Jack’s Winning Words 8/30/19
“Without labor nothing prospers.”  (Sophocles)  I remember when Labor Day used to be about labor, giving the working stiff a day off (sometimes with pay).  Now, it’s just another of the 3-day weekends.  Maybe it should be a time for giving thanks for those who make life easier for us because of what they do…Help me make a list from A to Z:  Airplane pilot,….Zuchinni grower.  New technology changes the job market, but we’ll always need the old working stiff.   ;-)  Jack

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Pastor....who rarely really gets a day off......and impacts so many lives.   Thanks for all you did...and do.  Counselor (Gloria's job).   Like a pastor in the sense that hears a lot about trouble, turmoil and challenges.....and probably appreciates those times when all around her is peaceful. ===JACK:  I'm going to try and keep track of those who make my life easier today.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  It was always a big fun day at our house.  We’d have all our family together, at least 40-50 family members, with tons of kids, would have a picnic.  The Detroit Tigers’ game would be on the radio.  A rambunctious baseball game with everyone who wanted to play would be on the team, and the bases were pine trees by dad had planted for just that reason.  Of course, if you decided to slide into the bases it would cost you in pine needles.     Some would be playing horseshoes, the ladies would be under the fruit trees picking apples, cherries and several kinds of plums.  We had grape ready for picking, corn and just able any veggie you could want.

We’d have an enormous meal...sometimes two.  The little ones would nap in play pens under the trees.    Actually, it looked like a Norman Rockwell painting.===JACK:  My favorite Rockwell painting is "Saying Grace" (1951) which depicts an older woman and a young boy saying grace in a crowded restaurant while being observed by other people.  It was sold at auction for $46 million.

FROM SHALOM JAN:  Reading an article in TIME magazine that says most "tip-earning" jobs have not had a base pay raise since 1996 when a federal bill went into effect that froze the minimum wage for tip-earners at $2.13 per hour.  Tip generously, folks!  The life you save may be the waiter's child! ===JACK:  When i came to serve my first congregation it was the custom at Christmastime for the pastor to stand at the front of the church by a table with a basket on it.  Members of the church would pass by and place a Christmas card (with a gift inside), in the basket.  They shook my hand said "thank you" to me.  The custom ended after that.  It felt as though I was getting a tip in addition to my salary. 

FROM STARRY KNIGHT:  M is for Music teacher.===JACK:  and Mother, too!

FROM AMcC:  All work is good. Work. " Thank God for the might of it; the ardor , the urge, the delight of it."

 Taught to us in grade school during the depression.  True , isn't it.======JACK:  I got my first job at age 5, going door to door in the neighborhood selling the Saturday Evening Post for 5 cents.

Jack’s Winning Words 8/29//19
“Focus on the Good!”  (The Christophers)  This ad caught my attention --  Focus on the Good (prayer cards).  I continued to read the text…“Help Me to Focus – on the good in others – on the good in life – on the good…so, I can help change things for the better…so, I can be a greater channel for light and peace in the world. I think that those are great goals.  The cards are called, “A Positive Perspective for Daily Life”.  If I get 100…any ideas for using them?   ;-)  Jack  

FROM VW MARY:  Leave some in your church, put one in any personal mail you send, maybe hand some out....send me one!===JACK:  "Send me one" are 3 words that say I must actually follow through and place the order.===VWM:  Good idea! Yesterday my most long-standing friend(70 years) died. She was a blessing in my life....On my way this morning to Niagara on the Lake.... JACK:  Not many of us have a friend lasting for 70 years or more...A real blessing, for sure!

FROM TRIHARDER:  I don't see much children enough. They both live exceptionally busy lives and free time competes with their mother and their mates' families. I've learned to focus on the positive  -- the time that I do get to spend with them. It came from a book in which "focus on the  positive was its central theme. I hope you're feeling well and have a wonderful holiday weekend. ===JACK:  Older people might remember bandleader Guy Lombardo and his song: "Enjoy yourself. it's later that you think.  Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink."  Facebook seems to say that you're finding ways to do that.  Family tops my list, too.  "The years go by as quickly as a wink."  Focus on the good!

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Amen===JACK:  Amen is a "churchy" word meaning, "I agree."

FROM LS IN MI:  As I awaken looking forward to reading your winning words and feel connected to you,  you,   could each morning awake to look forward to reading a card to connect with the one who authored the cards.  Infusing your creative mind with affirmations will inspire you for the day as reading your winning words does for me. ===JACK:  Writing WWs for next week is waiting.  It will get done some how, some way.  It's called, INSPIRATION!  I rely on it...a lot.

