Jack’s Winning Words 11/13/20

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future.”  (Unknown) Here are some song lyrics by Kurt Kaiser that have helped me when I wonder about the future.
“Why not try to do this when you wake up at night  Troubles race into your mind and sleep becomes a fight  Try this simple method and you soon will gain control  Sleep will quickly come again and calm come o'er your soul.
Thank you Lord for hearing me  Thank you Lord for knowing who I am  Thank you Lord for seeing me
It's so easy to get lost these days  In the shuffle and the noise.”

FROM JE AT WLCCSD:  Thank you so much for today’s WW and the daily WW. It is unsettling not knowing what the future holds. Faith, and WW, keeps me going. I hope you are staying safe. As Thanksgiving approaches, know I am thankful for YOU and WW and having had the opportunity to witness your faithfulness to friends, family and community.  Have a beautiful day.===JACK:    I know that you've got a lot on your plate...and not just for Thanksgiving Day.  Best wishes and God's blessing be with you.

FROM ER IN NFL:  It's very interesting to me that you chose this quote. I had found it, and wrote it down, to place by my work computer. See attached.  I appreciate your solution to middle of the night insomnia. I can't wait to give it a try. I will say that I have chatted with God many times just prior to falling asleep to try to calm mind.===JACK:  I am a private person and tend to share "myself" with peopl who can benefit from what I have experienced. 

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/12/20

“Don’t tell me what you believe in; I’ll observe how you behave and make my own determination.”  (Alex Trebek)  My view of TV’s Jeopardy’s host have changed through the years.  I’ve always admired his intellect, but at times have considered him to be a pedant.  His bout with cancer has shown me a human Alex.  Raised as a Catholic, he was taught to pray.  He says that it’s hard being positive all of the time, but he believes that “a Higher Power” hears our prayers.  “Rest in Peace, Alex!”

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Alex will be missed. A real gentleman.  My wife and I when schedule allowed always tuned in===JACK:  A "real" gentleman is hard to find these days.

FROM ME IN NEWPORT BEACH:  thank you for teaching me a new word today. Pedant. I never knew what it meant. While it is early, I am sending you my first holiday greeting.===JACK:  Pedant has been part of my vocabulary ever since I began walking to work with one when I was just out of high school.  "He" knew all of the answers and wasn't shy about telling me so. 

FROM PM:  I had to look up what the word pedant meant!  I’ve often tried to find a word to describe someone just like this and you introduced it to me. Thanks!  I hope you are well and healthy. Thanks for continuing to send these. :)===JACK:  I am doing well (for my age) and look forward to discovering new quotes and writing about them.  I also like the back and forth with the blog

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Nice; thank you for the tribute.  He will be missed by many.===JACK:  I'd just as soon that they try not to replicate the program...something similar, but not the same.  It's like a congregation trying to fit the "new" pastor into the "old" pastor's image.  It doesn't work...most of the time..

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I truly admired him, and loved the show. A friend who was a contestant said he did sometimes flub a pronunciation, etc. and they had to do "retakes" to make it right, but you'd never guess that watching the smooth running of the show, as aired! He was so fluent in French, too, I guess because his mother spoke French in Canada. But he had class, and it was courageous of him to share his cancer experience with his viewers! I also appreciated how loving and positive he was in comments about his wife, always!  He will be very hard to replace on Jeopardy. I hope the show does continue!!===JACK:  I was hoping for some comment on his quote and my explanation of it.  It seems as tho people just wanted to give tribute.  That'S OK.

FROM CHIEF FITZ:  Thanks Jack, I learned a new word today because of Winning Words.  And RIP Alex.===JACK:  It's always a good day when we learn something new.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  could you put that in the form of a question?:):):)===JACK:  Is "A Higher Power the same as God?"

FROM DAZ IN CO:  Alex was certainly the king of hosts for quiz shows or any type of tv show. I admired the way he could handle any situation with dignity.

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/11/20

“We must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”  (JFK)  One of the great things being done for veterans are the Honor Flights, allowing “old soldiers” to experience the various memorials in our nation’s Capital that honor those who have served, suffered and died fighting to protect our freedoms.  A high tribute to veterans is to live today as proud Americans.  Enough rancour…More appreciation for what we have.  ;-) Jack

FROM RS IN TEXAS:    The older you get, the more you learn (hopefully).===JACK:  Not necessarily.  You often get more set in your ways.   ...but not me.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Today is Veterans Day in America. I wondered this morning what percentage of the U. S. population actually have served in the military, whether in combat or peacetime. Google that and you will get many different answers from various sources (depending upon the date of the information) that average out at about 7% of the population. Less than 1 % of the current American population is currently on active duty somewhere in the world.  I’ve posted here before that I served in the Army in both the Middle East (Iran) and Viet Nam. In normal (non-COVID) years, I march in the Memorial Day Parade. That parade, like all other big events was cancelled this year. The Memorial Day parade organizers arrange groups by the wars in which they fought. The lead group, which has diminished greatly over the last few year is the WWII group, followed by the Korean War Group. Our Viet Nam War group is the third group and usually the largest group. The various Middle Eastern and Gulf Wars groups follow us with a small group for the Invasion of Granada in between. The Memorial Day Parade is Milford’s biggest parade, both in terms of the length and number of participants in the parade and the number of people who turn out to see the parade. People literally line the parade route from the VFW Hall on W. Commerce Rd all the way through the downtown to Central Park. The crowd of several thousand is usually several people deep. It is heartwarming to hear the constant applause of the crowd and the shouts of “thank you for your service”. We in the Viet Nam contingent did not get that type of welcome when we returned home back then.===JACK:  As a child I have faint memories of seeing old Civil War veterans, Spanish-American War vets and WW 1 vets in parades.  How about that?

