Jack’s Winning Words
7/25/19
“I’m a Marxist, of the Groucho tendency.” (Unknown)
With all the rhetoric these days about socialism, pro and con, I think that
it’s time to lighten up. Enough about economics…and more about
comics. Groucho is one of my favorites…his walk, his moustache, his
cigar, his quick wit. But, Groucho is gone and America’s funny bone seems
to have gone with him. Perhaps there is still someone whose humor cracks
you up. …or, you can YouTube: You Bet Your Life.
;-) Jack
FROM TRIHARDER: My favorite Groucho line: I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member. ===JACK: Have you ever been "excluded" from an organization...purposely? ===TH: I sought to be on the board of the Erb Family Foundation, an environmental organization. They sent me a polite "no thank you" letter. Than I looked at the composition of the board and I understood. Very high brow.===JACK: ...and, how about organizations that you're proud to belong to? ===TH: Detroit Maccabi, ADL, WB Environmental Board, Opp Fund, Michigan State Bar. ===JACK: I don't see any country club on that list.
FROM EDUCATOR PAUL: My dad loved Groucho. We never missed”You Bet Your Life.” As a kid watching it with him, I looked at Groucho as an old man making people look stupid. Isn’t it funny how kids interpret things?===JACK: Groucho's accent?...Was that a Jew making fun of a stereotypical Jew?===PAUL: Nope!===JACK: Now that I think of it, Groucho always talked that way...even in interviews..., or maybe he was always on stage.
FROM ST PAUl IN ST PAUL: : he was also quite a womanizer from all that i have read about him. he and Tallulah Bankhead had a long standing tryst going among others. pretty sure this is correct info. still, he was a hoot, as you noted. some of their old movies are still quite funny. and yes, we do need to lighten up in this country.===JACK: Womanizers? They seem to be "a dime a dozen" these days, especially in DC. ===SP: i like the joke that they cancelled the Nativity Scene in DC this Christmas because they could not find 3 Wisemen or even one Virgin. but they did find a whole LOT of Jackasses! ===JACK: How come the blog "comments" seem to have fixated on Groucho while not touching today's conversation about socialism/Marxism? ===SP: for some folks, those are rather touchy topics. also, people often have a very distorted understanding of progressive socialism.===JACK: What's the difference between socialism and progressive socialism? Is there a difference between Marxism and Groucho Marxism?
FROM DR J: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0fmC0hVIa4
Groucho made the world brighter by being in it… You have too!
I watched this video and it brought a good laugh… a great way to start the day!
===JACK: Google and YouTube are two of my favorite modern-day resources.
FROM MY LAWYER: One of the funniest episodes of You Bet Your Life was when he had Gonzalez Gonzalez as a guest. Watch it on UTUBE.===JACK: Is it just me...or aging? Was humor funnier in the "olden days?"===ML: Today, people, in general, are too tightly wound and can’t laugh at themselves. Too much political correctness. Today, Groucho would be labeled a racist for making fun of Gonzales. That word is used too loosely. Just my opinion.===JACK: Sometimes political correctness reaches an over-reach.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: I have a grandson in Tampa who is great with puns!===JACK: (Groucho quote) Look, if you don't like my parties, you can leave in a huff. If that's too soon, leave in a minute and a huff. If you can't find that, you can leave in a taxi.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Steven Wright cracks me up. So did Don Knotts.===JACK: I think that we've all come across a "Don Knotts" type person in our life.
FROM KF IN FL: I saw a dog trotting around town yesterday with a chewy stick treat hanging out of his mouth - very much like Groucho and his cigar! I also saw a shark at the beach ......===JACK: Groucho's looks are as funny as his jokes. Did the shark have moustache and bushy eyebrows?
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words
7/24/19
“Success is 99% failure.) (Soichiro Honda) As a student, Honda was a failure, dropping out of school to become a mechanic. The Model T Ford fascinated him. He became such a successful car builder that People magazine dubbed him the Japanese Henry Ford. I remember a time, post-WW 2, when it was considered unpatriotic to drive a Honda. But generations come and go and Hondas are now best-sellers. Do you think that today’s prejudices will turn around also? ;-) Jack
FROM ST [AUL IN ST PAUL: good one, Jack! i will add this one to my perseverance file. ===JACK: Would it be a miracle if today's prejudices would turn around into something positive? ===SP: Yes! we can surely hope and pray for that!===JACK: But, do you think that there's a possibility that it might come pass?===SP: don't hold your breath. you will turn blue for sure.===JACK: I'm already blue (Democrat).
FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: Yes, over time like WW II justifiable dislike of Germans & Japanese, countries who now are among our strongest allies.===JACK: Might it be possible that in the future Muslims, Christians and Jews will celebrate their commonality through Abraham? Just wondering!===GEORGE: Will they all think of Jesus Christ as their Savior?===JACK: So...your answer is, "NO! There will always be strife among people over religion."
FROM RS IN TEXAS: If we can stop putting people into categories and blaming entire groups for the actions of a few.....and try to understand their point of view and why they feel the way they do. ===JACK: "IF" is a little word with a BIG meaning.===RS: Amen to that!
FROM GDJ: Yes. The human pendulum will swing back toward tolerance. I just wish, hope and pray it will swing all the way to love.===JACK: I'm not so sure that God uses the Gregorian calendar or even a clock, but as the hymn puts it:
Our times are in Thy hand; O God, we wish them there;
Our lives, our souls, our all, we leave Entirely to Thy care.
Our times are in Thy hand: Whatever they may be;
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright, As best may seem to Thee.
Our times are in Thy hand; Why should we doubt or fear?
A father’s hand will never cause His child a needless tear.
Our times are in Thy hand; We’ll always trust to Thee,
Till we possess the promised crown, And all Thy glory see.
FROM MARMAR: I just want to say that I have driven Hondas for more than 20 years and I love them!===JACK: The workers at the Honda factory in Ohio appreciate your loyalty.
FROM CPABM: The most extraordinary tourist attraction we’ve seen (probably second to the Grand Canyon and the Alps in Winter) are the Postojna Caves in Slovenia. For a starter, you ride a train in the caves for fifteen or twenty minutes before you can walk and explore the caves. Check them out. ===JACK: Have you ever been to Carlsbad Caverns National Park? During the cave tour the lights are turned out. DARK!
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I have driven only Honda’s for 19 years. We’ve never had a problem with any of them. Honda’s are the only “foreign” car in the Henry Ford Museum. My Hondas are 100% made in the USA. I would like to believe these prejudices will end...I pray they will. PS. Someone keyed my Honda.===JACK: I suppose that the profits from the sale of American-made Hondas go back to Japan. Business is business.
“Success is 99% failure.) (Soichiro Honda) As a student, Honda was a failure, dropping out of school to become a mechanic. The Model T Ford fascinated him. He became such a successful car builder that People magazine dubbed him the Japanese Henry Ford. I remember a time, post-WW 2, when it was considered unpatriotic to drive a Honda. But generations come and go and Hondas are now best-sellers. Do you think that today’s prejudices will turn around also? ;-) Jack
FROM ST [AUL IN ST PAUL: good one, Jack! i will add this one to my perseverance file. ===JACK: Would it be a miracle if today's prejudices would turn around into something positive? ===SP: Yes! we can surely hope and pray for that!===JACK: But, do you think that there's a possibility that it might come pass?===SP: don't hold your breath. you will turn blue for sure.===JACK: I'm already blue (Democrat).
FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: Yes, over time like WW II justifiable dislike of Germans & Japanese, countries who now are among our strongest allies.===JACK: Might it be possible that in the future Muslims, Christians and Jews will celebrate their commonality through Abraham? Just wondering!===GEORGE: Will they all think of Jesus Christ as their Savior?===JACK: So...your answer is, "NO! There will always be strife among people over religion."
FROM RS IN TEXAS: If we can stop putting people into categories and blaming entire groups for the actions of a few.....and try to understand their point of view and why they feel the way they do. ===JACK: "IF" is a little word with a BIG meaning.===RS: Amen to that!
FROM GDJ: Yes. The human pendulum will swing back toward tolerance. I just wish, hope and pray it will swing all the way to love.===JACK: I'm not so sure that God uses the Gregorian calendar or even a clock, but as the hymn puts it:
Our times are in Thy hand; O God, we wish them there;
Our lives, our souls, our all, we leave Entirely to Thy care.
Our times are in Thy hand: Whatever they may be;
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright, As best may seem to Thee.
Our times are in Thy hand; Why should we doubt or fear?
A father’s hand will never cause His child a needless tear.
Our times are in Thy hand; We’ll always trust to Thee,
Till we possess the promised crown, And all Thy glory see.
FROM MARMAR: I just want to say that I have driven Hondas for more than 20 years and I love them!===JACK: The workers at the Honda factory in Ohio appreciate your loyalty.
FROM CPABM: The most extraordinary tourist attraction we’ve seen (probably second to the Grand Canyon and the Alps in Winter) are the Postojna Caves in Slovenia. For a starter, you ride a train in the caves for fifteen or twenty minutes before you can walk and explore the caves. Check them out. ===JACK: Have you ever been to Carlsbad Caverns National Park? During the cave tour the lights are turned out. DARK!
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I have driven only Honda’s for 19 years. We’ve never had a problem with any of them. Honda’s are the only “foreign” car in the Henry Ford Museum. My Hondas are 100% made in the USA. I would like to believe these prejudices will end...I pray they will. PS. Someone keyed my Honda.===JACK: I suppose that the profits from the sale of American-made Hondas go back to Japan. Business is business.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words
7/23/19
“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” (Gilbert Chesterton) Traveler or tourist? Which are you? Do you remember...Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been? I've been to London to visit the Queen Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there? “I frightened a little mouse under her chair. Pussy cat was a mouse-minded tourist. In your travels, what’s the most interesting thing that you’ve seen? For tourist me…the Grand Canyon. ;-) Jack
FROM HONEST JOHN: China....in 1980 ===JACK: Back "in my youth," China and Africa were the lands where missionaries went. Now my children, grandchildren and friends go to those places for vacations. ===HJ: It was a part of my doctoral program...studied the church in China as it came out of jail and hiding....great trip....some really interesting people from the church were involved.. ===JACK: Yep! You're the traveler, and I'm the tourist...in many ways.
