Winning Words 9/29/11
“We don’t beat the Grim Reaper by living longer, but by living well and living fully. The Reaper comes for all of us.” (Randy Pausch) Pausch, a computer geek, was told that he had 3 to 6 months to live because of cancer. His book, The Last Lecture, became a best seller. (I’ve got to read it.). You can see that he lived his quote. He died at age 47. Today’s words are a reminder to treasure each precious day. ;-) Jack

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: I remember watching his lecture and a segment on 60 minutes… Inspiring.////FROM JACK: ....which reminds me. I've got to get his book from the library.

FROM PC IN MICHIGAN: I've got the book and will bring it to church Sunday for you.////FROM JACK: That's another reason for going to church.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Thy will be done. No one knows the time of his or her death. As parents we taught that and tried to live the advice to be a good person and to develop the talents that God has given each person and to try to make the world a better place. By the way, how did you like that Rays and Yankees game last night? My grandson who just started his new job on the staff of the University of Missouri at Columbia called me when the score was 7-0. While we talked, the score became 7-7. Then he called again at midnight after the Rays had lost and the Orioles had won. Amazing.////FROM JACK: The Grim Reaper came for the BoSox and delayed his visit to the Rays. I don't think that God is a baseball fan, unless Tigers are playing. I certainly can't visualize him ringing a cowbell.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: The book sounds like it would be a great read. Perhaps I'll get it too. He was on the tv a lot after he wrote his book. He planned to use it for his children's sake aftger he was gone. I had heard him on tv and he seemed like such a well-grounded kind individual. We laugh everytime we read if you floss your teeth you will live 3 years ago, stop eating so much, start exercising, don't eat eggs, eat eggs, etc etc. While they may help you live a healthier life, they don't have any control of when your life will end. Noah, 7 years old, came up to me and gave me a big hug and said, "I'll be real sad when you die Grandma." He is becoming aware of living and dying and voices his fears. We re-assure him of the fact, we will be separated by a short time and will live in eternity together. It helps. We talk a lot of Heaven and the fun it will be.//// FROM JACK: Even though my mother had relatively good health when she was 100, she said that it was no fun growing old. She was ready for the "new" life. You don't have to be 100 in order to have an appreciation for what the "new" life can mean.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: Glad the author of the WW changed "grim reaper" to simply "reaper". I don't know if I could live each day well and fully and treasure each day if I believed a grim reaper would be standing at the end, waiting to mow me down with his sickle or something. But I do also believe that, when we consider death, of ourselves or of loved ones, we go through ups and downs of emotions when it might feel pretty grim and that a grim reaper is in charge.////FROM JACK: I imagine that it was pretty "grim" news when 47-year-old Randy heard the doctor's prognosis. I'm encouraged at how Easter Sunday was able to change Bad Friday into Good Friday. Death becomes life...eternal life.

FROM BLAZING OAKS: I have the DVD of Pausch's lecture/book, and have read the book as well. It is priceless. Have shown it to several groups in church and Women's Club. SO sad that he didn't live to raise his children, and how stoic and down-to-Earth his wife was and is! Talk about DWI... As Marilyn Charles Karlstrom expressed, "those of us blessed with long years, have to bear the losses." So true, and look forward to reunions in the next phase of Life. I like the poem "If Tomorrow Should Start Without Me" , for none of knows when that might happen! But we know it will happen! ////FROM JACK: I had a conversation with someone this week on how (given enough time) the sad events of life can turn into the glad. Humans look through one end of the telescope, while God uses the other end.

FROM JB IN WISCONSIN: I saw the documentary on him - what an amazing spirit. ////FROM JACK: Do the circumstances make our heroes...or is the spirit within all along, waiting for the right time?