Jack’s Winning Words 6/9/21

“I started concentrating so hard on my vision that I lost sight.”  (Robin Green)  At first I thought the author of this quote was Robin who had a hand in writing for Rolling Stone and TV’s Bluebloods   But, the reference to vision and sight led me to another Robin Green who is at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and helps the blind.  That makes sense!  As we age, we tend to have vision problems…but that doesn’t mean giving up the ability to see (understand).  I see sight and insight in this quote.  What do you see?  ;-)  Jack

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Just getting in from a 2-hour fire call and finding a couple of nights lodging for an older Hispanic couple when I say your blog. My thoughts from your question this morning takes me to ministers being too busy serving the church or community they lose clearer vision of their individual and/or family needs. 0;-/===JACK:  You raise a  common problem among clergy...taking care of the needs of the congregation and forgetting about the needs of the family.  It's a ba;lancing act.  At times I had a problem with this, but with the passage of time, I guess it came out OK.  It must be really hard for the pro bowlers on tour. ===REV:  Unfortunately, with the bowlers , I saw a lot of abuse to their marriage relationship back home while out away from accountability . . . reminds me of truck drivers as well. 0;-/===JACK:  One of my friends "walked the talk."  She had a husband truck driver (who was a former pastor).===REV:  Just like the vast majority of all pastors, priests, and truck drivers . . . good examples of faithfulness!! Pro bowlers? We will leave that group in God's hands?===JACK:  Do you know the song, "The love of God is greatewr far than tongue or pen can ever tell"?.

 

FROM COPPER COUNTRY PASTOR:  I see the damning divisions in our society.   I see the "ME-ism" that views Jan 6th as just another day of visitors to the Capitol.   I see "I'm right you're wrong and in rage I will shoot you."    I see "I'm right, I don't need to negotiate. Everything else is liberal Socialism.."      I"M Big shot Bob who can throw my pop can, potato chip wrapper and kids' dirty diaper out the window and have the church group or Lion's club be my slave to clean up my messy highway.     I'm the lazy shopper who leaves my cart in the parking lot so the wind can blow it against your car and scratch it.   I'm the tired parent who watches tv but doesn't have time to assign a kid duties to teach responsibility and accountability like Tuesday you empty the garbage, Thursday you help with the dishes, and every day you clean up your room as part of our family.===JACK:  I see somebody on his "high horse."  I see a pastor who has tried to practice what he preaches.  We need to see more of them.  I try to see the good in people...even the good in some of the bad.  Christ is also called, "The Redeemer." 

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  It is all too easy to become so focused and intense on the pursuit of career goals that all else drops “out of sight”, including family. Some men become so focused and intense in their pursuit of career success that they develop a kind of tunnel-vision, seeing only what is directly ahead of them in their next career goal. They sacrifice family time by tell themselves that they are doing this for the family; when it is all about themselves and the intense focus that they have on success at work.

Most men do define themselves largely by their careers and the work that they do, more so than the things that they do with family. The answer to the question, “What do you do?” is seldom answered, “Well, I’m a husband and a father”, as the initial response.  It is certainly important to find a career or work that provides sufficient income to support the family; however, the work itself should always remain a means to an end and not the end in itself. Those who get too intensely focused upon work success lose sight of the importance of why they are working.===JACK:  There's a song......."Do you see what i see?"  In this case..."Yes, you do>'

FROM YOGA GURU:  My husband was in Conway yesterday picking up a helmet for my grandson's baseball  tryout.  I'll have to look Robin up the next time I visit my daughter in the Little Rock area.  I see that we live in a small world and are so connected - more than we know.  I am always trying to Look Up.  Tomorrow morning 5:50 am - ring of fire eclipse !===JACK:  One of Johnny Cash's hits was "Ring of Fire."  Now I'm curious about how that song came to be written...and the choosing of the title.  You're not the only one who has the curiosity to look things up.  The Robin Green story is the result of curiosity.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  good one, Jack.   and i can "see" it too:):):)  ===JACK:  Is there an amazing thing thing that you have "seen" recently.  At times, they are right before our eyes...and we don't notice them.

FROM SA IN WA:  I see humor. ;) ===JACK:  One of my favorite sight humor stories is about the time you and your dad went to the beach with a metal detector looking for money.  The seach was fruitless.  "Oh, well, let's go to McDonald's.  As you stepped out of the car, there was a twenty dollar bill on the ground.  HAHA.