FROM RS IN TEXAS: A Kodiak bear....up close and personal …..probably about 30 yards away..... while we were bear watching in Alaska. Too close for comfort.===JACK: That experience sounds like something "touristy" to me.===RS: Indeed it was. As it turned out, maybe a little tourisky. ===JACK: Tou-risky! I like it!
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: Iceland was also quite fascinating but i would not want to live there. ===JACK: Advantages of living in Iceland...Beautiful scenery...Cheap energy...Booming economy...Gender-equal Parliament...to name a few.===SP: So true! also geysers and volcanos:):):) some of the hotels in Reykjavik get their hot water right out of the ground and its so hot at times they have to cool it down for human use. they also lay piping under some of their sand beaches to heat the sand for summertime swimming. pretty ingenious. they also make a lot of aluminum there because bauxite is so prevalent. and we also have a military base there that was very important during WW II more info than you wanted... ===JACK: One of our church member families are native Icelanders. FYI...In a marriage, the wife keeps her maiden name.===SP: we flew on Icelandic Airlines. everyone of the flight attendants was drop-dead gorgeous.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Were travelers. We take the back roads. We see what the tourists see but we see the little things. The most interesting I’ve seen was the grave of a woman who died in Oregon on the Oregon Trail. People lovingly take care of her grave which is basically a mound covered with branches piled high. However, each of the 50 states has left a special spot in our hearts. ===JACK: The Arch, The Corn Palace, The Queen Mary, The Everglades, The Elk, Puget Sound, The Church in the Wildwood, The Indy 500, The El, The Mighty Mac, The Twin Towers, to name a few. ===JUDY: Saw everyone except the Twin Towers.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: Spending 3 weeks touring Japan during cherry blossom time... breathtakingly beautiful; the Taj Mahal in India, the Indian Olympics in Alaska ( awesome athletic ability!!!)Certainly The Grand Canyon, Versaille (sp?) in France, the Wren Cathedral in London, the list could probably be endless. Africa had interesting cultures and people, but have not developed their land. they do have natural beauty in nature! Travelers and Tourists receive many blessings~~! ===JACK: The quintessential travelers...Bill and Mar.
“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” (Gilbert Chesterton) Traveler or tourist? Which are you? Do you remember...Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been? I've been to London to visit the Queen Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there? “I frightened a little mouse under her chair. Pussy cat was a mouse-minded tourist. In your travels, what’s the most interesting thing that you’ve seen? For tourist me…the Grand Canyon. ;-) Jack
FROM HONEST JOHN: China....in 1980 ===JACK: Back "in my youth," China and Africa were the lands where missionaries went. Now my children, grandchildren and friends go to those places for vacations. ===HJ: It was a part of my doctoral program...studied the church in China as it came out of jail and hiding....great trip....some really interesting people from the church were involved.. ===JACK: Yep! You're the traveler, and I'm the tourist...in many ways.
FROM RS IN TEXAS: A Kodiak bear....up close and personal …..probably about 30 yards away..... while we were bear watching in Alaska. Too close for comfort.===JACK: That experience sounds like something "touristy" to me.===RS: Indeed it was. As it turned out, maybe a little tourisky. ===JACK: Tou-risky! I like it!
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: Iceland was also quite fascinating but i would not want to live there. ===JACK: Advantages of living in Iceland...Beautiful scenery...Cheap energy...Booming economy...Gender-equal Parliament...to name a few.===SP: So true! also geysers and volcanos:):):) some of the hotels in Reykjavik get their hot water right out of the ground and its so hot at times they have to cool it down for human use. they also lay piping under some of their sand beaches to heat the sand for summertime swimming. pretty ingenious. they also make a lot of aluminum there because bauxite is so prevalent. and we also have a military base there that was very important during WW II more info than you wanted... ===JACK: One of our church member families are native Icelanders. FYI...In a marriage, the wife keeps her maiden name.===SP: we flew on Icelandic Airlines. everyone of the flight attendants was drop-dead gorgeous.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Were travelers. We take the back roads. We see what the tourists see but we see the little things. The most interesting I’ve seen was the grave of a woman who died in Oregon on the Oregon Trail. People lovingly take care of her grave which is basically a mound covered with branches piled high. However, each of the 50 states has left a special spot in our hearts. ===JACK: The Arch, The Corn Palace, The Queen Mary, The Everglades, The Elk, Puget Sound, The Church in the Wildwood, The Indy 500, The El, The Mighty Mac, The Twin Towers, to name a few. ===JUDY: Saw everyone except the Twin Towers.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: Spending 3 weeks touring Japan during cherry blossom time... breathtakingly beautiful; the Taj Mahal in India, the Indian Olympics in Alaska ( awesome athletic ability!!!)Certainly The Grand Canyon, Versaille (sp?) in France, the Wren Cathedral in London, the list could probably be endless. Africa had interesting cultures and people, but have not developed their land. they do have natural beauty in nature! Travelers and Tourists receive many blessings~~! ===JACK: The quintessential travelers...Bill and Mar.
Monday, July 22, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words
7/22/19
“There’s no half-singing in the shower. You’re either a rock star, an opera diva, or you’re not.” (Josh Groban) What’s your favorite shower song? Singin’ in the rain? Shake it off? I feel pretty? Wake me up before you go? There are scientific reasons why shower-singing is better than karaoke. It has to do with the tiles. Josh calls the shower his “confidence cube,” where his favorites are usually from classic rock…especially those by Journey. ;-) Jack
FROM HONEST JOHN: Most of my favorite songs are either hymns or swing music from the 40s and 50s.===JACK: One of m,y favorite Shower-Songs is sung to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic...
I wear my pink pajamas, in the summer when it's hot.
I wear my flannel nighties in the winter when it's not.
And sometimes in the springtime and sometimes in the fall,
I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.
Chorus:
Glory, glory, Hallelujah;
Glory, glory, What's it to you?
Balmy breezes blowing through ya,
With nothing on at all.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: the one i like is: what's that thing growing on my back?!! yikes ===JACK: Have you ever sung The Freckle Song? "She's got freckles on her, but..."===SP: No, I haven't. but it sounds like fun.===JACK:
“There’s no half-singing in the shower. You’re either a rock star, an opera diva, or you’re not.” (Josh Groban) What’s your favorite shower song? Singin’ in the rain? Shake it off? I feel pretty? Wake me up before you go? There are scientific reasons why shower-singing is better than karaoke. It has to do with the tiles. Josh calls the shower his “confidence cube,” where his favorites are usually from classic rock…especially those by Journey. ;-) Jack
FROM HONEST JOHN: Most of my favorite songs are either hymns or swing music from the 40s and 50s.===JACK: One of m,y favorite Shower-Songs is sung to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic...
I wear my pink pajamas, in the summer when it's hot.
I wear my flannel nighties in the winter when it's not.
And sometimes in the springtime and sometimes in the fall,
I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.
Chorus:
Glory, glory, Hallelujah;
Glory, glory, What's it to you?
Balmy breezes blowing through ya,
With nothing on at all.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: the one i like is: what's that thing growing on my back?!! yikes ===JACK: Have you ever sung The Freckle Song? "She's got freckles on her, but..."===SP: No, I haven't. but it sounds like fun.===JACK:
THE FRECKLE SONG by Hank Penny - YouTube
===SP: where do you get this stuff?? too funny===JACK: My father brought The Freckle Song home when I was about 20. I thought that it was hilarious. In fact, I still have that 78 rpm record.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: Have to smile at that quote. Your voice does resonate in the shower, bit-time. Who knows what song will come to mind when you step inside a shower stall?! :-) I know a great variety to choose from; Musicals, Big Band era, folk and church. My songs from The King and I, and Music Man are some favorites....Just keep singing, it lifts the spirit!!===JACK: In the Music Man, I like it that 76 Trombones and Goodnight My Someone use the same notes, each with a different tempo. I like them both. Didn't you once play Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn? Was that a type-cast?
===OAKS: Ha! Maybe a little...We all like to feel "important" and in charge?! I loved that part, and the musical! Wish I'd been young enough to play Marion, but no Muni in Dixon or Elgin...Springfield had many opportunities for singers and actors, but by then I was 40; not too old to play Mrs. Anna in the King and I, or Irene in IRENE, so lucky
me!===JACK: Ahhhh! But you were once a Marion and an Anna. Enjoyable times! ===OAKS: Wonderful memories, and thankful for a spouse who "let me be me", and proudly supported me in my acting endeavors.===JACK: ...and the endeavors that were not staged. I'm sure that there were times when he just shook head and smiled.
FROM KF IN FL: Pm “Day is Done” Peter Paul & Mary AM “You Raise Me Up” Josh Groban. ; )===JACK: AM Hymn "Rise up, O Saints of God" - PM "Day is dying in the West"
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: If I had a voice like Josh’s I’d be singing too!===JACK: Why don't you try singing, "You Raise Me Up"? A new career for you????
===OAKS: Ha! Maybe a little...We all like to feel "important" and in charge?! I loved that part, and the musical! Wish I'd been young enough to play Marion, but no Muni in Dixon or Elgin...Springfield had many opportunities for singers and actors, but by then I was 40; not too old to play Mrs. Anna in the King and I, or Irene in IRENE, so lucky
me!===JACK: Ahhhh! But you were once a Marion and an Anna. Enjoyable times! ===OAKS: Wonderful memories, and thankful for a spouse who "let me be me", and proudly supported me in my acting endeavors.===JACK: ...and the endeavors that were not staged. I'm sure that there were times when he just shook head and smiled.
FROM KF IN FL: Pm “Day is Done” Peter Paul & Mary AM “You Raise Me Up” Josh Groban. ; )===JACK: AM Hymn "Rise up, O Saints of God" - PM "Day is dying in the West"
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: If I had a voice like Josh’s I’d be singing too!===JACK: Why don't you try singing, "You Raise Me Up"? A new career for you????
