Jack’s Winning Words 11/8/21

“Rivers know that there is no hurry.  We shall all get there some day.”  (Winnie-the-Pooh)  I came across the word, perseverate, recently.  (It’s pronounced – per-SEV-rate))  I should have known that it was related to, persevere…to stay with something until it’s done.  The MLK Jr “Freedom Marchers” sang…”We shall overcome, someday.”  Perseverate!  Perhaps you have a life goal in mind.  Stay with it!  Are you distressed over the slowness of a good cause?  Perseverate!  During the dark days of WW 2, Churchill said, “When you’re going through hell, keep on going!”  Perseverate!  Good advice for handling those dark days .  ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAULIN ST PAUL:  ood advice indeed!   thanks,  Jack.  last night SOTV celebrated 40 years of its history.  we were officially welcomed into the old ALC on Nov. 1, 1981.  several hundred showed up to remember, give thanks,  have a little libation (beer and wine only) and even renew acquaintanceships.  it really was a joyful and exciting night.  back to bed now.  blessings on your day, ===JACK:  Covid wiped out our 50 th anniversary, so they're planning a 51st...a NEW beginning.  No beer and wine for churches with Augustana-rooted pastors.

FROM HOMELESS:  Love it!! This is the BEST WW EVER!! The quotes were spectacular all the way through, and you know how much I liked that word. Ps. Winnie-the-Pooh was so smart!===JACK:  Thanks for calling PerSEVerate to my attention.  I like the word...and the way it sounds when spoken.

FROM PEE WEE:  Thank you for invigorating my strength.  😊🙏🏻===JACK:  Is there a word for that?===PW:   A word for invigorating?  Energize? Strengthen? Refresh? Rejuvenate?===JACK:  How about VIVIFY?  …From Latin: to bring to life.  A word, not often used, but having a good root. ===PW:  That's a good one. Sometimes I need a good re-awakening!!

FROM DANDI SANDI:  When I learned the word ‘perseverate’ in my special ed and counseling studies, the term would denote staying on a topic longer than is normal or appropriate or helpful. Like a person with autism going on and on and being unable move off of a topic. I looked it up and that’s what the dictionary implies. What do you think? 🙃===JACK:  As with most things (words included) there's usually a positive and negative way of looking at them.  I choose to accent eh positive and e-lim-i-nate the negative...and I want to perseverate with that.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Life changing ideas don’t always have to be big in nature. Often small changes in the trajectory of your life come from rather modest ideas.===JACK:  Got a good idea?  Stay with it!  Things they say "can't be done," and usually done by someone who doesn't give up."

FROM DR JUDY:  Interesting. As a special educator, I understood perseverate as a term with a rather negative connotation.   Like a student who just wouldn’t let something go: A student who would repeat the same thing or concern over and over. I wish I could remember better example right now. It wasn’t uncommon to turn to a fellow colleague and say “so-in-so was perseverating lately”. And then we would all sigh and see what we could do to change that behavior.===JACK:  It's interesting that you're the 2nd "special ed" person who brought up this thought today.  Even in the 'religion business" we need to be reminded that there are different ways of looking at things...even different ways of looking at God. ===DJ:  Good use of that analogy. :)===JACK:  Analogous is an interesting word.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  This is a GREAT word for me right now.  Recently I’ve gone through two carotid arteries surgery to clean out the plaque build-up (soft plaque which can break off and cause strokes).  The surgeries have left my mouth with some weird issues that seem to be lingering longer than I like.  I can’t swish my mouth out after brushing my teeth without squirting water out like a porpoise.  I can’t bite into a BLT and some other sandwiches. Chewing is sometimes an issue as food gets lodged on the right side of my mouth and I have problems transferring it to the other side.  I am in speech therapy sessions now to see if we can encourage my tongue and throat muscles to work a little faster at correcting some of these issues.  The surgeon and Pas have told me that ‘rarely’ is anyone left with side effects following these surgeries.  So I need to perseverate and be patient.  All my other incision healings have gone very well and I’m thankful they are behind me.===JACK:  ...and I think that "being careful about gluten" is an issue.  The old saying is true.  "If everybody put their own shoes in a pile and were able to choose which ones to wear...they'd choose their own."  PerSEVerate is a good "new" word for today.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Good word to learn and use!  At my age, I  tend to live in the present, and leave the future to the youngsters!  I've had my day of making a difference, and feel I have done that as well as I could!  We all have opportunities to to "brighten the corner where we are" (Good song! :-)  Thanks for the new word, Jack! I shall perseverate!===JACK:  When did you stop making a difference?  Was at an age?  Or, was it an attitude adjustment?  Just a reminder that you're STILL making a difference!