Greetings Dear Reader,
Last year I wrote about the day being Spy Wednesday and its relation to continuing to condemn Judas for his crimes. You might enjoy revisiting that entry if you are interested. Here is the link: http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/2009/04/holy-week-2009-wednesday-spy-wednesday.html .
This year I want to focus on the fact that two millennia later we use energy to revile a man who may or may not have been acting maliciously. It is so easy for us to villainize others. It is our fallen nature to look at evil in the world and treat it as though it minimized our own sin. We are outraged when others minimize our hurts or pains in comparison to great troubles in the world. They are OUR hurts, OUR pains. We choose the comparisons that please us. A friend of mine says that to compare sin is an exercise in folly. I could not agree more.
As we approach the end of the week, we need to remember that our sin is what killed Christ. More pointedly, it is MY sin, MY falleness that drove Christ to the cross. He chose to allow all that happened to him just for me. He did it just for you too. He died for us collectively and individually. He loves Judas as much as he does any of us.
With this in mind I cannot afford to look at anyone in a light that is less than loving. There is not room for me to disparage others when I am in such dire need of grace and mercy on a daily basis. Before we judge anyone we need to look at the full weight of our failure to love God will all our heart soul and mind. As Christ moves toward the cross for us perhaps we can figuratively lighten his burden by seeing our own weight of sin and taking steps to move away from the things that cause it.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
31 March 2010
30 March 2010
2010 Holy Week Tuesday
Greetings Dear Reader,
Today, as you may recall is the celebration of the Song of Kassiani. It is the night when women, no matter how fallen will make their way to churches to hear the story of a prostitute who found Christ told in song. As I write this, please understand that I do not view women as lower, worse, or needier than men. Rather, I see them as a unique creation of God and consider that all men have a responsibility to treat them with love, honor, and respect. If anything, it is men who fail to set an example of the nature of Christ in interacting with women. I, however, digress, it is women who are the focus of the Song of Kassiani. This is a beautiful thing and it makes me wonder.
It makes me wonder why we do not create an environment where the used and abused in our society do not feel always welcome. I do not wish to take anything away from this special night but I do wish for Christ followers to create an atmosphere of acceptance, love, and grace where anyone feels welcome.
The world rarely gives women the love, respect, and unique place that Christ showed them. It seems that acknowledgement of the sacred nature of their purpose as God created them is all but lost on the world. The fact that any woman ever has to sell herself is evidence that do not see the beauty and richness Christ intended for our understanding of this gender. The mere existence of human trafficking, primarily women is a blight on every soul that allows it to exist.
We have a responsibility to assure that when the song of Kassiani is sung each year that those who feel free to approach Christ find a welcome that reflects who Christ is and not some image of him cloaked in judgment and condemnation. Any woman who seeks Christ and his grace should be seen in the same light as we would wish to be seen. We must create a world where women need not fear abuse, judgment, or manipulation in order to give their hearts freely to Christ. Too much history tells us that men fail at this daily. Here are the words of Kassiani:
"Woe to me," she says, "for night
is a frenzy of license to me,
a dark, moonless love of sin.
"Receive the fountains of my tears,
O You who gather the sea-waters into clouds
Incline to the groanings of my heart,
O You who laid low the heavens by Your humility.
"I shall kiss Your immaculate feet,
wipe them again with the hair of my head,
those feet at whose sound Eve in Paradise hid for fear.
"The multitude of my sins, the depths of your judgments,
who can search them out, O Savior of souls?
Do not despise me, Your handmaiden,
O You whose mercy admits of no measure."
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
Today, as you may recall is the celebration of the Song of Kassiani. It is the night when women, no matter how fallen will make their way to churches to hear the story of a prostitute who found Christ told in song. As I write this, please understand that I do not view women as lower, worse, or needier than men. Rather, I see them as a unique creation of God and consider that all men have a responsibility to treat them with love, honor, and respect. If anything, it is men who fail to set an example of the nature of Christ in interacting with women. I, however, digress, it is women who are the focus of the Song of Kassiani. This is a beautiful thing and it makes me wonder.
It makes me wonder why we do not create an environment where the used and abused in our society do not feel always welcome. I do not wish to take anything away from this special night but I do wish for Christ followers to create an atmosphere of acceptance, love, and grace where anyone feels welcome.
The world rarely gives women the love, respect, and unique place that Christ showed them. It seems that acknowledgement of the sacred nature of their purpose as God created them is all but lost on the world. The fact that any woman ever has to sell herself is evidence that do not see the beauty and richness Christ intended for our understanding of this gender. The mere existence of human trafficking, primarily women is a blight on every soul that allows it to exist.
We have a responsibility to assure that when the song of Kassiani is sung each year that those who feel free to approach Christ find a welcome that reflects who Christ is and not some image of him cloaked in judgment and condemnation. Any woman who seeks Christ and his grace should be seen in the same light as we would wish to be seen. We must create a world where women need not fear abuse, judgment, or manipulation in order to give their hearts freely to Christ. Too much history tells us that men fail at this daily. Here are the words of Kassiani:
"Woe to me," she says, "for night
is a frenzy of license to me,
a dark, moonless love of sin.
"Receive the fountains of my tears,
O You who gather the sea-waters into clouds
Incline to the groanings of my heart,
O You who laid low the heavens by Your humility.
"I shall kiss Your immaculate feet,
wipe them again with the hair of my head,
those feet at whose sound Eve in Paradise hid for fear.
"The multitude of my sins, the depths of your judgments,
who can search them out, O Savior of souls?
Do not despise me, Your handmaiden,
O You whose mercy admits of no measure."
