Jack’s Winning Words 11/15/13
“There is no more lovely and charming relationship than a good marriage.”  (Martin Luther)  Luther said that he found peace when he married Katherine.  Did you know that he helped her escape from a nunnery in a fish barrel?  Theirs was a lively and a happy home.  Most people have some “lively” stories to tell about the home in which they were raised.  Maybe some were charming, depending on who’s telling the story.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM TARMART REV:  I'm sure many more stories are about to be created in this next month and one-half!!  Happy Holidays forthcoming!!====JACK:  Stories are created every day.  My sister-in-law said to a friend, "Your husband must be a barrel of laughs."  The wife replied, "Yeah..."  You can add the nuance.

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  I was raised in a lively home. One of my most precious memories is when the old farm house burned down, somehow Dad rented another farm house, people were giving us furniture, etc., and that first night us kids were sleeping on mattresses in one bedroom, mom and dad were on a mattress in their bedroom and they just started laughing and laughing because dad's cowboy boots beside the mattress were sticking up so high. They showed me what character and endurance and fortitude and faith and love were all about. But they weren't always happy and showed me how to get through those times too. ====JACK:  I was unsuccessful in finding the exact quote...but it has to do with staying calm when every thing around you is burning.  Were you in the farmhouse when it started to burn?  Fire can be devastating.

 FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  You're spot-on!====JACK:  A couple of older people that I know use the term, spot-on.  I know what it implies, but I'll have to look up the derivation.  (I looked it up)  Answer:
The phrase 'spot on', meaning 'in exactly the right place, comes to us from India and the snooker-based game of billiards.  The six coloured balls were each placed on their respective 'spots' on the table after having been sunk.  The placement of these coloured balls, unlike the red balls, which were permanently 'sunk' when potted, was critical to the game, so the person re-spotting the coloured balls (other than red, of course) would have to be precisely on the correct spot, or, 'spot on' for the game to be fairly played.  The critical nature originated from the size of the table; 6' x 12', and the tightness of the pockets; 1.5 x ball diameter, unlike today's 'sloppy' 2 x ball diameter

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  The liveliness at home while I grew up came from doing what was necessary to put food on the table, clothes on the kids, and pay the rent.  The depression years were tough, so my father took jobs of yard cleaning and gardening, and my mother did laundry and ironing for college students in our town.  It wasn't actually "lovely and charming" as they sacrificed to stay afloat, but they never quarreled about it nor gave any indication of how dire things were.  They prevailed with faith, and by the grace of God the latter years of their 66 years in marriage turned into years of plenty.  My regret is that I didn't do enough to express my thanks to them for the many hardships they had endured over the years.====JACK:  As the saying goes, "We are who we were."  We need to keep that in mind as we examine our life and the life of those around us.  I don't think that any of us have said "thank you" enough to those who have shaped our life.

 FROM CZB:  I think I know why you picked this one today!====JACK:  You noticed?

 FROM JR IN CALIFORNIA:  HOW TRUE!====JACK:  There are times when we recognize this truth more deeply.

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  My parents thoroughly enjoyed each other and it rubbed of on us. Don't be afraid to disagree sometimes. Makes for a more lively, loving marriage.====JACK:  To disagree, but not in a disagreeable way.====PFC:  Amen! During our premarital conference with Dean Johnson, he advised us not to use the phrase "You always..." and we never forgot it. He was a neat guy.

 FROM DC IN KANSAS:  I recall some reports about Luther's choice of Katie.  Did I learn it at the Sem?  Luther assisted the nuns "escape," and Luther found partners for all except Katie.  So he stepped up to the challenge.====JACK:  I remember reading that Luther said to her: "I'm old enough to be your father."  I can't remember the context...but it was probably part of a lively discussion between the two of them.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Ours is certainly a happy loving family.  We are deeply grateful for each other and the spouses God has given each of us.  We stick together during the "crisis times" and the ill times and the happy  times.  For this we are most grateful.====JACK:  Is it charming, too?

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Spot on indeed! Bill and I were very different in many ways, but as his mother used to say, "If two people think exactly alike, one of them is not needed!" :-) Together we made a good team in ministry. I remember (brother-in-law) Hal telling of Luther "freeing" the nuns!    Yes, a good marriage is such a blessing!!!====JACK:  I'm sure that your children remember a "lively" household.  Charming?