Jack’s Winning Words 3/19/14
“You do something important with your life!”  (Joe Tedesco)  Today is St Joseph’s Day.  Have there been important Joes in your life?  “Tough guy,” Joe T, once took his granddaughter’s hand and encouraged her to make the most of her life.  A saint is one who, by word and example, challenges us to do our best.  A song says that you can meet them in church, trains, shops and at tea.  You, too, can be one to someone.    ;-)   Jack

  FROM CS IN MICHIGAN:  Thanks. I'm trying!====JACK:  In life, we are always in the process of becoming....and you're doing a good job of it.

 FROM TARMART REV:   . . . spending a lifetime and sometimes stumbling along in trying to be that person for my God, family, friends and for an enemy or two along the way . . . going for the heavenly prize, Jack!! ====JACK:  The prize is not ours to "win."  It is by the grace of God (as Martin Luther would say). ====REV:  These modern translations mess me up so often!! (I Corinthians 9:24-25 J.B. Phillips New Testament)  0;-/====JACK:  I have those verses (Do you remember how, on a racing-track, every competitor runs, but only one wins the prize? Well, you ought to run with your minds fixed on winning the prize! Every competitor in athletic events goes into serious training. Athletes will take tremendous pains—for a fading crown of leaves. But our contest is for an eternal crown that will never fade.)  boldly underlined in my copy of "Phillips."  Regarding new translations, I heard someone say, "If the King James Version of the Bible was good enough for St. Paul, it's good enough for me."

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Great statement!  We'd all like to think we have made a difference in someone's life.====JACK:  Think about the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life."  Just like George Bailey, we are an influence, more than we realize.  Think how a certain Sunday School teacher influenced you.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  "To live is so startling that it leaves little time for anything else!" (Emily Dickinson)  As a daughter, sister, pastor's wife, mother, grandmother and teacher I'm sure there have been ample opportunities to be important in others' lives....only when we pass over will we truly realize how well we've handled them!! We keep living life, and keeping the Faith, until we take that eternal walk. To God be the Glory! (Hopefully!!)====JACK:  Joe's granddaughter became a wife, mother of two sons, has a masters in microbiology, and recently passed her bar exam.====OAKS:  She took her grandpa seriously!!

 FROM DM IN MICHIGAN:  You've been one to me, Joe, I mean, Jack.====JACK:  Following the theological definition of a saint....I'll accept the halo.

FROM CS IN MICHIGAN:  Thanks. You were one of those important "joes" in my life!====JACK:  We are each someone to someone.