FROM HONEST JOHN:  My brother in law went on one for Korean War veterans....loved it....also got a trip back there....had served there for three years===JACK:  "Hats off" to your brother and others like him.  I know of a Nam-Vet who had intense anger because of the way America treated him because of his service in that war.  It did not dissapate until after he took and Honor Flight to the  V-N Memorial.  General Sherman once gave his famous "War id Hell!" speech on the grounds of the Michigan Military Academy at Orchard Lake.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Timely

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Those Honor flights are SO appreciated by all veterans I know who have taken them! What a great idea!~! I wish Bill had lived to experience one, but we did visit Arlington, and the memorials at one time together. The Korean one was not done, at that time..===JACK:  Arlington is an experience all by itself...as is any military cemetery..

 JJack’s Winning Words 11/10/20

“Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes into hours?”  (Gordon Lightfoot, from The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald song)  Are you one who wonders where God has gone when there are tragedies?  45 years ago the Edmund Fitzgerald sank with all hands lost during a Lake Superior storm.  The Bible has stories of similar tragedies.  “Why, God?  Why?”  The tendency to blame God for being absent during life storms is nothing new. What helps you maintain faith in God during the hard times?  ;-)  Jack

FROM CCS:  My favorite ballad of all time.===JACK:  From all to choose from...that's saying a lot.  Now, I'm curious about the word, ballad.===CCS:  Ballad — “A poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas”  I like this Ballad I think because it happened here in our home on one of our Lakes - also when you stand in the shore of Lake Superior you can “feel” this song and the story.  Maybe it happened at a vulnerable time in my life as well...===JACK:  Thanks for being "My Google."  .

FROM BLAZZING OAKS:  I ponder that, when reading of the horrible human trafficking stories, which our AB Women have worked to help for the past several years....where is God amid such brutal happenings??!  I have to make peace with the fact that God endowed us with free will, and many choose to do evil things!  We cannot know the mind of God or why some things seem the antithesis of a loving God. We CAN be the voice of love and the hands and feet of compassion where we can make a difference!===JACK:  With "free will" comes a mind to help us decide what to do.  YOU can't do everything, but you can do some thing...and I'd say that you're certainly doing things that are worthwhile.  "Hats off!  Hats off! to Marilyn."

FROM KRISD:  Great words!  I hear a lot of people questioning God's presence during illness and death.  Having terminal cancer has been a spiritual journey... especially when those who pray for a miracle that doesn't come.  Why did God not answer the prayer.  I believe that it's possible that answering that prayer may interfere with His path to our salvation.  I want to tell you that you have been a big spiritual Inspiration in my life.  I appreciate all of the time and effort you put into me during my crazy teen years.  You are truly a blessing to my family.===JACK:  How great to hear from you!  In fact, YOU made my day.  Yes, I've prayed for miracles, too...and it seems as tho God has not heard.  I've also prayed more often, "Thy will be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven.  Ultimately I'm going to choose God's plan over my plan.  Continue to be in touch!

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i have done a lot of reading on the sinking of the "Fitz".  it's still something of a mystery as to what actually happened.  at least 2 if not 3 credible theories. ===JACK:  I suppose that we'll never know the whole story...but the "bottom line" is that the winds of November can be fierce...just as the winds of life can be fierce, too.  The Bible has  several stories about how God never leaves us, no matter the winds nor the waves.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  The Gordon Lightfoot song paid homage to the tragic sinking of the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior during a storm, but the sentiment of God somehow abandoning us in our times of need is the focus of that line. The real question, in my mind, is who abandoned whom in those times? Does God in fact let us down and leave us hanging out to suffer; or, did we wander away from our faith in God during those times?  It is so much easier to put your trust in faith in God during good times or times when there is no emergency or threat. It feels good to thank God for our good fortune; for being there with us or maybe just protecting us from making a mistake. But what if that mistake happened or we suffered an injury or maybe a loss. Why do we immediately think that God must have abandoned us?  God never promised us a life without setbacks. Indeed, He even said that our lives will be full of event or tests of our faith in Him. He also promised to be there without and not to test us beyond our abilities – “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

FROM JACK:  I usually don't print a FULL sermon (AG or other) in Winning Words., but this one from my friend, WILLMAR REV is too good to keep just for me.  "SCREAMING AT GOD"  

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Made me think of a funeral and message I recently officiated for a young man of 31 years of age, well liked and was killed in an automobile roll over. I'll share a small portion with you, as it is titled, "Screams of Faith!"

If any of us has EVER SCREAMED AT GOD, OR if we have ever FELT LIKE SCREAMING BUT DID NOT QUITE DARE, this is the message for us. What we need to know is this: Sometimes it is OKAY TO “SCREAM AT GOD.” We can even TAKE GOD’S WORD, as found in our Bibles, FOR IT! The longest book in the Bible is a collection of model prayers-- the book of PSALMS. When we listen to these model prayers, we hear many different things. As we would expect in a “prayer book”, WE HEAR some ENTHUSIASTIC PRAYERS OF PRAISE and THANKSGIVING. BUT that is not all we hear, as we ALSO hear PROTESTS, GROANS and yes, EVEN SCREAMS. Some of us have the idea that we must be very careful, very polite, very flattering when we talk to God; but in the Bible we find people who protest to God, who cry out to Him, who definitely “scream” at Him.

Take PSALM 44, FOR EXAMPLE. It begins by saying, “O God, we have heard it with our own ears—our ancestors have told us of all You did in their day, in days long ago” (Psalm 44:1 NLT) SOUNDS OKAY SO FAR. This person has faith; he believes the stories about the great things God did in the past. BUT here is the problem: LATELY THINGS HAVE TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE. God has allowed His people to be crushed by a foreign army, for no apparent reason. “All this happened,” cries the Psalmist, “We have not violated your covenant” (Psalm 44:17 NLT). The PEOPLE HAVE NOT LEFT GOD, BUT HE SEEMS TO HAVE LEFT THEM. PSALM 44 ENDS WITH THESE DESPERATE and startling WORDS: “Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever. Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression? We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt. Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of Your unfailing love” (Psalm 44:23 26 NLT).