Friday, July 19, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words
7/19/19
“The most important thing is never stop questioning.” (Albert Einstein) A Harvard-study shows that children ask 40,000 questions between ages 2 and 5. The kids aren’t really trying to annoy parents. They just want to learn. Yes, it can be attention-getting or defiant, but they do want to (need to) learn. In fact, that “need to know” should continue to be part of our adult life. I find myself becoming curiouser and curiouser as I age. What questions are yours these days? ;-) Jack
FROM PROUD MARY: i am much like a toddler. i am a curious question-asker. maybe sometimes a bit too inquisitive, if that's possible. i figure it never hurts to ask and am not offended if people don't want to answer my questions. toddlers always answer my questions.===JACK: I'm an avid user of Google. Another answering site is called DogPile.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: how did Trump ever get elected?:):):) (actually, i know how but maybe not why)===JACK: That's one of those "never stop questioning" puzzles.
FROM LBP: Was that an Alice in Wonderland reference? Curiouser and curiouser... As a researcher, it is my job to ask, and try to answer, questions.===JACK: What makes you think of "Alice?" Do you remember "Mr Know-It-All" in Rocky and Bullwinkle?===LBP: No. I remember some bits of Rocky and Bullwinkle but few details. But, thanks to google, Mr Know-it-all, just explained to me how to change a tire. : )===I wish I could have implemented this with my 7yo yesterday. We had family night at the day camp he was attending. Everything was going well until he learned that the end of the evening was looming and we didn't have time to swim. Then everything was awful. Of the 2 hours we were there he really only enjoyed 1 minute of it... just 1 minute! Everything else was terrible (and sadly I didn't have photo evidence of his grinning face just moments before). It continued to be terrible all the way home. And then he got a snack. Lesson learned: If all seems lost, he's probably just hungry===JACK: As Michelangelo wrote when he was in his 80'sw...Ancora Imparo!
GROM FACEBOOK LIZ: i also am curiouser.===JACK: I think that you're just a kid dressed like a grown-up.
FROM ESF: Many questions...how long will I or can I work, when should I move, should I slow down...===JACK: I wonder how many questions people ask as they age...maybe not 40,000, but important, just the same. I guess that "each age" has its own puzzlers.
“The most important thing is never stop questioning.” (Albert Einstein) A Harvard-study shows that children ask 40,000 questions between ages 2 and 5. The kids aren’t really trying to annoy parents. They just want to learn. Yes, it can be attention-getting or defiant, but they do want to (need to) learn. In fact, that “need to know” should continue to be part of our adult life. I find myself becoming curiouser and curiouser as I age. What questions are yours these days? ;-) Jack
FROM PROUD MARY: i am much like a toddler. i am a curious question-asker. maybe sometimes a bit too inquisitive, if that's possible. i figure it never hurts to ask and am not offended if people don't want to answer my questions. toddlers always answer my questions.===JACK: I'm an avid user of Google. Another answering site is called DogPile.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: how did Trump ever get elected?:):):) (actually, i know how but maybe not why)===JACK: That's one of those "never stop questioning" puzzles.
FROM LBP: Was that an Alice in Wonderland reference? Curiouser and curiouser... As a researcher, it is my job to ask, and try to answer, questions.===JACK: What makes you think of "Alice?" Do you remember "Mr Know-It-All" in Rocky and Bullwinkle?===LBP: No. I remember some bits of Rocky and Bullwinkle but few details. But, thanks to google, Mr Know-it-all, just explained to me how to change a tire. : )===I wish I could have implemented this with my 7yo yesterday. We had family night at the day camp he was attending. Everything was going well until he learned that the end of the evening was looming and we didn't have time to swim. Then everything was awful. Of the 2 hours we were there he really only enjoyed 1 minute of it... just 1 minute! Everything else was terrible (and sadly I didn't have photo evidence of his grinning face just moments before). It continued to be terrible all the way home. And then he got a snack. Lesson learned: If all seems lost, he's probably just hungry===JACK: As Michelangelo wrote when he was in his 80'sw...Ancora Imparo!
GROM FACEBOOK LIZ: i also am curiouser.===JACK: I think that you're just a kid dressed like a grown-up.
FROM ESF: Many questions...how long will I or can I work, when should I move, should I slow down...===JACK: I wonder how many questions people ask as they age...maybe not 40,000, but important, just the same. I guess that "each age" has its own puzzlers.
Thursday, July 18, 2019
|
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words
7/17/19
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.” (Isak Dinesen) Panacea, the Greek goddess, was thought to have a remedy for every ill and problem. No wonder her temple was a popular place. Modern medical discoveries are called, panaceas, in honor of her. We’re still looking for a way to end all problems. Today, Isak suggests going sailing.. I like God’s “cure for anything”…“Call on me when you’re troubled, and I will give you rest.” ;-) Jack
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.” (Isak Dinesen) Panacea, the Greek goddess, was thought to have a remedy for every ill and problem. No wonder her temple was a popular place. Modern medical discoveries are called, panaceas, in honor of her. We’re still looking for a way to end all problems. Today, Isak suggests going sailing.. I like God’s “cure for anything”…“Call on me when you’re troubled, and I will give you rest.” ;-) Jack
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words
7/16/19
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” (Lee Iacoccoa) Yes, that is one more mark of The Greatest Generation. “Smile, Though Your Heart Is Breaking,” a song of that era illustrates it. Even the writer of Winning Words can have a bad day. When things aren’t going well, I look for the good can come out of the bad…and I find it! Feeling down in the dumps? Listen to Lee!. ;-) Jack
FROM PROUD MARY: so dear friend...once again you give me the song of the day. just because i haven't been responding doesn't mean i don't look forward to my first communication of the day. winning words is the first thing i read each morning. i can't thank you enough for your daily affirmations and "hopes". they have gotten me through the toughest of days. my sister passed away on june 29th in nyc. johnny and i were at her side. now i am home going through her things. mailing off to friends and family a bit of remembrances. trying to find a new normal. i know it will come. it has before. you have been by my side throughout this journey. you're a good traveling partner! love, ===JACK: Yes, "Smile, though your heart is breaking " seems to be the right song for now. I think that I'll youtube it.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: good words, Jack. thanks.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Live on the sunny side of the street!===JACK: "Grab your coat; don't forget your hat. Leave your worries on the doorstep..."
FROM BLAZING OAKS: Sing Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Gets ya thru the darkest day, When cares pursue ya, Hallelujah! It will shoo those blues away.===JACK: I see that the lyrics .are from the Ella Fitzgerald version. Good! How do you like Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah?"
FROM NORM'S BLOG: I grew up in the era with some of the early proponents of changing one’s attitude. Norman Vincent Peae wrote his famous book ‘The Power of Positive Thinking” in 1952. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, was on TV espousing a positive attitude through faith. Of course, there was Dale Carnegie and who could leave Zig Zigler off such a list. More recently, lives have been influenced by the works of Eckhart Tolle, Thomas Anthony Harris, Tony Robbins and a host of self-help gurus. What all of these people have in common is the notion that you can change your life by changing your attitude. In physics it can be shown that, in order to change the direction of an object that is in motion, some sort of force must be applied to that object – a force in a different direction than the object is traveling. The same is true of the trajectory of your life. It will continue down the path it is on, unless some force is applied that causes it to change direction. That “force” can be some external event or it can be an internal change of attitude, which causes you to react differently and take a new direction. One could sit around and hope that something happens to change things in your life or one can take the first steps of changing your attitude towards life. Perhaps the greatest “force” that can change the direction of your life is the force of a belief in God and in God’s impact on your life. Nothing will change your attitude about life more than accepting God’s role in your life and learning how to see and do what God has in mind for you. You may not understand the “why” of it all and maybe you cannot yet be able see the “how” it will all play out; but, if you accept the will of God in your life, as in “not my will, but Thy will be done”, the outcome in your life will definitely change.
The outcomes that we desire or dream about are basically expectations or hopes. We try to visualize or “see” the desired state at the end of an effort. Many people set goals for themselves based upon an outcome that involves acquiring and owning some new thing – a car, a house, a boat, something. They may envision themselves being happy once they have acquired that thing. Few find any real happiness in even the best outcome of such goals. They find that having the items does not bring happiness, only a temporary sense of achievement of that goal; then it is on to the next goal.
Perhaps the biggest change that one can make to change the trajectory of their life is to alter their perception of the desired outcome. Since there is an inevitable end to life on earth, the question becomes, “What is the outcome that I want at that point?” People of faith have an answer for that question; and, having found that answer, their lives are altered and their goals change. They find satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment in service to others as they progress towards that ultimate goal.===JACK: Positive thinking must be followed by positive action. The Benedictine monks had a phrase, "ora et labora," Latin for prayer and works...the two go together. It's one thing to pray about a situation. Some prayers are answered because of some work on our part.
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” (Lee Iacoccoa) Yes, that is one more mark of The Greatest Generation. “Smile, Though Your Heart Is Breaking,” a song of that era illustrates it. Even the writer of Winning Words can have a bad day. When things aren’t going well, I look for the good can come out of the bad…and I find it! Feeling down in the dumps? Listen to Lee!. ;-) Jack
FROM PROUD MARY: so dear friend...once again you give me the song of the day. just because i haven't been responding doesn't mean i don't look forward to my first communication of the day. winning words is the first thing i read each morning. i can't thank you enough for your daily affirmations and "hopes". they have gotten me through the toughest of days. my sister passed away on june 29th in nyc. johnny and i were at her side. now i am home going through her things. mailing off to friends and family a bit of remembrances. trying to find a new normal. i know it will come. it has before. you have been by my side throughout this journey. you're a good traveling partner! love, ===JACK: Yes, "Smile, though your heart is breaking " seems to be the right song for now. I think that I'll youtube it.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: good words, Jack. thanks.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Live on the sunny side of the street!===JACK: "Grab your coat; don't forget your hat. Leave your worries on the doorstep..."
FROM BLAZING OAKS: Sing Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Gets ya thru the darkest day, When cares pursue ya, Hallelujah! It will shoo those blues away.===JACK: I see that the lyrics .are from the Ella Fitzgerald version. Good! How do you like Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah?"
