Word Picture: "Inside me, there’s a thin woman trying to get out. Luckily, I can shut her up with chocolate." (copied)

Uh huh. We made it and on our way we found out it is Thursday, August 22, 2013. I don't know about you but I am a huge fan of those who can communicate in their speaking or in writing using word pictures that come alive. Some experts say this type of communication is the most effective because it connects to how people dream, as in images. Will Rogers had this to say, "Diplomacy is the art of saying, 'Nice doggie,' until you can find a rock." I can see that. I've been there and done that. This ability to see what the speaker or writer is saying is quite remarkable. W.C. Fields, the humorist known for hitting the bottle said this, "Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake." I suppose this is why I like phrases and sayings that help me to tell my stories. It's not always that easy. Choosing the words can be a challenge. Here's what Mark Twain had to say about this process, "The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." Now you know what I'm up against, but, I do enjoy the challenge.

Part of the challenge is in finding an illustration or metaphor that connects to the reader. I know many of my recollected memorable lines are not even on the radar screen of many folks, especially those who are younger. In fact, when I encounter this I often tell them to look it up, you know, Google it. Even that seems like too much effort. I suppose they are too busy keeping up with the latest text abbreviations. Looking over the list that many of the kids use today, well, I would only say this about that, no thank you. I would rather work on conveying my thoughts in the 160 characters allowed. Oh by the way, or maybe I should say, OBTW, I am doing texting now. Not on my cell phone but I found an online utility that allows me to send and receive texts. I only have a few family members that I send to but they are so happy. I suppose they would rather not hear my voice. I know. It's all about the convenience factor. Well, excuuuuuuse me!

Let me give a shout out to the Lord for the slightly cooler mornings. Driving down country roads with the windows down makes for a better start of the day. I know. Giving shout outs is probably a little over the top for me but give me some credit for trying to hang with the current jargon. I've also noticed that I need my little torch in the morning as slowly but surely the season is changing and it's a wee bit darker now. Torch? Yep. That's what our English brothers and sisters across the pond call our flashlight. It's back to school time and we all would do well to pray for all the children as they will be running things in the not too distant future. Researchers tell us that our kids are not so optimistic about the future of our nation, especially their own prospects for success. Some 21 million aged 18 to 31, called Millennials, are living with their parents. That's an all time record. Many of these are educated but cannot find a job paying enough for them to be out on their own. This is why we seek God's favor to help us regain our footing as a nation. I leave you with a funny from the late Erma Bombeck, “When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out." I'm not sure why but that makes sense to me. Take care and may God bless each one. Amen.        .....More later.