Jack’s Winning Words 9/17/14
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”  (Winnie the Pooh)  I knew a person who’d never say, “Goodbye.”  It would be “See ya, Toodeloo, Ciao”…whatever, but not, “Goodbye.”  Jimi Hendrix sang, “Life is quicker than the wink of an eye—hello and goodbye.”  It’s about love and life…so fragile.  We don’t want to see it go.  But when the time comes, as it will, we say, “God go with you.”    ;-)  Jack

FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  How blessed we are to have been allowed the ability to cherish some person or experience to the extent that it makes losing or letting it go so difficult. For Pooh, honey was a favorite. We can claim that our blessings are a "taste of honey" as well. Like the water that we drink serves as a refreshment that quenches our thirst for a brief time, so does honey serve a momentary pleasure. Maybe these simple tastes of heaven can serve as reminders of the eternal water that completely quenches any thirst forevermore; or the sweetness of honey that also awaits us in the eternal. In this way, such things are no longer temporal. We haven't lost them at all; they await our arrival.====JACK:  I liked the book, BLINK, which is a reminder how quickly things come and go...in the blink of an eye.  I'm watching the second hand on the clock above my computer...click, click, click.  The NOW is here.  Oops...now it's gone.

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Wow, beautiful comment, Ray. Precious WW again this morning, Pastor Freed.====JACK:  Do you remember the song, "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"?  The death of someone you love is harder than that.====SHARON:  Ah but the holes those goodbys leave in the heart....

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: "If ever there comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart.  I'll stay there forever.  --Winnie the Pooh====JACK:  Children's books can be adult books, too.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  God is the only one with us all the way....Immanuel====JACK:  I'm reminded of the story of a little Chinese boy, Lo, who was asked what was his favorite Bible verse?  He replied, "Matthew 28:20" .....Lo, I am with you always.

FROM TARMART REV:  God be with you too, Jack Freed . . . but hopefully a few more seasons ahead before its time for one of us!!====JACK:  The days are dwindling down to a precious few... It's September already!

FROM PASTOR JAN:  I have a good friend who does not say, "Good-bye", too.  She has been severely abused -- by her father, other rapists, and then her husband (from whom she has been divorced for a long time) and it has something to do with having said, "Good-bye" to almost all the "safe" people in her life.  Sad, but true.  Maybe I need to revive the original, "God be with you" when hanging up a phone call with her.  Shalom, Jan====JACK:  Your typical use of "Shalom (peace) says it all, whether "Hello" of "Goodbye."  How about ending your phone call with..."Shalom!  God be with you"?====JAN:  Good idea -- I don't usually use Shalom on the phone, but for her it would be a good way to end a conversation.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  HOW TRUE!!!

FROM BLAZING OAKS:   Absolutely loved Winnie the Pooh; my kids all grew up with those stories and loved them, still refer to the Horrible Heffalumps, black cloud over Tigger, etc. Yes, we who have lost really special loved ones, as our spouses, and siblings, know we were lucky to have had them for many years, and yes, it is still a wrench to say even a temporary "good-bye" when they leave us!!! Good WW words, as usual. Am in and out of town this week, but laughed out loud at your reply yesterday to RJP in Naples!  Yep! pastors are all too human most of the time! :-) Reading the blog is a treat any day!!====JACK:  I like "The Gospel according to..." books, like, "according to Peanuts" and "according to the Simpsons."  Somebody should write one "according to Winnie the Pooh."  OOPS!  I just searched, and it's been done...along with "The Gospel according to...Superman, Oprah, Dr. Seuss, Starbucks, Waffle House, the Beatles, and Harry Potter."  There's even a Gospel according to Jesus.=====OAKS:  I did a Women's seminar over a  weekend, on "The Gospel according to Dr. Seuss"  dressed up as the Cat in the Hat, and used his stories for Gospel Truths, and some videos of his stories. It was a fun weekend!====JACK:  Next comes Oprah.

FROM MM IN FLORIDA:  Wow. Jack that was the best quote even for Winnie the Poo.  Thanks for this and talk soon again I hope.====JACK:  We've all had to say our GOODBYES in one form, or another, haven't we?