Jack’s Winning Words 10/4/16
“Home is heaven for beginners.”  (Charles Parkhurst)  In John Loudermilk ‘s song, Tobacco Road, there’s a line, “But it’s home, the only life I’ve known.”  We each have our remembrances of that place called, home.  If church-going is a prep for heaven, I got off on the right foot.  My sister and I earned special pins for perfect attendance at Sunday School.  Later I learned that you don’t get into heaven by showing a pin…It’s by something called, the Grace of God.    ;-)  Jack

FROM REV JACK-E:  One day, when my children are grown,I hope they will still come through the front door without knocking.  I hope they will head to the kitchen for a snack, and rifle through the mail for a magazine they always read.  I hope they come in and feel the weight of asulthood leave them, for they are home.  for my children, my door will be forever open."  JACK:  Thanks for sending this.  It fits perfectly with what I was trying to say about home and heaven.

FROM DMF IN AV:  Chuck’s relative?====JACK:  It's a common name from Bavaria and means, "Pure Milk."

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAU:  at the same time,  had you not been there and gotten that pin,  you might never have heard of the Grace of God.  I too was a "pin winner" at one time...  some really good memories of some of my Sunday School teachers... ====JACK:  One of my S.S. memories is a lady teacher who threatened to "quit," if she had to continue to teach our class of boys.  She was given a class of girls, and we got a man who maintained order.====PAUL:  one of my fav teachers was Don Holmstrom (good Swede) who was a beer taster for Anheiser-Busch brewers in St. Louis.  Don took a sample from a vat of 5,000 gallons and if he said it was good, it got bottled or canned.  and if not,  down the drain and they would start all over.  a really good man!  he made every kid feel special in that class!====JACK:  I can't remember the occupations of my teachers, but I'm sure there were no beer-tasters.

FROM TARMART RWV:  "Everybody ought to go to Sunday School, Sunday School, Sunday School. The men and the women and the boys and the girls, everybody ought to go to Sunday School!!" There as well, all the way through and up to 15-20 years ago when for some reason it became outdated in many our churches. 0;-/====JACK:  Robert Raikes began the Sunday School movement in 18th Century England, so there was a time before Sunday Schools, and the faith was still passed on from generation to generation.  The faith is still being passed on, though differently from what we experienced as children.  God has a way.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  Yes, those pins were certainly important in our early life and how hard we worked to get them!  Along the way we learned the importance of God’s love for us, but I wonder if I truly understood what God’s grace was until I was an adult.====JACK:  Besides enticing children to attend Sunday School with perfect attendance pins, there was also the Christmas Goodie Bag (lots of candy and an apple)  given to those who participated in the Christmas Program.  At a Sunday School picnic I was once given a pocket knife as a prize.  WOW.  I went home and used it...but that's another story.

FROM BB IN ILLINOIS:  This is the first I’ve heard of the pins; I’d like to see one!====JACK:  Through the magic of Google, here's a picture of like ,ime.====BB:  My gosh that looks so familiar.  I’m beginning to wonder if I didn’t have one too.  Will print a copy of yours and ask my mom.
Who knows what’s squirreled in her jewelry box?

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  I too had an attendance pin.  So did Clem.  I went even if I really should have stayed home.  I wanted that pin!  Ha!====JACK:  I still have mine.  How about you?   ====GM:  I do have mine.  I think I have Clem’s too.  Our kids never had them.  Not PC anymore!  Too bad I think!====JACK:  Wear it to church sometime, and see if anyone notices.

FROM SBP IN FLORIDA:  I believe that one of the greatest revelations I've received along the way is the g[ft of grace. What a marvelous gift!====JACK:  It certainly beats trying to buy your way into heaven by good deeds and not sinning.