Jack’s Winning Words 12/31/18
“I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the year’s.”  (Henry Moore)  “I will…” instead of, “I’d like to...”  Usually, if I want to do something, I do it.  The procrastination list is for stuff that can wait until the last minute.  How about you?  Try making a daily “I WILL DO…list” and see if that works!  (Oops..just remembered..time for 2nd set of exercise reps.. back in 15)…I’m back, and it works!  For resolutions?  One day at a time, Sweet Jesus goes the song.   ;-)  Jack

FROM LS IN MI:  Yes!  Each day I awake, God willing, I, with the highest intention, make a new day resolution and commitment to myself. At the end of the day I give thanks for all that my day held and the 23rd psalm comforts me for I believe,  as I sleep and when I awake my life will be  as It should.  I give thanks to God.  May good health and joy bless you and your loved ones in 2019.
===JACK:  If we have "A Way of Life" ingrained in us, it becomes natural to follow that way without giving thought about "resolves."  It's just the way I live!

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Your “Will Do” list is kind of like my “Daily Goal”.  I have to accomplish my daily goal I set for myself each day.  Now, yo be truthful, I haven’t been sticking to my goals lately because life sometimes gets in the way.  But, when I’m home, there is a daily goal.  Sometimes it very simple and sometimes it very difficult and takes a few days.        Have a very Happy and Blessed New Year!!  God bless you!===JACK:  For the new year, place an I WILL DO in front of your daily goal, with some !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! after it.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  One of Bob's cousins shared this tonight.  I don't know the author, but it has some wonderful thoughts.
ONE TREE CAN START A FOREST;
ONE SMILE CAN BEGIN A FRIENDSHIP;
ONE HAND CAN LIFT A SOUL;
ONE WORD CAN FRAME THE GOAL;
ONE CANDLE CAN WIPE OUT DARKNESS;
ONE LAUGH CAN CONQUER GLOOM;
ONE HOPE CAN RAISE YOUR SPIRITS;
ONE TOUCH CAN SHOW YOU CARE;
ONE LIFE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE;
BE THAT ONE TODAY AND THIS COMING YEAR!!
Happy New Year
===JACK:  What a great thought for taking with us into the new year!

FROM EILEEN:  Good idea to make a commitment to get certain important tasks done, appreciate the idea, lefts see if I can stick to...===JACK:  I'm often good at giving advice.  I need to remind myself that the advice is for me, too.

Jack’s Winning Words 12/28/18
"If at the end of the year, if I can say I had fun, it was a good year.”  (Simone Biles) Perhaps you remember Simone as the 2016 Olympic gold medal gymnast.  She was exciting; so were her teammates.  It was a fun-time.  Looking back on 2018, we can recall some fun times and maybe some not-so-fun times.  Life goes on.  It was like that for Simone.  She’s unwilling to let the “Nasser situation” define her.  She’s moved on.  2019 can be moving-on-time for us.   ;-)  Jack

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  I have a friend who can’t move forward because she keeps looking back.  She’s often very negative in her thinking because of this…and a little lack of self worth too. I’m hoping her new grandchild will help see there is a happy future!  Happy New Year!  How much longer will you be in MN? Or are you already back home and missing out on our crazy rainy, snowy,  slushy weather?===JACK:  The weather is how we see it.  So is the world.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  I have a friend who can’t move forward because she keeps looking back.  She’s often very negative in her thinking because of this…and a little lack of self worth too. I’m hoping her new grandchild will help see there is a happy future!

Happy New Year!  How much longer will you be in MN? Or are you already back home and missing out on our crazy rainy/snowy/slushy weather?

Jack’s Winning Words 12/27/18
“Deal with the consequences of your actions, because life ain’t no video game.”  (Kraku, Hosaka & Kawabata)  The first video game I remember was Pong which evolved into The God of War, a game that gives players a sense of control (amid violence).  Life isn’t always like that.  It can seem completely beyond our control.  However, don’t be discouraged.  We can win the war of day-to-day living when we realize that God is on our side…My God and I!   ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 12/26/18
“Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; teach us to be patient and always to be kind.”  (Helen Steiner Rice)  In my Googling I came across Kindness.org, a group with a mission to inspire and motivate people to be kind to others and to publish stories of kindnesses shown.  During this season of Good Will, what are some examples of kindness that you have seen?  After all, “That’s (part of) what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!”   ;-)  Jack

Jack’s Winning Words 12/24/18
“I love people who get excited about stars.”  (Helson Facebook picture)  A science program on NPR said this about stars: “There are more stars in the observable universe than there are grains of sand on all the beaches on earth!”  The Bible tells how one of those stars excited some wise men and guided them to Bethlehem.  It’s said that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.  On this Christmas Eve, let us offer our wishes and prayers to the creator of all stars!   ;-)  Jack

FROM LS:  .......And I give thanks for the star dust that is you, created and held by God, your creator,  in loving embrace. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ===JACK:  I like trees, but one of the drawbacks is that they block out my view of the stars.  Some people want it all!

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Our deepest prayers of gratitude for our Savior who traded a cradle for a cross so we would live with Him forever!  CHRISTmas Blessings===JACK:  HE'll go down (has gone down) in history!

FROM SS AT HS:  Thank you and prayers for a star filled new year!===JACK:  Thanks for that nice Christmas present of prayers!

Jack’s Winning Words 12/21/18
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.  If we did not sometimes taste of adversity…”  (Anne Bradstreet)  Today’s the first day of winter.  What’s the weather like where you are?  …only 89 days ‘til spring.  Ahh!  But Anne is not writing about weather; her words are about life and its changes.  Others have written:  Every cloud has a silver lining, or At the end of the storm is a golden sky.  What do you think?  Have you experienced benefits from adversity?   ;-)  Jack

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:    I am so pleased that you are able to travel and enjoy being with family.  No doubt you have attended many carol concerts, as have I,  but they are so enjoyable.  Last Sunday we had the Nine Lessons and Carol Service.  The church was full and afterwards warmed mulled wine and mince pies served.===JACK:  I don't think that I've tasted mulled wine, and it's been a long time since I've had mince pie.  In my next life I plan on taking a trip to England...and maybe have mulled wine.

FROM JB IN OLV:  My niece who is a self proclaimed "pagan" would tell you that both Light and Darkness are good....and that the creator wouldn't have created them if we didn't need them.
Winter for us is a time of fires in the fireplace...reading long books...enjoying time at a much slower pace with our family and friends....at one time it meant skiing..though not now.  For me it is a time of introspection and listening to what is happening around me.  Neither B nor I have been interested in going South...we enjoy all the seasons.  I suppose even Vietnam had it's benefits for our marriage...when you start off being separated 6 mos after the ceremony you don't take your husband for granted..or at least I haven't. A  college professor called it the work of ;ife...all the stages and all that goes with living. But that's another discussion.===JACK:  Pagan, or not...God made the night, and he made the day...and it was good!  Even adversity can turn out for the good...given enough time.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Absolutely!  It’s what makes life life!  “God did not promise joy without pain”.. we make it through knowing there is a rainbow waiting”===JACK:  I've often used this poem at funerals.  It was written by Annie Johnson Flint.
God hath not promised skies always blue,  Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,  Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
  But God hath promised strength for the day,  Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,    Unfailing sympathy, undying love

FROM B & M:  Thank you so much for your "winning words" over the year.  Personally, they are inspiring for us.  There is a sailor's saying, "that a red sky at night is sailor's delight, but a red sky in morning is a sailor's warning".. This was very true out at sea and along the coast.  Out here in Colorado land it does not apply.===JACK:  So many great memories associated with your family.  Thanks for resurrecting them in my mind.

FROM ST PAUL IN MESA:  this was a good one,  Jack.  thanks!      it is supposed to be in the high 60s here today and if the sun comes out,  it will surely go higher.  blessings on your day,===JACK:  It's not quite 60 in Minnesota, but our hearts are warm!

FROM JH ON THE DETROIT RIVER:  Warm wishes for a blessed Christmas.  Warm regards ==JACK:  It's on the 2019 "Bucket List" to get down to see you at "the refuge."

FROM TRIHARDER:  If we had no winter, There would be no skiing, sledding,  ice skating, snow shoeing, snow ball fights, snow men, glaciers, polar bears ...===JACK:   My fondest memories are of winter.  Summer recollections: sweat, flies, sunburn, hand-held cardboard fans...

FROM BREX:  That's a good word on the shortest day of the year.  A Blessed Christmas, Jack! ===JACK:  I guess that also makes it the longest night.  I tend to like daylight best.  And, if it were up to me...I'd do away with Daylight Saving Time (Fake-Time).

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  you cannot taste w/o tasting sour...===JACK:  Is that a fact?

FRO PRAW IN ILLINOIS:  89  days to spring is not so much.l We have a  trailer dealer in Decatur who posts a sign and changes the numbers every day as a count-down to spring.   I pass the sign nearly every day and thank God.===JACK:  Somebody has been posting on Facebook...the number of days until the Cubs' Opening Day baseball game.

FROM HAPPY TRAILS IN NOVA SCOTIA:  My Dad's standing weather prediction was "clouds in the sky and the sun shining through." Took me a while to realize it was about life.  All the best to you and your wonderful family. We will be blessed to have our new/second refugee family and some other team members at our home Christmas Day. It's a mother from Liberia with four children. She has been through two wars and told me of times there were so many bodies lying on the street that she had to step over them instead of walking around them.===JACK:  Thanks for that real-life refugee story.  At Christmastime we recall how "the Holy Family" were refugees fleeing into Egypt.  I think of the Emma Lazarus words...“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,  The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,  I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.  Thanks for living them out in your community.

