Jack’s Winning Words  4/20/22 “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”  (Ralph Waldo Emerson)  No wonder Emerson wanted to escape to the quiet of Walden Pond.  It was a hectic America in the early 1800s.  Tuberculosis was rampant.  Millions of immigrants were coming.  Factory smoking smokestacks in RWE’s area were growing like weeds.  A division between North and South was widening.  “Give me some peace and quiet!”  Ah! There was “The Pond!”  …a place of escape.  Do you have a Walden?  A place to get away from it all?  A place where you can just be yourself…and not be what the TV wants to make you?  ;-)  Jack    FROM THE NOVA SCOTIA FISH:  our barrel by our pond--the Bay of Fundy, saltwater to the horizon from our perch 200' up===JACK:  What fun it would be to see those B of F tides come in and go out.  Is there Heaven in Earth? FROM HONEST JOHN:  I believe you are thinking of Thoreau.   Emerson was a very worldly person…lived in Concord, Mass……travelled extensively through the country….pushed his “Transcendentalism”===JACK:  Emerson lived at Walden Pond for two years.  Those twqo guys seemed to be buddies. FROM WILLMAR REV:  (v) There is a place of quiet rest, Near to the heart of God, A place where sin cannot molest, Near to the heart of God.  (v) There is a place of comfort sweet, Near to the heart of God, A place we our Savior meet, Near to the heart of God.  (v) There is a place of full release, Near to the heart of God. A place where all is joy and peace, Near to the heart of God.  (Chorus) O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God, Hold us who wait before Thee Near to the heart of God.  0;-)   ===JACK:  Even though it's not in the Lutheran Hymnal, I know that song, having sung it in Sunday School.  You ought to make a CD of you singing those old Gospel choruses. FROM SHALOM JAN:  Best decision of the past 15 years was to get rid of TV.  I have never regretted that decision.  When I want to learn about something, I just get into it on my computer -- when I want to.===JACK:  Ohhhh! You've found your Waldon Pond.  Good for you.  But, how do you know what is the best medicine that you should be taking and what beer to be drinking?===SJ:  Haha, thanks!  Most of my beer is NA, and I just read an article about a brand that is MADE to be NA, instead of just having the alcohol removed from the formula.  Mmmm!  I believe it's also a Michigan product -- even better reason to look for it.===JACK:  During the pandemic we've been using little sealed cup containing non-alcoholic grape juice.  Does that count as Holy Communion? FROM ER:  Naples Beach is my Walden Pond. I found myself, and built up my inner strength, there. As you are well aware, I was very fortunate to have the gift of very little responsibilities while I sat for hours on my "Walden" beach. I felt the healing serenity of my beach the moment my toes sunk into the sand when I was there a month ago. Naples beach will always be special for me.===JACK:  I visited Naples once...downtown, but not the beach.  So, I missed Walden Pond.  I have yet to discover "my pond," but it must be out there, somewhere.