FROM NORM'S BLOG: I grew up in the era with some of the early proponents of changing one’s attitude. Norman Vincent Peae wrote his famous book ‘The Power of Positive Thinking” in 1952. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, was on TV espousing a positive attitude through faith. Of course, there was Dale Carnegie and who could leave Zig Zigler off such a list. More recently, lives have been influenced by the works of Eckhart Tolle, Thomas Anthony Harris, Tony Robbins and a host of self-help gurus. What all of these people have in common is the notion that you can change your life by changing your attitude. In physics it can be shown that, in order to change the direction of an object that is in motion, some sort of force must be applied to that object – a force in a different direction than the object is traveling. The same is true of the trajectory of your life. It will continue down the path it is on, unless some force is applied that causes it to change direction. That “force” can be some external event or it can be an internal change of attitude, which causes you to react differently and take a new direction. One could sit around and hope that something happens to change things in your life or one can take the first steps of changing your attitude towards life. Perhaps the greatest “force” that can change the direction of your life is the force of a belief in God and in God’s impact on your life. Nothing will change your attitude about life more than accepting God’s role in your life and learning how to see and do what God has in mind for you. You may not understand the “why” of it all and maybe you cannot yet be able see the “how” it will all play out; but, if you accept the will of God in your life, as in “not my will, but Thy will be done”, the outcome in your life will definitely change.
The outcomes that we desire or dream about are basically expectations or hopes. We try to visualize or “see” the desired state at the end of an effort. Many people set goals for themselves based upon an outcome that involves acquiring and owning some new thing – a car, a house, a boat, something. They may envision themselves being happy once they have acquired that thing. Few find any real happiness in even the best outcome of such goals. They find that having the items does not bring happiness, only a temporary sense of achievement of that goal; then it is on to the next goal.
Perhaps the biggest change that one can make to change the trajectory of their life is to alter their perception of the desired outcome. Since there is an inevitable end to life on earth, the question becomes, “What is the outcome that I want at that point?” People of faith have an answer for that question; and, having found that answer, their lives are altered and their goals change. They find satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment in service to others as they progress towards that ultimate goal.===JACK: Positive thinking must be followed by positive action. The Benedictine monks had a phrase, "ora et labora," Latin for prayer and works...the two go together. It's one thing to pray about a situation. Some prayers are answered because of some work on our part.
Monday, July 15, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words 7/15/19
“The most important thing in communication is to hear
what isn’t being said.”
(Peter Drucker) In college it was called, Speech; in seminary it became,
Homiletics. In both it meant, Learning how to communicate. Know your
audience, their expectations—Be confident—Be prepared—Modulate—Be
entertaining—Drucker’s advice is good, too. A judge once said, “I know
pornography when I see it.” I know a good speech/sermon when I hear
it. ;-) Jack
FRO HY YO SILVER: 90% of communication is non verbal ===JACK: High-Five for that!
FROM NOVA SCOTIA FISH: Fits with the book I am reading—Holy Envy. I expect to send you and others a note on it when I have finished it.===JACK: Perhaps envy is neither "holy" or "evil." It is what it is.===FISH: Barbara Brown Taylor subtitled this 2018 book "Finding God in the Faith of Others". She is an ordained Episcopal priest who now teaches comparative religion at Piedmont College. But the term apparently was originated by Krister Stendahl, who as you probably know was at Yale Divinity School.===JACK: I did meet Stendahl when we was on our campus.
FROM LS IN MI: Good morning. Thank you for your email. To this mornings winning words I add - I know “good” when I feel it. Simon Sinek’s teaching and wisdom inspired me to explore this theory he articulates about how we are motivated to act as human beings. Through his Ted Talk entitled Start With Why speaks to Why we do what we do. Then if you are interested, his Ted Talk - The Golden Circle goes further. As reading your Winning Words each morning , a passion is awakened inside me, guiding me to understand more about people and myself.===JACK: What is the measurement for good? Jesus was asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" His response was, "Love God...and love your neighbor as you love yourself." That's GOOD!===LS: And I do practice my love of God - and find God in each human being brought to me .....===JACK: Jesus then said, "Do this (LOVE), and you shall live!"
FROM HONEST JOHN: I taught speech at Augie....and coached debate there when I was going to sem. Also taught Homiletics at the Sem. After Karl Mattson died and Art Arnold became Interim Prez. I only taught the First Year students. Dr. Arnold wanted me to come back to LSTC and teach there....I loved Parish ministry and wasn’t thrilled with teaching speech...turned him down. I really liked him. Loved Holcomb at Augie....===JACK: Would you like to have done a "George Bailey" in It's a Wonderful Life to see what might have been (just for fun)? ...JS as a prof! ===JOHN: My original intention was to teach PolSci....was working on that at Harvard when I
Received the call to ministry....I think God did me a big favor....loved my life as a pastor.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: That's a good point to ponder...it takes more critical listening than we usually do! Anyone who has done counseling (most pastor's & wives!) knows this is as important as what the person is trying to say. A sympathetic ear is invaluable to all of us! It has forged many a strong friendship, in my experience.===JACK: Sometimes the spoken words can be used subconsciously as a distraction. I'm usually on the alert for an unspoken message.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: a Rabbi once told me that if you haven't struck oil after 20 minutes, you should stop boring:):):) ===JACK: There's a town in Oregon named, Boring. I wonder if they have a Lutheran Church....Boring Lutheran Church?
FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: Good note, jack.
FRO HY YO SILVER: 90% of communication is non verbal ===JACK: High-Five for that!
FROM NOVA SCOTIA FISH: Fits with the book I am reading—Holy Envy. I expect to send you and others a note on it when I have finished it.===JACK: Perhaps envy is neither "holy" or "evil." It is what it is.===FISH: Barbara Brown Taylor subtitled this 2018 book "Finding God in the Faith of Others". She is an ordained Episcopal priest who now teaches comparative religion at Piedmont College. But the term apparently was originated by Krister Stendahl, who as you probably know was at Yale Divinity School.===JACK: I did meet Stendahl when we was on our campus.
FROM LS IN MI: Good morning. Thank you for your email. To this mornings winning words I add - I know “good” when I feel it. Simon Sinek’s teaching and wisdom inspired me to explore this theory he articulates about how we are motivated to act as human beings. Through his Ted Talk entitled Start With Why speaks to Why we do what we do. Then if you are interested, his Ted Talk - The Golden Circle goes further. As reading your Winning Words each morning , a passion is awakened inside me, guiding me to understand more about people and myself.===JACK: What is the measurement for good? Jesus was asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" His response was, "Love God...and love your neighbor as you love yourself." That's GOOD!===LS: And I do practice my love of God - and find God in each human being brought to me .....===JACK: Jesus then said, "Do this (LOVE), and you shall live!"
FROM HONEST JOHN: I taught speech at Augie....and coached debate there when I was going to sem. Also taught Homiletics at the Sem. After Karl Mattson died and Art Arnold became Interim Prez. I only taught the First Year students. Dr. Arnold wanted me to come back to LSTC and teach there....I loved Parish ministry and wasn’t thrilled with teaching speech...turned him down. I really liked him. Loved Holcomb at Augie....===JACK: Would you like to have done a "George Bailey" in It's a Wonderful Life to see what might have been (just for fun)? ...JS as a prof! ===JOHN: My original intention was to teach PolSci....was working on that at Harvard when I
Received the call to ministry....I think God did me a big favor....loved my life as a pastor.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: That's a good point to ponder...it takes more critical listening than we usually do! Anyone who has done counseling (most pastor's & wives!) knows this is as important as what the person is trying to say. A sympathetic ear is invaluable to all of us! It has forged many a strong friendship, in my experience.===JACK: Sometimes the spoken words can be used subconsciously as a distraction. I'm usually on the alert for an unspoken message.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: a Rabbi once told me that if you haven't struck oil after 20 minutes, you should stop boring:):):) ===JACK: There's a town in Oregon named, Boring. I wonder if they have a Lutheran Church....Boring Lutheran Church?
FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: Good note, jack.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words 7/12/19
“When a thing is done, it’s done. Don’t look
back. Look forward to your next objective.” (George C. Marshall) If you had to describe, The
Marshall Plan, could you do it? Today’s world is largely the result
of a plan formulated by General Marshall. After a war, the winning side
usually crushes the opponent. After WW 2, the plan was to help “the
enemy” recover and become a friend. It happened…Germany, Italy and Japan
became allies. Thanks, George! ;-) Jack
FROM PRDR: Thanks Jack! What a wonderful thought as I reflect on this Sunday’s gospel and what it means to be a good neighbor.===JACK: These are times when the teachings of Jesus are more relevant that ever and just as hard to take as when he first told them. “Neighborliness” needs to be redefined. Think how the Marshall Plan would go over in today’s America….OUCH! That’s the message from my tiny pulpit.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: After the end of the war the Marshall plan was a great idea and we r still reaping the results today! What a wonderful world in which we live===JACK: Those who have experienced a "situation" usually have a better commentary than those who've read about it on the internet.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: The USA still help this world. We are still generous with foreign aid and we’re the first ones on site in an emergency with our special teams trained for just those emergencies.===JACK: That's the USA I remember, but I seem to have read that there are those who think that we've done too much of that, and we should not do it anymore. I hope that's not true.
FROM N0RM'S MILFORD BLOG: When you are driving in a car, you cannot move forward (at least not very far or fast) by continually looking in the mirror to see where you’ve been. You must look forward to see where you are going. In life, some people seem to fixate on the mirror, spending their time looking back, perhaps in regret for things done or left undone. We sometimes refer to them as “living in the past”. But, the truth is that one cannot live in the past. The past is done and it cannot be undone, no matter how much we may wish that things could be different. Perhaps the issue for some is that they don’t have a “next objective” to look forward to and to work towards. I have noticed that when I awaken in the morning on a day that I have nothing planned, I manage to get very little done, and the day just drags along. However, if I have things that I knew ahead that I wanted to get done that day, I awaken with a sense of purpose to accomplish those objectives – I can’t wait to get started. The ends of those two types of days are also very different, too – one with relief that the day is finally over and the other ending with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I’ve also noticed that people who can’t seem to let go of the past, who are fixated on the mirror are less happy with life. That might include those who cannot put the loss of a job aside and go on with life; or those who cannot find a way to put the loss of a loved one into a place of good memories and move on. Perhaps it includes those who cannot put a snub or social slight into its proper place of un-importance; or perhaps those who cannot see beyond preconceived prejudices from their past. For whatever reason these people have fixated on the mirror of the past. So, the take-away from Marshall’s quote is to put down that mirror. What’s done is done. Accept it and move on. Find a new objective and focus upon that. Find that new job, maybe one that involves something that you really love to do. Recognize and deal with the preconceived notions about people that you’ve been carrying around like baggage and see if life doesn’t get a little more interesting when you allow different points of view into your thinking. Look for new relationships than might lead to finding a new significant other – not to replace the lost loved one, but to crate new memories in addition to those fond memories from the past that you can glance at in the mirror from time-to-time Life continues to move forward, whether you are looking in the mirror or looking ahead. Life is just a whole lot more satisfying when you are pursuing new objectives, rather than trying to live in the past. The current Chevrolet commercial tag line is “Find new roads”; maybe that’s what Marshall meant. Don’t spend your time looking in the mirror; find the new roads of your life and look ahead to your next objective.