FROM AA:  I always say when one door closes another door opens===JACK:  When I was going door to door in the process of looking for prospects for the new church I was trying to start,  I knew that if I stopped at 10 houses I would get 1 prospect...100 houses, 10 prospects.  I did not become discouraged by 9 "not interested" answers, because I had met 9 new people, and the next one would be a "winner."

Jack’s Winning Words 12/20/18
“Some business owners are saying that this could be the greatest Christmas ever.  I always thought that the first one was.”  (Art Fettig)  Some interesting notes – 1. Over 1 trillion dollars will be spent by Christmas shoppers.  2. Self-giving is a major part of the buying.  3. More and more shopping is being done online.  It’s head-scratching to see how Christmas has evolved.  From something so simple as a birth in a barn, hardly noticed, to what it is today?   ;-)  Jack

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I think of how it has evolved  here in America since I was a kid....we got one present...usually not a big deal....we didn't have a Christmas Eve or Christmas service....only a "piece" to recite on the Sunday before Christmas....put up our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve....almost always had snow on the ground for good sledding....===JACK:  I remember most the Christmases when we, as a family, went out and cut down our own Christmas tree, tied it to the top of our car, and drove back home, just like the Griswolds in  Christmas Vacation.  I, too, memorized "a piece" for the Sunday School program.

FROM CJS IN WI:  I agree Jack the first Christmas was the best ever.  Without Jesus this world would be dark.  Merry Christmas!  Love your Winning Words!===JACK:  As the saying goes...
"Jesus is the reason for the season!"

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Yeah - as a numbers guy, I figured that just two percent of that trillion would probably be enough to keep the 20 million that are starving in Yemen alive. We told the kids that this year we we taking some of the money we would normally spend on gifts and giving it to ELCA world hunger relief in their names. We have so much, and so many have so little.  Merry Christmas, Jack. May your gifts be contentment, comfort and happiness.===JACK:  The beginnings of our "system of values" usually begins in the home.  Thanks for being a family that is trying to make this world a better place.

FROM NO IN MI:  Today's WW reminds me of a sermon T and I recently listened to.  It's called "It's Not Your Birthday" in a series called Advent, by Ashley Wooldridge.  Ashley is one of two young teaching pastors at our favorite church in AZ, called Christ Church of the Valley.  I know you already have plenty of resources, but if you ever want to check out some great stuff, you could google their website and have access to amazing sermons, music, etc.  This church has nine campuses around the Phoenix area with a combined average attendance of 30,000 per week.  They are doing amazing ministries there, and we can't wait to be part of it all when we get there in January.  Anyway, I just had to share this with you.  Thanks for your WW.  We look forward to reading every day and sharing with friends.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.===JACK:  Some of the larger churches are able to put on amazing Christmas programs, but one that I remember was the time that a Sunday School shepherds was walking down the church aisle, and his grandma said out loud, ""He's wearing my bathrobe!"

FROM OPTIMISTIC MATT:  Merry Christmas Jack. I’m thankful for you and your daily Winning Words.===JACK:  I wonder if the internet is one of God's gifts?  It certainly allows us to have more contact with family and friends.  Christmas is a good time to be thankful for the many gifts that we so often take for granted.  God is good!

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  Love that one!===JACK:  Did you ever celebrate Sancta Lucia's Day in your home?  Were you ever the one wearing the crown of candles?===MARLYS:  No, I don’t think it was popular then, but even if it was, my Dad was the Swede.  His mother died when he was 6 so I’m sure he didn’t know about a lot of Swedish traditions that we now do.  Mom was Norwegian and Danish and they did not have Lucia.  I was in the Lucia Court when I was at Gustavus tho.  That was fun.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  I totally agree with Art!  As fun as it is to see the grandkids open their gifts, it’s nothing compared to why we open gifts!  We make sure they know Why we celebrate Christmas!!===JACK:  Christmas is a lot like Easter.  It's more than a "one-day" event.  Every day is a day to celebrate that God became human, that God promise life beyond this life.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Excellent quote! I am one of those shoppers, and every year I swear to
simplify, and yet keep buying for all my family, in addition to Xmas money!  I do give to charities, church, and one man in prison (son of a pastor friend,  who has died) but yes, how did it come to this?! People like me! :-(===JACK:  At some time you must have memorized Hebrews 13:3.

FROM ST PAUL IN MESA:  sadly,  the true meaning is still "hardly noticed" by many...===JACK:  In reality. it only matters to those who believe it matters.===SP:  that was almost profound,  Jack. ===JACK:
I SAW JESUS TODAY HERE IN MINNESOTA

WE PULLED UP TO THE RED LIGHT,

WAITING FOR THE GREEN

THERE HE WAS STANDING AT THE CORNER

WITH A SIGN IN HIS HAND. 

I COULDN’T SEE THE PRINTING

THERE WAS NO TIME TO LOOK AT HIS FACE,

BECAUSE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN,

AND WE HAD TO BE ON OUR WAY

TO WHEREVER WE WERE GOING.

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  Today I went to a Minnesota Orchestra Concert—it was called Minnesota Christmas.  We sang Christmas Carols, there was story telling by Kevin Kling and a quartet, they showed the story by projecting pictures behind the Orchestra.  If you have been to Orchestra Hall, they have big box shaped things for acoustics on which they projected wrapping paper—it changed periodically.  The whole concert was just fantastic.  They sang a version of the Halleluia Chorus that had everyone laughing out loud.  How lucky am I to have all these wonderful things to go to!===JACK:  I went there a couple of weeks ago to a Thrivent-sponsored Christmas Concert featuring the same orchestra.  Fantastic!

FROM JT IN ST JOE:  Good morning Jack   I agree the first was a greatest!  Last evening a group of us went across the street to the senior living apartment and celebrated Christmas with a some who live there.  True Christmas event ===JACK:  Christmas come but (more than) once a year!

Jack’s Winning Words 12/19/18
“You can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”  (Ronald Reagan)  I read of a “grandma” who was living in poverty because she was answering every request for money received from “needy” groups.  Recently, I got a publication which rates most charities on how they use their funds…A-B-C or D.  It’s been a helpful tool when it comes to making choices.  The ELCA and the Salvation Army have good ratings.  Pies have only so many slices.   ;-)  Jack 

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  The publication that rates charities is very revealing.  I subscribe to the publication too, and have been shocked in some cases, how much of the money is distributed within the collecting organization, and how little gets to the charity itself.  It's shameful!  Regarding the charity contributors, I like your analogy...pies have only so many slices.===JACK:  Life is often like that.  Some seem to get more (and others, less) than they deserve.  But, I think that God has a way of sorting things out in the end.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Thanx, Jack. We have learned to not to try to help everyone who comes along. We just don't have the resources.===JACK:  It's as my mother-in-law would say to her children when they would come to her with dilemmas..."Do the best you can!"

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  Add St. Pauls Union Gospel Mission to that.  Also Feed my Starving Children.  I agree—that list is very helpful.===JACK:  There are so many "worthy" causes.  Thanks for introducing me to two of them.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Your rating guide would be helpful! We receive so many appeals, all of which sound desperately needed!  You're right, you do what you can in your little corner of the world, and through missions, and legitimate concerns. I usually ck out those to whom I send donations!  But, true, everyone can help someone!!===JACK:  Some U.S. Presidents say words that live after them.  "We have nothing to fear but fear, itself," and "The buck stops here."  Reagan's words about helping people are as true to day as when he first spoke them...

FROM STARRY KNIGHT IN CA:  Yes on all 3 accounts!!!! ===JACK:   I think you've got it!

FROM ST PAUL IN MESA:  make mine Pecan...===JACK:  A friend was with me in a pizza place and asked the server how many slices in a pizza.  She said that there were eight.  "Cut it in to sixteen.  I'm hungry tonight!"

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  It’s so hard to want to send something to everyone.  We have our favorites who receive our funds.===JACK:  I know that if you had given all that you could give... and if some real need came up after that, you'd find a way.

Jack’s Winning Words 12/18/18
“Our children change us, whether they live or not.”  (Lois Bujold)  A lot has been written about parents influencing their children.  In what ways are you today because of past parental influence?  Now, think about how a child influences a parent…from the first crib cry to the adolescent crying for this toy, these clothes, this food.  Marketers know it!  Going in a different direction…ponder how this world has been changed by a child born in Bethlehem!   ;-)  Jack

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Both my mom and Bill's were sticklers for always telling the truth!  My children have influenced me to be a recycler and not to litter.  They recommend good books (usually non-fiction, like, "How Democracies Die", and The New Jim Crow" something that will edify me!)  Especially this time of year, the Christ child ushers in a time of extra concern and kindness to those in need.  We all "need a little Christmas" as Auntie Mame sang so well!===JACK:  It's amazing how our children still change us.===OAKS:  By the way I saw the movie GREEN BOOK yesterday, and
its the best thing I've seen all year.  Funny, and often very poignant, a black concert pianist, and an Italian driver of his tour car, set in early 60's. It's a Do NOT MISS!  (He's touring in the South... enough said...)

