Jack’s Winning Words 9/26/13
“There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.”  (Montaigne)  In your life, did you always get what you wanted?  I didn’t.  And there’ve been times, I’m sure, when we got some things we didn’t want.  In retrospect, today’s WWs fit for me.  The passing of time is often needed to understand how the puzzle fits together.  History works that way, too.  The final chapter often makes sense of what’s been written before.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  yep====JACK:  Have you ever watched Storage Wars on TV?  There's a bidder on there named Dave Hester.  He's always saying, "Yep," except that he pronounces it, "YUUUUP!"
====LIZ:  young friend who moved to KC found a nest of brown recluse spiders in her storage unit yesterday. better than some of the stuff they find on storage wars!====JACK:  Yuuup!  It's an interesting cast of characters who bid on that stuff.

 FROM FLORIANA NORM:  I SEE ALL IS WELL WITH YOU UP...AND AT IT BEFORE ME.
MISS YOU.  YOUR FRIEND FOR LIFE OR AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE.====JACK: One day at a time.  You never know what's around the corner.  Thanks, friend!

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  I wonder all the more about the things that just don't seem to make any sense to me -- no matter how long I wait for time to leave its clues. Often, I think that our tendency for "making sense" of things is more of a torment than a blessing. For example, willful deceit, the lust for power, and the self-idolatry belief that another knows better than you what is best for you; in conjunction with their matched-counterparts' foolishness, accountability avoidance, and misdirected "faith", may never achieve a level of explanation beyond the destructive fruit of its relational dance. But I remain perplexed as to why so many seem to so willingly participate in such folly. I can't imagine this will make sense some day. Why do people, who are not unintelligible, seem to choose foolishness with such welcomed exuberance and delight? I am reminded of the many stories of the prophets who warned God's people of their impending doom should they not repent of their foolish ways. It is foolish to reject their warning; and it seems that we have wax in our ears for the wisdom that echoes from the prophets. The ancient shofar tells us to "wake up". Seek first the kingdom...that we may avoid the seduction of deceit...and lead us not into the evils of temptation, but deliver us...to the righteousness of Christ, who is alive in us. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit, and leave foolishness for the darkness from whence it came. ====JACK:  Life was made for wondering.  One of the first questions a child asks is, "Why, Daddy (Mommy)?"  If we knew all of the answers...  Oh, then we would be God.  I did a crossword puzzle this morning.  It was fun when I figured out the answers to the clues.  Done!  Except, there will be another puzzle tomorrow.  BTW, Amos is a favorite of mine.

 FROM TARMART REV:  I read that last chapter in the Bible every so often to be reminded that the best is yet to come . . . !!====JACK:  There's a country song I like:  "This world is not my home, I'm justa passin' through.  My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue."

 FROM HR IN MICHIGAN:  How many times has it been said that if I hadn’t had that really bad thing happen I would have never been here in this place to have this really good thing happen. I’ve experienced that. I appreciate that.  I am comforted by the knowledge that there is always hope thru perseverance and faith.====JACK:  Like the Pope said recently, "Don't let them steal your hope."

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Thankfully, God didn't answer all my prayers...instead He gave me what I needed.  Sometimes there are wins and sometimes there are different victories:  victories we didn't expect and sometimes they were challenges.  Life is so full of both; we should rejoice!====JACK:  It's a poor parent who gives a child everything he (she) asks for.

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  The fork in the road sometimes has three tines. There's not always a right and a wrong.====JACK:  Choice was a part of creation.  Without it, we would be God-robots with no free will.  Sometimes the fork has a gazillion tines.

 FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  There is a reason for everything, wise people say.  Sometimes it is hard to figure out.====JACK:  I just quotred a country song to Chester.  Now, here's one for you.
Farther along we’ll know more about it,  Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,  We’ll understand it all by and by.

 FROM SBP IN FLORIDA:  Well,my mantra from the onset has been"Want what you get." and as a result, I've been and/am happy. My family knows that I believe and assure them that "God never shuts a door without opening a window."....and sure enough, unexpected windows open....and we/they begin "to understand (overtime and reflection) ) how the puzzle fits together." ====JACK:  That's a pretty good philosophy to live by.  You would be a good member of our Optimist Club.  Each meeting is closed by saying The Optimist Creed, which begins:  "Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind..."  I could finish it here, but it would do you good to Google it.