*Jack’s Winning Words 4/13/22

“Everything happens at a perfect time, man.  You may not realize it.  But now I do.”  (Ty Dolla $ign)   The biblical book, Ecclesiastes, says that everything happens at an appropriate time  “  ..a time to laugh and a time to cry, to live and to die, to keep and to throw away.”  Like it or not, time is in the hands of God.  We may not understand, but “ultimately” it is good.  It is good to pray: “Thy will be done on Earth.”  As yet, I haven’t found time to listen to Dolla $ign’s music, but maybe you have.  We each find time for the people and things we like.  Are you one who believes that  there’s a perfect time for everything?  ;-)  Jack    

FROM HY YO SILVER:  My favorite book of the biblical canon.===JACK:  I also like Jeremiah.  I thought that you might choose, Ruth. 

FROM HONEST JOHN:  Augustine said that he knew what time was…until he was asked….is time built into the creation…..relativity challenges that….just “what is time?”===JACK:  We have a hard understanding a w2orld that is timeless.  Pi should have an ending.  Nothing is infinite, until we begin to think about God.  I once preached a sermon...WHY GOD DOESN'T WEAR A WRISTWATCH.

FROM LS IN WB:  Yes I am.  I find it a beautiful challenge to actually live life, all knowing,  that this is true.  For me, the challenge is living my belief that everything happens at a perfect time.  For then, and only then, am I at peace  ===JACK:  There's poem (turned into a hymn) - "Our times are in thy hand, O Lord.  We wish them ther etc."

FROM JJ IN SJ:      For me, when I think about, "God's will be done", it's a bit hard to distinguish God's will from my own. Perhaps a greater diligence to the study of God's word would be a suggestion.  However, through the ages there has been very broad interpretation, has there not?  The persecution of Native American children comes to mind but there are a few others.  The righteousness of it all. ===JACK:  The Lord's Prayer petition ( in its completeness) is, "Thy will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven (perfection).  Or...Thy will (not my will) be done.  But, if possible, May your will be as my will.  Somewhere among my books, I have one...The Will of God by Leslie Weatherhead.  If I can find it I'll bring it to

FROM BB IN CHGO:  I think his music is kind of typical rap.  I have to look in the website “Genius lyrics” or “Rap Genius” to understand not only the words but their meetings.  This one is about the Rams beating the Bengals in the superbowl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_yb4XnQHcw

 This one is about a broken relationship.  If you listen a minute and then click the next link with the lyrics you’ll see a highlight where he says You Say “when I bleed” and I said “we all be loved or friends”  If you click t e highlight a new pop up comes up which is an annotation reading, “ He actually says, “What are we? I said Home, lover, friends” which is the exact same thing he says in a later verse.  He is referring to a song from r. Kelly’s 1993 album, 12 Play and is referenced frequently in pop culture.  Home lover friends is a type of friends with benefits, which is why she would be upset and say “put some respect on my name”. Is that more confusing or does it make sense.  Connor & Angelique explained to me that while we may often look at rap as guttural or simple, it typically has many layers of meanings and is self-referential so, unless you know the other artists they are lauding or criticizing or fighting about, you don’t get the meaning or understand the joke.  The Rap Genius website allows outsiders to comment on these various levels of meanings so we, the uninitiated can understand a bit better.  If you have time one day, look at the Genius for any song from the Musical “Hamilton”.  Lin Manuel’s lyrics are riddled with double-entendre and layered meanings and historic references that are really interesting to my mind.   Have a great day. ===JACK:  Some of us are concerned about "the shape" of the post-pandemic Church.  We might want to have young people explain it to us.  What does it mean when they say, "I'm spiritual, but not religious."?