It is what it is. What was the question?

A short work week does not always produce the feeling of a short week. Know what I mean, Vern? But it is good to visit with you once again here at the place where we can kick back and just enjoy some good old fashioned fellowship. My wife reminds me now and then of how that I am prone to repeat my stories. She may not have stopped to think that this happens because they are MY stories and they are the only ones I have. I do fret from time to time that my daily writings could end up being different, but in the same sort of way, most of the time. But, it is what it is, and I do hope you are well as we grab hold of Friday, June 3, 2011. It is what it is. I have been told that I inject that particular phrase maybe a little more often than necessary. I believe even my mom mentioned it to me. I googled "it is what it is" and found more than 9 million hits. How do you like that? It's not even an original phrase with me. In fact, it is so widely used or misused it is even called an ism, as in, 'it is what it is ism'. I know that huge number of other folks haven't been reading my blog. President George W. Bush actually used it in a quote. It has become a cliché of sorts within the sports world. Who knew? I'll have to come up with something better. "That's the way the cookie crumbles." Maybe not. "What you see is what you get." Still not quite there. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Too wordy and I already use it probably too much. Okay. I'll keep working on it but until I find something more appropriate, and I will share it with you when I do, I'll just share this with you for now: "It is what it is."

Some of the idioms or figures of speech we use come naturally out of the language itself. When one says, back in my day, pretty much everyone gets the set up. Even more broadly, the shortened, back in the day, now covers a huge range from the younger recalling fairly recent events to those who fondly recall or point out major events, good or bad, from yesteryear. They say that folks trying to learn a new language are most challenged by these types of word pictures that drip with metaphorical meaning. I think my words do qualify for a whole lot of dripping along with a whole lot of confusion. But, it __ what __ is. You didn't think I could find a replacement so quickly, did you? We are all over exposed to certain of these clichés that tend to be overused in conversations as well as in print. "At the end of the day." "Grab the bull by the horns." "Face the music." "They gave 110%."  "Take it to the next level." "The ball is in your court." "Laugh all the way to the bank." "It's only a matter of time." "Sold like hotcakes." "Easy as pie." Hey, wait a minute. I happen to like all of these although I'm not sure about selling hotcakes and I've seen pies made, that's typically not easy, maybe eating pie is easy. It would be interesting to check each one of these out but we don't have to because we all have an idea what they mean when someone uses them. It makes for good dialogue and lively conversation. Strip out all those little sayings and you may get the message but without the zip and zest. And, for me, that is what makes it all so enjoyable.

I wasn't trying to have us trapped in a game of Pictionary but this is what I came up with for today, and as I have often said, __ __ ____ __ __.  Just so you know, I've never played Pictionary but I didn't see Scrabble fitting the context or Crossword either. And you thought spraying all these words on the electronic page was easy, didn't you? Yeah. Some of you have noted my use of 'just so you know'. I remember a blog I wrote many moons ago where I actually did an entire story using nothing but these types of sayings. I will try to find that and see if it is worth repeating. But, that's what got me into trouble to begin with. Repeating myself. At any rate, (another one of my handles), we will do our best to keep on keeping on. The good news about words is how God preserved His own for time and eternity. We do not have to be concerned about their meaning being changed because He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. In addition, God the Father, sent His one and only Son, the Living Word, to provide a way of salvation for all who believe. God created all things including language and He uses it today to speak to men, woman, boys, and girls, all over the world. That is the ultimate use of words and we can all be thankful He designed it the way He did. May God bless you and yours as we enter our Saturday and may we all find ourselves at the meeting place to worship our great God on Lord's Day Sunday. Amen. I will find a replacement for __ __ ____ __ __, and when I do, as promised, I will let you know.                   ....More later.