Jack’s Winning Words 10/20/16
“If youth knew; if age could.”  (Sigmund Freud)  Have you ever said, “If I knew then what I know now?”  Siggie was intrigued by the mind and why we think as we do.  Part of the joy of being young is the discovery of knowing.  Who wants to be an old young person?  On the other hand, to grow old, losing youthful abilities, can be frustrating…”If I could do now what I did then…”  The operative word is “if.”  Life, with its variety of ages, is what it is.  Enjoy!    ;-)  Jack

FROM TARMART REV:  Enjoying, I am!!====JACK:  I suppose you know that God is referred to as..."The Great I Am."  I came across this in my reading.  "If I say, I am, I must say, I am something — I am a man, I am bad, or I am good, or I am a soldier, I am a sailor, I am a clergyman. — and then I shall say what is true of me. But God alone can say I AM without saying anything more. And why? Because God alone is. Everybody and everything else in the world becomes: but God is."

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  True, true, true.====JACK:  In manufacturing you've no doubt used the word "true" in this way..."bringing (an object, wheel, or other construction) into the exact shape, alignment, or position required."  God is the absolute "true," and we measure ourselves over and against his perfection.  "Tolerance" allows for some variation.  That's where forgiveness comes in.  so, manufacturing and religion have some connection...as you have pointed out in your book.

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  There should be a required course everyone must take, something like "Your Strategy For Living...Getting What's Best From Each Stage Of Life".  The course should be commenced early in life and repeated over and over as the years pass, to make us constantly aware, because we have a tendency to get into a groove and stay there while amazing things pass us by.  Youth has its rewards, and so does old age, but the trip between the two needs to be calibrated to gain the best in all of it.  Don't look back because you'll only see opportunities that got missed. ====JACK:  "Act your age!" is good advice for the old, as well as the young."  Do you remember the old German saying, " Vee Get Too Soon Olt Und Too Late Schmart!"?

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  the line I like is this one:  I never thought old age would get here so soon!:):)...and...Jack,  you should have been a Greek philosopher!  (Jack and Plato?)  you would have been a dandy!====JACK:  In college I chose philosophy, rather than religion, as my major, figuring  that I'd get plenty of religion in seminary.  In college I discovered religion in philosophy, and in seminary I discovered philosophy in religion.  We're always learning when we pay attention. ====ST PAUL:  my brother was  a philosophy major in college.  after graduation my Dad used to say of Mark:  "well he doesn't have a job but at least he knows why."

FROM CHESTER THE GOOD:  Your reference to Siggie brought to mind MASH again. I've often thought that the psychiatrist on the show was an inside joke for the writers. Could Sidney Freedman be Sigmund Freud in disguise?====JACK:  That's a good observation.  Was it a stereotype that he was Jewish?  Regardless, he was a good character and came across as very knowledgeable.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  If I knew when I was young what I know now...I would be running for President!====JACK:  If you knew anything...young or old,,,you wouldn't be running for President.

FROM COPPER COUNTRY BOB:   God help America if we fail to learn from our youth how to handle winning and losing!====JACK:  In the song, God Bless America....help can be substituted for bless, and it would mean the same thing.  In fact, if you're preaching on Nov 6, you might consider using that hymn and ask the congregation to use the word, help.

FROM FLGT INSTR TOM:  Hi Jack -  just received this and thought of you.  "Nicest place to be: in someones thoughts  Safest place to be: in someones prayers  Best place to be: in Gods Hands  God Bless You and God Bless America."====JACK:  There's a campfire song that we used to sing at summer Bible Camp.  "He's got the whole world in His hands."

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Interesting discourse on God as I AM. Just read the book "Backwards" by Nanci Danison, a high-powered lawyer with a big corporation, and a Christian, whose NDE turned her beliefs upside down, and really makes you wonder and think. Very well written. She is led to believe that we as "souls", experience many human lives and that "light Being"(soul) truly is within us....It's a fascinating book to read and ponder, and deals with the long and the short of life.  I agree with you wherever you are on the life cycle, ENJOY as much as possible!====JACK:  For people who'd like to be young again...How about living backwards, being born at your death age and going back to the womb?  Personally, I think that God had it right the first time.