FROM RJP IN NAPLES: Use one every Friday for the next two years and call  it Focus Friday ===JACK:  How often did you have a meeting with your sales people?  Was there a theme?  Focus on the good?  Positive?

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  can you turn them into some kind of card game?===JACK:  How about taking an Old Maid deck and pasting a Winning Word to each pair...with Focus on the Good  pasted on the Old Maid?===SP:  i like it.   wonder if they could also do that on some of the card decks used in Vegas?? ===JACK:  I just came across a deck titled, POLITICARD, with a quote printed with each face.  You can choose whose face might be shown on the Joker.===SP:  that would not be a hard choice to make!    i saw a bumper sticker the other day.  it read: when you elect a clown, you get a circus!===JACK:  That might refer to some "pastoral calls", too.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  I have a book titled “P.S. I Love You”.  When our kids were in college I’d write them weekly letters or notes and include one of the P.S. quotes.  They never commented on them, but know they loved getting mail from home. “P.S. Did you hear the story about the optimist and the pessimist?  The optimist goes to the window every morning and says, ‘Good morning, God.’ The pessimist goes to the window and says, ‘Good God, morning!’  I’ve always loved your optimism. I love you, Mom”  Hope you have a “Good morning God” day!===JACK:  A copy of the P.S. book might make a great Christmas gift to each of them this year.   https://www.amazon.com › PS-Love-You-Cecelia-Ahern

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Yesterday I wrote about putting a smile in your voice to make your day better and Jack left this comment – “SOMETIMES////EASIER SAID THAN DONE”. I suppose that I could return his comment as a comment on his post this morning.  "Focus on the Good" (The Christophers)!  It is sometimes very hard to focus upon the good because there is so much noise made about the bad. The evening news casts provide a prime example. Both local and national news shows seem to be focused 
upon telling us about all of the bad that has occurred.===JACK:  There is a "Mute" button on the clicker. 

FROM DAZ IN CO:  Kathy and I both try to focus on the good because it make life so much better. If only we could more people would try focusing on the good . I guess that should be our prayer. ===JACK:  I pray that the focus of our country today might be on the common good.

FROM FEEDSTOR:  I love short, daily or weekly notes, quotes, etc. I am going to look up the prayer cards you mentioned below. I believe they might be helpful in any home or workplace!===JACK:  I will be ordering some today...and I'll be ordering some extras for you.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Wonderful suggestion! 

Jack’s Winning Words 8/28/19
“Hurt people hurt people!”  (Aubrey Fontenot)  His son was being bullied, and Fontenot decided to confront the bully.  It was a learning experience for everyone.  It turned out that the bully himself had been bullied.  He was acting out his own mistreatment.  Actually, he was a decent kid…and the bully and the bullied became friends.  It doesn’t always turn out this way, but negatives can become positives when someone tries to make it happen.  It’s worth a try!   ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  whenever i hear about some criminal and his/her crime,  i often think,  what was their childhood like?  their home life?  any church life? (not usually)  and become a bit more sympathetic because so often they grew up in a hellish situation.   sooo sad.

===JACK:  Perhaps this is a reason...(Exodus 20:5-6; 34:6-7; Numbers 14:18) portray God as "visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children."

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Not sure if I buy this, totally. Sometimes hurt folks have more empathy. We are a thoroughly victim nation now though, looking for every evidence to explain away our choices.  In people that have experienced extreme abuse perhaps, but for the majority it's choices. ===JACK:  Yes, there are some times when hurt people don't hurt people...exceptions to the rule!

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  So how we treat people can influence how they treat others.  Hmmm....... ===JACK:  A truism....Just as we influence others, others influence us.  Make sure that it's  influence for the good!

FROM TRIHARDER:  Punctuation is so important.===JACK:  I'm glad for the English classes that I took.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  In the broader sense, people who are hurt quite often take their hurt out on others by abusived wifetrying to hurt them – they share their pain. Hurts can come in many forms – a social snub, a painful breakup of a relationship, bullying by others, the sudden loss of a loved one and many other personal tragedies that hurt. Many of those forms of hurt can be passed on to others by the one is is initially hurt. Don’t hurt, get help.  The most common reactions to a threat or hurt are fight or flight. The ones who hurt timidothers because of their hurt are exercising a form of fight - they are lashing back at the world and those around them. The alternative is often flight, which can lead to withdrawal and depression in some people.  Don’t hurt, get help.  So, what is a third alternate? Maybe the best thing is to get help. That help can come in the form of professional help – a counselor or therapist – or it may just come from a trusted friend with whom you can share the pain or from your pastor. Inbeing kind 1 any case, having someone to talk with about the hurt can immediately help. It takes away the loneliness aspect of the pain. Don’t hurt, get help.===JACK:  "Hurt" can hurt in different ways.