FROM PRDR: Thanks Jack! What a wonderful thought as I reflect on this Sunday’s gospel and what it means to be a good neighbor.===JACK: These are times when the teachings of Jesus are more relevant that ever and just as hard to take as when he first told them. “Neighborliness” needs to be redefined. Think how the Marshall Plan would go over in today’s America….OUCH! That’s the message from my tiny pulpit.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: After the end of the war the Marshall plan was a great idea and we r still reaping the results today! What a wonderful world in which we live===JACK: Those who have experienced a "situation" usually have a better commentary than those who've read about it on the internet.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: The USA still help this world. We are still generous with foreign aid and we’re the first ones on site in an emergency with our special teams trained for just those emergencies.===JACK: That's the USA I remember, but I seem to have read that there are those who think that we've done too much of that, and we should not do it anymore. I hope that's not true.
FROM N0RM'S MILFORD BLOG: When you are driving in a car, you cannot move forward (at least not very far or fast) by continually looking in the mirror to see where you’ve been. You must look forward to see where you are going. In life, some people seem to fixate on the mirror, spending their time looking back, perhaps in regret for things done or left undone. We sometimes refer to them as “living in the past”. But, the truth is that one cannot live in the past. The past is done and it cannot be undone, no matter how much we may wish that things could be different. Perhaps the issue for some is that they don’t have a “next objective” to look forward to and to work towards. I have noticed that when I awaken in the morning on a day that I have nothing planned, I manage to get very little done, and the day just drags along. However, if I have things that I knew ahead that I wanted to get done that day, I awaken with a sense of purpose to accomplish those objectives – I can’t wait to get started. The ends of those two types of days are also very different, too – one with relief that the day is finally over and the other ending with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I’ve also noticed that people who can’t seem to let go of the past, who are fixated on the mirror are less happy with life. That might include those who cannot put the loss of a job aside and go on with life; or those who cannot find a way to put the loss of a loved one into a place of good memories and move on. Perhaps it includes those who cannot put a snub or social slight into its proper place of un-importance; or perhaps those who cannot see beyond preconceived prejudices from their past. For whatever reason these people have fixated on the mirror of the past. So, the take-away from Marshall’s quote is to put down that mirror. What’s done is done. Accept it and move on. Find a new objective and focus upon that. Find that new job, maybe one that involves something that you really love to do. Recognize and deal with the preconceived notions about people that you’ve been carrying around like baggage and see if life doesn’t get a little more interesting when you allow different points of view into your thinking. Look for new relationships than might lead to finding a new significant other – not to replace the lost loved one, but to crate new memories in addition to those fond memories from the past that you can glance at in the mirror from time-to-time Life continues to move forward, whether you are looking in the mirror or looking ahead. Life is just a whole lot more satisfying when you are pursuing new objectives, rather than trying to live in the past. The current Chevrolet commercial tag line is “Find new roads”; maybe that’s what Marshall meant. Don’t spend your time looking in the mirror; find the new roads of your life and look ahead to your next objective.
===JACK: Your blog is one of my favorite readings of the day. I enjoy your insights. There's a reason of the windshield being bigger than the review mirror.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: AMEN!! What a plan, and he was able to sell it to our country very bitter over war losses...!===JACK: IMO, Something like the Marshall Plan, in today's America, would have "a snowball's chance in Hell" of getting support. A sad state of affairs....
FROM BLAZING OAKS: AMEN!! What a plan, and he was able to sell it to our country very bitter over war losses...!===JACK: IMO, Something like the Marshall Plan, in today's America, would have "a snowball's chance in Hell" of getting support. A sad state of affairs....
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words 7/11/19
“ just respected the game, now my name is in the
news. Got a lot more to prove.” (Megan Rapinoe) Talk about excitement! The USA
soccer team recently won the women’s World Cup. Rapinoe’s Nippsy
Hussle-like quotes brought excitement, too. Here’s how I translate
what she said: “I did my best, but I can do better.” Playing a
game, going to school, raising a family or working at a job…“I did my best, but
I could do better!”…It’s like that with WWs, too. ;-)
Jack
FROM INDY GENIE: It would be fun to be in the room and watch if you and Megan ever met. I believe the two of you would become fast friends===JACK: I'd like to see her and Trump go one on one in the same room.
FROM JP IN NAPLES: Sorry you would see fit to quote someone so disgraceful. Her disrespect of the country that gave her the opportunity to be on the world stage is disgusting. She has set back the enthusiasm for soccer in many quarters. I feel sad for her team mates like O'hara who scooped up the flag and wrapped around herself. Sorry no justification for Ra===JACK: Forget the name. Look at the message. "I did my best, but I could do better." Those are words that I would expect you to affirm. Just because we do not like a person's politics does not mean that we should ignore a positive message from them.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Now if she deserved the respect!===JACK: The quote was about respecting "the game of soccer," doing your best in whatever you do...and trying to do better in whatever you do. I purposely did not make it a political message.......oh, I did purposely quote Megan, because I knew it would stir some people up.
FROM GT IN NY: Sorry but I think “respect” and Ms. Rapinoe’s name don’t belong together. She’s quite crude —even during parade in front of young children.===JACK: What I sought to to was to highlight the idea that even though we've done well, we can do better. I try to live by that, and if a soccer player says that even though I played well in a game, I can do better. ...and as for public behavior, I think that we could all (including Megan) stand a refresher course from Miss Manners.
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: i was rooting for the netherlands. is that unpatriotic of me?===JACK: I thought that the World Cup was about which team played the best soccer. I didn't think that it was a referendum on the best nation in the world or the best behaved players. So, you chose the Dutch? So, your team happened to lose. So, what! ===LIZ: i think you play for the team that hired you, and you don’t trash your employer in public. do other countries have such spoiled, PRIVILEGED children on their teams? if so, we don’t hear abt them. ===LIZ; we libertarians believe that everyone should have the freedom to negotiate their own wage. the ladies generated a fraction of the revenue the men did... why should they be paid the sa
FROM RS IN TEXAS: ...and advocating change and equality. 👍===JACK: There are many messages in the events of life as they happen around us. We usually find what we're looking for.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: I'm so pleased she took a stand against going to Trump's White house! My kind of Gal! I hope she continues to "do better". We all need that inspiration, don't we? You DO better with WW'S! We all appreciate the thought you put into your daily blog!!===JACK: I try to live by this description of the job of a pastor..."To comfort the afflicted...and to afflict the comfortable." It was interesting today to see how a (non-political) quote became political. Let's go back to Monday and listen to Taylor Swift's song again...YOU GOTTA CALM DOWN!
FROM INDY GENIE: It would be fun to be in the room and watch if you and Megan ever met. I believe the two of you would become fast friends===JACK: I'd like to see her and Trump go one on one in the same room.
FROM JP IN NAPLES: Sorry you would see fit to quote someone so disgraceful. Her disrespect of the country that gave her the opportunity to be on the world stage is disgusting. She has set back the enthusiasm for soccer in many quarters. I feel sad for her team mates like O'hara who scooped up the flag and wrapped around herself. Sorry no justification for Ra===JACK: Forget the name. Look at the message. "I did my best, but I could do better." Those are words that I would expect you to affirm. Just because we do not like a person's politics does not mean that we should ignore a positive message from them.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Now if she deserved the respect!===JACK: The quote was about respecting "the game of soccer," doing your best in whatever you do...and trying to do better in whatever you do. I purposely did not make it a political message.......oh, I did purposely quote Megan, because I knew it would stir some people up.
FROM GT IN NY: Sorry but I think “respect” and Ms. Rapinoe’s name don’t belong together. She’s quite crude —even during parade in front of young children.===JACK: What I sought to to was to highlight the idea that even though we've done well, we can do better. I try to live by that, and if a soccer player says that even though I played well in a game, I can do better. ...and as for public behavior, I think that we could all (including Megan) stand a refresher course from Miss Manners.
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: i was rooting for the netherlands. is that unpatriotic of me?===JACK: I thought that the World Cup was about which team played the best soccer. I didn't think that it was a referendum on the best nation in the world or the best behaved players. So, you chose the Dutch? So, your team happened to lose. So, what! ===LIZ: i think you play for the team that hired you, and you don’t trash your employer in public. do other countries have such spoiled, PRIVILEGED children on their teams? if so, we don’t hear abt them. ===LIZ; we libertarians believe that everyone should have the freedom to negotiate their own wage. the ladies generated a fraction of the revenue the men did... why should they be paid the sa
FROM RS IN TEXAS: ...and advocating change and equality. 👍===JACK: There are many messages in the events of life as they happen around us. We usually find what we're looking for.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: I'm so pleased she took a stand against going to Trump's White house! My kind of Gal! I hope she continues to "do better". We all need that inspiration, don't we? You DO better with WW'S! We all appreciate the thought you put into your daily blog!!===JACK: I try to live by this description of the job of a pastor..."To comfort the afflicted...and to afflict the comfortable." It was interesting today to see how a (non-political) quote became political. Let's go back to Monday and listen to Taylor Swift's song again...YOU GOTTA CALM DOWN!
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words 7/10/19
“To be a great leader…one must of necessity have been a
great thinker in action. An eagle was never hatched from a goose’s
egg.” (James Thomas) If
anyone ever looked like a goose, hatched from an eagle’s egg, it was Honest
Abe. He even made fun of his looks.. But, how he could lead; he was
a great thinker, too. His was “pedestrian thinking,” to be sure.