You might say, HOW CAN ANYONE TALK TO GOD LIKE THAT? It sounds almost like a “shout of unbelief”. It certainly is NOT THE NICE, PIOUS PRAYER of a well-dressed churchgoer who calmly folds his hands, smiles happily at God, and proceeds to count his blessings. But IT IS STILL A “PRAYER OF FAITH”. The Psalmist clearly has faith that God is real. HE WOULD NOT BE SCREAMING AND COMPLAINING TO GOD, IF HE DID NOT BELIEVE THERE WAS A GOD TO SCREAM AT. THE VERY FACT that the writer of this Psalm DIRECTS HIS SCREAMS AT GOD MEANS THAT HE BELIEVES IN HIM. And he does not just believe that God exists. HE also BELIEVES THAT GOD IS A GOD WHO ACTS. 

Sometimes it is okay to scream at God. If we think that God's people should never scream, then take a closer look at the model prayers recorded in the Bible and listen to the Son of God Himself. PROBABLY “THE BEST-KNOWN SCREAM” in the book of Psalms is found at the beginning of PSALM 22: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?” GOD’S WORD SAYS THAT WHEN JESUS HUNG ON THE CROSS, enduring all the horror of this sin-shattered world, HE “CALLED OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 NLT). 

The BIBLE RESONATES WITH SCREAMS AND ANGUISHED QUESTIONS LIKE THAT AWFUL CRY OF JESUS; BUT ALSO REMEMBER that GOD'S GREAT PLAN IS LIKE “EMBROIDERY”  I END OUR TIME IN God’s Word of assurance this afternoon WITH THE WORD OF THE LORD: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve . . . to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3). Amen. 0;-) 

FROM LBP:  What else have we got in hard times, but faith? That song makes me think of my dad. It’s been ages since I’ve heard Gordon Lightfoot, but his sound is so distinctive to me. Dad plays it loudly and sings along.===JACK:  Yes, there are lots of would-be-Lightfoots out there (God luv 'em), but only one Gordon.

FROM ER IN NFL:  "Hope" is the thing with feathers-That perches in the soul-And sings the tune without the words-And never stops- at all-    You are "Hope" for many, many people. I would dare go so far as to say everyone you have touched in person and through your Winning Words. I would also wager that you are a symbol of hope and comfort to your terminally ill friends. Hope for an after life, and the comfort of a higher being to lead and care for them there.===JACK:  "It is not me; it is Christ who lives in me."  I can't remember the source of these words, but I apply them to myself.

  Jack’s Winning Words 11/9/20

“Let the healing begin.” (Joe Cocker song)  I’m impressed with how some of our popular song lyrics relate to the world in which we live.  If there’s a time for America to take a breather, it’s now.  We need to begin to work together to ease hate…to join in fighting the Virus.   Healing begins with our legislators, but the real work is ours.  Maybe, instead of a Red or Blue yard sign, someone designs one saying, Let the healing begin!  ;-)  Jack

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  If there was such a yard sign, I'd display it!  I hope the disappointed Trumpers will also make an effort; Tho some still maintain he will be the winner, after all the "fraud' is investigated....(Here in Springfield, anyway...). We are so deeply divided at this point, it is going to take time and patience to repair.  I never thought I'd see our nation in such straits!! But there are always hopeful signs, so we do what we can to mediate and love!!===JACK:  Divisions happen in families - even among churches.;  As a pastor I've tried to be a healer, knowing that some splits are beyond repair.  I may have given up mon the Lutherans getting together, but I have not given up on keeping the USA the united states.

FROM THE SHARK:  The one million dollar question is:  How do we work on healing and undoing racism at the same time?===JACK:  How about your "home" country?  How long have they been trying solve social/religious problems there?  I don't think that either of us will see the end of racism in our lifetime4.  But, that doesn't mean that we should stop trying.  In the USA it's less now than it was when I was growing up.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  tonite (TUESDAY) on PBS   8 p.m. the Rise of the Nazis:  how Germany went from a democracy in 1930 to a dictatorship 3 years later.  should be interesting viewing.  and perhaps timely as well.===JACK:  I guess that part of "healing" is to learn why some people believe as they do...and how one action can lead to a predictable reaction.

FROM MD IN BSFL:  I already see a softer tone from the New York Times. Actually  like reading it now. I enjoy spirited debate but no name calling. I will complain when Biden does something that I do not like but will not call him racist, socialist  etc. Kierkegaard said "Once you label me you negate me"===JACK:  Where did you hear about Soren K?  I thought that only philosophers and preachers studied him.===MD:   I think from my Jesuit education at U of D. Mandatory four classes in religion for graduation. Probably more recently from Victor Davis Hanson or Trey Gowdy.===JACK:  Ah, those Jesuits are good teachers!

FROM CZB:  How about a purple flag campaign that means let’s unite!? A UNITED states. ===JACK:  That probably only would create a 3rd group. 

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:   ain’t happening... civil war is on the horizon when trump wins again. ===JACK:  I remember what my mother said when I was a little kid...."That is never going to heal if youy keep picking at the scab>"  

FROM LBP:  The parenting advice I’ve heard a lot in the last decade is to dislike the action or behavior, not the person. The communication class I just took at work talked about watching the stories we tell ourselves and being aware of when we make someone the villain or hero. Then, when we have our own narrative in check, we look to be aware of the other person's story and potential characterizations so we can find a common starting point.===JACK:  ...and the healing begins!

