Jack’s Winning Words 7/17/17
“Accept life and what it brings, I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things.”  (The Kinks)  Peter Marty wrote recently about the difference between wishing and hoping.  Wishing upon a star is different than placing hope in God.  Hope seems to have a spiritual tone to it.  It’s what sustains us when we’re not ready to give up on God.  The Kinks’ song came out of the writer’s down time.  As I read the lyrics I see more hoping than wishing.  What do you see?    ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not yet seen... Hebrews 11:1====JACK:  Someone said to me last week.  "What if heaven is all make believe?"  Have you ever wondered about that?"====SP:  not really.  it seems to be the natural conclusion to our mortal lives.  either we are just dust in the wind (as the rock group Kansas sings it) or we are creations of God and i have a hard time believing that it all just ends meaninglessly at the grave.  as God has provided for all our needs in life,  so too in death.  that is surely a leap of faith statement but one that i willingly and joyfully take.  short answer to a very profound question. ====JACK:  Maybe it's my interest in philosophy which causes me to question beliefs.  I think that questioning leads to a stronger belief...or to ask more questions.  As my old seminary religious philosophy used to say..."You can't unscrew the inscrutable."  When the person asked about heaven and "make believe," it was only out of wonderment, not out of doubt.SP:  i also think that faith and doubt are two sides of the same coin.  still,  if we had all the answers and no uncertainties,  there would be no need for faith.     Fred Buechner says that doubts are the ants in the pants of faith! ====JACK:  I was just wondering if you'd ever had ants in your pants.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Definitely more hope.  Wishing is like asking for something to stop in your lap.  Hoping is knowing God is with you and with sustain you with his grace!

FROM CR:  Thank you!  Just thought you would want to know that with time, love, hope, and faith .... I'm doing very well.  Divorce is nothing I saw coming in what life would bring but it did and I'm here, alive, well and finding better tomorrows.====JACK:  As the old hymn goes..."Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you."

FROM TARMART REV:  I do, as well.