Jack’s Winning Words 8/27/19
“Isn’t it good just to be alive on a day like this?  I pity the people who aren’t born yet for missing it?”  (L.M. Montgomery)  Enough with the “downers!”  I’m ready for some good thoughts…a warm Summer day, with a gentle breeze…the colorful Autumn trees…the gently falling Winter snowflakes…the chirping birds on a bright, Spring morning!  Ahhh!  These are positive things awaiting a new generation.  Can you think of others?  (No negatives!)   ;-)  Jack

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Every day is a beautiful day down here’===JACK:  ...except when the hurricane season threatens.===SHIRL:  True but that isn’t often! We have been evacuated once since we came in 1963!

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  When I publish my next poem, I will send you a copy.===JACK:  Is it a rhyming poem?  

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Agreed. I'm not sure about the average newborn (or yet to be born) but my life continues to get much better...almost every day. "Love Every Day You Can."===JACK:  It's a rainy day  today...but that's good, because "into each life some rain must fall."  There's an Arabic saying..."All sunshine makes a desert."...

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  good words for today,  Jack.  thanks...===JACK:  Words from me and Lucy Maud Montogomery.  Did you know that she was the author of Anne of Green Gables?

FROM LM:  That’s a good one!!  I like the “ no negatives”.  Have a good week😊===JACK:  You gotta accent the positive...eliminate the negative!  Do you know that song?===LM:  I do!  ( but only the refrain!  Lol)===JACK: 

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum  Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium  Liable to walk upon the scene

To illustrate his last remark  Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they do  Just when everything looked so dark

Man, they said we better, accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative  Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between  No, do not mess with Mister In-Between
Do you hear me?

FROM DB IN WB:  Birthday cake and pleasant people to celebrate with …+++JACK:  I'm looking forward to that!

FROM DR J:  Albion Homecoming===JACK: 
Fyte Onne, for Albion,
Her destiny is in your hands!
Fyte Onne, and don’t give in,
No fighting Briton ever has!
Fyte Onne, You Britons strong,
For at the top you do belong!
So don’t give in, I know you’ll win,
Fyte Onne for Albion!

FROM DM IN LIV:  The unlimited and ever changing “cloud art” in the sky, the rushing of ocean waves to the shore, every living creature that God created…abundant blessings.===JACK:
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Yes, it’s a beautiful day to be alive.  Tomorrow will too be...and the day after etc etc!===JACK:  Just like with individuals, no two days are exactly the same.

FROM SS:  Amen , thank you , Jack!===JACK:  Amen means, "It is good!"

Jack’s Winning Words 8/26/19 “Did we dream too fast?” (Billboard)  It’s being called, “The Retail Apocalypse,” with 68 major companies, including Sears, Payless, Shopko going bankrupt.  Even True Religion is on the list.  That’s what happens when dreams get ahead of reality.  It can happen in the home, too.  Have dreams!  But, make sure that they’re realistic.  I know of a pastor who includes “family budgeting” in his pre-marital counselling sessions.  Marriages can go bankrupt, too.   ;-)  Jack    FROM LBP:  We have a new leader who has used the term “bankrupt” for time. It offended some to use such strong language, but those same folks who were offended are frustrated that we have too many expectations and insufficient time.  Maybe a controversial word like “bankrupt” is what we need to get the point across. More people? Better planning? Prioritization? Something is needed ===JACK:  Maybe it's time to retell the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin...pay, or suffer the consequences.  Or, maybe the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  (Luke 16:19-31) FROM HONEST JOHN:  Family Budgeting was session three for us....===JACK:  Just like with sermons...some will hear, and some will sleep with eyes open. FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  don't know if you were talking about me or not but, yes, i do a whole piece on the difference between saving and investing,  home buying, insurances of different kinds, credit cards, wills verses trusts,  avoiding debt, etc.   and most couples really appreciate the advice.  i also encourage Dave Ramsey's 12 week course called Financial Peace University.  we are running it again this fall at our church.===JACK:  There has to be some middle ground between idealism and realism...during the whole of pre-marriage counseling. ===SP:  on a few occasions i have told couples that i care very little about their wedding but i care a great deal about their marriage.  sometimes they are soooo fixated on the wedding (a one day event) that they almost forget about the marriage.  sadly,  our culture also plays into this nonsense.  some of the most simple weddings i have done have also been some of the most meaningful. ===JACK:  Going back to the quote:  Many couples "dream too fast" when it comes to marriage! ===SP:  and they also come with some unrealistic expectations too...   our culture has glamorized the whole process waaay too much.  have you looked at any of those bridal magazines lately?  so unrealistic unless you have a ton of money and even then, no guarantees

