Jack’s Winning Words 2/3/21

“Surprise!  Surprise!  Surprise! (Gomer Pyle)  I was surprised to read that Lady GaGa and Nabisco have introduced a Lady GaGa Oreo cookie, inspired by her album, Chromatics (pink and golden on the outside filled with green crème).  I’m a fan of the regular Oreo, but because I like GaGa, I hope to be surprised by this new cookie.  What surprises have you had in your life? Good or bad…most are temporary.  I hope today holds some good, long-lasting surprises for you.  ;-)  Jack

FROM WILLMAR REV:   A young couple (boy and girl friends, 24 & 22 years of age) on their way to Colorado were hit and killed in an automobile accident out in western Nebraska. One lived 40 miles from Willmar to the east and the other 30 miles to the north.  A decision was made to have their memorial services together A larger church facility was needed to facilitate their request and still meet the pandemic requirements of 50% capacity only. Our church was asked, being qualified and placed toward the center of the distances between both home towns.This Sunday afternoon I will have an opportunity to represent and host a church full of memorial guest mourning the unexpected deaths of these two very special loved ones, many if not all experiencing our local church facility and its hosting ministry for the first time. I have been asked to share the platform with the young man’s pastor of a Christian Reformed Church by welcoming everyone, perhaps leading in the singing of the hymns and whatever the guest minister might ask of me. We are providing the sound tech, accompanist and placements for personal pictures and selected memorabilia from the two families. For sure, mingling with our guest pre and post service will be a definite Christlike ministry opportunity.  “Surprise! Surprise!” It unfortunately is! ===JACK:  The hearers need words of comfort and hope and I'm sure that God will give you the right words of inspiration.  They need a pastor...and you are in the right place at the rigtht5 t5ime.  ...and that's no surprise to me.

FROM FACEBGOOK LIZ:  afraid to ask what it tastes like. let’s hope gwyneth paltrow is not next...JACK:  Enough of those  "fake" Oreos.  Just give me the chocolate ones filled with white frosting===LIZ:  .👍🏻 preach it!  but have you tried the thin ones? thin mint are pretty good, and i also like double stuff===JACK:   I like the Girl Scout Thin Mints.  I haven't tried any of the ersatz Oreos.

FROM DM IN LIV:  And I hope the same for you!  I love surprises. 😊===JACK:  There are good surprise3, and there are bad.  I like the good ones and tolerate the bad ones.

FROM AP IN WB:  This morning you made me stop to think about 'impressions'. Lady Gaga was just a name to me until she found a workplace with C's company in Chicago for a couple of weeks. Gaga arrived each day with her bodyguards and treated the staff with disdain and rudeness, not a 'Lady' at all. So I had to push past that knowledge when I heard her sing the national anthem on January 20th and really liked her rendition of it. But C will always remember the person she had to work with. Sometimes better to keep the cloak of beauty concealing what's inside.  It's cold here and getting colder. Not yet Minnesota cold, though.  Stay well. G and I are nearing our 2nd vaccine shots this week. Yay!===JACK:  From what I've read, Gaga was treated with disdain by her classmates, and that why she created the "Gaga" character.  Kind of a "I'll show you."  It's too bad that it seems as though she still has that chip on her shoulder.  "We are what we were!"  I understand that she does a lot of chaitable work, but who knows?  I read it on the 'net.  Re: vaccinations...  It's seems as if we're finally on the right track with getting people vaccinated.  We'll be back in Michigan next week and will get out shots

 then.

FROM JU IN NC:  God is so good to me.  I would be surprised if I wasn't surprised.  Please stay warm and safe during the upcoming cold spell 🙂 ===JACK:  God said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."  Sometimes we need to be reminded that He is with us ALWAYS!"  ...in, MN, FL, or NC, in the cold, in the hot and in the warm.

FROM BLAZING OPAKS:  Surprised as a young pastor's wife, and mother of 4 , to be asked to represent The Great Rivers Am Baptist Convention (IL/MO) on an all expense paid tour of Democratic  Republic of Congo Mission Fields, with other delegates from across USA..  Thankfully our church raised funds for Bill to participate  on the tour with me!! It was  3 weeks that changed our lives!!  We also were enriched to see the Oberamergau Passion play in Germany; (1970) as part of that trip!! AWESOME!!  Thankful for grandparents who cared for our children during that extended trip,also.  I gave many mission presentations to GR Baptist churches,  telling of our work in Congo and raising ===JACK:  What a pleasant surprise and life=changing experience@!  The opportunity to share with others what you and seen and learned was also a benefit.

FROM MA-LINDA:  My big surprise this past Christmas was your Christmas card!! It still makes me smile when I think of it.===JACK:  We're already working on next year's card.  Got vaccinate3d today, with 2nd shot March 4.  Back to Michigan sometime after that.  Hope to see you then.