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i fully agree but it is hard to agree when the President has no idea what that word means.   still, we must all do what we can===JACK:  I can see that there's lots of healing to be done in your mind.  The wounds are deep and painful.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  We’ve got to hear, “Hear Comes the Judge” by Pigman Markham and his verdict first...my memory is still in tact enough to remember the Bush, Gore and the media challenge! 0;-)===JACK:  Are you holding your breath?  I'm not.

FROM RS:  The profuse bleeding must be stopped before any healing can begin. What a mess. ===JACK:  I like it, because I know where you stand.  No wishy-washy. 

 

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/6/2020

“When all else is lost, the future still remains.”  (Christian Nestell Bovee)  There are many things on my mind with regard to the future – personally and with world in general.  When I was a teen someone taught me this phase – “I do not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”  I offer it to you for use when you are concerned about what’s happening in our country and you wonder about the things going on in your life.  ;-)  Jack

FROM MD IN BS:  First cup of coffee and a fresh danish. Would I trade for a different election result? No.===JACK:  ,,,and reading the morning Free Press.

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  From Subject Received Size Paul LIPSON Georgia and More 8:26 AM 2 MB===JACK:  Some of  those political cartoonists as able to "nail" it.  This one did.

FROM IN LIKE...: Thanks Jack, this is a very good message.===JACK:  When you live long enough you see that some things mean more than others, and some...less.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  One of my favorite songs throughout the years as well, written by Ira Stanphill (1950)--

I don't know about tomorrow

I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from it's sunshine
For it's skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I'll walk beside Him
For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand.
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.
I don't know about tomorrow
It may bring me poverty.
But the one who feeds the sparrow
Is the one who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood.
But His presence goes before me
And I'm covered with His blood.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand.
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.
And I know who holds my hand.

===JACK:  God has blessed you with multiple ways to get His message across.  Maybe that means you have to work harder than the rest of us,===REV:  Just an old gentleman like you, Jack, with the experience and blessing of being raised in church and Sunday School, and too His calling to keep that which we've experienced and learned, sharing it with others. Nice to have a pastoral friend of encouraged as Jack Freed too! 0;-) ===JACK:  Jesus gave out talents and would have the laborers use them as they were able.

FROM YOGI CA:  Thank you - love it!===JACK:  sometimes we have trouble putting things in perspective, and that keeps us from seeing the picture as it should be.

FROM SK IN SJ:   Thank you for those words of wisdom. We all don’t know what’s next for us, but we must trust the lord to lead the way. I feel in transition. Always praying for my next adventure. ===JACK:  I feel comforted to pray: "The will be done on earth (in my life) as it is in Heaven." ===SK:  But sometimes don’t you ust want to know more , like for me, what’s next?? I’m ready for a new adventure! So what is it?? ===JACK:  Personally, I'm enjoying life so much now...What could be better?  Heaven?  There's a song, "One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking of you.

FROM ER IN NF:  Are you shouting at me? Lol. Great message!! Enjoy your day with David and family.  Walk another hill!  ===JACK:  Ofentimes Winning Words serves as a mirror to my readers....and to me, too.

FROM BB IN CHGO:  I’ve always liked that phrase; thanks for bringing it back to mind.  “He’s got the whole world…in His hands” – those early childhood songs still remain.===JACK:  Maybe  I'm entering my 2nd childhood.

 

 

Jack’s Winning Words 11/6/2020

“When all else is lost, the future still remains.”  (Christian Nestell Bovee)  There are many things on my mind with regard to the future – personally and with world in general.  When I was a teen someone taught me this phase – “I do not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”  I offer it to you for use when you are concerned about what’s happening in our country and you wonder about the things going on in your life.  ;-)  Jack

 

Jack’s Winning Words 11/5/20

“Essentialism: the disciplined pursuit of less.”  (Greg McKeown)  I know several people who are minimalists when it comes to recycling - putting those tiny plastic bottle tops in the bin -  making pumpkin soup out of the Halloween Jack-o-Lantern and roasting the seeds for a snack.  I’m a “limited” minimalist…but at least I believe in essentialism.  I do have a recycling bin, and it’s emptied each week. It’s emptier now without the political ads. How’s your pursuit going?  ;-)  Jack  

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  i do the same as you..===JACK:  I could do better.  So, maybe I'll try harder...tomorrow..

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Recycling and composting....trying to do both as best we can.  Making sure all "electronic" waste doesn't go into the landfill, either.   We are fortunate to have a free dropoff facility about 20 minutes from the house for all "hazardous" waste. ===JACK:  I'm ready to drop off the political ads in the hazardous waste area.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Ours were separated into three containers earlier years gone by . . . now one large container with everything thrown in together. I guess I have just graduated into a minimalist! 0;-)===JACK:  It seems as tho your community is heading back to be a maximalist.  What's going on?

FROM J&S:  We have lots of ideas on how we’re trying to minimize! ===JACK:  ...and from what I hear, you're putting some of those ideas into reality.. The world needs MORE people such as you.

FROM TRIHARDER:  Like backpacking, bicycle riding. Less is more.===JACK:  Bikers and kiers know how to do more with less,

FROM MAIL,MAN MIKE:  Good one, Jack.  All one really needs is a begging bowl, a robe, a prayer mat, one meal a day, and a job at a recycling center.  How minimalist is that??===JACK:  ...and there are many people in the world who have a "job' like that.

 

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/4/20

“The only thing new in the world is the history you don’t know.”  (Harry Truman)  I cast my first vote for HarryTruman as President.  It was a BIG deal when he made a 1948 “whistle-stop speech” in our community.  Not many people know that he was well-versed in history, knowing that historians don’t always tell the whole story.  I wonder what story will be told of this year’s election?.  A friend of mine was a long-time impersonator of HST at the Truman Library. ;-)  Jack

> FISH IN NOVA SCOTIA:  My parents took me to the opening of the Truman Museum. We met him in the reception line, and he recognized my mother as a member of the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra, where he had front-row season tickets.===JACK:  That is amazing.  Your "home" certainly influenced you in many ways.  Truman's is the only Presidential one that I've visited.  I thin that the Obama one to be built on the Univ of Chicago will be awesome.