FROM DAZ IN COLORADO:  Very good!

Jack’s Winning Words 12/17/18
“Four stages of life:  1. You believe in Santa Claus  2. You don’t believe in Santa Claus  3. You are Santa Claus  4. You look like Santa Claus."  (Wall Plaque)  In the news recently was the story of a teacher who was fired because she told 1st graders that Santa Claus isn’t real.  But there was a real Santa Claus, a Saint, Nicholas, who lived in Greece centuries ago and secretly gave gifts to needy families.  I don’t think a teacher would be fired for telling that story.   ;-)  Jack

FROM WALMART REV:  Ho! Ho! Ho! 0;-)===JACK:  Have you ever been a Santa Claus with a beard and red suit?  I know that you've been a "Secret Santa" in the past.  How about this year?

FROM DR J:  ;-) I still believe!===JACK:  ...and do you still sit on Santa's lap?===DR J:  I’d break Santa I fear!!! 🎅

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I don't think she was fired for telling about St. Nicolas; It wasn't her place to enlighten 1st graders about there being no Santa Claus...that is a parent's prerogative!  My own kids believed for a few years after 1st grade...!===JACK:  My point is that we focus so much on the fictional that we miss the real.  The real is often the better story.

Jack’s Winning Words 12/14/18 
“It will be alright, and if not, it will soon be over.”  (Unknown)  “It’ll work out” is a phrase I often use when talking with someone about a problem.”  Experience has shown me that it’s true.  Facing up to a problem is a first step in arriving at a solution, often unforeseen.  Another step is realizing that a 3-minute egg takes 3 minutes.  The French say, “Il faut donner du temps au temps.” Give time to time…Don’t rush it; it’ll work out (usually)   ;-)  Jack

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Time does have a way of solving most problems.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  it is not all right to write “alright.”

FROM LBP:  The hosts of a podcast I listen to have this philosophy. They identify an end time for stressful things that is easy to relate to. A big presentation to give? "It will all be over by dinner time." A big project in the fall? "it will all be over by Thanksgiving" Not everything has an obvious end-time, of course, but when it does it can be helpful to put it in perspective.

Jack’s Winning Words 12/13/18 
“Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.”  (Sydney J. Harris)  As a child, I recall being asked, “If you had 3 wishes..?”  My first would be, “I wish that I could have all of my wishes come true!”  Not satisfied with 3, I wanted it all.    Why is it that, though we have much, we want more?  …but wishing for a better world ain’t so bad!   ;-)  Jack

 FROM SP IN SP:  that is actually at the heart of Christian theology while also recognizing the sinfulness of humanity.===JACK:  Simul justus et peccator!

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  smart kid. i said the same thing!===JACK:  Did it work for you?  Not for me!

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Change is painful but necessary.  It’s not always necessary and sometimes is down right dangerous....especially when trying to be “politically or religiously” correct.
   I myself always wished I had unending wishes!===JACK:  There's a song..."Wishing Will Make It So" and another song, "It Ain't Necessarily So."===JUDY:  There ya go!!  The two different aspects of change or wishes!

Jack’s Winning Words 12/12/18
“Ah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.”  (Unknown)  Have you ever wanted to be someone else …better looking…a better job…fewer problems?  I saw a couple of kids running up and down some stairs…while I was looking for the railing.  I thought, “I’d like to be young again.”  Later I saw this headline…How To Love the Skin You’re In.  I expected an article about being satisfied with who you are; instead, it was an ad for Dove soap.   ;-)  Jack

 FOM BS IN ENGLAND:  Brilliant!  I'm  using Dove!===JACK:  So, you have Dove in England?  You probably have a McDonalds, too.

FROM SP IN SP:  your skin has served you well, Jack.  i could say the same about mine.  i think most people sometimes dream about their youth but, truth be told,  would you really want to go back and start over again?  that is a fascinating question in my mind.===JACK:  If I knew then what I know now?  Yes and no!

FROM CJS IN WI:  I always enjoy your Winning Words so much.  You inspire me.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Ha! Funny. Especially when we're young, we sometimes envy attributes of others, but as the saying goes, when older, you get comfortable with what you have, and are. Love this saying!  Being an identical twin put us somewhat in the spotlight; we were noticed, and of course came to like that attention!  We were never shy!  Like snowflakes, we're all unique; even twins! ===JACK:  Today's social media emphasizes that you MUST be young and beautiful.  STRESS!!

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  Funny!  I know what you mean about hunting for the railing.  I used to marvel when I watched Clifford take 2 steps at a time!  Don’t know how he did it!===JACK:  Many churches have people stand, rather than kneel, for communion.  Too hard for many to get up.  CAN was younger then, but recall his hyper-ness.===GM:  We really do neither.  We do communion by the intinction method.  We have to commune the whole congregation and fit the whole service into an hour.  We have 4 services on a Sunday.  The parking lot is kind of a disaster if we run over.  Ha!  It really works well.===JACK:  Jesus served communion while sitting at a table.  Intinction is another way.  Whatever works.  It's not "the way" but the meaning behind "the way."

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  I always wanted perfectly white teeth.  But I have all mine so I’m happy with off white.  I laughed about the Dove soap ad!!===JACK:  An ad promises that if you use their product, your teeth will be white as snow!  The Bible says something about the stain of sin being made white as snow.===JUDY:  I would definitely rather have my sins washed white as snow!  Thank you Jesus!

FROM PRAW IN IL:  Bah! Humbug.===JACK:  So you're tired of looking young and beautiful.....!

FROM JT IN SJ:  ha ha  That is good.  Yes I think it would be good to be younger.....prettier...more mobile....well let's see, must be even  more benefits.  But then it's not so bad.  I'm happy, glad where  in my life!  It's all good.===JACK:  Stay the way that you are.  Good advice for most people.
===JT:  More!  "Funny Prayer about Getting Old at the Caregiver of the Year Dinner" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/vPFCn3itBFE

Jack’s Winning Words 12/11/18
“Nobody goes through life without a scar.”  (Carol Burnett)  I’m reading C.B.’s book which describes her life in show biz.  As with most people, life has its bad times.  I have a knee scar which reminds me of a childhood fall.   You probably have scars, too.  …and there are mental scars…hidden from others…but we “see” them!  Carol sees her scars as reminders of what made her who she is today.  Robert Schuller wrote:  “Turn Your Scars Into Stars!”    ;-)  Jack

FROM LBP IN PTG:  I have a scar on my shin where a rooster attacked me. I learned to carry a rake.
===JACK:  That's a good one.  I can visualize.  A goose attacked me when I was a child.  Scary!  It only scarred my mind.  Don't get too close to Mother Goose!

FROM SP IN SP:  good words from Schuller but they didn't seem to do HIM any good.... kind of a sad ending to his story... ===JACK:  Yes, a sad ending by the world's measurement, but God has a way of turning our scars into stars...at least, that's my hope.  "It's not over 'til it's over" and we each stand before "the judgment throne."

FROM SF IN FLA:  Reminds me if the title of my nascent book, ‘Everyone Has a Story’. With your encouragement, I am moving it!===JACK:  "Nascent" is a good word. I guess that it could apply to each of us as we move out into the world today.  Keep working on that book.  I like the (possible) title: Everyone Has a Story."  Think of the many people that have been in your life and the story behind each one.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I have another saying by Schuller, "When the going gets tough, the tough, get going".Bill and I worshipped in the Crystal Cathedral once, so beautiful, and the sermon was tops, as was the music (Bill thought more "entertainment" than "worship"...). I also have his book "Horns into Halos". He had a way of saying and writing things that did get your attention. His faith was certainly tested in the end, with the brain tumor, and disintegration of that ministry!  Carol Burnett gave us so much fun and laughter, in spite of her sometimes sad personal life; She is an inspiration to laugh in spite of scars! (which we do all carry: Me, far fewer than others I've known!)===JACK:  I liked Schuller for a variety of reasons...Our ministries paralleled...We both started a new church at about the same time...I met him personally and talked with him, one on one...I liked his positive message and the way h e was able to hold his listener's attention...I like the fact that the Crystal Cathedral was an organized congregation (Churches that I've served have folded, too)...Illness has a way of "changing" family situations.  Having said that...the final judgment for each of us, including Robert Schuller,(and Carol Burnett) is God's.

FROM DAZ IN CO:  There are good scars from successful operations. I have a scar over a hole in my skull behind my right ear where they went in to fix nerves related to my Trigeminal neuralgia. That was a very painful condition which the operation cured. In fact, I look upon that as one of the many miracles in my life. ===JACK:  I remember the before and after of that situation.  Yes, some scars are worth it!

FROM DS IN SOCAL:  FROM DS IN SOCAL:  Strangely, I, just the other day showed MY knee scar from when I was about 7 years old.  Still looks the same 74 years later.===JACK:  Do you remember the days of basketball knee pads?  They saved me from having other knee scars.  They didn't prevent me from having a knee replacement.  Any b-ball injuries for you?

FROM JB IN OLV:  ....or wrinkles:)===JACK: For you, those are laugh lines.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Everyone has scars both inside and out because we go wildly through life.  We all have different ways of obtaining our scars but we all continue to survive!  With God’s help.===JACK:  Others see the outer scars, but we are the only ones aware of those unseen.

