APOSTROPHE LINGO?

Why are many words in my vocabulary "clipped"?

I'm 'bout to leave. You goin' with me?

Maybe that's why this smooth rock beckoned me on the Deep Creek path.

Actually, it looks a bit like a worry stone. Worry stones are created by polishing gems. This gem is from the Lord who created it. It has been polished by the water that has rushed over it for no-tellin' how long.

Today, it has been used by me to focus on its beauty and smoothness by  the One who created it. I started my walk worrying about my lingo. 

It seems as God has given me permission to "take that off my worry list"---as hubby reminds me many times daily.

Be anxious for nothing! (nutin') (Philippians 4:6)

Allow who you are, even your locale pronunciations, to be acceptable to yourself......and take it off your worry list. 

Even rub the thumb-sized indention of your apostrophe-shaped rock to relieve stress if that helps.....and thank God.

APOSTROPHES----IN ACTION!

Apostrophe---an important punctuation mark with a dual purpose. Not to be confused with an acute diacritical mark. 

Now that I have your attention, I'll share how blind I can be to apostrophes that are often right in front of me! Click the link and check your own eyesight.

Apostrophes' dual purpose; to indicate omission of letters as in southern speak, "go get 'em tigers" or with any contractions, "don't do that," or to show possessiveness. Singular possessive or plural possessive. In the above link @ Pop's Comfort Kitchen, singular possessive is used so you know the establishment belongs to Pop, aka Chuck, as my hubby knows him. As we entered the restaurant to partake of the comfort food offered there, my eyes were opened.

Pop might be the earthly proprietor of the restaurant but I love the symbolism. Look closely at the apostrophe. 

Pop has chosen to entrust his business to the Lord---inside and out.

He belongs to Jesus and so does his business. It's obvious everywhere you turn!

The food's delicious and the service is gospelicious!

It's both Pop's business and the Lord's!

FYI--Pop's Comfort Kitchen 

2990 Kirby Whitten Rd. #107 Bartlett, TN 38134, by the Kroger at Hwy. 64/Stage & Kirby Whitten

POSSESSIVE APOSTROPHES

Get out your hymnals......

Now that's a statement rarely heard in churches theses days. Usually words are on a screen or written out in the bulletin. Some churches no longer even have hymnals in their pews racks.  For those who know how to read music, I imagine that is a real loss especially if the hymn is unfamiliar to them.

.....and turn to page  517 Taylor said. In FEC hymnal it's listed by title, The Solid Rock.

In my old Cokesbury hymnal at home, it's listed by the first words, My Hope Is Built on p. 24.

Why did Taylor want us to turn to this old familiar hymn of assurance and faith? 

Taylor wanted us to focus on the apostrophe ' after Jesus' name. 

He wanted us to see the duality of the possession indicated by said apostrophe. The hope we have is in Jesus, who not only shed His blood for our salvation but He also imputed His righteousness to us.

Whose are we? We are His Beloved. Ownership of sorts. There is no "Sort of" ownership with Jesus. Believer, we are totally His possession forever. God see us through His Son's righteousness from now until eternity. Hallejujah!

Simply put................apostrophes are punctuation marks (not diacritical markings helpful in accents and appearing over letters) marks to indicate omission of letters/ numbers or to indicate possession.  Only when a word ends in "s" and is possessive does one place the apostrophe outside the "s." 

In the life of a believer that all important possessive apostrophe reminds us we are His. 

Our hope is built on nothing less than that---Jesus' blood and righteousness.

BOTH.....His blood and His righteousness!

WORDSMITH WEDNESDAY--APOSTROPHE

SO MANY PUNCTUATION MARKS....many like the comma are often over used. Apostrophes, ( ' )  not so much. Apostrophes can be used as possession singularly or without having to use a double or triple "s" . For me, the apostrophe is a much used punctuation mark indicating omission of numbers (ie, '21) or letters.  Y'all, the main second-personal plural pronoun in Southern American English, is a big part of my writing----. Even Siri understands my usage. 

Remember apostrophes go between letters. They are not diacritical markings which go above letters to aid in pronunciation.

Lysa TerKhurst, (seeing beautiful again, p. 28) introduced me to the "possibility" of seeing the word impossible in a whole new way! (Think a creative contraction which totally changes a meaning by just adding an ' after I.) Follow those first two letters with a pertinent space and you can go from impossible to I'm possible.   I'm possible! 

Don't you love it. 

God is the Great I AM.....(Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 73:23, Psalm 146:6, John 14:6) 

He is my possibility  for hope and healing....a much more comforting way to look at anything that feels quite impossible!