Common sense is often the best sense. When it comes to leadership, who’s
your real eagle? ;-) Jack
FROM HONEST JOHN: Lincoln didn’t rely on “common sense.” That is
a kind of myth. He knew Much of Shakespeare by heart. BTW...ever
try to define common sense. Often, the def. given is a way of
saying “I an not educated in that area and here is what I substitute for the
knowledge afforded in that area.===JACK: Yes, common sense is non-sense. Ours is not necessarily that of another. It's just we thing is (or should be) a truism. Perhaps Lincoln has the perception of being a common sense person because of so many people agreeing with his statements.===HJ: Apt reply of a Relativist. Relativists are left with the position that no definition is possible for an y term. We began debates with the "definition of terms." Therefore, relativists are excluded from debate. That must be Donald Trump's position since he in essence refuses to debate anything and, instead,, more or less ignores all negative information. A handy but socially divisive way to go.===JACK: I've been called a relativist before and will accept it. All I try to do is to explain situations to people in a way that they can understand.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Our idea of a great leader is one who leads with following the laws, is honest, has morals and does what he says he will do.
FROM ME IS NEWPORT BEACH: Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, FDR and Arnold Palmer. ===JACK: I never got past the idea of Reagan as a movie star (it's my age). ...and certainly every army needs a general, so Arnie is fit for that....great golfer, but too many ciggies.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: i read the other day that James Buchanan, Lincoln's predecessor, was secretly shipping weapons from the North to the South during the last two years of his presidency all in anticipation of a civil war.===JACK: I'm going to check that out.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Our idea of a great leader is one who leads with following the laws, is honest, has morals and does what he says he will do.
FROM ME IS NEWPORT BEACH: Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, FDR and Arnold Palmer. ===JACK: I never got past the idea of Reagan as a movie star (it's my age). ...and certainly every army needs a general, so Arnie is fit for that....great golfer, but too many ciggies.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: i read the other day that James Buchanan, Lincoln's predecessor, was secretly shipping weapons from the North to the South during the last two years of his presidency all in anticipation of a civil war.===JACK: I'm going to check that out.
Jack’s Winning Words 7/9/19
“It is curious that physical courage should be so common
in the world and moral courage so rare.” (Mark Twain) Which of Dorothy’s friends do you
identify with? Scarecrow, Tin Man or the Lion? To be smarter, to be
more caring? That’s me! How about you? …and, most of us
could stand to be more courageous when it comes to speaking up in the face of
moral wrongs. We need God (the Wizard) to help us become braver
advocates for right over wrong. ;-)
Jack
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Definitely the Tin Man. We could all use more intelligence and of course compassion. In the world today morals are becoming extinct. We could all us more God and less us.===JACK: The Wizard of Oz is a "God-story" if you read between the lines.
FROM EDUCATOR PAUL: Maybe this would be a good time for “The Day the Earth Stood Still” to become reality! Except this time he won’t get shot and he’ll help humanity be better physically and humanistically
FROM DR JUDY: Good morning Jack. I always enjoy reading your winning words. Have you ever read Jean Houston’s The Wizard of Us: transformational lessons from oz. It’s a terrific metaphor of life and transformation. ===JACK: The Wizard of Us? It sounds interesting. I like learning lessons from situations.
FROM NANCY RUTH: I think I was trying to be courageous in the gay parade. What do you think?===JACK: Courageous people stand up for what they believe. Good for you! IN Sunday School we always had to "stand up" when we sang, Stand up, Stand Up for Jesus.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Definitely the Tin Man. We could all use more intelligence and of course compassion. In the world today morals are becoming extinct. We could all us more God and less us.===JACK: The Wizard of Oz is a "God-story" if you read between the lines.
FROM EDUCATOR PAUL: Maybe this would be a good time for “The Day the Earth Stood Still” to become reality! Except this time he won’t get shot and he’ll help humanity be better physically and humanistically
FROM DR JUDY: Good morning Jack. I always enjoy reading your winning words. Have you ever read Jean Houston’s The Wizard of Us: transformational lessons from oz. It’s a terrific metaphor of life and transformation. ===JACK: The Wizard of Us? It sounds interesting. I like learning lessons from situations.
FROM NANCY RUTH: I think I was trying to be courageous in the gay parade. What do you think?===JACK: Courageous people stand up for what they believe. Good for you! IN Sunday School we always had to "stand up" when we sang, Stand up, Stand Up for Jesus.
|
Jack’s Winning Words 7/5/19
“I’d like to be remembered for the way I went about doing my job.” (Goose Gossage) I remember the Goose for the way he did his job in the 1984 World Series. His manager wanted him to walk Detroit’s Kirk Gibson. “No, I can get him out!” I have a picture of Gibson, hands in the air, circling the bases after hitting a homer. Awesome! Gossage also was awesome, a Hall of Fame relief pitcher. Even the great ones aren’t perfect. Happy Birthday, Goose! ;-) Jack
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: He was great but Kirk was even greater! I’m not sure how I want to be remembered...perhaps someone who loved!===JACK: My choice..."He tried to make a difference."
FROM EDUCATOR PAUL: To me: That baseball event represents the condition that one never knows when a defining movement in life may occur and how that moment can be part of human history!===JACK: It can happen way in our lives, too. I can recall a defining moment.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: I wish he were here to give the flailing Cubs a helping arm! We are hurting big time! :-(===JACK: It’s been a long time since I was a Cubs fan….Ernie, Ron, Fergie, Holzman, Leo the Lip. I couldn’t name one person on the current Cubs roster. I miss the old nicknames…Goose…Fat Freddie…PeeWee…Ducky…Hippo…Schnoz…Jolly Cholly
FROM NORM'S BLOG: I suspect it is only as one gets older that they begin to think about that question and the answer that they would like people to remember them by. There are all sorts of ways to be remembered – many good and many not so good. For many men the answer expressed by Goose Gossage might apply. Men tend to identify themselves with their jobs and most would probably like to be remembered as being successful at those jobs. Some are thrust into heroic acts in their jobs or lives and will undoubtedly be remembered forever for those acts. Most are not heroes, in that sense, yet you often hear someone being eulogized as being a hero or role model to someone else. Perhaps that is the best way to be remembered – as someone who lived a life that others want to emulate. You hear them remembered as a good and kind and generous human being who cared about others and went about helping others. That is a great way to be remembered. So, perhaps the best way to rephrase what Gossage said is to change the ending and say, “I’d like to be remembered for the way that I lived my life.”===JACK: Our thoughts seem to be running on the same track. It's good that we're travelling in the same direction.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: what did his manager say to Goose when he did not get Gibson to strike out?? was that a rather heated exchange? just curious... ===JACK: "I told you to walk him!!"
FROM GOOD DEBT JON: "I'd like to be remembered for always being empathetic and kind!" ===JACK: I'd have no trouble doing your eulogy.===JON: That would be great Jack, it's scheduled for November 9, 2057. I'll put your info with my will. Lol===JACK: I'd be in my 30's at that time...in my 130's.
“I’d like to be remembered for the way I went about doing my job.” (Goose Gossage) I remember the Goose for the way he did his job in the 1984 World Series. His manager wanted him to walk Detroit’s Kirk Gibson. “No, I can get him out!” I have a picture of Gibson, hands in the air, circling the bases after hitting a homer. Awesome! Gossage also was awesome, a Hall of Fame relief pitcher. Even the great ones aren’t perfect. Happy Birthday, Goose! ;-) Jack
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: He was great but Kirk was even greater! I’m not sure how I want to be remembered...perhaps someone who loved!===JACK: My choice..."He tried to make a difference."
FROM EDUCATOR PAUL: To me: That baseball event represents the condition that one never knows when a defining movement in life may occur and how that moment can be part of human history!===JACK: It can happen way in our lives, too. I can recall a defining moment.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: I wish he were here to give the flailing Cubs a helping arm! We are hurting big time! :-(===JACK: It’s been a long time since I was a Cubs fan….Ernie, Ron, Fergie, Holzman, Leo the Lip. I couldn’t name one person on the current Cubs roster. I miss the old nicknames…Goose…Fat Freddie…PeeWee…Ducky…Hippo…Schnoz…Jolly Cholly
FROM NORM'S BLOG: I suspect it is only as one gets older that they begin to think about that question and the answer that they would like people to remember them by. There are all sorts of ways to be remembered – many good and many not so good. For many men the answer expressed by Goose Gossage might apply. Men tend to identify themselves with their jobs and most would probably like to be remembered as being successful at those jobs. Some are thrust into heroic acts in their jobs or lives and will undoubtedly be remembered forever for those acts. Most are not heroes, in that sense, yet you often hear someone being eulogized as being a hero or role model to someone else. Perhaps that is the best way to be remembered – as someone who lived a life that others want to emulate. You hear them remembered as a good and kind and generous human being who cared about others and went about helping others. That is a great way to be remembered. So, perhaps the best way to rephrase what Gossage said is to change the ending and say, “I’d like to be remembered for the way that I lived my life.”===JACK: Our thoughts seem to be running on the same track. It's good that we're travelling in the same direction.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: what did his manager say to Goose when he did not get Gibson to strike out?? was that a rather heated exchange? just curious... ===JACK: "I told you to walk him!!"
FROM GOOD DEBT JON: "I'd like to be remembered for always being empathetic and kind!" ===JACK: I'd have no trouble doing your eulogy.===JON: That would be great Jack, it's scheduled for November 9, 2057. I'll put your info with my will. Lol===JACK: I'd be in my 30's at that time...in my 130's.
Wednesday, July 03, 2019
ack’s Winning Words 7/3/19
“A love for tradition has never weakened a nation; indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.” (Churchill) There are 10 National Holidays, but 4 stand out in my mind as days that especially define America: Independence Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, Momorial Day. The others are significant, too, but think today about these 4, particularly the 4th of July, a day to celebrate the history of a great nation, not perfect, but in the process. ;-) Jack
FROM SHARIN'SHARON: So true, especially for the 4th of July when our country has such documents as the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. Thanks for posting this on your blog, Pastor Freed. And Happy 4th of July!!!===JACK: I remember a time when people used to decorate their cars with flags on the 4th of July. A house next to our church has little American flags placed on the perimeter of their lawn.
