Winning Words 4/1/13
"Even the gods love jokes."  (Plato)  The first recorded joke goes back to 1900 BC, and has to do with a fart…believe it, or not.  Jesus told parables.  Do you think he ever told a joke?  Jean Keaton has drawn a series of pictures which show a laughing Jesus playing with children.  I wonder…Will there be laughter in heaven?  There’s a verse in the Bible (Psalm 37:13) which reads: “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh.”    ;-)  Jack

 FROM WALMART REV:  "A fart!?!?  Now, that's a real stinker!!" The first laugh of my day and on April Fools Day on top of that!////JACK:  Martin Luther has this piece of advice:  "I resist the devil and often it is with a fart that I chase him way."

  FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  You've got a real pip of a WW and commentary here. Looked up "joke" and found "something said or done to provide laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote or a prankish act; a matter that need not be taken very seriously; to say something in fun or teasing rather than in earnest." Wondering whether when Jesus cursed the fig tree, it was actually a prankish act. Personally, I wish not to take that part of the scripture seriously. Do think when Paul said some men should be castrated he was being witty and not theological. Have seen a couple of movies where the Jesus actor tries to be light-hearted and kid around a bit and, when I see that, for some strange reason always start thinking more about the human actor and am less convinced he is Jesus. Was it a man/woman or baby who made the first recorded fart in 1900 BC? I know this is an April Fool WW and not to be taken too seriously but it's such an interesting topic--want joy in Jesus/God/Holy Spirit but not sure I want Him teasing or fooling around or doing pranks on me or doing anything to me, for me, for that matter, that is not to be taken seriously, laughing more than working.  Happy April Fool's Day!!!!////JACK:  You've gotten to the heart of the matter when you say that you're not sure you want God teasing or fooling around.  Does that mean you're not sure you want a God who laughs (or smiles)??

 FROM BM IN MICHIGAN:  Perfect for April 1st.  What about pranks?////JACK:  My grandson, Jason, caught me with a prank with today's first phone call.  I should have known better.  In my faith, I have room for a God who loves a joke....After all, he loves me.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  wouldn't be heaven w/o laughter, music, art.////JACK:  ...and "Old Shep."

 FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS:  I like the laughing Jesus pictures; think a lot about his relationship with children – especially sitting in the back pews.////JACK:  Yesterday, I saw a couple of fathers walk out with fussy toddlers.  I think that Jesus would do that, too.

 FROM HEY JUDE IN MICHIGAN:  Where did April’s Fool’s come from? It is said, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII issued a papal bull decreeing a new standard calendar for Christian Europe. Prior to the 15th century, Europe’s nations used the Julian calendar which celebrated New Year’s around April 1.. The Gregorian calendar moved the date of the new year from April 1 to January 1. Catholic monarchies were naturally its earliest adopters, though Protestant nations followed. April fools were those who still celebrated the New Year in the spring; they were the subject of pranks and ridicule. I want a God that smiles and laughs. Why is it I laugh uproariously at pain, like when my dad fell down the stairs carrying a portable bed and a tin of chocolate chip cookies? I’m not sure I want God to laugh at pain.////JACK:  How about the Allstate TV commercials where the guy is always having accidents?  I think that they're funny, but do they sell insurance?  I've read that there's such a thing as "nervous laughter," which is a physical, stress-relieving  reaction to, tension, confusion and anxiety.  Perhaps that's why you laughed at your dad's accident.

 FROM JEANNE IN WISCONSIN:  I don't know if Jesus ever told a joke, but I have to believe that God has a sense of humor because of the proof of it in His creations - a sense of humor is "a good thing". ////JACK:  From John 20..." 30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."  Maybe "telling a joke" was one of those signs not written.

 FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  I'm sure there will be laughter in heaven!   Easter Greetings from a still very cold Norfolk--------when will it be Spring?////JACK:  Technically, it's spring.  In reality, spring is in the mind.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Ha! I laughed out loud at Martin Luther's resisting the devil with farts!! Who'd a thunk?  And who recorded that comment?!! Humor varies age to age, and culture to culture, but imagine that particular bodily function has always engendered "jokes"!   I certainly envision happy laughter  in heaven. How could there NOT be??!    Enjoyed the explanation of April Fool's day on your blog. Interesting info! ////JACK:  FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Ha! I laughed out loud at Martin Luther's resisting the devil with farts!! Who'd a thunk?  And who recorded that comment?!! Humor varies age to age, and culture to culture, but imagine that particular bodily function has always engendered "jokes"!   I certainly envision happy laughter  in heaven. How could there NOT be??!  Enjoyed the explanation of April Fool's day on your blog. Interesting info!  ////JACK:  Martin Luther believed that "The toot shall set you free."////BO:Ha! Another hearty laugh...thanks, Jack...I had to forward this to my kids and near and dear relatives; too good not to share!!

 FROM CWR IN B'MORE:  I read your WW fast, at first , and I thought you were saying that Jesus told the "fart" joke. I was going to ask you what "Gospel" that was in.////JACK:  If Jesus were truly human, as we confess, then he was truly human.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  We will all laugh in Heaven...but no more tears!  It's fun to try to catch someone on April Fool's Day. ( I usually get Gary and Kimberly but not Andy!)////JACK:  How about "tears of joy."  Sometimes we laugh so hard, it brings tears to our eyes.////JUDY:  Those are the best tears.  At our Easter dinner yesterday, Gary was recounting the episode of our trip into Mexico years ago.  I insisted we take the kids across the border but I was also terrified because of the border problems, even back then.  To make a long story very short...they all got back across into the USA but I was left holding a little bag with a little ceramic doll I had bought...anyway, it was too funny but not at the time.  Now it's family legion and it's never fails to make us laugh until we cry.  By the way, I made it across with even the Border Agents laughing.   As dear old Maxine says, "Sometimes she cries until "tears" run down her legs.

 FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  I think there will be much laughter in heaven.  We are to come to Jesus as little children, and where there are children, there is always laughter.////JACK:  Children like to sing..."It isn't any trouble just to L-A-U-G-H."

FROM PB OUT EAST:  Eileen and I just returned yesterday from a two weeks vacation - - visited children and grandchildren in LasVegas, my sister (age 93) in Minneapolis, and Eileen's family in Pennsylvania.  The first thing I did after arriving back home was to get up to date on winning words on my e-mail.  By the way, I have been saving all your w words since I first got on your list in September, 2006.  I have collected over 1300 w words.    Especially I liked the one on humor from April 1.  It reminded me of Clair Johnson's 'Ben, did you fart?' joke.  Also I thought of Jesus hilarious comments about removing the speck in your brother's eye when you have a log in your  own eye!  Keep up the great work ////JACK:  Some retired pastors throw all of their old sermons away.  My heirs will throw mine away, along with the Winning Words file.