Before I start, I want to thank all of you who sent me text messages and phone calls and e-mails wishing me well during this last period of time I have had a cold or COVID or something. For the most part, I have not responded. One, I have really been sick and haven't done much of anything other than taking Marsha to the doctor. She has been as sick as I. Second, I dropped my phone about six months ago onto a marble floor and shattered the faceplate. Since then, it has gradually lost various functions. I know what you are thinking. Why don't I get a new one? Well, folks, I am very, very cheap. However, now that I am feeling some better, I guess I have to bite the bullet. But, really, thank you all. ON TO THE BLOG!  

This will surprise many of you, but I took a writing course in seminary. Really. No joke. It wasn't required, but it was one of those things that was strongly suggested. The thinking was that most of us would embarrass ourselves and the ministry if we were to ever be called upon to write a news article or an obituary or a church newsletter. I took the course because I liked to write, but I never knew so much was involved. 

The first thing we were taught was to write in such a way so that a third grader could understand. Maybe it is just me, but that seems kind of stupid. Most third graders can blow me away with their vocabulary. In the class they talked about writing down from our intellect. HA HA HA!!!!! I usually try writing up to third grade level. We were told not to use common vulgarity. That doesn't mean no swearing. This was seminary, after all. The smart place. 'Vulgar' is from the Latin 'vulgus', which means from the common people. So, we were not to write in the common language and idiom. What this means is we were taught not to use common phrases, such as 'once in a blue moon' or, as I used above, 'blow me away'. Also, you are not to use contractions, such as 'wasn't' instead of 'was not'. If it is a news article there are only supposed to be no more than two sentences in each paragraph and in any article or blog (actually, the word 'blog' did not yet exist) there are to be no more than 800 words. And, most important of all, HAVE A PLAN!!! That is right. Know what you are going to write, follow a path and come to a conclusion. 

This course lasted a full year, half as long as my preaching course, and that didn't stick with me, either.

So why all this about writing? First, to demonstrate just how smart I really am. Having failed at that, the second reason springs to mind. The second reason is to show that with man's intervention, we can really mess things up.

The Bible was written by 35 writers, not counting the different authors in the Books of Psalms and Proverbs. The whole Book is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but the writing styles of the individual authors is evident. Not so much in the newer English translations, but truly evident in the original languages. Isaiah was of royal birth, probably a first cousin of the kingly line. His writings show learning and skill. Much of the Book of Isaiah is written in poetic form. The prophet Amos, probably a contemporary of Isaiah, was a mostly uneducated itinerant farmer who wrote in the way he talked. The Apostles Paul and Peter knew each other well, but Paul was very well educated while Peter had just enough to get by, and they both wrote differently. One set of rules does not go for Biblical writers, so why should it go for us?

This line of thought was triggered by my old buddy, Miss Mary. Miss Mary posts a weekly blog at mary-marysmoments.blogspot.com  I encourage you to read her blog. This last week's blog referenced a Christmas Eve service where the person lighting the Christ candle on the Advent ring could not get the candle to light. She refrained from mentioning that the failed lighter was actually me. Anyway, in an e-mail communication this week, she referenced her blog for this Friday. She said something like, "looking forward to seeing how it turns out." For Miss Mary, as well as for myself and for many others, that is how writing goes. Led by the Spirit, we start with one goal and finish somewhere else. It may sound haphazard, but it is really part of His plan.

We are all different. We approach everything in life differently. We see things just a bit differently, we pray differently, we listen and comprehend differently, we approach problems differently. We all know this is true. But what about our witnessing for Christ? "Oh, pastor, I try to witness, but I just can't do it like Rick Warren said. I get so frustrated!" Who said Rick Warren, or any of the other so-called 'big names' has the only way to witness? You are to share your witness as the Spirit leads. Do that and the Kingdom will grow.

Be blessed and shine your light in the way He leads.