Jack’s Winning Words 8/23/19
“Smile when you answer the phone.  The caller will hear it in your voice.”  (Unknown)  Can you imagine a job as a telephone solicitor?  (I hang up) Yesterday I decided to answer every sales call with a smile and try to have a brief pleasant conversation.  Mixed results, but I hope it broke someone’s boredom. (robos weren’t interested)  At times, jobs can drag and be boring.  A smile and a kind greeting might cause the movie line, Make my day!, come alive.    ;-)  Jack  

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  It works===JACK:  I can imagine that Jesus smiled at people. 

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:   when Clint Eastwood said,  "go ahead and make my day", it usually meant he was about to shoot someone!:):):)   that line was used in several Dirty Harry movies as i recall. ===JACK:  I think that what I was trying to do is called, juxtaposition.===PAUL:   i always thought that was kind of cool word!

FROM BB IB CHGO:  Aren’t you something?  Hooray for the “college try” in answering the phones – all of them – with a smile.  We attended a concert at Ravinia on Wednesday which was a celebration of Charlie Chaplin’s music and his famous, “Smile” which was always one of my father’s favorite tunes.  The whole performance made me smile.===JACK:  Chaplin was very talented, more than he's usually given credit for.  "Smile" is one of my all-time favorites, too.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  I only answer when I know the person calling! The name comes up on the tv or on the phone! It just makes life easier!===JACK:  Telemarketing is someone's job.  My grandson was once a "cold caller."

from outhouse judy:  My granddaughter recited a sign for me I have on my mantel.  I didn’t even know she saw it!  It reads “One smile can change the world.”  I believe it.    Ps we have been camping.===jJACK:  Might I suggest that you put a picture of her smiling next to that sign.

    

Jack’s Winning Words 8/22/19
“I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.”  (Plutarch)  Some people may like to have toadies around them.  Yes, sir!  No, sir! I agree, sir!  Maybe you’ve seen it.  What’s it like in your circle?  In mine there are lots of laughs.  We don’t always agree, but we go home smiling…and ready for next week.  I wonder if Plutarch had cronies that he hung out with in Delphi?  Do you have a crony?  ;-)  Jack 

 FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  so what do we do with a Prez who demands blind loyalty over all else?===JACK:  What do we do?  The ballot box is the American Way to Make America Great Again!===PAUL:  AMEN TO THAT!     and hopefully the election will be free and fair with no corruption of any sort!===JACK:  ...as they used to say in the Chicago: "Vote early, and vote often!" ===PAUL: Words to live by!!    before you go to jail for ballot box tampering😀

FROM JT IN SJ:  Well written.  The winning words are an amazing legacy to you.  I can’t imagine how you do them again and again and again!!!===JACK:  Jesus once told a parable indicating that people are given different talents.  We each do our own thing.

FROM DAZ IN CO:  That's one thing about living in a retirement community, you have a variety of friends who fit in various of those categories you mentioned and that makes life interesting.  ===JACK:  Church and the Optimists provide me with many friends...a variety of them!

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  i am that friend! 😂===JACK:  Thanks!

FROM KF IN WB:  You can be my crony 😀===JACK:  Yep!  We always seem to have something to talk about.

Jack’s Winning Words 8/21/19
“Regret for things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for things we did not do that is inconsolable.”  (Sydney J. Harris)  Some people in our community were asked recently on TV about their greatest regret…I should have listened more to my mother …My divorces…Getting a credit card.  Frank Sinatra once sang,: “Regrets?  I’ve had a few.”  It’s interesting to look back and dream of do-overs, but life is such that we live with choices.  Choose well today!   ;-)  Jack

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  To the extent regrets can be useful as lessons perhaps. I'd be slow to embrace regrets though. If you could purge every regret the counter punch would be loss of the lessons learned.  Life would be much different and not likely for the better.  I'm moving this month and purging old stuff. I just read a "Dear Jon" letter I found in a box from 40 years ago. When I consider all my blessings I have now I can't regret a word of that letter. Even though (I allowed it) to cause great pain for several years. I think it's best to live intentionally with immense gratitude to the extent we can. A tear stained letter marked a beginning not an end.  Seriously entertaining regrets is like adding a tiny amount of rat poisoning to your coffee each day.  The only sane choice is to love the life we have. Pain is certain, suffering is optional.===JACK:  Ruminating over the past is like "rockin' in the old rocckin' chair."  It gives you some thing to do, but doesn't get you anywhere (as the saying goes). 