FROM YOGIB CA:  Right?  Would love to hear what history is told about this election in 100 years.===JACK:  Maybe i'm too cynical.  I suppose there won't be a museum.. Visitors will be able to listen to Tweets. 

FROM RS  IN TEXAS:  Time will tell what will be written - and how accurately - about this election.  For me the Presidential election was pretty simple....a choice between a political agenda/money and character/decency/honesty.  So far it's really disappointing that for almost half the population the former was more important than the latter.===JACK:  Each generation has its memories.  I'm glad that mine are of Truman (the minimalist) and not of Trump (the maximalist).===RS:  Don't remember Truman, but more and more Jimmy Carter is becoming my favorite because of the values he has.===JACK:  I wonder if that means that a person of values has a hard time being presidential?

FROM FLIGHT INSTR TOM:  Jack - I was in 1st grade and the entire school went down to the local railroad station for the train to stop by with President Truman.  Back then, as you know, they were called whistle stop tours.  Hope all is well.===JACK:  My first whistle-stop experience was Alf Landon from Kansans when he was running against FDR.  I still have a campaign button from that ...shaped as a sunflower.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I AM SO IMPRESSED, AFTER READING HIS BIOGRAPHY A FEW  YRS. aAGO WITH HIS INTEGRITY, AND 'PAYING HIS OWN WAY"  IN THE WHITE HOUSE. HE AND BESS KEPT TRACK OF EVERY PENNY SPENT, AND PD. FOR ALL THEIR GUESTS, ETC. ! UNHEARD OF TODAY!  HE WAS ADMIRABLE IN MANY WAYS! CROSSING MY FINGERS AS THIS VOTE COUNTING GOES ON AND ON...!===JACK:  Joan's mother would not vote for Truman because "he swore."  Trump would send her spinning in her grave, ===OAKS:   When someone asked Bess if she couldn't get him to stop saying "Manure", she replied, "Do you know how long it took to get him to say that instead of the other word for manure??!" Ha!===JACK:  I knew where you were heading with your response and kept looking ahead to see if you would "write" the other words.  As expected, you did n't.  Did you ever say it accidentally?

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i have been to the Truman Library in KC, MO.   it is very impressive!.   i learned a LOT that day.   every kid in America should be made to visit our presidential libraries.   they are just full of American history.  ===JACK:  "You can lead a horse to water, et."  I can't believe all of those Tr8ump voters never took a History or Civics class.

 

 

  

Jack’s Winning Words 11/3/20
“When you go to buy, use your eyes, not your ears.”  (Czech Proverb)  Today is election day, an end to all of the words and all of the faces of candidates.  It is now time for us to use our brains and mark our ballots.  One way or another, some will be disappointed and others will rejoice.  Hopefully, our country will be going back to being the “United” States of America.  Do you think that God cares about the election outcome?  I think He cares that we love one another as He loves us. ;-)  Jack

FROM SF IN FL:  Praying for good outcomes, both in the person elected and the behavior of the electorate. I am scared and shocked at the tactics of the current administration and his followers. People are dying and our grandchildren are witnessing a side of humanity that is appalling.===JACK:  When it comes to prayer, answers that I like inspire me.  Unanswered ones are a puzzle; tp me.  "Wait and see" are a frustration....but I still believe that conversation with  God is a good thing ( like the ones Tevye had)

FROM HUMBUG:  Yes, He calls us to be light in the world. Peace, John===JACK:  To be "the light of God to the world:...what can be greater than that?  So....no matter how the election turns out, We are God's light to the world.  Thanks for the positive thought.  

FROM SALON SUZY:  🇺🇸Amen!🇺🇸===JACK:  A saying that I remember..."There's so much bad in the best of us, and so much  good in the worst of us, that it behooves none of us to soeak ill of the rest of us,"

        

 

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/2/20

“Just because I can’t see it doesn’t mean I can’t believe it.”  (Jack Skellington)  Perhaps one reason for the spread of “the virus” is that we can’t see it; ergo, it doesn’t exist.  Think of things  invisible  that we DO believe in …Santa leaving presents on Christmas Eve…love between people…theologically, one attribute of God is that He’s invisible.  Our belief allows us to pray, although we don’t see.  Can you think of other instances of the power of the invisible?  ;-)  Jack

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/30/20

“Where there is no imagination there is no horror.”  (Arthur Conan Doyle)  Tomorrow’s Halloween, the scariest day of the year.  Spiders, black cats, ghouls...Oooooh!  For me, I don’t like fake vomit (or real, either).  It was suggested that my daughter change her address because it contained the numbers, 666.  The Hound of the Baskervilles, both as a book and a movie, really took hold of my imagination…a fake dog, but no fake fear.  What causes goose pimples for you?  ;-)  Jack  

FROM WILLMAR REV:  The first thought that crossed my mind this morning regarding "what causes goose pimples for you?" was delivering a death notification yesterday to a friend that his wife had purposely walked out in front of train a few hours previously. He and his wife are very close friends of mine for many years. She has always seemed to be a very positive person and in her late 60's; however, she had been suffering for over a year with dilapidating health problems.  0:-/===JACK:  NOW that even causes goose bumps for me.  When it comes to meeting people in their needs...Lutheran or AG?  It doesn't really matter, does it?  

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  getting out of the shower when the room temp is much too cool:):):)  ===JACK:  ...or, getting out of the shower and looking in the mirror.===SP:  that is when you are sooo  glad the mirror is all steamed over!  

