Jack’s Winning Words 6/26/08
“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” (Jane Goodall) I wonder if Jane was referring to chimpanzees or to human beings. In either case, it’s probably true. You and I are important to the forest in which we live and its denizens. Turning it around, who are the important creatures in your life? ;-) Jack

FROM MOLINER G.S.: You have become important to me. Even with that liberal bent. I want to improve life in America - we have - by far - the best large country government on earth. Others want to copy much of what we do/have. Why destroy what our forefathers wrote? The Constitution is cast in stone, not a living (which means "to be constantly changed"), breathing document

JACK'S RESPONSE TO G.S.: I like Bob Dylan's song: Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you Is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'. Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won't come again And don't speak too soon For the wheel's still in spin And there's no tellin' who That it's namin'. For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin'. Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don't stand in the doorway Don't block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalledThere's a battle outsideAnd it is ragin'.It'll soon shake your windowsAnd rattle your walls For the times they are a-changin'. Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don't criticize What you can't understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is Rapidly agin'. Please get out of the new one If you can't lend your hand For the times they are a-changin'. The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is Rapidly fadin'. And the first one now Will later be last For the times they are a-changin'.

FROM MOLINER C.F.: Bear Bryant really pracriced this and produced winning teams and individuals.

FROM S.H. IN MI: I have been thinking about these Winning Words. I believe I am important because, coming from the background I do, I am very interested in advocating for others with a non-traditional Lutheran background to be included in the Lutheran Church. Looking at the Apostle Paul with feet both in Jewishness and Romanness and all kinds of people coming with a mix, I have a mix too and it makes me very missionary-minded. Also I am important because, for some reason which I cannot fully fathom, I am sensitive to homosexuals persons needing to have relationships within the church and with each other and live God-pleasing lives and this is--for me--now on the front burner for all people to discern exactly what God is/has been saying theologically to us on this. All these people are very, very important to me because their lives, their faith journeys hold keys for me to better understand God, the world and the help I need to be able to love God with all my heart, mind and soul and to love my neighbor as myself.

FROM J.L. IN MI: Having watched Jane and her specials, I would say she was talking about her chimpanzees. She has a growing program for youth which teaches about the importance of the animals. I'm not too sure how she feels about people though. But every individual does matter...we should treat every indivdual like we would want to be treated. That's the Golden Rule too.

FROM F.M. IN WI: Who was important, so many . . . parents, pastor, teachers, seminary professors, friends, fellow pastors, bishops, neighbors, lay persons, children, authors, artists, presidents (not all), and Jack Freed !

FROM J.H. IN OH: Love it! and YOU are an important CREATURE in my life

FROM B.S. NEAR ORLANDO: the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, and the children and grandchildren @ many friends. Thank God for friends. Oh Man alive, you tell em.