FROM KK:  I can do this this morning, or Saturday.===JACK:  Procrastinate....so easy to do;so hard to spell.

FROM ESF:  We should think before we choose our actions so there is no regret===JACK:  I like it in The Blues Brothers movie when Aretha Franklin sings:  You Gotta Think!

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Choosing well is necessary each day!

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  that song by Sinatra adds this line:  regrets?  i've had a few,  but then again, too few to mention...===JACK:  Few people like to listen to a complainer (however, that's part of the pastor's job...it's part of helping people).

Jack’s Winning Words 8/20/19
“The man with the ball is responsible for what happens to the ball.”  (Branch Rickey)   Mr. Rickey was talking about the game of baseball.  In today’s world, I see the earth as a ball, and we humans as being responsible for what happens to the ball.  We need to do a better job of keeping our eye on the ball.  ;-)  Jack
  

Jack’s Winning Words 8/19/19
“Anyone can buy new things, but only a strong person can throw old things out.”  (Unknown – Sent by Bill G.)   The other day I spent time looking for something I must have thrown out., by mistake.  It’s a big decision—to know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em, when to hang on and when to let go.  Are you one of the strong persons?  ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 8/16/19 “We may pass violets looking for roses.  We may pass contentment looking for victory.”  (Bernard Williams)  I’d have a hard time picking out the prettiest flower.  How about The lonely little petunia in an onion patch?  Have you heard of that song?  I don’t agree with the statement that Winning is the only thing.  It’s the game!  It’s the game!  Every life can’t always be without flaw.  What we can aim for is contentment.  I gave it my best shot.  Let it be.  Let it be.  ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 8/15/19
“The family is changing, not disappearing.  We have to broaden our understanding of it… look for the new metaphors.”  (Mary Catherine Bateson)  Do you remember the Cleavers and  the Brady Bunch?  Is there a show that accurately portrays a family of today?  The Simpsons?  I don’t know of a “typical family” on TV.  We each have our quirks, our own secrets, our pains.  Maybe we don’t need metaphors.  Maybe we could use some good example-setters.   ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 8/14/19
“Hegel was right when he said that we learn from history that we can never learn anything from history.”  (GBS)  I’ve lived long enough to have seen that “history repeats itself,” and that scares me.  I’d just as soon forget the Great Depression and WW 2.  And now we’re coming up with new historical events that bear not repeating…mass murders of innocent children and adults minding their own business.  “When will they ever learn?” sang Peter, Paul and Mary.  ;-)  Jack  

Jack’s Winning Words 8/13/19 “The sole purpose of a child’s middle name is so he when he hears it, he can tell he’s really in trouble.”  (Unknown)  There are baby books for children’s names.  How about one for middle names: Thunder, Mayhem, Rocket, Eulalie.  Use one of those as your middle name.  How does it sound?  Rocket would get my attention.  First, middle, last…our names identify us.  In that sense, whatever our names might be, they’re important.  Is there a story behind yours?   ;-)  Jack FROM BLAZING OAKS:  My mother was shocked to have twins: Her first words were "Twins! How in the world can I play golf with twins?!"  I think it did impede her game for several years! :-) But she also played a lot of tennis...a girl, after an admired friend, so came up with matching middles names  for me, with Marilyn Jean. I tried to switch to Jean in Jr. High so we would be Janet and Jean, but had been Marilyn too long, and it didn't take! I'm just happy to have a "normal" name, and not some of these off-the-wall ones that seem to be prevalent today! ===JACK:  Your mom could have given you the middle name of "Monroe," and then you would have been famous.  In fact, Marilyn Monroe's "real" middle name is "Jean." FROM HONEST JOHN:    My Grandfather’s name....Henry....”Heinrich”. ===JACK:  When someone asks for your John Henry, it means they want your signature. The use of John Henry to refer to a signature became popular in the western United States, fifty years after John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence. Signing your John Henry is cowboy slang. FROM HY YO SILVER:  Hi Hy!===JACK:  Hy as a name for boys ) is of Hebrew  origin, and the name Hy means "life; my brother is exalted.  I should now refer to you as: "Exalted one!" FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  My new great grandson's middle name is George, to honor me. So when he misbehaves and his middle name is used, it reflects on me?? ===JACK:  "I cannot tell a lie!"  Did you live up to that?

