Jack’s Winning Words 5/17/21

“Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge; others just gargle.”  (Robert Anthony)  The “Fountain of Knowledge” is not necessarily a place.  It can be a place, a person, or an event that makes you “smarter” than you were before you first visited there.  I remember my first Winning Words…”Virtue is learned at mother’s knee; vice is learned at other joints.”  In the rearview mirror, where was it that you were able to “drink in” knowledge?  I think that I was just gargling before I started to connect philosophy and religion in college.  ;-)  Jack

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  The today’s world of rampant misinformation and even disinformation, there are other fountains to drink from and many have chosen those founts of “knowledge”.  It is disturbing to think that there are forces (nations) at work trying to feed us bad information and conspiracy theories as a means of causing confusion and chaos, thus weakening us as an adversary. Yet sufficient evidence exists that Russia, China and Iran, just to name a few, have state sponsored disinformation campaigns under way all of the time aimed primarily at the United States. Their constant efforts at fomenting unrest have been more successful than they probably hoped and more effective than we may have believed was possible. These disinformation spreaders have even succeeded recently is stirring up trouble for the very people who have dedicated themselves to the truth – the fact checkers. The fact that they can have their toadies in America proposing laws that would hinder the efforts to check for the truth is truly disturbing, yet we have bills being introduced in our own state legislature designed to make checking on the fact and presenting the truth harder. It is ironic that the argument for these laws is that facts interfere with the “rights” of the spreaders of misinformation to free speech – to be free to spread lies without being confronted with the truth. Yet that is the defense of their actions. Those same people would stifle or hinder the rights of the fact checkers to refute those lies.===JACk:  Discernment is an interesting word.  But I guess discernment is effective, depending on what we hear and read...and the teachers we've had.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Thinking of a song again when ready this morning's post-- "Dwelling in Beulah Land"  Far away the noise of strife upon my ear is falling, Then I know the sins of earth beset on every hand; Doubt and fear and things of earth in vain to me are calling, None of these shall move me from Beulah Land. [Refrain]: I’m living on the mountain, underneath a cloudless sky; I’m drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry; O yes! I’m feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply, For I am dwelling in Beulah Land.===JACK:  I like that song (even tho it's not in the Lutheran Hymnal).  I once "did" a  funeral for a family I didn't know.  The deceased name was, Beulah, so I gave the background of the name, and how beautiful it was to be called, "Beulah."  It was one of those times when I thought that the sermon really sank in.  Afterward people said that they never knew why she was named Beulah. 

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  did  you use Scope or Listerine?? ===JACK:  Do you know the hymn, "Breathe on me breath of God?" 

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I had some erudite teachers in M.H.S. that instilled the love of knowledge in me: Fanny Entriken, Barbara Garst,and a heavey=set literature/ language  arts teacher whose name I can't bring forward right now, were excellent at making us think to the next level, a little deeper, more  profound!  And Margaret Becker who encouraged me and inspired me to want to teach music as a profession !  In college of course there were also several professors who encouraged deeper reading and a sense of curiosity to pursue  Knowledge on our own !  Very ;fortunate to  have these educators, and two pastors who also inspired our religious training and led us to community service; Dr Ray Honeywell (Mehodist) and DR. Frederick Brink (Congregational),.Lucky me! ===JACK:  I had some good MHS teachers, but didn't take full advantage of them, altho Carl Eckblad was good, the Civics teacher, Roger Potter taught me to be meticulous in bookkeeping...and the drafting teacher prepared me for my first job...but it was the Tillberg family that led me to the ministry.  At college, it was George Arbaugh...Naiseth...Ander...and God who shaped me.  Lucky me, too.