Jack’s Winning Words 12/10/18
“Laughter is the best medicine, and the cool thing is, you can’t o.d. on it, and the refills are free.”  (Rob Paulsen)  I’ve read that laughter can aid in healing for sick people.  One suggestion was to bring a “whoopee cushion” to the hospital when visiting a friend, and put it on the chair before the doctor comes in for his consultation.  Of course, that will depend on the doctor’s sense of humor.  Also, it is said that having a good sense of humor helps people live longer.   ;-)  Jack

FROM SP IN SP:  i recall a study that said laughter relaxes heart muscles.   so here is a joke.  where do pencils go for a vacation?  they go to Pencil-vania, of course:):):)    (Pennsylvania, just in case you didn't get it:):):).===JACK:  I always liked the song about the states…
Oh, what did Delaware, boys? Oh, what did Delaware?
Oh, what did Delaware, boys? Oh, what did Delaware?
Oh, what did Delaware, boys? Oh, what did Delaware?
I ask you now as a personal friend, what did Delaware?
She wore her New Jersey, boys. She wore her New Jersey.
She wore her New Jersey, boys. She wore her New Jersey.
She wore her New Jersey, boys. She wore her New Jersey.
I tell you now as a personal friend, she wore her New Jersey.
Other verse pairs include:
Oh, what does Iowa? She weighs a Washington.
Oh, what does Idaho? She hoes her Maryland.
Oh, what does Tennessee? She sees what Arkansas.
Oh, where has Oregon? She's gone to Oklahoma.
Oh, what did Massa-chew? She chewed her Connecti-cud.
Oh, how did Flori-die? She died in Missouri.
===SP: who sang that song?  was it Perry Como by chance?===JACK:  I learned the song at a YMCA Camp one summer, along with "I wear my pink pajamas."
===SP:  i NEVER wore pink pajamas.   but do you recall that song about camp that began with Hello Mutter, Hello Father,  here I am at Camp   something or other...
Allan Sherman - Hello Muddah Hello Faddah (1963) - YouTube
...and back to pajamas...since you always went to church camp, it's no wonder you missed on this one.  (Tune: Battle Hymn of Republic)
I wear my pink pajamas, in the summer when it's hot.
I wear my flannel nighties in the winter when it's not.
And sometimes in the springtime and sometimes in the fall,
I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.
Chorus:
Glory, glory, Hallelujah;  Glory, glory, What's it to you?
Balmy breezes blowing through ya,  With nothing on at all.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  drs do not have humor, first of all, and bodily functions are not humorous. ===JACK:  OK.  I'll leave the cushion at home when I come for a visit.

FROM SHALOM JAN:  I like this "drug of choice"!===JACK:  Between Pepsi and Coca Cola, I choose Coke, first sold in "drug" stores.===JAN:  Since it had cocaine in it, that's where Coke belonged.===JACK:  Now, you'll be able to buy Mary Jane cookies in Michigan.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  You won't live too long after a beating from an irate Doctor!===JACK:  Here some actual names of doctors practicing dentistry...   Dr De Kay, Dr.Filler, Dr.Fear, Dr.Tusk, Dr. Drewel, Dr Les Plack, Dr.Fang, Dr.Hurter, Dr.Toothaker, Dr.Daryl B Payne, Dr.Smiley, Dr.Schotz, Dr. Spits, Dr. Yankum, Dr Screech, Dr. Phil Ing, Dr. McCavity.


FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Thanx Jack. this will be in this week's Champions bible Study. ===JACK:  Most Bible readers laugh (or, at least. smile) when reading...Genesis 18:11-13.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  I would put a whoopee cushion on my doctor’s seat but only after surgery!===JACK:  Some doctors do have a sense of humor.  I had my tonsils removed by a doctor who was my uncle.  Afterward, he gave me jar with my tonsils floating in some kind of liquid.  I wonder whatever happened to that jar?  My mom probably "ditched" it.===JUDY:  I imagine she did!  When Andy was born, I saw a lump in his mouth.  They took him back quickly to see the Dr.  He came in a few minutes later and said, “Mrs. Lenn, your baby has a tooffy!”===JACK:  Goofy! 

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Oh Yeah! I have a DR. with a terrific sense of humor, and Bill's heart surgeon, when he gave the surgery  report to me, said, "We had to do quite a lot of work on Bill's heart; We needed more veins than we could take out of one leg, so used some from his chest, as well. Since he's a hand ball player. we wanted him to have a one good leg to stand on!" :-)  My twin was a great one for turning any disaster into a funny situation. Once when she accidentally turned the oven UP instead of down to WARM, when she had company for dinner, and everything was VERY well-done (!) she breezily told them (I was there)  that she was giving them a Biblical meal; In ancient times it was known as a burnt offering!. They never forgot the "burnt offering dinner" which she served with some hastily fixed grilled cheese sandwiches. :-)  A sense of humor often saves the day, and we've all experienced it. My twin and I did a program, entitled "She who laughs, Lasts"...and our research turned up a ton of evidence about how healthy it is to laugh! It was a very funny program! ===JACK:  One of our church members was reading the scripture on a Sunday and stumbled over a word.  She began to giggle, then snicker, then laugh, then snort.  She ran down the aisle into the narthex, laughing all the way.  I think that her sister got up and finished the reading.  Memorable!
===OAKS:  Jan and I were terrible gigglers growing up, especially in  church or some solemn occasions when you absolutely should NOT be giggling!!  I loved the songs you wrote in the blog today. Brot back camp & retreat memories!  I copied them down for old times sake...maybe sing 

to my "greats" ?!===JACK:  When singing to the children, you might try this one..."He's got His eye on you, He's got His eye on you.  My Lord sittin' in the kingdom, He's got His eye on you."  Then, 
begin to substitute someone's name for the "you,"  Like, "He's got His eye on Grandma..."  Point at the person when you come to the name.  You came make up the tune, or I can sing it to you over the phone (just kidding).

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  That makes a lot of sense!===JACK:  What makes you laugh?

Jack’s Winning Words 12/7/18
“Time moves in one direction, memory in another.”  (William Gibson)  Do you know the significance of these numbers?  12/7, 9/6, 9/11, 1492?  I read an article on what enables us to recognize and recall.  Everyone doesn’t have the same cognitive skills…often depending on age an experience.  For example, how about these expressions?  Glo-up, That’s Boss, Ankle-Biter, In Cahoots!  Part of understanding one another often depends on recognizing their slang.!   ;-)  Jack

FROM JB INOLV:  9/6 is a trick question........a child is born...it is a biblical  reference.  The rest are obvious.☺===JACK:  I should have known that I couldn't fool you.===JB:  You did make me really think twice.....you should write questions for Jeopardy:)

FROM WALMART REV:  You don't say!===JACK:  I remember a comedy skit.  A guy answers the phone..."You don't say!...Hummm...You don't say....You don't say!"   The 2nd guy asks, "Who was that?"  The 1st guy answers: "He didn't say!"

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  i rely on urban dictionary a lot when communicating w/younger people. i also look up slang/idiomatic expressions from my generation to determine whether they will know what i am talking about. we will recognize those of our own generation in heaven bc of our common language, music and taste... see ya there someday!===JACK:  A writer from the Detroit area, Mitch Albom, has written a book: The Five People

Jack’s Winning Words 12/6/18
“I’m really glad that our young people missed the Depression and missed the Great Big War, but I do regret that they missed the great leaders that we knew.”  (Ann Richards)  If you were to name the great leaders in today’s world, who would be on your list?  Is there an FDR?  …or a Patton  …or a Toscanini  …or a Schembechler?  The Great Depression and the Great War weren’t so great when I “lived” them, but I’m glad for the leaders we had.   ;-)  Jack 

FROM MSUJS:  Schembechler??  Dantonio.  Izzo. 😀   I like the Italians===JACK:  I figured that "Bo" would get a response from you.  I didn't realize that Engler was Italian.

FROM EATWL:  This quote on leadership was timely. I’m headed in for an interview....in my interview I’m prepared to talk about my own leadership and thinking of our great leaders of our county is encouraging! How’d you know?! Lol===JACK:  "God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform."

FROM SP IN SP:  go back to bed, Jack.  its waaay too early for you to be up and about:):):)    you need your rest and so do I😀===JACK:  As the saying goes..."Early to bed, early to rise makes a man..." You know the rest!===SP:  can make a man exhausted too!  my deepest REM sleep is between 4 and 7===JACK:  It's 11:25 am, so I guess you REM number is 7 hours and 25 minutes.

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  Has to be Winston Churchill  and Margaret Thatcher, although many people did not like her!===JACK:  I  thought of Churchill, too.  Leaders may lead, but they are not always great.  I agree that Winnie was great!

FROM JT IN SJ:  I don't remember much about WWll but I remember rationing and cousins who came home in military uniforms   It is interesting to me how the adjectives describing George Bush are the stark opposite of adjectives describing trump. What will trump's legacy and funeral be like? ===JACK"  I can remember rationing and the end of WW 2, but I can't remember a time when there was such sharp diversity of opinion over a president,  Well, maybe when the current dimes were first minted.  Anti-FDR Republicans would hand one of the coins to someone and say, "Smell this!  It really stinks to me.  What do you think?"

