Jack’s Winning Words 5/5/15
“Goodbye always make my throat hurt; I need more hellos!”  (Charlie Brown)  This line appears when CB is saying goodbye to Snoopy, who’s going off to participate in a wrist- wrestling championship in Petaluma.  I once knew a person who would never say, “Goodbye.”  It was, “So long” or “See ya!”  Good-bye was too final.  But, in reality, goodbye is a simple form of “God go with you!”  That’s not so bad.   “God go with you, Snoopy”…or whoever.    ;-)  Jack

FROM ST. PAUL IN ST. PAUL: actually, Jack,  "goodbye" is the old English for "God be with ye", all run together.  its one of those contracted phrase that just evolved and shortened over time.  in short, it was a kind of benediction.  but I like CB comment too.  Another one is "he is the spittin' image of his father".  originally it was "he is the spirit and image of his father".  it just got all run together over time...   your trivia lesson for today!====JACK:  Alexander Graham Bell suggested that the telephone greeting should be, "Ahoy!", but the users preferred "Hello."  The word "hello" originated as a yell to attract attention.  Ahoy to you! 

FROM IKE AT THE MIC:   There is popular joke in the jewish community that you might appreciate:  The biggest difference between jewish people & gentiles is that when leaving a party gentiles may times forget to say Goodbye when they leave; on the other hand jewish people keep saying Goodbye & never leave..====JACK:  Was "The Man Who Came To Dinner," Jewish?====IKE:  I doubt it,because as I recall they did not serve gefilte fish or chicken soup.

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  I always liked the Roy Rogers song - "Happy trails to you...........until we meet again."  Maybe in this life - maybe in Heaven.====JACK:  One of my friends who lives in Nova Scotia usually signs his Winning Words responses....Happy Trails.   Do you know the WW 1 song, "There's a Long, Long Trail A-Winding?"  When I a a teen-ager, we used to sing it during hayrides or at campfires.

FROM PRJM:  I have a friend, too, who never says "Goodbye".  It has something to do with her abuse as a child, I believe, but it's awkward for me to end a phone call with her even after five years of friendship.  I *do* say, "Goodbye" with all that meaning behind it of "God go with you" or "Go with God".  Shalom====JACK:  You're the only WWs person whose response ends with, Shalom.  I know the word, but do you have a reason for using it?====PRJM:  I began using "Shalom" as my "complimentary closing" (as they used to say in English class, now called Language Arts) when I was ordained.  It was just my way of saying something more, a deeper regard, than "Sincerely" or even the more common church-y "In Christ" to close out a message -- letter, card, note, and, later, email.  Lately I notice a few more of my correspondents using "Peace" again; back from the "Age of Aquarius"!====JACK:  Sometimes I close with Philippians 1:3.

ROM BLAZING OAKS:  I learn something new every day, and "Goodbye=Godbewithye" is  the new thing today! My 63 yr old son, John, is written up in the Sports Section of the Springfield paper today for winning the Masters III Division (over 60) of the United States Powerlifting Federation bench press competition last weekend in Las Vegas! His 308 lb. performance was an American record. When I talked to him after he won, he was rueing "missing by a hair" his 325 lift...We always want more! :-) I think he could say "hello" to success, instead of "goodbye" to the missed lift!! I agree with Charlie Brown...Goodbyes often makes my throat hurt!! At least for awhile...Proud Mama, ====JACK:  You must have raised another Jack LaLanne.  That "fitness king" lived to be 97.  Arnold Schwartzeneger called him "an animal."

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  For us Christians, goodbyes are temporary.====JACK:  What language do you suppose will be used in heaven?  A seminary professor told us of his little daughter wh0 came home from Sunday School with this question, Daddy, isn't God a Swede?"  Evidently her class had been talking about what God was like.

FROM JT IN MINNESOTA:  Thanks always for your winning words.  I am in the middle of packing and oh my is it an overwhelming job.  I am saying "good by" to my home in the 10 acres of woods and getting ready to build a patio home.  This property is too much for me to take care of with two big steel sheds and the big house.  David would not have wanted to move but I am looking forward to a smaller piece.  I will miss the woods but it is time to say "good by".  Your words do have a way of being appropriate for me in each step of my journey.====JACK:  You seem to have had enough "good-byes" to last a lifetime.  On 2nd thought...Life is a matter of saying good-bye to the past and hello to the future.  Good-bye doesn't have to be forever.  There are always the memories.  Hold on to the good ones!