Jack's Winning Words  8/12/19
“Just because a path is difficult doesn’t mean that it’s not rewarding.”  (Danielle Thralow)  I have some friends who recently climbed Yosemite’s Half Dome…10 ½ hours…requiring cables at the end…“It was worth it!”  Maybe it wasn’t Half Dome, but some of us have had some rough climbs through life.  My “Half Dome” was polio at age 16…not fun at the time, but as I look back, I’m better for that experience.  Has there been a rewarding path for you?   ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 8/9/19
“Time only seems to matter when it is running out.”  (Peter Strup)  I’ve noticed about aging  that the sand in life’s hourglass seems to fall faster as the birthdays add up. Time has a way of speeding up during the good time…weekends, vacations, birthday parties.  The clock really crawled when I was in school taking a test or waiting for the workday to end.  But it wasn’t the fault of the clock; it was a matter of attitude.  What good do you see in the hourglass?   ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 8/8/19
“It is awfully important to know what is and what is not your business.”  (Gertrude Stein)  I’ve been involved in a couple of  “interventions” which involved confronting people about their alcoholism.  In each instance a group of us stuck our nose into a problem that was messing up the lives of more than one person.  Thankfully we had positive results.  It isn’t easy to know when to be nosey and when to back off.  But, don’t be afraid of situations where help is needed.   ;-)  Jack     

Jack’s Winning Words 8/7/19
“Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst…and a soul that never loses faith.”  (Sent by Kathy M)  God hears many prayers…for those who are sick, who are in harm’s way…even for pets.  Most are requests for something.  Prayers to see the best in people we dislike, to forgive someone who has mistreated us…these are often put aside in favor of “pressing” wants.  …and let’s not forget to ask for a stronger faith, too   ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 8/6/19
“One doesn’t ask of one who suffers:  “What is your country and what is your religion?”  One merely says, “You suffer.  This is a enough for me. You belong to me, and I shall help you.”  (Louis Pasteur)  Pasteur’s words are on a plaque outside of Chicago’s Cook County Hosp.  I spent a summer there as a student chaplain visiting many “Skid Row” patients.  I prayed with them and heard their stories.  I think it helped me become a more caring person.   ;-)  Jack

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ;  and others feign “suffering” for personal gain. be sure you discern the difference... ===JACK:  You've worked with people who are suffering.  You know what it is.  I do, too.  This quote is about those people. So what, if some feign it?  ===LIZ:  when i hear “country” and “religion,” i can’t help but think this is a “subtle” reference to our current immigration/el paso situations. i support immigration thoroughly when it’s done legally. it is those people who are not even free to leave the country of their oppressors whom i pray for... the chinese, for example. ===JACK:  It's sad that this quote, spoken in the 19th century, in France, by a famous scientist should be colored by politics in current America.  Louis Pasteur did so much in his lifetime to alleviate sickness and suffering.  We need to know more about what drove him to do what he did.  Read again the quote.  I subscribe to that philosophy.===LIZ:  you gotta admit the timing is right for my thinking that... i subscribe to it, as well. and i love all dairy products, btw. merci, monsieur pasteur! ===JACK:  I know that you are a caring person...and, yes, I knew that choosing this quote might cause some veering off the subject.  My mind works that way.  I purposely did not mention anything political.  It was simply: "How do you deal with suffering?"===LIZ:  i know, btw. you have one of the sharpest minds  and you are provocateur, in the best sense of the word.===JACK:  Thanks for the good words.  
    

FROM HONEST JOHN:  That must have been an interesting summer.   My guess is that you were already a caring person....this helped bring more out of you.===JACK:  ...A life-changing summer for me.  I also worked with people living at "the poor farm" and people living at the tuberculosis sanitorium and at the veterans hospital.  I was also involved with a Granger Westberg workshop where I was randomly picked from the group to "visit" Dr Westberg as a patient to illustrate how I would approach a patient in the hospital.  "Sweaty time!"

FROM SF IN WB:  Powerful!===JACK:  We need to relearn from the past.

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Good thing there is Lutheran World Relief and other global agencies, since our beloved president has said next year the quota for refugees is zero.===JACK:  LWF is an excellent choice  for knowing that your gift-dollars are well used to help needy people, regardless...

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  It looks like (in your blog) you have done much more than the average person to involve yourself with the suffering: the least, the last and the lost!  Following Christ's example of continually mingling with the poor and disenfranchised of society in His day!  As the book of James emphasized, when Christians see a need, they do what they can to alleviate that need. Pasteur certainly walked his talk, and is an icon for caring service. Good quote!===JACK:  There's a story behind the story.  One summer, as a pre-seminary student, I applied to get work to serve some congregation that didn't have a pastor.  I was assigned to do City Mission work in Chicago.  I went to a professor and said that there must have been a mistake.  I wanted to get experience in a congregation.  "Go ahead, take this work in Chicago. v It will be good experience."  Wise man!  Not only did I do hospital calling, but I also set up a store-front Vacation Bible School for neighborhood children (from scratch).  I also had plenty of opportunities to preach on Sundays when local pastors were on vacation.  The very best summer...ever!  It also taught me to trust the call of God.    