FROM GF: Have a happy and healthy July 4 weekend! Don’t let the politics bug you!===JACK: When I was a child my father lit a cherry bomb. When it exploded it kicked up a stone which hit me near the temple. There were on emergency rooms those days, so I was rushed to the doctor's home where he stitched me up on his front porch.===GF: Memories…… They are a large part of life and shaping us into who we are.===JACK: The doctor said, "A little bit closer to the temple and there would have been a different outcome."
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: (picture of Betsy Ross flag)===JACK: I like the 50 star flag, but I like Betsy's design best.===LIZ: me, too! i fly the flag every day. my next will be a betsy ross. or a gadsden... ha!===JACK: I seem to recall that it's always lighted (rain or shine, too?).===LIZ: no, it’s not lighted... i am not a believer in flag etiquette, necessarily. it is a symbol, not to be worshipped. i support a person’s right to burn the flag... “skycloth” itself stands for that right. but i do wish the disrespect would go away... it hurts a great many people, and is meant to be divisive. all history is flawed. personal histories, too. all we can do is learn from our mistakes. americans differ from other countries in that we want to help the world... it is both our strength and our pitfall.===JACK: Maybe it was your father who krpt the flag lighted...or maybe not. ===LIZ: nope. he used to fly it only on holidays when i was a kid.===JACK: I guess that it was some other vet!===LIZ: you know, he might have had one on the front of the house, now that i think of it... and it would have been lit by a post light on a sensor.
:
FROM NORM'S BLOG: Parades are a way to pause and celebrate holidays in your hometown and in our nation. I organize the 4th of July Parade in my home town of Milford, Michigan. I march, as a veteran, in the Memorial Day parade and I work as a volunteer in the Christmas Parade, which always takes place Thanksgiving weekend. We don’t have a parade for Veteran’s Day. We also have parades for the start of Little League Baseball, and the local high school homecoming. Obviously, we love traditions in Milford. Sadly, the Independence Day Parade on the 4th of July has been declining in both attendance and participation for the last few years. What used to be a parade with 70-80 participating groups is now down to about 50 groups marching or riding in the parade. The viewing audience is also down a bit. It seems that the same reasons that are causing the decline in church attendance effects the parade on the 4th – people are just too busy with other things to do. ===JACK: IMO, parades were organized for a celebration of an "immediate" event. They seem to have morphed into a kind of entertainment event. I'll attend/participate unless there's something better top do. Also, IMO, this year's D.C. 4th of July event seems to have become a political event rather than one that is celebratory of our country's independence.
FROM DISC JOCKEY CS: I have a few questions.
I am having a conversation with someone at work. My question is this.
Does God interfere with free will?
Does God control everything?
If someone dies or gets cancer is it because God picked that person or does God just let life happen?
I would appreciate your insight.
===JACK: These questions have complicated answers and deserve face to face conversation, but as a starting point (IMO)...Free will is free will. God does not take back what he has given...While God "can control" everything, he has not created a world of robots. So, we have a world where there is good and evil. Choices are ours to make. "Grace" is also of God's creation and is a way of escape from the messes that we have made. And...I do not believe that God causes cancer to come to some people and not others. It's one of the puzzles of life...and one day we'll find a way to solve that puzzle, as was done with polio. Having said that, I got polio when I was 16. At that time, I saw it as an evil. In retrospect, I now see it as a blessing, because it changed my life direction. I believe that, because of polio, I am a pastor today.
FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: Thanx, Jack. Have a joyful 4th tomorrow!===JACK: One 4th of July event I enjoyed as a child was lighting sparklers. Nothing says, CELEBRATION like running around with a sparkler and making circles and ;laughing. What ever happened to those days? ===GEORGE: believe we are in Step 8 of the eight steps to the rise and fall of a democracy, first written in 1776.===JACK: I think that your example is a takeoff of the sociological theory of the stages of the rise and fall of civilizations. Stage 8 is...Dependence back to Bondage.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: As a retired teacher, I like John Dewey's (educator & reformer) insight: "Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife." We have to have an informed constituency to make it work. Judging by recent elections, most voters don't take the time to really study and weigh issues! That being said, I do value our democratic way of life, and am so thankful to live in a nation that has had high ideals, and emphasis on human rights, though far from perfect!===JACK: As I recall, Civics was not a popular class in high school, nor was English and History. So, what can you expect?===OAKS: I think history was fairly popular; at least well-tolerated! Most of us didn't use what we learned in Civics as we married and raised families, I guess, so that info became hazy. Doesn't it seem there's a paucity of any kind of good leadership in our elected officials today? Or are the past leaders just more glorified, since they're gone on? It's hard to be optimistic about USA's future these days! Illinois has been in a crunch for the past several years! ===JACK: I do see a lack of a basic lack of "Civics" understanding in the world today...and a lack of "civility" and "honesty" among elected leaders.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Yes it is a very exciting time to be alive!===JACK: If by, exciting, you mean "not knowing what's coining next," you've got that right. Government by the seat of the pants creates more than a thrill.
FROM HONEST JOHN: Revelation of St. John might dispute that "in the process"....so would Reinhold Niebuhr. Once a nation begins it usually is in the process of self destructing.===JACK: I guess it's the same way with the human body. When we're born, we begin the process of dying. In the meanwhile we can make some personal improvements in the life situation...the power of positive thinking!===JOHN: We need to be both...positive and realistic...one or the other leads to stalemates such as we are now witnessing in America. Good heavens! We agree on something. Great to see. === JACK: A realavist usually finds a way to agree.
“A love for tradition has never weakened a nation; indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.” (Churchill) There are 10 National Holidays, but 4 stand out in my mind as days that especially define America: Independence Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, Momorial Day. The others are significant, too, but think today about these 4, particularly the 4th of July, a day to celebrate the history of a great nation, not perfect, but in the process. ;-) Jack
FROM SHARIN'SHARON: So true, especially for the 4th of July when our country has such documents as the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. Thanks for posting this on your blog, Pastor Freed. And Happy 4th of July!!!===JACK: I remember a time when people used to decorate their cars with flags on the 4th of July. A house next to our church has little American flags placed on the perimeter of their lawn.
FROM GF: Have a happy and healthy July 4 weekend! Don’t let the politics bug you!===JACK: When I was a child my father lit a cherry bomb. When it exploded it kicked up a stone which hit me near the temple. There were on emergency rooms those days, so I was rushed to the doctor's home where he stitched me up on his front porch.===GF: Memories…… They are a large part of life and shaping us into who we are.===JACK: The doctor said, "A little bit closer to the temple and there would have been a different outcome."
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: (picture of Betsy Ross flag)===JACK: I like the 50 star flag, but I like Betsy's design best.===LIZ: me, too! i fly the flag every day. my next will be a betsy ross. or a gadsden... ha!===JACK: I seem to recall that it's always lighted (rain or shine, too?).===LIZ: no, it’s not lighted... i am not a believer in flag etiquette, necessarily. it is a symbol, not to be worshipped. i support a person’s right to burn the flag... “skycloth” itself stands for that right. but i do wish the disrespect would go away... it hurts a great many people, and is meant to be divisive. all history is flawed. personal histories, too. all we can do is learn from our mistakes. americans differ from other countries in that we want to help the world... it is both our strength and our pitfall.===JACK: Maybe it was your father who krpt the flag lighted...or maybe not. ===LIZ: nope. he used to fly it only on holidays when i was a kid.===JACK: I guess that it was some other vet!===LIZ: you know, he might have had one on the front of the house, now that i think of it... and it would have been lit by a post light on a sensor.
:
FROM NORM'S BLOG: Parades are a way to pause and celebrate holidays in your hometown and in our nation. I organize the 4th of July Parade in my home town of Milford, Michigan. I march, as a veteran, in the Memorial Day parade and I work as a volunteer in the Christmas Parade, which always takes place Thanksgiving weekend. We don’t have a parade for Veteran’s Day. We also have parades for the start of Little League Baseball, and the local high school homecoming. Obviously, we love traditions in Milford. Sadly, the Independence Day Parade on the 4th of July has been declining in both attendance and participation for the last few years. What used to be a parade with 70-80 participating groups is now down to about 50 groups marching or riding in the parade. The viewing audience is also down a bit. It seems that the same reasons that are causing the decline in church attendance effects the parade on the 4th – people are just too busy with other things to do. ===JACK: IMO, parades were organized for a celebration of an "immediate" event. They seem to have morphed into a kind of entertainment event. I'll attend/participate unless there's something better top do. Also, IMO, this year's D.C. 4th of July event seems to have become a political event rather than one that is celebratory of our country's independence.
FROM DISC JOCKEY CS: I have a few questions.
I am having a conversation with someone at work. My question is this.
Does God interfere with free will?
Does God control everything?
If someone dies or gets cancer is it because God picked that person or does God just let life happen?
I would appreciate your insight.
===JACK: These questions have complicated answers and deserve face to face conversation, but as a starting point (IMO)...Free will is free will. God does not take back what he has given...While God "can control" everything, he has not created a world of robots. So, we have a world where there is good and evil. Choices are ours to make. "Grace" is also of God's creation and is a way of escape from the messes that we have made. And...I do not believe that God causes cancer to come to some people and not others. It's one of the puzzles of life...and one day we'll find a way to solve that puzzle, as was done with polio. Having said that, I got polio when I was 16. At that time, I saw it as an evil. In retrospect, I now see it as a blessing, because it changed my life direction. I believe that, because of polio, I am a pastor today.
FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: Thanx, Jack. Have a joyful 4th tomorrow!===JACK: One 4th of July event I enjoyed as a child was lighting sparklers. Nothing says, CELEBRATION like running around with a sparkler and making circles and ;laughing. What ever happened to those days? ===GEORGE: believe we are in Step 8 of the eight steps to the rise and fall of a democracy, first written in 1776.===JACK: I think that your example is a takeoff of the sociological theory of the stages of the rise and fall of civilizations. Stage 8 is...Dependence back to Bondage.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: As a retired teacher, I like John Dewey's (educator & reformer) insight: "Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife." We have to have an informed constituency to make it work. Judging by recent elections, most voters don't take the time to really study and weigh issues! That being said, I do value our democratic way of life, and am so thankful to live in a nation that has had high ideals, and emphasis on human rights, though far from perfect!===JACK: As I recall, Civics was not a popular class in high school, nor was English and History. So, what can you expect?===OAKS: I think history was fairly popular; at least well-tolerated! Most of us didn't use what we learned in Civics as we married and raised families, I guess, so that info became hazy. Doesn't it seem there's a paucity of any kind of good leadership in our elected officials today? Or are the past leaders just more glorified, since they're gone on? It's hard to be optimistic about USA's future these days! Illinois has been in a crunch for the past several years! ===JACK: I do see a lack of a basic lack of "Civics" understanding in the world today...and a lack of "civility" and "honesty" among elected leaders.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Yes it is a very exciting time to be alive!===JACK: If by, exciting, you mean "not knowing what's coining next," you've got that right. Government by the seat of the pants creates more than a thrill.