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  There is an interesting, and one might say necessary, interplay between imagination and faith. Indeed faith cannot become strong in someone’s life without imagination. Religion is built upon things that we cannot physically see; rather we must believe and try to  imagine what God and Heaven and other major part of our religious beliefs must be like. That is both good and bad – good because our imagination allows us to wrap our heads around what would otherwise be enigmatic, but bad because it confines our understanding to the pitiful limitations of our own imaginations.  We are told that we will experience a peace in the afterlife that is beyond understanding and then we try to imagine what that must feel like. We are told that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in his Father’s hose, a place with many rooms and we imagine a giant Motel 6. We buy into the cartoon images of people with wings standing around talking to each other and the thought that we will again “see” everyone who has gone before us, as if we are at a vast family reunion.

FROM DR J:  I like that one. Autumn is my favorite time of the year!

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/29/20

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”  (Albert Camus)  Camus was a French philosopher and author.  The leaves this year have been particularly colorful.  “Autumn flowers” described them well.  I once saw a book of thoughtful sayings like:  God was having a good day when He created the rainbow.  God was having a great day, too, when He made the flowers and the Autumn leaves.  …and especially people.  Don’t think that beauty is onlyin the mirror.  ;-) Jack

FROM GUSTIE:  Brent’s daughter (my Carol’s age) is named Karma.===JACK:  Karma...a nice-sounding name.  There's usually "a story" behind why names are chosen.  Is there behind yours?  

FROM YOGI CA:  Love this !  My bday is in the fall so - i love the season.===JACK:  I love each of the seasons for the good things they bring with them.  There are bad things, too, if you want to concentrate of them.  I choose not to. 

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/28/20

“Karma is what happens to a person because they caused it by their actions.” (Free Encyclopedia)  “They had it coming!” is a very satisfying phrase.  One that you don’t hear often is, “They got their comeuppance.”  (Literally, it means to appear  before a judge, probably, God as Judge!.  Now, that’s really Karma!  On a more positive note…there can be Good Karma, too.    For example, Mother Teresa was named, a saint by her Church after a lifetime of service to the poorest of the poor. ;-)  Jack

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Lately we have been hiding from the Corona Virus mugger that is running rampant in our world ravaging those whom it has infected; however, there is no way to hide from the cat burglar of age that creeps up on all of us stealing yet another precious day from us each night. What we can do, all of us, is to steal a part of each day back from that burglar by getting the maximum value and enjoyment out of each day such that there is nothing to regret having done or not done as sleep casts it’s nightly veil over us. If we begin each day thankful for God having given us yet another opportunity, we should end each day thankful to God for having been with us as we had the experiences of living through it. We should pause to reflect on the people that we met the challenges that we overcame, the knowledge that we gained and the joys that we experienced. That moment of reflection and thankfulness serves to steal back the day and lock it in our memories in a way that even the cat burglar of age cannot take from us. The longer one lives the greater is the treasure that is stored in those memories. Age may steal our endurance and our strength, and bring with it aches and pains to remind us that it is there, but, for most, it cannot steal our memories and need not dull our minds.  It is easier to retain those memories is one starts the day in the right frame of mind. Perhaps you could start with a little prayer asking God to help you:  to be more open to new ideas and new people, to be more calm and thoughtful in the face of the day’s challenges,  to be more ready to listen and less ready to talk,  to be more understanding and less judgmental,  to strive to love thy neighbor as Jesus loves you.  If you actually lived the day with those thoughts in mind, I’ll bet that you will end the day with new treasures to add to your memories; memories that the cat burglar of age cannot take away from you.  Have a great and memorable day!===JACK:  Thanks for giving me something to chew on today.

FROM ER IN FL:  This is truly how I see the way you structure your life. You have told me that it makes you happy to give, and that you get back twofold. I would say that's pretty good Karma!  You make me want to be a better version of myself. Thank you for that. ===JACK:  KARMA!!!  Thanks

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/27/20

“While disease is a mugger, age is a cat burglar who steals but a single day each night, and the thief has learned patience.” (Madeline Albright)  I wish that I could write in Madeline’s descriptive way.  One of the elements of this writing is to get the reader to use their imagination.  While I was no Madeline, I enjoyed writing essays.  “Cat burglar” is certainly a descriptive term.  In the Bible, the story of Daniel in the lion’s den fascinates me.  What catches your attention?  ;-)  Jack  

FROM SF IN FL:  Awesome statement. I love steeping my mind in good writing!!!! When I can’t put a book down, I am in (one of) my happy places!!!===JACK:  Words can be similar to bricks that are used to construct a building.  A beautiful house or a beautiful story?  Madeline knows how to use words.

FROM WILLMAR REV: Remembering Sunday School, the paper cut outs of Biblical characters pasted upright in the shoebox and looking through the hole cut out at the very of the box while the teacher told the story!! I can still imagine most every Old Testament story that was made alive by the Sunday School teacher!! 0;-)===JACK:  I, too, learned Bible stories through pictures.  Every Week, in Sunday School, we received a leaflet with a picture on the front.  I especially remember the one with Daniel facing the lion in his den.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Certainly descriptive! I'm not all that conversant with her writing, unfortunately! I was so impressed with Jesus feeding the 5,000, with a few loaves and fish! And to have 12 baskets left over! WOW! Also when very small,,  the story of Noah and the Ark! : - )===JACK:  The more I read of her writings, the more I'm impressed by her.  She was a masterful Secretary of State for our country.

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/26/20

“When I was young my teachers were the old.  Now when I am old my teachers are the young.”  (Robert Frost)  I remember seeing poet Frost read one of his poems at JFKs presidential inauguration.  I thought to myself, “This is a lifetime experience!”  What modern poet might be the future’s Frost?  I have a hard time thinking that it would be rapper 50 Cent.  Maybe the point of Frost’s quote is that we can learn from people of any age…as long as we’re willing to keep learning.  ;-)  Jack  

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: a few years ago i got a traffic warning from a cop who looked like he wasn't even shaving yet!  not sure he had even gone thru puberty!     actually,  his voice was kind of high:):):) ===JACK:  When he got home that night he probably told his wife and kids about that old guy who was holding up traffic by going so slow with the wrong blinker on.