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  I think I can agree with Ann’s statement.  I feel sorry for our young people of today as their should be “leaders” are not setting great examples for them in how they conduct their lives, their careers and their interactions with others.  Too many of them are only interested in what the world has to offer them, what they can gain and not so much how they can serve without thinking about themselves.  Some young people have really sad home lives as well with parents who are not good leaders and role models for them. I do wonder where our world is going.
Yesterday afternoon I was at church and a little boy about 4 came toward me. I said, “Hi” to him and he kind of stopped and backed up a bit.  I thought how sad – yes, he doesn’t know me well. (I know his parents.)  They go to a different service than we do so we don’t always have lots of contact.  His mom was standing off to the side waiting for him and we said, “Hi.”, but he still kept his eye on me like I was to be watched.  I don’t ever remember as a child being afraid of a stranger.===JACK:  It's a different world out there today...in many ways.  "Stranger Danger" is a well-known phrase.  Maybe, in the rearview mirror, we'll be able to see that the good outweighed the good...I HOPE!

FROM JB IN OLV:  Mr. Mandela,  Bishop Tutu......two individuals our family heard speak at Cobo Hall and Tiger Stadium.   Merkle....her bravery in opening up Germany to the refugees.  These are but a few.
The nuclear bomb practices at school, polio, the many neighbors that contracted TB spending months and sometimes years in the hospital...Vietnam...drafting the kids of blue collar families because they wouldn't/couldn't raise/or have the connections to cause problems.  I have a Monday night Bible Study at my house....and quite often I have members that fondly remember life in the small towns they grew up in.  For those of us that grew up in immigrant pockets in Detroit life was very different.
As far as the leaders ....imagine Roosevelt, Churchill etc being placed under the microscope of the news media we have today......The work of life is, I guess, just that....work...no matter which generation you get to live in.===JACK:  Yes, it's true.  "We are who we were."  Each generation's view of the world and its leaders is colored by the events of that time.  As for microscopes...God has the ultimate one, and no one escapes detection.  That's why "the grace of God" is such a great gift.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Yes our country has been lucky in most of our leaders! Have u read Flag of our Country and Flyboys? They r great books in my opinion. My grandchildren in Orlando read them in high school! What is going on in Minnesota? And what do u think about the new law about marijuana in Michigan?===JACK:  No, I haven't read those books.  Maybe I'll have re-enrol in high school.  'm in Minnesota visiting my son and his family and will be flying back to Michigan on Christmas Day.  I voted against the pot-law in Michigan as did several police officers that I know.  What also bothers me is "lame-duck legislation."  As the song from Cabaret goes..."Money. money, money!"

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  As Adlai Stevenson once wisely said, "In America, anyone can become
President. It's one of the risks we take". He was a man of integrity, and great wit, and eloquence, and very humble as Governor of IL, and a worthy Presidential Candidate, even tho he lost the election.
 twice to Gen Dwight Eisenhower.  I'm sure we have some very good leaders even now in America, but Politics has become the game of the extremely wealthy, which doesn't always produce the most qualified Gov't. leaders! :-(  Ronald Reagan might be right when he said, "It has been said Politics is the 2nd oldest profession.  I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first!". But we keep on keeping on...doing our bit for democracy!===JACK:  Yes...I'll take our way anytime over how it's done in Russia and North Korea.  I always like the picture of Stevenson with his legs crossed, showing the sole of his shoe with a hole in it.  Can you imagine that today?

FROM FM IN WISCONSIN:  How this was brought home yesterday at the funeral for George Bush – and the ‘entrance’ of our current president!===JACK:  I didn't get to watch it on TV, but I did see the picture of the presidents and their spouses sitting together.  GHWB wanted them all to be invited to help bring a semblance of unity to the country.  To me, that was the action of a good leader.

FROM KANSAN DON:  Are you sure about Schembechler?  How about Ghandi and Bonhoeffr? ===JACK:  Bo was put in there to stir up anti-Bo people, but he was a good coach, and a coach has to be a leader.  Gandhi and Bonhoeffer certainly were significant people, but were they leaders, such as Tutu and Niebuhr?  I guess it depends on your definition of a leader.  Hitler was a leader, but not a great person.

FROM INDY GENIE:  As I read the WW’s and then the response to them, I am struck by the idea that we are all leaders in some way. We are to be courageous and kind in standing up for what we believe to be true, just and authentic. Leadership isn’t just the job of our great leaders, although it is wonderful when we have them.  I think our current climate calls us to be leaders  ...even if we don’t want to be!===JACK:  The leader is no leader if there are no followers.  When there's chaos, someone has to step up and say, "That's enough."  That person is a leader.  The little boy shouted, "The emperor has no clothes!"===GENIE:  So true! The children shall lead us!

FROM DAIRYLAND DONNA:  SO true. So sad. I do think the winds are changing. Felt encouraged with the results of the mid term elections - more diversity and young people.===JACK:  Well, Wisconsin and Michigan began to clean out the barn, but the elephants are not going without leaving something behind.

FROM DAZ IN COLORADO:  Sometimes it seems like it takes tough times to bring out the great leaders some of whom you mentioned. Like Lincoln. The trouble is that sometimes not so great and positive leaders show up.===JACK:  Ordinary people sometimes became leaders simply because a situation at hand needs someone to do something...Rosa Parks (on the bus)...Todd Beamer (on Flt 93).  ...and Lincoln, of course

FROM DB IN WB:  I love this message because these leaders gave hope. Like a great coach, good leadership can take an underdog team into first place. Wasn’t Seabiscuit (racehorse) like that? Who can you think of who might be inspirational today?===JACK:  I don't know about Seabiscuit, because I haven't seen the movie, but I like college basketball, and I think that John Beilein is a good leader.  He seems able to attract good players to follow his advice, to make them better, to do it without wanting attention for himself...and appearing to be a person of character.  Basketball just happens to be his leadership job.
 

Jack’s Winning Words 12/5/19
“As a cure for worry, work is better than whiskey.”  (Ralph Waldo Emerson)  One of the causes for depression is loneliness, which often leads to alcoholism.  Alcohol abuse led to the death, at age 29, of country music star, Hank Williams.  Ironically, one of his “hits” was, I’m so lonesome I could cry.  The good news is that researchers are finding new and amazing ways to combat depression  A support group and finding new interests helps, too.   ;-)  Jack
I'M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY (1949) by Hank Williams - YuTube

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Just keep busy, keep learning new things, keep reading, and keep old friends and make new ones!===JACK:  Get up early, read Winning Words and drink coffee instead of whiskey.===SHIRL:  I am up early today because it is 53 degrees today and I had to turn on the heat! ...and, I do not drink coffee or whiskey! I drink Diet Coke without caffeine and water!===JACK:  It's a little colder than 53 here in wintry Minnesota.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:   That's a sad song, for sure! Apparently he wasn't successful in melting whoever's "Cold, Cold, Heart"! So he was so lonesome, he could cry...:-(  I hadn't realized he  died that young!  Work, or volunteering, or getting out regularly socially, all keep one from sitting and dwelling on negative things, but some people are shy or insecure, and that's difficult for them. But most of us have come to know that "drowning your worries in alcohol" does not solve them, so grab a good book or inspirational material, and reset your mind!  Emerson is right.===JACK:  People who are in the entertainment business (including, in a sense, pastors) need affirmation that that they are successful in what they are doing, and if they don't receive it, they tend to become depressed, and can lead to "whiskey," or what whiskey stands for.  So, as Waldo wrote, "Work is better than whiskey."  Your suggestions are good, also.

FROM PINSP:  we have had two funerals at the church, one in August and one in Nov.  One was 58 and  the other was 54.  both literally drank themselves to death.  soooo  sad for the surviving family.
===JACK:  Alcoholism, opioid, suicide...soooo sad for all involved and for society in general.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  I had no idea he was only 29.  I was so afraid of becoming an alcoholic I would never touch it and still don’t.  My best friend’s mom was a bad alcoholic and I saw her too many times not to be severely effected by her drinking.     They are coming up with more and more ways to deal with issues which is a very good thing.  Drug overdoses can be revived with a shot.  Some cities are encouraging their citizens to carry the meds on them to help those who pass out!  My son in law uses it a lot on the job!  Now if we could find a safe way to stop the use!!===JACK:  Sneaking "a smoke" out behind the barn seems soooo mild compared to nowadays.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:   Generally speaking, the more you work at something the better you can become.===JACK:  Generally speaking, entertainers feed off of positive audience response to assuage self-doubt.  Were you ever cheered...or booed?  I knew of a minister who once was booed.

Jack’s Winning Words 12/4/18
“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”  (Thomas Campbell)  Tombstone epitaphs have a way of describing the person in the grave and how they are remembered,  For example: Still dancing in heaven - She asked for so very little, but gave so much - So Small. So Sweet, So Soon - No man is indispensable, but some are irreplaceable - Step softly, a dream lies buried here.”  On a lighter note, seen as a physician’s epitaph:  The doctor will see you soon   ;-)  Jack 

Jack’s Winning Words 12/3/18
“There’s a difference between a philosophy and a bumper sticker.”  (Charles Schulz)  As I went through the MSP Airport I smiled when I saw a figure of Snoopy wearing a pilot’s helmet and goggles.  Charles Schultz makes me smile—and think!…like when a philosophy of  his became a bumper sticker: “Life is like a 10-speed bike.  Most of us have gears we never use.”  I’ll never forget the teacher who took me aside and told me, “You can do better than this!”  ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  Good one!===JACK:  You've probably seen that Snoopy!