Jack’s Winning Words 8/5/19
“You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.”  (Vernon Howard)  I saw a list of 57 Things People Want.  Besides more money and a nice car, I was surprised to see “one best friend” on the list.  Again, looking at the list, I have all that I really need…which means that I probably have more than I need.  Still, I might not turn down that TV prize: $5000 a week for life.  What would you do with a prize like that?   ;-)  Jack 

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Interesting you ask that, as our pastor’s sermon yesterday was on having (and wanting) more than we need. I would hope that I would give a lot of it to those in true need. ===JACK:  There are so many true needs!===RS:  Yes - have been trying to support Lutheran World Relief.   They seem to address some of the worst of the worst ===JACK:  They use the money well, better than most charities.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Yes I have all I really need! I would probably give it to someone who really needs it!.===JACK:  The temptation would be to just keep some of it.....or is that just me talking?

FROM PASTY PAT:  I’d replace my 10 year old Honda Civic with a new Honda Civic and give the rest away. What fun to pick a different person, organization, or whatever to be the recipient each week!===JACK:  I can imagine that Bill and Melinda Gates Must "enjoy" using some of their wealth to eliminate polio throughout the world.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  to keep your sanity,  i think you would do well to give most of it away each and every day.  can you imagine how much good you could do each day?===JACK:  I can imagine that Beelzebul would have something to say about giving most of it away each day.  ===PAUL:  say more about this.   meaning that he would disapprove of my generosity?===JACK:  I'm saying that when the check actually comes, the Devil's temptation to keep most of it would be extremely strong.  ===PAUL:  you are right.   so right.   the temptation to selfishness is so powerful in all of our lives.   i always think of the Israelites who were told to take just enough manna for one day.  but they took as much as they could,  no longer trusting God,  and it all got rotten and wormy as i recall.===JACK:  We've heard it many times...the Parable of the Pharisee and the publican...I believe that we get the message, but we don't always live the message. 

FROM SUNSHINE:  "Wise men and women in every major culture throughout history have found that the secret to happiness is not in getting more but in wanting less" Elaine St. James===JACK:  Minimalists seem to think alike.

FROM JB IN OLV:  When B was diagnosed and told maybe it was time to look at his "bucket" list, we had a long conversation about what he thought he needed to do.  He said that he had everything he needed...that all he wanted to do is spend time with his family and friends and just enjoy each day......and of course enjoying each day means trying to help where he can.===JACK:  I'm not surprised.  I don't have "a bucket list" either.  All in all, life is good.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  This so ties in with yesterday's S.S. lesson I taught! I'll share it next week, My class is mostly at an age where wishes for improved health and stamina are often wished for~! Of course for most of us, having a little more money would make us more comfortable when it comes to having to replace cars, fix dental needs, and other large expenses that crop up!  No one wants to outlive their money or their mind!!  The wish for "one good friend" reminds me of the poignant quote:A melancholy lesson of advancing years is the realization that you can't make old friends."===JACK:  Maybe they don't offer $5000 a week for life, but many politicians pander for votes, offering "something for nothing" in their spiels. 

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Fix up run down houses and give them to people who need homes. ===JACK:  That's a good idea.

Jack’s Winning Words 8/2/19
“The law is reason, free from passion.”  (Aristotle) Have you ever served on a jury?...or, have you ever had a jury pass judgment on you?  Aristotle describes not only the law, but also the ideal jury…reasonable and dispassionate…like the sculpture, Lady Justice, which gives form to impartiality blindfolded; fairly weighing evidence holding a balance scale; able to enforce the verdict grasping a sword.  At the Last Judgment, would you want a jury of peers, or God?   ;-)  Jack

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I used to judge debates.....no judge is completely impartial.....we are all tainted by our own thinking....one can attempt, however, to be as impartial as possible.===JACK:  I think that I would be a terrible juror...trying to get the others to see my point of  view, when we, together, should be weighing the evidence.  On the other hand, knowing my flaw, I think that I might try hard er to overcome it.  I might do better as a judge of sermons. ===JOHN:  You were searching for a term to use for Divine Absolutism....one that I think of  that  folks like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln use frequently to express that  idea is “Providence.”    I like the term and it speaks to me what I think you were trying to articulate.    Just a thought. 