FROM ER IN FL:   Robert Frost has always been a poet that I have have a fondness for. His poetry typically makes me nostalgic and reflect on my childhood of country living.===JACK:  My favorite From poem is "The Road Less Taken."  Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to have taken a different path?  I have...but I'm satisfied that the choice  I made at the time was the choice I made...and I can't go back and change things.  Sometimes, in the marriage vows, it's said, "For better or worse."  It is what it is.===ER:  A television show that I watched after talking with you tonight ended with the actor saying,  "I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Coincidence?  Not in my world.===JACK:  Eerie, isn't it?===ER:  The Road Not Taken was the first Frost Poem that I was introduced to. I fell in love immediately, but as my experience with the poet grew I became enthralled with The Mending Wall. The first half of the poem reminds me of growing up on the farm. Fences always needed mending even though they we seemingly untouched. The pictures Frost paints, and the solutions to dismantling walls/fences make me smile every time.  As I have matured the two refrains he uses throughout the poem give me pause. Even today Frost stops me in my tracks to think about both his viewpoints. What is your stance on, "Good fences make good neighbors?" ===JACK:  I don't mind fences.  I think that Frost said that it depends on what you are fencing in and what you are fencing out.  Stone walls can be very attractive; the Border Wall, on the other hand, is a negative, IMO>

M SF IN FL:  I believe in surrounding myself with teachers and friends of all ages. Keeps ideas fresh and life interesting!===JACK:  Isn't it interesting...how the choices we make so dramatically affect our life? 

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  When we are younger we look to older people to learn from, because we believe that they have learned things that we don’t know but would like to  know. As we become adults, we look to the people around us who may have already had experiences that we have not yet had. In addition, as we get older we look to younger people because we are sure that they have adopted and learned about new things that we have yet to try – like how to operate our smartphones.===JACK:  As the birthdays come and go, I become more thankful for the teachers I've had during my lifetime.

FROM LBP:  I was going to counter your final words ... “keep learning” with “keep and open mind” or “keep listening” or other such things.  But actually you capture it all there. To keep learning we must be open to the fact that we don’t know it all and hear what others are sharing. I’m still learning! ===JACK:  When Michelangelo was in his mid-80s he wrote: "Ancora  Imparo," ..."I am still learning."  I have his words posted by my computer.

FROM DR JUDY:  I was going to suggest Maya Angelou, but since she’s so much older and already deceased I decided to go with someone more current/youth.  Check out Brandon Leake. He won this year‘s America’s got talent. His spoken word poetry is mind-boggling. Here’s his first appearance on AGT you can Google more.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tdjIFkM-ohQ  (Yes you can share this on your blog)===JACK:  You're the second one who's suggested Brandon to me today.  Thanks for the link.===DJ:  Have kleenex===JACK:  I do have sort of a runny nose today.===DJ:  The things I like to learn now are about acts of kindness and caring. I hope I hear them everyday!

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Not familiar with modern poets. Maya Angelou, perhaps one of the best.  Here is Josiah Gilbert Holland, I believe, right after the Civil War.  The words appear pertinent now. We have no one reporting anything but guarded self-interest for current events.===JACK:  What is it that makes a poet a poet?  Are rappers our modern poets?===JON:  Probably,  except where they descend into repeated profanity. But a great deal that I've heard is excellent.  Here's  a few lines from Dessa:

I don't need an agenda

I just tell the truth (yup)

Let it off the leash and

Don't touch it

It knows what to do

===JACK:  Who defines profanity?  It seems as though the definition has changed as times have changed.  BTW< thanks for the Dessa words.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  do we still have poets?===JACK:  Who do you classify as a poet?  Are Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West modern poets?  Just because their words might not fit our style, are they still poet===FL: no more so than musicians of the past..===JACK:  ...such as?===FL:  .whom do we consider to be a “poet” in the music industry? i can’t think of anyone...===JACK:  I quoted The Eagles recently.  The music, to me, overwhelmed the good lyrics.  Modern songwriters seem to focus more on the tune than on the lyrics.===FL:  elvis costello comes as close an anyone to musician and poet...===JACK:  I thought that Costello was part of the Abbott and Costello comedy team - famous for "Who's on first?"===FL  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SYczqCVFQw&feature=share    elvis is married to diana krall. he’s british, so he has that odd ironic humor, as they do... a wry social commentator w/a knack for a catchy tune.===JACK:  I remember when he first appeared on the scene.  He was a hit.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  The young teach me  computer skills and phone skills!  I still need help mastering my Christmas Smart phone!!  Yes, I had my "time" of teaching for 24 yrs, but imagine that would be hopelessly outdated today! Still our kids learned and certainly had a mastery of the 'basics" in English; reading, and math. by memorizing, etc. Now their computers and phones think for them!  Fascinating to think what the future holds, if we ever master this Virus!===JACK:  The best teaching is when we teach each other, and the best learning is when we learn from each other.

  

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/23/20

“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”  (Charles Mingus)  I came across a listing of simple inventions that have changed the world.  You might guess that the wheel was there, and so was the use of fire.  Surprises were the tooth brush, the nail and Velcro. What about humans? Are we complicated or simple? It really doesn’t matter because God, who creates everything, loves us all…it’s as simple as that.  ;-) Jack 

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  AMEN, to that!  Invention of the Microwave Oven ranks high on my list!! SO handy to have for so many uses!!===JACK:  That was one of the inventions of NASA's space age program.  Others: Dustbuster,, computer mouse, Speedo swimsuit material, smoke detector, Tang, memory foam, freeze drying...and others.

