You have to love word pictures: He was so tall he could hunt geese with a rake.

Charles Dickens, Word Picture Master, 1812 - 1870

That great sucking sound you hear is not what Ross Perot talked about when he was saying it was the sound of all the jobs going to Mexico after NAFTA was implemented. No. It is the noisy sound of a collective sigh of relief coming up from the masses as we embrace Friday, February 17, 2012. Overly dramatic? Probably. But, it is good to be able to greet you once again and see what falls out of the cupboard when it is opened this morning. Word pictures. You just have to love them. They make our communicating interesting and they also cause us to conjure up mental pictures. It's similar to Old Time Radio. It's called the 'theater of the mind' for a reason. You listen but you have to visualize in your mind the characters and the action as it unfolds. I know what it means to open the cupboard and have something bonk me on the top of my head. Word pictures have been around a long time. Think about all the illustrations Jesus used that caused His hearers to see images that proved up His point. Like when He told about the Good Shepherd. (Gospel of John, Chapter 10) I listen to some audio books being read on my satellite radio receiver. This is nothing more than a moderator reading from a book. However, if that original author is able to describe things in a way that grabs your attention, soon you find yourself in the story and forget that it is even being read. Not every one I've listened to has this impact. Charles Dickens was known for being able to develop his characters and stories that essentially caused them to jump off the page and become alive for the reader. How could we not appreciate and enjoy this mental ability that God has given to us? That's the question of the day where we find ourselves thinking it over as we make our way down an abandoned overgrown pathway shadowed by mystery and intrigue.

I will admit I grew up immersed in this type of jargonizing. When you tump something over. You hear about someone who is older than dirt or how they had been beaten with an ugly stick. You enjoy your cornbread covered with pot liquor.You find out someone is going down the wrong road because they are running wild as a hog. You are told to quit sittin like a bump on a log and to get on the stick. Then you have the idea of it being like stink on a polecat, or running like a scalded dog, or madder than a wet hen, or you are told to hold your horses, and that you can't get blood from a turnip. See what I mean? And, those are just a handful of the country slang stuff being slung around when I was growing up. No doubt variations by region of the country are so plentiful it would make a preacher cuss. I told you it was an ancient way of saying things. You remember when Jacob was on his way to meet Esau his brother. You know the brother he had tricked out of his inheritance? The one who had become a famous warrior chief and had many armed men in his clan? When they finally met face to face, Jacob was literally shaking in his sandals, he offered Esau many gifts and this is how it went down: "Jacob said, "No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably." Now that is what I call a word picture of blessed relief! You can read about it in the Book of Genesis Chapter 33.

At the same time we are called to let our yes be yes and our no be no. (Jesus speaking, Matthew 5:37) In other words, regardless of the figures of speech we use we have to make sure that honesty and integrity prevails. That's a tall order when one is prone to as much embellishment as I use. But, it's worth the tension because quaint sayings do spice up our ability to communicate and it can be a source of enjoyment. Now, that brings me to another closing episode as we say farewell to the week that was, and we anticipate our Saturday, and Lord's Day Sunday. We have been busy this week. How busy were you? Busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs and busier than a one eyed cat watching nine rat holes. The good news is how that I have been able to accomplish some productive output. This always helps when you are busy. Efforts are good but results are what we all shoot for. I do hope and pray that you will have a wonderful Saturday and Sunday, (first Day of the Week), therefore, Lord willing, and we don't shut the gate after the cows are gone, I'll see you next Monday here on this same station. Amen.          .....More later.