It's
November 16, 2012. We made it. I'm standing on the banks of the Friday looking beyond where I can see Saturday just around the bend. I've picked up a few new readers lately who somehow got hold of my blog and sent me a note. Thanks for coming on board but I do feel it necessary to give you an idea of how this gets done each day. (
Insert a huge pause.) Yeah, I'm not so sure I can say much about it because my grandfather used to say that we kids acted at times like we would wake up in a new world, everyday. He may have been on to something, at least as it pertains to me. When I started this adventure in 2007 I had originally entitled it The View from My Pew. I liked that but soon felt it to be somewhat restrictive so I changed it to The View from Here. The word 'here' has the connotation of where one is right now. And, since I tend to be in different places at any given time, so to speak, it seems like my daily episodes should reflect something about that place I happen to find myself in, at that particular time, in that particular paragraph, or in that part of the sentence. Like President Clinton who said, "It depends on what the meaning of the word is is.", well, in my situation, "It depends on any given day what the meaning of the word here is." I'm also scratching my head about the meaning of all of this, but, at this time, it is my story and I'm sticking to it.
I saw a critique of an essay the other day that had this ouch in it: "Never has anyone used so many words to say so little." I almost felt like standing and answering: "Here!" Thus, we see another use of the word 'here', as in answering roll call. I know a preacher who has little formal training but has been given the gift of being able to present great messages that communicate God's Word. Over the more than 45 years that he preached, many were always suggesting schooling and training to hone his skills. He wasn't opposed to schooling but he was very fearful of doing anything that would interfere with his total dependence upon God to give him the message he should speak as he studied his Bible. I have a similar thinking about my writing. My oh my, how I know it could be better. More concise. Better grammar. Less dangling participles. And, the classic, less run on sentences. However, as bad as it may be, the way I write is how it flows from my little pea brain to the electronic page. I hired a former English teacher as my administrative assistant when I was at the big Company. She was to improve all of our writing. I would prepare a memo and when she got through with it, I couldn't begin to recognize it was from me. What's a good manager to do in that situation? No more editing of my stuff, but you can work on the other folks in the organization. After all, I was the one who hired her and I certainly didn't want those English teaching skills to go to waste. In that situation I wanted her to work 'there' but to leave 'here' alone. Are you keeping up?
Do you ever get the idea that I just like to throw words out onto the page? Great observation because I do like to do that. I believe my grandfather also said at least once or twice that he thought I liked to talk just to hear myself speak. I suppose he was a prophet in many ways. But, it's all in fun, so don't take it all serious and wonder if I've gone even more off the deep end. I do have those metaphors flying around everywhere today. Tomorrow, the wife and I, Lord willing, will be showing up over at the big hotel at the big mall where we will make our grand entrance as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Two sessions on Saturday and two sessions on Sunday. The kids and parents buy tickets in advance for these events. It's always a first class operation. Much of the proceeds will go for good causes supported by the Junior League here in our area. That reminds me. I had better brush up on the 'hot' toy list for this season. There's nothing worse than a Santa who doesn't know the difference between a pet turtle and the Teenage Ninja Turtles. Have yourself a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday, and I will see you 'here', and I think you now know exactly what I mean, on Monday, Lord willing.
Amen. ....More later.
It's November 16, 2012. We made it. I'm standing on the banks of the Friday looking beyond where I can see Saturday just around the bend. I've picked up a few new readers lately who somehow got hold of my blog and sent me a note. Thanks for coming on board but I do feel it necessary to give you an idea of how this gets done each day. (Insert a huge pause.) Yeah, I'm not so sure I can say much about it because my grandfather used to say that we kids acted at times like we would wake up in a new world, everyday. He may have been on to something, at least as it pertains to me. When I started this adventure in 2007 I had originally entitled it The View from My Pew. I liked that but soon felt it to be somewhat restrictive so I changed it to The View from Here. The word 'here' has the connotation of where one is right now. And, since I tend to be in different places at any given time, so to speak, it seems like my daily episodes should reflect something about that place I happen to find myself in, at that particular time, in that particular paragraph, or in that part of the sentence. Like President Clinton who said, "It depends on what the meaning of the word is is.", well, in my situation, "It depends on any given day what the meaning of the word here is." I'm also scratching my head about the meaning of all of this, but, at this time, it is my story and I'm sticking to it.
I saw a critique of an essay the other day that had this ouch in it: "Never has anyone used so many words to say so little." I almost felt like standing and answering: "Here!" Thus, we see another use of the word 'here', as in answering roll call. I know a preacher who has little formal training but has been given the gift of being able to present great messages that communicate God's Word. Over the more than 45 years that he preached, many were always suggesting schooling and training to hone his skills. He wasn't opposed to schooling but he was very fearful of doing anything that would interfere with his total dependence upon God to give him the message he should speak as he studied his Bible. I have a similar thinking about my writing. My oh my, how I know it could be better. More concise. Better grammar. Less dangling participles. And, the classic, less run on sentences. However, as bad as it may be, the way I write is how it flows from my little pea brain to the electronic page. I hired a former English teacher as my administrative assistant when I was at the big Company. She was to improve all of our writing. I would prepare a memo and when she got through with it, I couldn't begin to recognize it was from me. What's a good manager to do in that situation? No more editing of my stuff, but you can work on the other folks in the organization. After all, I was the one who hired her and I certainly didn't want those English teaching skills to go to waste. In that situation I wanted her to work 'there' but to leave 'here' alone. Are you keeping up?
Do you ever get the idea that I just like to throw words out onto the page? Great observation because I do like to do that. I believe my grandfather also said at least once or twice that he thought I liked to talk just to hear myself speak. I suppose he was a prophet in many ways. But, it's all in fun, so don't take it all serious and wonder if I've gone even more off the deep end. I do have those metaphors flying around everywhere today. Tomorrow, the wife and I, Lord willing, will be showing up over at the big hotel at the big mall where we will make our grand entrance as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Two sessions on Saturday and two sessions on Sunday. The kids and parents buy tickets in advance for these events. It's always a first class operation. Much of the proceeds will go for good causes supported by the Junior League here in our area. That reminds me. I had better brush up on the 'hot' toy list for this season. There's nothing worse than a Santa who doesn't know the difference between a pet turtle and the Teenage Ninja Turtles. Have yourself a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday, and I will see you 'here', and I think you now know exactly what I mean, on Monday, Lord willing. Amen. ....More later.
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