Jack’s Winning Words 5/12/16
“Many people take no care of their money till they come to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time.”  (Goethe)  When I rode the streetcar on Chicago’s northside, I’d smile as we approached Goethe St, and the conductor would call out, “Go-thee, Go-thee!”  Paulina became Pau-lee-nah and Leavitt was Leave-it.  It made no difference…the riders knew.  Back to Gur-tah.  He knew something about the transitoriness of money and time.    ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  how do  you get an "r" sound out of Goethe?  answer: the same way you get Bret Favre to come out sound like Farrrve.====JACK:  There's a YouTube clip showing the NFL commissioner speaking Bret's name when he was first drafted..."Bret Fav-ree."  I sometimes had church members whose names were pronounced differently than they looked.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I tend to be very disciplined with both money and time...it makes life easier for me.====JACK:  I wonder if Wolfgang was speaking from experience?  I can imagine that we've all been guilty of wasting both time and money.  For me, being a Great Depression Kid, I learned the meaning of frugality.====JOHN:  In my retirement I have been much more accomplished at wasting time than I used to be!====JACK:  Retirement is about using time however you want to.  When my mother-in-law was in the nursing home she would say, "I feel like I'm just wasting my time." In her working years she was a church musician with several choirs, besides giving many piano lessons daily.

FROM JB AT LSTC:  And I’ve heard that street name pronounced Go-ee-thē. Chicagoans. What are ya gonna do with us?====JACK:  Here's one thing you might not know about a Chicagoan.  My grandmother was a fine seamstress and was asked to sew the wedding dress for the daughter of William Wrigley Jr, one-time owner of the Cubs and the founder of Wrigley's Chewing Gum.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Even people who plan for retirement sometimes under estimate what they will need.  It's hard to believe one can be "millionaires" but with health care payments they are living day to day.  It happens!====JACK:  The well-to-do are generally "wise" when it comes to financial planning.  It's those who live from paycheck to paycheck who have the real problem.  I always tell my grandchildren as they move into the adult careers...REMEMBER THE POOR! ====JUDY:  It's a very important lesson, but I'm sure you did a great job if teaching them about the poor.  When the ELCA was working to help the Tanzanian Lutheran Church we heard of their needs.  One of the items needed was motorcycles for the pastors to get to their churches.  Much to our surprise, Andy raised his hand and volunteered to raise the money for one motorcycle.  He was successful.  Our youngest grandson Noah wanted to "adopt" a Compassion Child for his 9th birthday.  It's not bragging on our part but our way of living with Jesus in front of us.  Of course, we fail a lot but we try and do our best.====JACK:  I'm reminded of the Bible Camp-fire song...
Living for Jesus a life that is true,  Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,  This is the pathway of blessing for me.
O Jesus, Lord and Savior,  I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy redemption,  Didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master,  My heart shall be Thy throne,
My life I give, henceforth to live,  O Christ, for Thee alone.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Oscar Wilde said it this way; "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."  I agree with critic Clive James. "If you don't know the exact moment  when the lights will go out, you might as well read until they do!"  Goethe's quote is pretty profound; well put!====JACK:  I just took a test based on a number of factors...family...current health...life practices etc.  It predicts your life span.  Mine is listed at 104.  I'm not counting on it.  "One day at a time, sweet Jesus!  That's all I'm asking of you."

FROM ANNE IN WATERFORD:  Funny====JACK:  New Yorkers sound funny, too.  "I need to tawwk to my friend from Lawnguyland to axe what soder she wants to serve with the vawdka at the parwty tomawrow."