FROM HY YO SILVER:  There is no freedom without the law.===JACK:  While teddy Roosevelt was speaking about foreign policy when he said, his words can also apply to enforcement of the law:  "speak softly and carry a big stick "

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  God.  Unfortunately, there is a severe lack of equal justice by ones "peers" - especially when the "peers" are prejudiced against their neighbor. ===JACK:  Unfortunately too few of our peers know the meaning of "grace," unless it is explained and applies to them. 

FROM NOVA SCOTIA FISH:  Yes, I used to serve on USAF military juries (courts martial). I found the process scrupulously fair. The most junior officer (which was me in the early ones) spoke first and then so on up to the most senior officer. First, everybody voted on which (if any) was the highest included crime of which the defendant was guilty. The finding was the highest crime for which a majority voted. Then, once the violation if any was determined, we voted on the choice of penalty as outlined in the Uniform Code of Military Justice; the penalty chosen was the most severe for which a majority voted. I never saw an attempt at inappropriate interference before or during the trials by higher authority.===JACK:  The jury pool you describe probably had a different composition than one in a typical public jurisdiction.  But, even military justice results in some unfairness, compared to the Final Judgment.

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Great quote and analogy.  You know the answer!===JACK:  Interesting that both the Statue of Liberty and Lady Liberty are females.  Does that say anything?

FROM LBP:  I've been called to jury duty several times, but have only been selected to sit on a jury once. Sitting in the jury box was odd. It was like a one-sided conversation or watching TV. I had to take what was presented and form a conclusion, no asking questions. Unfortunately, I never learned what happened to the defendant. Just before deliberation I was excused as an alternate. With a draw from a hat, my conclusions were no longer relevant.===JACK:  It seems to me that in choosing the jury, lawyers seem to want peoLle who they think they can influence.  But, maybe not.  I should ask some of my lawyer friends.===LBP:  To some extent that's probably true. From what I saw, they tried to get rid of the set that weren't interested to at least consider both sides. If the scale is stuck, how can it weigh the evidence?===JACK:  That's a great analogy...and more a more positive thought than mine.===LBP:  I've seen the courtroom dramas on TV where everyone is trying to fix the jury box. Maybe it's so, but I have been accused of being an optimist. ... that, and there are only so many folks they can throw out "just because."  Our selected group spent a bit of time just hanging out in the back room until those bits of the proceedings when we were needed. It was a good group of folks. Not sure how well we matched the kid on the stand as "peers" but it was a pretty diverse group so hopefully some good thought went into the final decision. We couldn't discuss the case during those waiting times, but we had some good getting-to-know-you conversation and plenty of rounds of Uno : )===JACK:  I feel that something has been missing from my life by not being on a jury.  I have been on the witness stand, though.

FROM DAZ IN CO:  I have a lot more faith in God. That’s the only choice.===JACK:  I'm not sure that peers would go along with grace. 

Jack’s Winning Words 8/1/19
“Expect the best, plan for the worst and prepare to be surprised.”  (Denis Waitley)  “Are you in good hands?”  Allstate implies that it’s good to buy insurance from them.  I’m a believer in insurance:  life, health, long-term care, homeowners, car.  I’ve filed claims on all of them, except for life.  So, the flooded basement and the fender bender(s) have been taken care of.  BTW,  some people refer to their minister as their “Eternal Life Insurance Agent.”   ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  so how much do they pay the last agent that you mentioned???:):):) ===JACK:  "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."  (Psalm 37:25)  For Scripture says, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."  (1 Timothy 5:18)===PAUL:  So true!

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  I like the "Eternal Life Insurance Agent" and know I am definitely in the good hands (and grace) of the owner of the company he represents.===JACK:  I've always liked dealing with an insurance agent who is my friend...someone I can trust. This includes pastors.  

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Certainly health insurance is a must, tho some go without, (They're not "In Good Hands!", unless God is their Healer!)  My S.S. lesson this week is on "From Materialism to Devotion."  When do we have "enough".the age-old question! Most of can, and do, get along without luxurious, high-priced cars, cosmetics, furniture and worldwide vacations, etc. But we can probably still share a whole lot more than we do... Hopefully, we reach an acceptable balance, in God's eyes, tho we ARE so rich compared to the masses of the world!===JACK:  Some people continuously live with guilt, because they have so much.  I've read that Kagawa could never keep a shirt on his back, because he would always find people who needed things more than he did.  And the, there are people in poverty who are continually jealous of those who have more than they do.  Guilt and jealousy disrupt the enjoyment of life.

FROM ES-F:  I like the concept, Eternal life insurance agent, then what is God. The Insurance agency owner?===JACK:  The Allstate ad says it best..."You're in good hands..." when you trust in God.  Several years ago this song was popular...
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee