Jack’s Winning Words 8/25/14
“Today, why don’t you look up and say: ‘Hi, God!’”  (Noodles du Jour)  One thing I like about Tevye (the Fiddler) is how he talks to God.  It’s like conversing with a good friend.  “Am I bothering you too much?”  In teaching confirmands about prayer, I would place an empty chair before them and have them talk to “God” in ordinary conversation.  Do you have a concern today?  “Hi, God!  This is what’s on my mind etc.”    ;-)  Jack 

FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  I remember as a kid having the common "conversations" with God all the time. I never thought of it as anything but common and ordinary. I thought that's what everyone else did as well. When we learned "prayer", I thought that was something distinct from general conversations...as if it were a better "adult" way to address God. All of my conversations with God are prayer --- just not the stuff someone wrote down for me to memorize!====JACK:  Paul wrote: "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became an adult, I put away childish things."  That's not always for the better, is it? 

FROM LOUIE:  Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. is a 1970 book by Judy Blume, typically categorized as a young adult novel, about a girl in sixth grade who grew up without a religious affiliation. Margaret's mother is Christian and her father is Jewish, and the novel explores her quest for a single religion. Margaret also confronts many other pre-teen female issues, such as buying her first bra, having her first period, coping with belted sanitary napkins (changed to adhesive sanitary pads for recent editions of the book), jealousy towards another girl who has developed a womanly figure earlier than other girls, liking boys, and whether to voice her opinion if it differs from those of her friends.====JACK:  God hears all kinds of prayers.  I don't see him using a grading system to determine the good from the bad.

FROM PLH IN MINNESOTA:  the line i love is when he says, (after learning of another coming pogrom):  Lord, i know we are the chosen people but would you please choose someone else once in a while!====JACK: You've indicated another example of letting  God your true feelings. Pogrom?  While formal prayers can sound stilted, I'm content to let God have his likes and dislikes. 

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  My family, when growing up, were fairly private regarding faith. We always went to church but we didn't talk about faith much, except sometimes when us kids speculated about if there was a God at all and how did He do those miracles. But what continues to be most precious to me is a telephone conversation I had with Dad when he was pretty old where he just off-handedly shared with me that his favorite time of the day was lying in bed at night and talking with Jesus. Glad to have found that out before he died--great witnessing, contributes to my peace of mind and trust that, when I die, my dad and mom and family will be there. Great WW again today. ====JACK:  "his favorite time of the day lying in bed at night and talking with Jesus."  What a great remembrance from your father!  Thanks for sharin' it.

FROM TARMART REV:  I'm drawn to the Scripture often where it directs us to "pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17). The Message Bible reads (vs. 16-18): "Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." I call it in constant communication throughout the day . . . it helps keep me out of more trouble then I have when talking only to myself!! 0;-/====JACK:  Does "pray all the time" mean "pray all the time?"  Or, does it mean, keep the line open...which reminds me of the song:  Telephone to glory oh what joy devine   I can feel the current moving down the line   Made by God the Father for his very own   You can talk to Jesus on this Royal Telephone  Central's never busy always on the line   You can hear from heaven almost anytime   It's a royal service built for one and all   When you get in trouble give this Royal line a call.

FROM MARILYN OAKS:  Reminds me of a quote I read by David Shouldice, "God is within, don't be  without."  I keep up a running conversation with God, or Father, a lot...and I think He often helps me see the humorous aspect of situations: If you're praying you're not worrying, if you're worrying, you're not praying...?  I love the more informal religious  writers like Anne LaMott Anne Tyler, Yancy (and so many others...!).Another WW to "like"!  Enjoyed the funny quote on your blog, "I know we are the chosen race, but could you choose some one else once in awhile??!  I can see feeling like that if I were Jewish!!====JACK:  One of my favorite books is a collection of contemporary prayers by Malcolm Boyd..  It has the title, "Are You Running With Me, Jesus?"  
    It’s morning, Jesus.  It’s morning, and here’s that light and sound all over again.
    I’ve got to move fast . . . get into the bathroom, wash up, grab a bite to eat and run some more.
    I just don’t feel like it, Lord.  What I really want to do is get back into bed, pull up the covers, and sleep.  All I seem to want today is the big sleep, and here I’ve got to run all over again.
    Where am I running?  You know these things I can’t understand.  It’s not that I need to have you tell me.  What counts most is just that somebody knows, and it’s you.  That helps a lot.
    So I’ll follow along okay?  But lead, Lord.  Now I’ve got to run.  Are you running with me, Jesus?

FROM SBP IN FLORIDA:  My friend and close companion throughout 24/7 when I need help, must express appreciation for what the day is offering, sharing in His world and depending so on His unconditional friendship and companionship, understanding and support.====JACK:  The hymn, What a Friend, was written by a son to his seriously ill mother.  She kept it propped up on a table next to her bed.  After her death, someone took the poem and set it to music.

FROM TWINKLE AND SHINE:  Nice! I like that! I talk to him every single day...always****====JACK:  There's a line in a song...."Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right!"