FROM JK IN NV:  Yes — simplicity is not simple! Childlike faith is not childish. Further along these lines, French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote in his Lettres Provinciales (“Provincial Letters”) dated 1656-57:   “I would have written a shorter letter, but I didn’t have the time.”  In the legal field most courts have word count limits on written submissions (“briefs”). It is an art learned by hard work to cover persuasively all necessary detail in the fewest words. ===JACK:  So, that's the origin of the word, briefs.  It's interesting when I learn something new. 

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  As we EAT, the simpler things are the better.  We like to shop but whatever comes in means something goes out.  To keep things simple.===JACK:  Ooooh.  She has a sense of humor!===JUDY:  Hard to believe???===JACK:  There has to be a sense of humor behind that laugh of yours.

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/22/20

“So often in time it happens, we all live our life in  chains, and we never even know we have the key.”  (The Eagles)  It’s said that the Eagles’ song, Already Gone, has one of the great lyrics of all time.  It expresses a thought that I’ve found to be true: “Things always work out for the best in the end.”  And there’s another truism:  “Chains” sometimes keep us from having a better life.  The lyrics say that we have the key to a happier life.  We don’t have to  live in chains.  ;-)  Jack

FROM GOOD DBT JON:  Sherman set the way back machine to 1975. “There’s 17-year-old Jon and his girlfriend Terrie, sitting in a booth at LK Restaurant eating patty melts and milkshakes. Terrie, the more lovely of the two, puts a dime in the Juke Box and sings along (smugly) You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet. Towards Jon (of course, she was technically correct).  After her stellar performance, Jon would put another dime in the Jukebox (the control was right at the table) and play “Already Gone.” Jon seemed to enjoy the line, “…just remember this, my girl, when you look up in the sky, you can see the stars and still not see the light.”  That’s right. Back to the present day, I haven’t seen that girl since the late 1970s.  I hope she got a new song. Much later in life, I heard, “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers.”  Perhaps nothing in life is better than knowing you are with who you should be.  I’ve been married to Nita for 38 years. We just had our 4^th grandchild, Gideon. I wrote a song in 2014 when my daughter was expecting our first;  it was called Perfectness or Sunday Morning.     The 1^st Verse:Another Perfect Sunday Morning,  my time for walking and thinking  My son’s safe and home from Iraq, my daughter’s  having her first child, now how ‘bout that?   It’s like God is making up for everything I missed,  And right now I know He’s sending me His very best. Gratitude.  I look across 3 generations now, something my parents never got to do.  Thanks for opening the memory flood gates Pastor Jack.   Now I have work to do.===JACK:  Always a good and thoughtful response from you.  Family...It can be a blessing or a curse.  I'm glad that you and I can share our blessings.

FROM CS:  I look forward to your quotes every morning. Hope you are well. If only the heart controlled the body - then we could all fly.  Keep on flying!===JACK:  I like the song..Fly Me To The Moon.  I hope to be flying to Minnesota in a week or so.

 

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/21/20

“The only one I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me.  The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.”  (George Bernard Shaw)  I’ve changed.  Have you noticed that my Winning Words are a bit edgier than when I began over 25 years ago?  Even the clothes I wore then are baggier now.  How about you?  Everett Dirksen once said that people who don’t change are in the cemetery.  ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  a very good one, Jack!   thanks.   but my clothes are not baggier; their tighter!:):):)===JACK:  You probably wear your belt higher, too, as older men are prone to do. ===SP:  it's either above  your belly or below your belly!    as they say,  men get a gut and women get a butt.   not always true but often.===JACK:  Why should we care?...but we do. 

FROM COPPER COUNTRY BOB: Heaps of thanks for Derxin quote.   When the mines closed I used his legislative model "TAX CREDITS FOR JOB CREATION.     We need something similar today. ===JACK:  Will we ever be satisfied?  Is there such a thing as Heaven of Earth?  

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Sometimes events  bring back to the surface thoughts that were always there, but which had faded. The events which lead to the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement brought back our memories of, and belief in, the inequities and injustice suffered by people of color that had faded into the background for many. Complacency oft fills the void left when commitment and compassion fade. Jarring events like the killing of George Floyd serve to snap those feeling back to the fore. Few remember that the Black Lives Matter movement actually went back to the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin and the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter was first used in 2013. America had become complacent again.===JACK:  I like the poem (set to music)..."Change and decay in all around I see.  O thou. who changest not, abide with me."

FROM YOGA GURU:  Regarding changing or being flexible-  I keep doing yoga - there is plenty of afterlife time for me to be "stiff".  😂  Hope all is good in your camp. We are being super cautious in this covid spike.  Love your words Jack .===JACK:  I relate to the yoga words, but the stretches and moves are too much for me. 

FROM PR MAGGIE:  : Your Winning Words are always a blessing whether for a challenge like today or humor that brightens our lives. Stay well my friend.===JACK:  Winning Words is what gives me joy and keeps the mind active.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  And who knows what the Taylor tells his wife?  I’d like to think he keeps it to himself...like a good friend would.===JACK:  That's especially true for a pastor and a counsellor.

FROM BB IN CHGO:   These are great when you’re edgy and great when you’re not===JACK:  We're living in edgy times, so maybe we need edgier words.  Something (or someone) causes me to write as I write.  One of my favorite Bible stories is found in Daniel 5, when King Belshazzar saw the handwriting on the wall...and what it said.  Now, that was something edgy!===BB:  Each week I take the NYTimes news quiz.  Today I missed 2 of 11, one of which was regarding new cave drawings found in Peru – the early writing on the wall?  I guessed that the drawing was an Alpaca but missed as it was instead a cat.  Share more of your faves with me.  I know you’ve been reading and pondering over it a long time!===JACK:  I think that it was the biggest cat ever know...something like 9 feet.  I may be wrong about the size.