Jack’s Winning Words 1/15/19
“Forever is composed of nows.”  (Emily Dickinson)  In my home there’s a grandfather clock that goes…tick tock, tick tock…each tick and tock representing the passing of time, a collection of nows, as Emily calls them.  31,536,000 seconds in a year… and only God can count the seconds in forever.  ;-)  Jack

FROM TAMPA SHIRL  Time flies as we are living our lives!===JACK:  Almost 74 years since we were classmates at MHS.  Lots of water under the bridge....===SHIRL:  WOWI! Where have all those years gone? We are all still here for a reason

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Ah, one of my top 5 poets.  Helen Hayes played Emily in a one person play at the Fisher Theatre.  It was absolutely awesome.  I got a book of her poems when I was very young.  Now is the time...it will be too late later.     Our grandfather clock was destroyed in our Great Flood and never replaced.  I do miss it.  I bought it for Gary on our 10th anniversary out of grocery money I saved.  I made payments until I had it paid off.  Wow, that was 30 years ago.  How time flies.  Anyway, every minute is precious and should be lived to the fullest...just like Emily says!  Have a special day today!===JACK:  I wonder what poets "today's generation" will remember and quote,?  Eminem. Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Ice Cube?  Which one of those is your favorite?  ===JUDY:  Well, none of the above.  While I do think they are all talented, I really don’t care for their poems.===JACK:  You'd probably like The Beastie Boys, known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

FROM SHALOM JAN:  Ii love this idea, especially in times of trouble such as now with the federal government shut down.  Luther said, "How soon 'not now' becomes never".  Now is the time when strangers are helping strangers (in storms, in food pantries for those without paychecks, in local banks saying they'll defer mortgage payments) and now is the opportunity to be of service..  Thanks, Jack!  ===JACK:  There's an old saying..."This, too, will pass."  That "thought" applies to situations and to people, too.  God is forever.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  God's realm is by definition outside of the space/time continuum.... therefore, "forever" does not translate to that situation.....leaves us helpless to explain the whole business of God "breaking into" our world....e.g.   the Word became flesh and dwelt among us".....even Augustine couldn't peel through that one....if he couldn't, where does that leave me??? ===JACK:  Wasn't it Luther who said that when he came to a portion of the Bible that he didn't understand, he'd just tip his hat and move on to something else?  I do that with trying to understand space/time continuum.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  My class of '48, MHS, celebrated our 70th class reunion at a luncheon in MOline in September. Suppose it might be our last...unless some hale and hearty member plans
another one. We've met every 5 yrs. since graduation; used' to be a 3 day event! I too, have a grandfather clock that Bill made for my Christmas present one year. Beautiful and much cherished! The years seem to unroll faster and faster in our old age! I  try to take advantage of every
"now", as long as health and strength hold out! Life is really precious! Good quote by Emily D. today. I would have LOVED to see that one woman show  of her poetry!===JACK:  As the events of life come upon us (especially the unexpected ones)  we begin to appreciate the "nows" more and more.