Jack’s Winning Words 10/31/19 “I’ve learned that there are 3 things never to discuss with people: religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin.”  (Linus)  I really miss Charles Schulz…but we do have his classic reruns like:  The Great Pumpkin.  For me, it’s a story about faith, my faith.  I wonder if my religious beliefs are like Linus’s…believing without proof?  Is faith really like that…a feeling of being in touch with  a world beyond the here and now?  Faith isn’t faith if we have all of the answers.   ;-)  Jack     FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i heard of this acronym some years ago.   FAITH     Forsaking All,  I Take Him.   a little corny perhaps  but still, words full of hope and promise.   i also think of faith something like the old Groucho Marx show,  You Be Your Life!   and we do, literally... ===JACK:  That FAITH acrostic is something I learned long ago in Luther League...and Groucho is one of my favorite theologians. FROM WALMART REV:  Interesting to hear the descriptive answers of ones “higher power” at the AA meetings every 18 weeks when I share on the topic of “Spirituality”. I use the old televised short film, “Packy”, with Bob Newhart and Jack Klugman for a starter preceding the presentation and beginning with the thought, none of us chose to be born, our name and nationality, whether being a male or female or the environment we began with. We can chose though how to work with that to the best of our ability, as AA did in their beginning, recognizing the need of a higher power?!  0;-)===JACK:  Curious...Do you have to be a recovering alcoholic to participate in AA?  Also...I have no problem referring to God as "A Higher Power."  Whatever describes him/her....===REV:  I’m sure a “recovering alcoholic” would carry stronger credibility...Of course I’m not nor are those psychologists and psychiatrists necessarily with the clinic dealing with court-ordered attendees.  “Whatever describes him, her or it...” 0;-))===JACK:  I was just curious about "the rules."  FROM HONEST JOHN:  Our faith is anchored in an historical person...not an unseen pumpkin ===JACK:  Isn't the historical person the incarnation of the unseen?===HJ:  Yes.   That is the point.   Our Lord is not amongst the unseen....very much an historical person...Not an unseen Great Pumpkin. FROM SHALOM JAN: Amen, Jack!  Faith is trust beyond certainty.  :-)===JACK:  Faith without faith is no faith! FROM TL:  My family raises their brow at my love for the Charlie Brown stories.  And it never occurred to me why The Great Pumpkin is my favorite, until now.  Thanks for connecting the lines and letting me know it’s OK to be in touch with a world beyond the here and now. Thanks again for your daily inspirations.  You intercept the rat race with intention, purpose and great meaning.===JACK:  What's wrong with seeing God as a pumpkin?  The omnipotent God can be anything he/she chooses to be.   FROM DS IN SOCAL:  I really like the last sentence:  "Faith isn't faith if we have all of the answers."  In my bible study group, there always seems to be one or two guys that "have all the answers".  I know I don't.  I question so many things I  hope God doesn't hold it against me. Best to you always, my friend===JACK:  Don't let those who "know all of the answers" make you feel guilty.  Be on guard!