WORDSMITH REFLECTIONS

It's that time again---the drawing close of one year opening up to the coming of 2021!

OED had so many words to choose from for "Word of the Year" they expanded and encompassed several as "Words of an Unprecedented Year." A restating of "unprecedented" seems all encompassing, albeit over-used to me. According to the article, the use of pandemic increased 57,000% in 2020.

WARNING--Don't multiply words without knowledge. (Job 35:16)

All of this intellectual repartee had me considering what few words (Ecclesiastes 6:11, Proverbs 10:19) defined my year with the underlying word of HOPE.......

JANUARY--Pause & Listen (before seeking)

FEBRUARY--Angst---it was a leap year and there was no February 29 in my devotional book

MARCH--New Normal (w/COVID-19)

APRIL--COVID testing--my first of 2, both negative

MAY--FOHOF (Fear Of Hurting Others Feelings--text talk hard for the aged)

JUNE--DRIVE-BY (Birthdays)

JULY--Social-distancing

AUGUST--STROKE

SEPTEMBER--Fishing

OCTOBER--Wearisome

NOVEMBER--Twosome

DECEMBER--BLURRS-DAY

Mask up, Memphis. I still want to be vigilant & hopeful in my word gathering in 2021.

WAITING: A TEST OF PATIENCE

What do we do while we're waiting is a question asked in Beckett's "Waiting for Godot?"

 

While Bernie and I were "waiting" for the 2nd act to begin......the word absurd came to my mind.
Yet, I was intrigued by the premise of this play. Silence was prevalent.
The pauses were long and l-o-n-g-e-r.
For an impatient-type gal it was an eye-opener. There was a depth of understanding that one could only glean through the silences.
Silence can tend to make extroverts uncomfortable. But....words are not always the answer.

Even scripture "speaks" to this conundrum, even speaking to the futility of many words.(Ecclesiastes 6:11) "....but he who restrains his lips is wise." (Proverbs 10:19) Is there no limit to "windy" words? (Job 16:3)
Often, too much empty prattle robs the true listeners of understanding especially in the quietness of a theater.

One can only imagine how much loquacious folks "miss" by filling every moment of silence with chatter. ( I know.....I'm typing to the choir here!)

WORDS

8/29/11 What does one do when there is a “break in the conversation?” When the silence seems deafening? I, for one, too often take it upon myself to fill that void with words---probably more often than not, words classified in the inane category rather than profound.

Flavia de Luce, the 11 yr. old heroine in The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, (A. Bradley) states “silence is the best primer for a conversational pump.” For me, that rings true. Sometimes I talk just to fill in an uncomfortable silence. But God….has been teaching me that words, for the sake of words/talking is not always a good thing and the conversation that ensues can be utterly worthless. God’s word reinforces that.

There are man’s words. Peverse. (Proverbs 2:2) Flattering and seductive. (Proverbs 2:16) Grievous. (Proverbs 15:1) Gossiping. (Proverbs 26:22) Hasty . (Proverbs 29:20) The outcome of these often impulsive words can damage relationships with both mankind and God.

Reflect on fitting words, (Prov. 25:11) gracious words, (Prov. 16:1) pleasant words, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones, (Prov. 16:24) words of wisdom---few words. (Prov. 17:27)

When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. (Prov. 10:19)

The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? (Ecclesiastes 6:11)

Wait for His words. Words given by Him. That’s scriptural. (Psalm 119:47)

The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. (Ecclesiastes 12:11)