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  It was a good day to sleep in!  One of the highlights of my day was reading the newspaper.  I’ve pretty much stop that habit because we don’t get it anymore.  I read it for top to bottom except the ads.  I’d read everything and save the cartoons and puzzles for last.  Charlie Brown was and still is one of my top favorites...B.C. Was and still is my favorite.===JACK:  I now read the Detroit Free Press online since they've started printing with smaller letters.  I like most of the comics, but I laugh at Pearls Before Swine (not your style).

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  Nice to hear you can sleep in at least one morning.  The ‘mouse’ here was awake at 4:30 this morning. ===JACK:  Yes, it was nice to get some more zzzzs.  I'm in MN for most of Dec, so son David was able to wake up the snoozing mouse.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I don't remember seeing that Charlie Brown bumper Sticker, but it's a good one!  Charles Schulz has made us smile for many years with his humorous bits of "child" philosophy!  As Henry Ward Beecher said, "A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon with no springs--jolted by every pebble in the road." Life is a lot less bumpy with a sense of humor!! (Knock, knock! Who's there?  Noah.  Noah Who?  Noah lot of jokes and funny stories and you'll feel better!) AUGGRRH!===JACK:  Joke: "He was the apple of his mother's eye, but he  wasn't appealing to me."  Did you ever say those words?  Bumper Sticker:  The Universe can be difficult!"

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  I believe there are many of us who have been blessed with teachers who put us on notice by saying, "You can do better than this!"===JACK:  ...and I even remember his name: Mr. Ekblad.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  https://youtu.be/x6zypc_LhnM
this is the very first skating “program” gisela had at age five. russian pairs champion/coach suggested “la cucaracha.” i said it’s gotta be linus and lucy...she used this as her music for over a year for practice/competitions. gisela was a heck of a skater... very fast, w/spins faster/better than most pros. her jumps? not as great. you can tell from the music where the spins were!===JACK:  I continue to like Charlie Brown Christmas.  Part of its success is due to the piano accompaniment by Vince Guaraldi.  When that music is used with a daughter's skating program...even better!

FROM WALMART REV:  One of my Bible college professors was telling my roommate when it became apparent I was cutting too many times in his class, “Paul is is nice guy, but he’s got to attend class if he is hoping to pass?!?!” I’ve never forgotten that either. 0;-)===JACK:  You and I are both examples of how the Lord can use imperfect vessels in His work.

FROM SHALOM JAN:  I am glad you got a couple hours of additional sleep!  And I love Charles Schulz and his philosophy that showed so much in his Peanuts cartoons.  The retired pastor who was at Faith L.C. in Arlington when I was about 8 or 9 years old would stand on the chancel steps and talk to the children.  More than once he said, "Do your best.  Angels can do no better." And, that was my guiding principle throughout my schooling.  Blessings on your day!'===JACK:  When my wife and her siblings would complain about schoolwork..."It's too hard!!!"  She'd reply, "Just do your best." 

Jack’s Winning Words 11/30/18
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”  (Buddha)  In my study of Oriental religions, I was intrigued by Buddhism.  Life can be improved by right thoughts, and right thoughts can bring peace and happiness.  In a sense, the same can be said about practicing the teachings of Jesus.  Light a candle and stare at it.  What thoughts come to mind?   ;-)  Jack

FROM SF IN FL:  Love it!===JACK:  Don't forget to light that candle...and meditate.  Perhaps tonight?

FROM L&M IN WBM: Thanks Jack.  Good one.===JACK:  Mike can read some buddhist sayings while you look at your candle.

FROM WALMART REV:  "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!" 0;-)===JACK:  Surprise Fran by setting out a burning candle at the supper table tonight and together singing..."This little light of mine."===PAUL:  I was thinking, “You Light Up My Life!” 0;-)===JACK:  Watch out!  Your neighbors might call  Mike Hanson and the WFD!

FROM HY YO SILVER:  There is a debate in the Talmud as Jewish law and traditions were shaped.
How should we light the Hanukkah candelabra, the Hanukkiyah (Menorah)?
Rabbi Shamai teaches that we should light all the candles the first night and as the holiday progresses, we light one less candle each night. IE - Night one, 8 candles; Night two, 7 candles; Night three; 6 candles and so on until the Eighth Night has only 1 candle lit. As the holiday diminishes (and as the oil in the Holy Temple ran out), so too should the light dwindle.
Rabbi Hillel teaches that we should light just one candle the first night and as the holiday progresses, we light one additional candle each night. IE - Night one, 1 Candle; Night two, 2 Candles; Night three, 3 Candles and so on until the eighth night the entire Hanukkiyah (Hanukkah Menorah) is fully lit, shining as bright as possible. Rabbi Hillel taught this way because the lighting of the Menorah should reflect the actions of the Jewish people: always increasing in holiness and always doing more to brighten the lives of others in our duty to be a light unto the nations.
Rabbi Hillel won the argument and for millennia, the Jewish People light our menorahs from 1 candle to 8, increasing the light to the world and always increasing our good deeds. Always improving. Always striving to be better.
Did you know that we are supposed to place the Hanukkiyah (Hanukkah Menorah) by a window or an open door so that it can be seen by others in the outside?  We are meant to display the menorahs as publicly as possible to celebrate the holiday and actually brighten the world.
Hope you’re well, Jack. Thanks for putting up with my story. Your Winning Words made me think about my holiday that begins Sunday evening.
===JACK:  Candles are used in ceremonies by many religions.  "God is the Light of the world!"  I've always been fascinated by the story of Hanukkah...regardless of the candle lighting order.  When I was a seminarian, I asked my pastor a question similar to the one you referred to.  He responded, "Does Jesus care?"  It helped me to prioritize what's important in the belief system.  Does God really care about "how" the candles are lighted?   BTW, I’ve read that there are 16 different ways to spell Hannukah.  Does God really care which of the 16 you use?  Maybe He likes a 17th.

FROM KZB IN THE ROCKIES:  Wow.  A beloved teacher at Dylan's school just died in a snowboard accident - he was in the back country and landed wrong in the deep snow.   I put together the program for it.   He was born and raised Buddhist in Boulder.  If this isn't a message from God that there is a unified religion...  What a great thing to find in my inbox on this day of Bindu's funeral.===JACK:  It's not only on TV, but at times it seems that we live in the Twilight Zone.  Coincidences often appear to be more than coincidences.  It's good that you could have a part in "doing something."

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  the 74 candles on my cake could be a bit depressing:):):).  on the other hand,  i know how blessed i have been to be able to reach this age in reasonably good health.  i suspect you would say the same.   i never used to read the obits in the Sunday paper but i do now and i am amazed at how many people die in their 40s,  50s, 60s and early 70s.   enjoy the day, Jack.  it is truly a gift!  blessings on your day...===JACK:  I at what age do we look back on what has been...and begin to look ahead at what might be? ===SP:  forgot to say:  this is a great quote from the Buddha.  there is a huge temple and a huge ondoor statue of Buddha just east of Farmington, MN,  not more than 10 miles from our home.  who would have thought....

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  There's nothing prettier on a dinner table than lit candles.  We have them every dinner.  The light is a reminder to us Jesus came into our lives and provided the food for us.===JACK:  WOW  I never knew that people would put candles on the dinner table other than at special occasions!  Good for you,

FROM BB IN CHGO:  I love this one; a friend from LakeView Lutheran who had to leave Finland during WWII-occupation said she would meditate with a single candle lit and blow it out when done praying.  Her husband was a paraplegic for years and she cared for him so lovingly.  She was a light to me!===JACK:  I wonder how many "think" when they say in the marriage vow..."in sickness and health?"  ...and if they do...would think twice?

FROM JT IN ST JOE:  Have I shared with you something I did with the children when they were growing up?  On Valentines Day (a day for love)  I put a large candle in the middle of the table and gave each of us a candle,  with David and mine being lit.   Then Dave and i would light the large candle in the middle of the table and I told the children this represented our love.  Then each of the children lit their candle from the center one.  I asked them, "Is there less light in the big candle now that you have all lit your candles? "  I then emphasized that love multiplies it does not divide.  Having five children did not divide our love.  The light in the room was even greater.  Course I think the kids actually just had fun playing with fire and candles.!===JACK:  What a great teaching experience.  That also says something about sharing love in a large family.  As it is given, it is not diminished.  BTW, david just finished with the lights and is snow-covered.  Speaking of lights, I once had a church family that used live candles on their Christmas tree.  I was always nervous when visiting their home while the candles were burning.  The husband and wife are now living in Nova Scotia, but I think that they've now upgraded to electric lights.

Jack’s Winning Words 11/29/18
“You’ve got 3 choices in life: Give up, Give in, or Give it all you’ve got.” (Wall Plaque)  One of the characters in the Li’l Abner comic strip is Joe Btfsplk, the guy who walked around with a cloud over his head, bringing misfortune to everyone near him…Things are bad…Give in!  Give up!  What we need is a different “Joe”…Look for the positives, and…Give it all you’ve got. (BTW, if you want to pronounce Btfsplk..close mouth…stick out tongue…and blow!)   ;-)  Jack

FROM HONEST JOHN:  A fourth alternatives....ignore the clowns and go ahead and do your best without them.===JACK:  ...and say to the clowns...btfsplk!

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  a 4th choice is to go back to bed which i shall now do!===JACK:  My choice is to stay up and "smell the coffee!"

