Winning Words 11/9/12
“Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.”  (Martin Luther)  Tomorrow is Martin’s 529th birthday.  A Catholic theologian who I know, once said, in a sermon, “Martin Luther was a priest with a conscience.”  The Reformation was not meant to start a new Church; the hope was that dialog could produce some needed changes.  Perhaps you hope for life changes to occur.  Hope is the start.  Action must follow.    ;-)  Jack

FROM WALMART REV:  A good phrase from a counselling session yesterday..."hopefully, we instilled a measure of hope!" Enjoy your day, Jack! It's called the "Present". Unwrap and enjoy!////FROM JACK:  There's a song...."Father, we thank thee for the night, and for the pleasant morning bright.  Help us to do the things we should, and be to others, kind and good."

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  To Walmart Rev: "hope" exists for the person(s) by virtue of their presence. When one "shows up" at the office, it was hope that brought them there.
////MR:  Because of man's corruption, "Reform" has been the battle-cry of man since Adam and Eve. I think Luther was well-aware of man's corruptibility through the obsessive awareness of his own. As such, Hope for that in which we have Faith is such a powerful gift. Hope is indeed the Light at the end of the tunnel....and you are right about the action that follows; we need to then walk through the tunnel. When it is not the Will of God to to take away the cross that lays before us, we can pray and hope that God provides us the strong backs to carry it. ////FROM JACK:  Thanks for your insight, and for your words of encouragement directed to Walmart Rev.

 FROM "SAINT" JUDY:  Hope is what keeps us going!  It's good to know someone is older than you!  :-)  ////FROM JACK:  I learned about "hope" when Luther and I were growing up together in Germany. ...stealing from Obama's response about Donald Trump's criticism.  ""Trump's problem with me dates back to when we grew up together in Kenya."

 FROM KF IN MICHIGAN:  This must be a sign...............I saw a version of this yesterday - about moving forward with "less hoping, more DOING".  Yesterday I set up a meeting with a headhunter; that's my 'doing'! : )////FROM JACK:  It's interesting how the word, headhunter, has evolved.  I remember reading about real headhunters in South America who would capture people and...(I won't bore you with the details).

 FROM MY PASTOR:  Isn't it Martin Luther's 529th?////FROM JACK:  As people age they tend to lop off years from their age, but, in this case, Ill make the correction.  BTW, I'll be turning 70 next year.

 FROM EMT SINGS IN MICHIGAN:  Just wanted to remind you that today would have been my Mother's 100th birthday and also that 22 years ago tonight Rick and I were having a wedding rehearsal with you for our wedding that would have been tomorrow.  All happy memories!////FROM JACK:  Thank God for the gift of memory which enables me to bring to mind your mom and also your wedding.  I appreciate the "jog."

 FROM CL IN MICHIGAN:  Maybe truer today than it was when ML penned it!!!!!!!!!////FROM JACK:  Some things grow better with age, but I guess we'd have to walk in his sandals to know how it applied to his life situation.:

 FROM REV PH IN MICHIGAN:  Jack,  Love your words.  Great job.  Is it Luther's 529th?////FROM JACK:   You are the second one today to catch my error in math.  Without the change, he would have lived to be 162.  It is not true that he died because of a diet of worms.

 FROM AJ IN MICHIGAN:  I really enjoy your Words of wisdom.  I enjoy them, too.////FROM JACK:  I enjoy them, too...in that I enjoy coming across interesting and thought provoking sayings and sharing them with friends.  Right now I'm working on what I want to send out next week

 FROM HS IN ILLINOIS:  Just to keep the record straight, Jack, tomorrow is Brother Martin's 529th birthday.  Thanks for the reminder, though.  Incidentally, Nov. 10 is also the anniversary of the birth of the US Marine Corps.////FROM JACK:  Semper Fi!  You're the 3rd Lutheran preacher to point out the fact that I am not perfect.  "Forgive me, for I have sinned."  Be sure to read the blog for other penitential responses.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Hope is the most important word in the English Language."  It surely has to be one of the best!! I was in St. John's Lutheran Church in Springfield, IL this afternoon, (beautiful sanctuary and complex!) for Church Women United Community Day, and saw  the S.S. kids b.day cards for Martin Luther.  What a reform movement he started!! We'll all hang on to hope, especially as Obama takes the reins for his second term!!////FROM JACK:  Hope is always needed as we march into the unknown.  It would have been the same if Romney were elected.  Eleanor was cerainly an interesting person.  She would have made a good president.

 FROM PH IN MINNESOTA:  You are Lutheran pastor #4 who has pointed out the error of my ways. ////FROM JACK:  Do you remember what the Winning Words were about?