church and the world. 

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I have many heroes....one of them would be Abe Zlincoln....independent thinker...great athlete....stood up for the fight....married the belle of the ball....tougher things out when he had to....loved to read....incredible human being.....enormous contrast to our present Prez. ====JACK:  Is that a typo?  Or, is there are a real Abe Zlincoln? ====JOHN:  My iPad does that on a regular basis...corrects my when I type in a capital letter...I usually try to change it....must have missed that one