FROM HONEST JOHN: Revelation of St. John might dispute that "in the process"....so would Reinhold Niebuhr. Once a nation begins it usually is in the process of self destructing.===JACK: I guess it's the same way with the human body. When we're born, we begin the process of dying. In the meanwhile we can make some personal improvements in the life situation...the power of positive thinking!===JOHN: We need to be both...positive and realistic...one or the other leads to stalemates such as we are now witnessing in America. Good heavens! We agree on something. Great to see. === JACK: A realavist usually finds a way to agree.
Tuesday, July 02, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words 7/2/19
“God is like a mirror. The mirror never changes, but everybody who looks at it sees something different.” (Harold Kushner) Rabbi Kushner, author of, When Bad Thing Happen To Good People, has another best-seller: Nine Essential Things I’ve Learned About Life. He’s able to write about things that touch the lives of people. Who hasn’t wondered life’s seemingly unfairness…and…What is really important in this life? Is it just me, or is Kushner a mirror for you, too? ;-) Jack
FROM HY YO SILVER: Good one! Regards from Jerusalem.===JACK: Do the mirrors reflect in the same way in the Holy City?...a halo over your head?
FROM BB IN CHGO: I’ve never heard this Kushner quote before; great one – thank you for sharing. ===JACK: God speaks to us through the mouths of many people, even rabbis and imams.
“God is like a mirror. The mirror never changes, but everybody who looks at it sees something different.” (Harold Kushner) Rabbi Kushner, author of, When Bad Thing Happen To Good People, has another best-seller: Nine Essential Things I’ve Learned About Life. He’s able to write about things that touch the lives of people. Who hasn’t wondered life’s seemingly unfairness…and…What is really important in this life? Is it just me, or is Kushner a mirror for you, too? ;-) Jack
FROM HY YO SILVER: Good one! Regards from Jerusalem.===JACK: Do the mirrors reflect in the same way in the Holy City?...a halo over your head?
FROM BB IN CHGO: I’ve never heard this Kushner quote before; great one – thank you for sharing. ===JACK: God speaks to us through the mouths of many people, even rabbis and imams.
Monday, July 01, 2019
Jack’s Winning Words 7/1/19
“You need to calm, down!” (Taylor Swift) Taylor’s new song hits the nail on the head. “Too much stressin’ and obsessin’! in today’s world. Whether it’s red or blue, LGBTQ or straight, we are on this planet together. The Bible says that “God so loved the world,” not just the people on one side of the wall. For those who opt for Barbra over Taylor, there’s the song, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” I feel lucky; I hope that you do, too! ;-) Jack
FROM RVB IN WBT: Awesome ending!! I’m so lucky to know you...===JACK: You are a calming influence.
FROM MRS JC: I like this song (and all her songs)!===JACK: I like the melody, too. I like it, too, because she's using the song to send a message.
FROM JT IN STJM: Another positive winning word. I have relatives and friends who would do well to read this message. Whoops...there I go judging them. Sorry ===JACK: A song with a positive message to a negative situation. We need more of this.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Yes I do! It is a wonderful and interesting world in which we live! We r the lucky ones!===JACK: Do you think it's a better world now than when you were at MHS?===SHIRL: It is a much different world because we all knew who our enemy was and we worked together to win! It is definitely an interesting and challenging world today! Don’t u think?===JACK:
While there were political divisions "back then", they didn't seem as stark, then. There also seemed to more truth-telling. Social media, while connecting more people, appears to do it in an impersonal way. "Friending" someone has taken on a lesser meaning...in my opinion.
FROM PICCALILLI: Good one Jack.===JACK: We're lucky, aren't we?
M ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: good one, Jack. happy 4th too!===JACK: You're pretty calm for a Monday. Trump mist be out of the country.===PAUL: out of the country and also out of his mind! he insults our closest allies and cozies up to the world's most despotic dictators. what are our allies to think? he stupidly pulls us out of the Iranian nuclear arms deal (which was working well and totally verified) and now they are well on their way to building a bomb. i can go on and on and on but my blood pressure if already going up. ===JACK: Oops! You'd better go back and listen to Taylor's song.===PAUL: but did you see in the news today that she wrote a scathing letter to her manager who apparently now has much control over all of her music. not sure i got all the details but she was anything but calm when she wrote the letter. i am sure this will end up in court sometime. she is no dumbbell but it sounds like this little "detail" somehow got by her. i wish her well... ===JACK: Thanks for keeping me up to date on Taylor! BTW, are you a fan of Swifties?
"I need a pencil sharpener," said Tom bluntly.
"Oops! There goes my hat!" said Tom off the top of his head.
"I can no longer hear anything," said Tom deftly.
"I have a split personality," said Tom, being frank.
"This must be an aerobics class," Tom worked out.
FROM SF IN MI: Rabbi Loss says replace ‘lucky’ with ‘blessed’. Thoughts?===JACK: Those who see the world with "religious eyes" see blessings. Others see life as a lottery.
FROM BB IN CHGO: I like both of your songs and was amused to see your sister included in the Chicago parade last weekend. Everyone looks festive indeed. ===JACK: I wanted her to wear a multi-colored wig, but she wouldn't go that far. For me, I was proud of her.
FROM RS IS TEXAS: Amen===JACK: You seem calm. ===RS: Calm(er) when I take a deep breath and focus on the positive. Not so much when I see the injustices in this world and the way certain politicians are "purchased" by big money and cater to people who do not seem to have compassion for anyone outside the good old USA. Have to take a stand.
FROM DAIRYLAND DONNA: Yes to calming down and being with people who are positive!!! ===JACK: Even cows seem to know it. The Carnation Milk Co has this slogan: "Carnation...the milk from contented cows."I===DONNA: Perfect response since I was just in the land of cows over the weekend for my 50th high school reunion. Bet you didn't know I was that old! ;o)===JACK: 5oth reunion? I'm so old that our class reunion would have to be held underground to get a decent crowd.
“You need to calm, down!” (Taylor Swift) Taylor’s new song hits the nail on the head. “Too much stressin’ and obsessin’! in today’s world. Whether it’s red or blue, LGBTQ or straight, we are on this planet together. The Bible says that “God so loved the world,” not just the people on one side of the wall. For those who opt for Barbra over Taylor, there’s the song, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” I feel lucky; I hope that you do, too! ;-) Jack
FROM RVB IN WBT: Awesome ending!! I’m so lucky to know you...===JACK: You are a calming influence.
FROM MRS JC: I like this song (and all her songs)!===JACK: I like the melody, too. I like it, too, because she's using the song to send a message.
FROM JT IN STJM: Another positive winning word. I have relatives and friends who would do well to read this message. Whoops...there I go judging them. Sorry ===JACK: A song with a positive message to a negative situation. We need more of this.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Yes I do! It is a wonderful and interesting world in which we live! We r the lucky ones!===JACK: Do you think it's a better world now than when you were at MHS?===SHIRL: It is a much different world because we all knew who our enemy was and we worked together to win! It is definitely an interesting and challenging world today! Don’t u think?===JACK:
While there were political divisions "back then", they didn't seem as stark, then. There also seemed to more truth-telling. Social media, while connecting more people, appears to do it in an impersonal way. "Friending" someone has taken on a lesser meaning...in my opinion.
FROM PICCALILLI: Good one Jack.===JACK: We're lucky, aren't we?
M ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: good one, Jack. happy 4th too!===JACK: You're pretty calm for a Monday. Trump mist be out of the country.===PAUL: out of the country and also out of his mind! he insults our closest allies and cozies up to the world's most despotic dictators. what are our allies to think? he stupidly pulls us out of the Iranian nuclear arms deal (which was working well and totally verified) and now they are well on their way to building a bomb. i can go on and on and on but my blood pressure if already going up. ===JACK: Oops! You'd better go back and listen to Taylor's song.===PAUL: but did you see in the news today that she wrote a scathing letter to her manager who apparently now has much control over all of her music. not sure i got all the details but she was anything but calm when she wrote the letter. i am sure this will end up in court sometime. she is no dumbbell but it sounds like this little "detail" somehow got by her. i wish her well... ===JACK: Thanks for keeping me up to date on Taylor! BTW, are you a fan of Swifties?
"I need a pencil sharpener," said Tom bluntly.
"Oops! There goes my hat!" said Tom off the top of his head.
"I can no longer hear anything," said Tom deftly.
"I have a split personality," said Tom, being frank.
"This must be an aerobics class," Tom worked out.
FROM SF IN MI: Rabbi Loss says replace ‘lucky’ with ‘blessed’. Thoughts?===JACK: Those who see the world with "religious eyes" see blessings. Others see life as a lottery.
FROM BB IN CHGO: I like both of your songs and was amused to see your sister included in the Chicago parade last weekend. Everyone looks festive indeed. ===JACK: I wanted her to wear a multi-colored wig, but she wouldn't go that far. For me, I was proud of her.
FROM RS IS TEXAS: Amen===JACK: You seem calm. ===RS: Calm(er) when I take a deep breath and focus on the positive. Not so much when I see the injustices in this world and the way certain politicians are "purchased" by big money and cater to people who do not seem to have compassion for anyone outside the good old USA. Have to take a stand.
FROM DAIRYLAND DONNA: Yes to calming down and being with people who are positive!!! ===JACK: Even cows seem to know it. The Carnation Milk Co has this slogan: "Carnation...the milk from contented cows."I===DONNA: Perfect response since I was just in the land of cows over the weekend for my 50th high school reunion. Bet you didn't know I was that old! ;o)===JACK: 5oth reunion? I'm so old that our class reunion would have to be held underground to get a decent crowd.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)