FROM LG IN CT:  This is a quote from Charleston Parker; I love it!  Another of my favorites: Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. (W. Clement Stone)  Wishing you a beautiful day! ===JACK: I wonder how you'd look with a W. Clement Stone moustache?

FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Accentuate the positive ignore the negative!===JACK:  ...and don't mess with Mr In Between!!

FROM VW MARY:  You're such an early bird!===JACK:  You know what they say about the early bird...
Nobody likes me, everybody hates me  I think I'll go eat worms!
Big fat juicy ones  Eensie weensy squeensy ones  See how they wiggle and squirm!
Down goes the first one, down goes the second one  Oh how they wiggle and squirm!
Up comes the first one, up comes the second one  Oh how they wiggle and squirm!
I bite off the heads, and suck out the juice  And throw the skins away!
Nobody knows how fat I grow  On worms three times a day!
Nobody likes me, everybody hates me  I think I'll go eat worms!
Big fat juicy ones  Eensie weensy squeensy ones  See how they wiggle and squirm!
===MARY:  Tasty, I’m sure,  but think I’ll stick to coffee in the mornings!  I like being up early; I just don’t like running out of steam before the day is over….(what in your extensive memory triggered this????)===JACK:  Didn't you ever sing that song when you were a little girl?

FROM WALMART REV:  Great closure this morning, with closed mouth, tongue sticking out and blowing!! 0;-))===JACK:  Going for a 300 game and you get a split......btfsplk!

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  Those WW are worth remembering.  If we want to be a part of something we have to commit ourselves...don't just "wilt" and let others do it.  Instead, if we believe in it, we should give it all we've got!  (BTW, your note about pronouncing Btfsplk reminded me of Lauren Bacall's well-known movie comment "You know how to whistle don't you?  Just open your lips and blow!")===JACK:  Herman Melville wrote: “There she blows!-there she blows! A hump like a snow-hill! It is Moby Dick!”

Jack’s Winning Words 11/28/18
“In everyone’s heart stirs a great homesickness.”  (Rabbi Seymour Siegel)  It’s not only children who get homesick.  It’s a malady that can affect people of all ages when separated from people and places they love.  I wonder what the rabbi had in mind…a great homesickness stirs in the heart?  I’ve noticed that the holiday season is particularly hard for some people.  Is there a “cure” that you have to suggest for those times when you get “down in the dumps?”   :-(  Jack 

FROM LS IN MI:  Good morning.  When I feel homesick I write/send a card that I make or buy with a pretty US postal stamp on it.  I write my own words. The writing brings me closer to the person ( or place ) as I think about what to write and set my intention as I write to share the love I am feeling.  I envision the smile in their heart and upon their face as they receive/ read my card and place it in a prominent place for a period of time to enjoy.  Then,  I feel close to them even when I am away.  Homesickness gone and I ease into great joy with a smile on my face.
(  just last night I wrote 4 cards to mail and this morning a creative card to my husband who I will miss all day at work :)) ( also I send text messages to my 4 daughters each day to ease the homesickness I feel being away from them and my grandsons )
Thank you for asking.  I miss seeing you and envision one day our paths will cross and I shall give you a hug to let you know how much I enjoy reading my winning words each and every morning.
appy Holiday Season with my prayers for your continued good health and for the gift of  writing to continue to fill your heart when you feel homesickness.
===JACK:  Thanks for the suggestions.  They are just what I was hoping for.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Just keep busy doing necessary and interesting things each day and help friends who need help.===JACK:  "A friend in need is a friend indeed!"

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  When I'm down in the dumps, feeling a bit of hopelessness, I've found some quick relief by listening for an hour or so to the recording "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Songbook."===JACK:  Such a great singer, and so many great songs.  If I had to pick, i would be:  "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered."

FROM WALMART REV:  Find a welcomed spot at the gateway of the community (one of the many coffee shops found in one’s area), become friendly with those passing by and stopping in, as surely one will find another feeling the same and looking for a friend to share there experiences back home with. 0;-)===JACK:  Maybe the library...quiet, with action, plenty of things to get your mid off of some stuff and on to other stuff.

FROM SF IN FLA:  I experience it every time we transition to Florida. I miss my kids and grandkids so much… and then I adjust. We use FaceTime a lot and they will visit a couple of times. We will be home in December for the twins’ B’nai Mitzvah...sweet, wonderful boys, much like their dad!
Hope you are well. Stay warm!===JACK:  For me, it's sitting down for conversation with friends like you.  My trips to Minnesota allow me to interact with other family members.  The recent 1-week visit with my sister was beyond great (that only siblings can create).

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Counselor Gloria would know better than I, but maybe a phone call to someone you know loves you, and prayers are always good.  Speaking of prayers- can use all we can get for our granddaughter Sophia (11). She has been tentatively diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome and is hospitalized while they try treatment. Thanks.===JACK:  Perhaps sharing problems can be a way of looking at situations with different eyes.  We can pray with and for each other!

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  take more Melatonin:):):)  (spell?)    seriously,  find a good friend or family member and just hang out for a while....===JACK:  Sometimes it's good to sit down informally with a pastor friend.  (Be sure to pick up the check)!

FROM DAZ IN COLORADO:  I miss the Optimist Club and I particularly miss the holiday gift distribution. I have lots of memories of making a lot of people very happy and grateful.===JACK:  The annual party continues with gift wrapping Friday night and the party on Saturday.  200 kids and family members will attend.  Helping kids smile seems to take our attention off of our own situation

FROM JR IN PBC:  Dear One,  This is so true.....should anyone respond with a "cure",  clew me in. ===JACK:  There have been many suggestions, and I will forward them (and my responses) on to you.  The best way to see back and forth e-mail conversations with e-mail readers is to use the blog.
www.jackswinningwords.blogspot.com to see my blog

FRP,M BLAZING OAKS:  Keeping busy helps keep the mind from focusing on negative feelings, and stopping to count your blessings! There is always, always, ALWAYS, something to be thankful for!! When I first lost my beloved mate (16 yrs now!) I dwelled on all the things we were missing, or would miss together, but I came to be very thankful for all the years we did share, the blessing of raising our children to adulthood, the meaningful life we had as pastor & wife team, etc. etc. I wonder if the Rabbi could be thinking of our heavenly home, and the yearning for God? Another possible view...===JACK:  "Who knows what lurks in the mind (of a rabbi?)" .Maybe the Shadow knows!  I guess it's like with the Bible.  You have to know the context to understand what is in the text.  I'd be surprised if were thoughts of the afterlife...but it could be.===OAKS:   Yeah, Many Jews do not believe in an afterlife, do they?  I know my good neighbors did not, but believe the good 
they do lives on after them, as a sort of eternity.  Just a thought....

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Just looked up an old hymn – looks like written by Thomas Taylor.
I’m but a stranger here,  Heaven is my home.  Earth is a desert drear, Heaven is my home…
I wonder if the Rabbi was referring to that type of heart sickness. In Chicago, the Presbyterian churches have Blue Christmas services, catering to folks who are feeling the blues especially during the holidays.  I am getting ready for Advent in the darkness – already sent  you the book on walking in the dark.===JACK:  I like that hymn and have often quoted during funeral services.  I don't believe that Jews have a heaven concept similar to that of Christians.  The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus color most of what we believe, with some of the Book of Revelation added in.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  The little grandkids are at Disney World for 2 weeks.  Melanie called (8 year old) to say they hadn’t talked to us for a long time (it’s been a whole week). She then talked all about what they had seen and done and passed the phone to her brother and sister.  Here they are at Disney World and they missed us “so much”!  That’s what grandchildren are for...to love without reserve!     When I get down in the dumps, I pray, read and count my blessings!!===JACK:  I've never been to Disney World, but I've been to Cedar Point and ridden the roller coasters.  Those rides have a way of taking my mind off of other things.

FROM AA:  Join the West Bloomfield Optimist Club!

 Jack’s Winning  Words 11/27/18
"Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person.”  (Quoted by Brittany Trout)  I belong to a service club which delivers money and some cookies to needy people during the holidays.  A club member went to a home to drop off the gifts and noticed that the house was cold.  The furnace was not working and neither was the refrigerator.  On his own he arranged for the needed repairs and changed the world for that one family.   ;-)  Jack

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Do unto others as a good neighbor would do!===JACK:  I'm not surprised to see that you know the Golden Rule.  BTW, did you know that J.C. Penney's was known at "The Golden Rule Store?"  Employees were instructed to treat all customers according to the Golden Rule.

FROM WALMART REV:  At our church’s annual Wild Game Feed a couple of weeks back where we host, free of charge, a hefty portion of the Wild game donated and prepared by our churchmen as a community outreach to over 500 men, a man approached me thanking me for the same.
I mention he was thanking me, but actually what had happened was his furnace  somewhat exploded and he had called the fire department. I responded as well being the chaplain and discovered he and his family had no funds available for replacement. I immediately called the Salvation Army for their help, our church and another, and one of the local sheet metal companies. With us together donating the cost and labor, we had a new furnace installed and running before that winter day ended.
He told me because of that generous act of blessing his family, his life turned around for and pointed him in the direction of getting off overly-prescribed drugs, thinking more clearly about his lifestyle and family responsibilities and being more accountable to God and His ways.
True story given me Saturday, November 17, 2018. I wanted to compliment your encouraging word this morning, changing the world for one person and his family and for furthering the good of God’s Kingdom! ===JACK:  God seems to have placed you in the right place at the right time.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  and here i thought West Bloomfield Township was filthy rich and had no poor people.  silly me!   good for your friend to do such important work.    last month sotv gave away 15,000 lbs of food (yes, 7 1/2 tons) and that i am told has become a monthly average. they will give a way about 85 tons of food this year.   lots of good work to be done in this old world. ===JACK:  The harvest happens after the seed is planted.  Someone had to come up with the idea of collecting food for the needy...and someone had to come up with implementing it.  Congratulations to SOTV for helping to change the world for many people.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:   as George H W Bush used to say,  there are a 1,000 points of light out there if you just take time to look.===JACK:  Just because someone is Rep or Dem doesn't mean that they can't come up with an idea that is worth supporting by all.  Partisan seems to be a word that's overused in today's world.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  ♥️===JACK:  Maybe I'll save that heart for Valentine's Day.===LIZ:  i’ll send you a new one for valentine’s day...

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Great story; thanks for sharing.===JACK:  It's an even greater story when you know the person involved.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Like the story of the man throwing beached Star fish back into the Ocean on his morning walk: When questioned about the futility of trying to save all the beached fish, he replied ,"Of course I can't save them all, but it's Life-saving for the few I can help!" I regularly help my friend who is on a disability pension which never stretches to cover life's little emergencies, or even food and utilities at times, and whose family are all dysfunctional or in dire straights themselves.  My S.S. class often helps needs of the church family, or even at times, appeals in the newspaper that are legitimate, as we give each week to our treasury.  It's a good feeling to know you
make a difference to some,  in your little corner of the world!===JACK:  What do you think about the idea of Giving Tuesday...the Tuesday after Thanksgiving when people are encouraged to give online to charities.?  I wonder if it's a millennial-thing?  Whatever works!  It sort of reminds me of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.===OAKS:  It can't hurt, and probably does help some to give, who would not be motivated to do so on a regular basis. Maybe they need that one-day promotion...most of us (I think) give regularly throughout the year when we're able, so not as meaningful to us. It apparently works to bring in big bucks, with matching funds offered....

Jack’s Winning Words 11/26/18
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”  (Seneca)  Wow!  2000 years ago, and they had the same problems as today…Don’t miss opportunities when they come.  I suppose we’ve all missed a few great chances, but let’s not dwell on that.  I like the sound of the word, ruminate, but I don’t like what it stands for…focusing in on the “what ifs.”  There’s a slogan by my computer: Get tough…Get off your duff!  It means, Get going and build that door!   ;-)  Jack

FROM HONEST JOHN:  That is true of evangelism in the church...too many churches are waiting for people to come to them....we need to build bridges to the neighborhood and find folks.===JACK:
At our church we recently invited the Salvation Army brass ensemble to give a concert for the community, and people also signed up to be kettle bell ringers.  It was televised by the local cable channel.  We also have a community Christmas carol sing each year.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i am reminded of the saying:   opportunity may knock just once but temptation tries to knock the whole door down!===JACK:  Our doorbell doesn't work, so I've put a sign by it...DOORBELL DOESN'T WORK!  PLEASE KNOCK.  I should add...REALLY HARD! ===SP:  well.  great minds run in the same channels.  at least that is what i was taught to believe:):):)

FROM SHALOM JAN:  As I wind down the day and get to read my email, your Winning Words hit a "remembrance chord".  Years ago, while helping to register fellow youth for an old ALC Eastern District gathering, I noticed a sign in the hallway of the college building where we were meeting: "Opportunity knocks, but it doesn't knock down the door" -- which means, in many ways, the same thing -- get up and get going!===JACK:  Someone just told me that tomorrow is Giving Tuesday.  Could that be opportunity knocking at my door (...and yours)?

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  And as Henry David Thoreau reminds us, "It's not enough to be busy. So are the ants.  The question is, What are we busy about?" Taking the "right" opportunity for me, that
is the key! Each day brings opportunities, whether small, or Life-changing!

Jack’s Winning Words 11/23/18
“Save some for Virginia!”  (Unknown)  Who was Virginia?  I vaguely recall the story about her as someone who was needy and how people at the Thanksgiving table would be reminded not to forget the Virginias of the world.  The Salvation Army doesn’t forget…providing 58.4 million meals and 10.4 million nights of lodging to needy people located in every ZIP code.  During this holiday season there will be many opportunities for us to remember Virginia.   ;-)  Jack

NROM BLAZING OAKS:  I became familiar with "Save some for Virginia" from the movie THE SNAKEPIT, which starred Olivia Dehaviland as a mentally ill person locked in a Psych ward.  When they showed the "dinner" scene the inmate passed the food around, saying "Save some for Virginia" (the newest inmate), but of course they never did...IT became an inside joke in my high school gang and  in my family! Virginia eventually recovered from her nervous breakdown, or whatever it was and was released, but it was a memorable movie!! Obviously, I've never forgotten it, even in my old age! :===JACK:  Thanks!  Now I remember.  I saw that movie when it first came out in the late 40s.  It was scary.  And even the re-runs are scary.  "Save some for Virginia" is even more meaningful, knowing the context.  I'll have to be watching for TCM to show it again on TV.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Happy Thanksgiving!  Everyday should be thanksgiving!  Everyday we are so blessed!  Everyday we should somehow bless someone else and give someone a hand up eve if their name isn’t Virginia!===JACK:  ...or Lazarus. (Luke 16:18-31)

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Salvation Army is perhaps the best of the benevolent institutions in America.===JACK:  I divide my benevolent giving among several different groups, but if I were to choose just one (apart from my church) it would be the Salvation Army.  They always seen to be present to help when there are people in need.

Jack’s Winning Words 11/21/18
A table prayer for Thanksgiving  (Ewan Aitken)
“For the hands that tilled,  for the hands that harvested,
for the hands that processed,  for the hands that transported,
for the hands that stocked,  for the hands that sold,
for the hands that bought,  for the hands that prepared,
for the hands that will hold,  for the hand that made the hands,
our hearts are forever grateful.  Amen.”

 FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  happy thanksgiving, jack. i am grateful for your friendship and for the wisdom that you share w/me!===JACK:  Giving thanks ias not just for food.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  good prayer, Jack.  thanks.   btw,  a friend of mine also shares this illustration.  he says, you and i have never bought a loaf of bread in our lives!  the bread is actually free.  think about this:   we humans did not create the soil, the wheat seed, the rain, the sunshine, or the nutrients in the soil.  they are all free.  when we buy bread we are only paying for the LABORS of the farmer who sowed the seed and then harvested the wheat, the miller who baked the bread, and the grocer who sells the bread.  but the bread itself is free.   now pardon the pun,  but there is a grain of truth in that illustration.===JACK:  I guess that's the way it is with all things.  We've often sung a Table Prayer based on this Bible verse:  "All things come of thee, O God, and of thine own have we given thee." (1 Chron 29:14)===PAUL: I like it!   a friend of mine does not like the table prayer,  Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.etc.   rather the believes that Jesus is the host of every meal and the provider too.   so the prayer should be about our coming to the table to acknowledge Jesus the the One who has made it ALL possible.   something to think about..===JACK:  As to "Come, Lord Jesus".... Picky, Picky!

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  Happy Thanksgiving, Jack.  You are one of the the things I’m thankful for!===JACK:  We each have our many blessing to count...and you're on my list, too.

FROM PROUD MARY:  Sounds like an homage to all immigrants...past and present...working for a greater world. I am so thankful.===JACK:  Immigrants, past and present, don't always have nice stories to tell.  "We can't help all," but that doesn't mean that we can't help some!

FROM KLaM;  Happy thanksgiving.  Thanks for sharing your words.  Really enjoy them. ===JACK:   I'm thankful for my many WWs' friends...and some of them are even on my daily Prayer List.

FROM JLF:  That’s nice, is that our prayer for tomorrow?===JACK:  If so, would you like to be the one praying it?

FROM JE:  May God hold you in the Palm of His Hands.  I am thinking of you and wishing you peace and a Happy Thanksgiving.===JACK:  There's a song..."He's got the whole world in his hands."  One verse goes..."He's got you and me in his hands."  What a comforting thought!

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS:  This is a wonderful prayer.  Thanks===JACK:  I especially like the line, "for the hand that made the hands."

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Very nice! Have a fabulous family Thanksgiving!! We'll be in Chicago with extended family, usually the only time all year we ALL get together! I bring lots of hamballs and some pies.===JACK: How about the days when everybody came over to your house?  Unbelievable! And FUN===OAKS:  Did it for many years, the last few with twin Jan's co-host at our Lake Home.
WE'd have 45-60; quite a gathering! And yes Fun. Always the Turkey Bowl Football game with everyone from 3-73! :-) Cards, games and GOOD FOOD!  Those were the days, my friend, but they have come to an end, to paraphrase a pop song!

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  Happy Thanksgiving!  Thinking of you today and thanking God for all that you mean to me.===JACK:  Thanks for the nice greeting.  Do the English have any day similar to Thanksgiving Day?  I know that they celebrate special days that are different from the Americans, like Guy Fawkes Night and Boxing Day. ===BS:   No!  We really don't  have any day similar when we get together with family, eat and give thanks for each other.  I wish we did.