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
29 March 2010
2010 Holy Week Monday – Cleansing the Temple
Greetings Dear Reader,
When I was very young and would spend weekends with my grandparents, my Grandmother always cleaned the house on Saturday afternoons. She had a collection of porcelain horses. I would sit and watch as she took each one down and carefully dusted it. She would remind me that we are like the horses. If we do not keep ourselves cleaned up inside and out we lose our shine. It is Jesus who wants us to shine so he dusts us off when we let him, but if we just sit around we get dusty again.
On this first weekday of Holy Week I find myself pondering how easy it is to lose ground I have gained spiritually. Like so many physical disciplines, the toning and training of the spirit seems to fade so quickly if left unattended. We somehow think that it should be easier or that we can take a break away from the training of the spirit. It is never so.
I am more aware than ever of old habits trying to push toward things that are unhealthy for me as a follower of Christ. I hear my mind making excuses for not shedding things that hinder me from reflecting Christ to others. I also see the lure of old habits that make me less like Christ and more my own false god.
I wonder if this is one of the things Christ saw as he cleansed the temple. People who were supposed to reflect the love and mercy of the Father were instead filling their pockets each year with the money of their neighbors, making access to the Father more difficult for them. When I lose the lessons Christ teaches me I make it more difficult for others to see Christ through me. So as I begin my weekly walk toward the Cross and ultimately the empty tomb I will focus on dusting off any areas of spiritual discipline that I have let become sedentary.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
When I was very young and would spend weekends with my grandparents, my Grandmother always cleaned the house on Saturday afternoons. She had a collection of porcelain horses. I would sit and watch as she took each one down and carefully dusted it. She would remind me that we are like the horses. If we do not keep ourselves cleaned up inside and out we lose our shine. It is Jesus who wants us to shine so he dusts us off when we let him, but if we just sit around we get dusty again.
On this first weekday of Holy Week I find myself pondering how easy it is to lose ground I have gained spiritually. Like so many physical disciplines, the toning and training of the spirit seems to fade so quickly if left unattended. We somehow think that it should be easier or that we can take a break away from the training of the spirit. It is never so.
I am more aware than ever of old habits trying to push toward things that are unhealthy for me as a follower of Christ. I hear my mind making excuses for not shedding things that hinder me from reflecting Christ to others. I also see the lure of old habits that make me less like Christ and more my own false god.
I wonder if this is one of the things Christ saw as he cleansed the temple. People who were supposed to reflect the love and mercy of the Father were instead filling their pockets each year with the money of their neighbors, making access to the Father more difficult for them. When I lose the lessons Christ teaches me I make it more difficult for others to see Christ through me. So as I begin my weekly walk toward the Cross and ultimately the empty tomb I will focus on dusting off any areas of spiritual discipline that I have let become sedentary.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
26 March 2010
An Unexpected Milestone
Greetings Dear Reader,
Some milestones chance upon you with little portent and great joy. This is one of those. My eldest Son asked me to lunch this week. I was delighted to see that both he and his bride were there. They told me that they had a belated birthday gift for me. They did.
As we enjoyed a meal of curry and various meats they told me that I was going to be a grandfather. Immediately my heart leapt within me. This is one of those things that I have awaited with great joy. I have already begun to pray for my grandchildren and long to hold them close and warm.
I had a Grandfather who loved me and instilled things in me that were both good and enduring. If I can be half the man to my grandchildren that he was to me it will be an excellent thing. My purpose for writing this morning is very selfish. I long for you to pray for me. I want to purge my life of things that will be unhealthy for this new life. I want to be a good example.
This is one of the favorite parts of the latter journey. I feel great joy for my Son and Daughter in law. I feel great gratitude for God’s wisdom in having life develop the way it does. I have already begun to ponder the things I wish to pass on. I will keep you all posted.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
Some milestones chance upon you with little portent and great joy. This is one of those. My eldest Son asked me to lunch this week. I was delighted to see that both he and his bride were there. They told me that they had a belated birthday gift for me. They did.
As we enjoyed a meal of curry and various meats they told me that I was going to be a grandfather. Immediately my heart leapt within me. This is one of those things that I have awaited with great joy. I have already begun to pray for my grandchildren and long to hold them close and warm.
I had a Grandfather who loved me and instilled things in me that were both good and enduring. If I can be half the man to my grandchildren that he was to me it will be an excellent thing. My purpose for writing this morning is very selfish. I long for you to pray for me. I want to purge my life of things that will be unhealthy for this new life. I want to be a good example.
This is one of the favorite parts of the latter journey. I feel great joy for my Son and Daughter in law. I feel great gratitude for God’s wisdom in having life develop the way it does. I have already begun to ponder the things I wish to pass on. I will keep you all posted.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
18 March 2010
Why Do We Say “Just Pray”
Greetings Dear Reader,
So often I find that how we truly feel, think, or believe about things is reflected in how we speak of them. We reflect our feelings about events or past times not only in the emotion that we express but in the actual words we choose. I have caught myself saying something that I do not believe and wonder why I do.
The other day I told someone to just pray. I did not intend it as a platitude. I generally wished for the man to pray. Instead of handing him a suggestion that he harness one of the most powerful things in the universe, my suggestion came across as a limp attempt to placate his distress. My intent was anything but that.
It is one of those things that we just do. We do not know what to say or how to comfort someone so we offer a platitude. From time to time I forget that when I speak to God about anything I have the loving attention of the Master of the Universe. I do not me the little plastic guy from the cartoon. I mean the one in whom we “live and move and have our being.”
Saying to someone “just pray” becomes oxymoronic in this light. No one benefits from this and perhaps it lacks faith. When we sound like prayer is all we have to offer, it minimizes the power of that weapon. When I pray I ask God to act. He always hears and always knows what I need, even when I do not. The very fact that God is good means that no matter what I address with Him, the response will be in my best interest.
I am going to work hard to remove the “just” from my responses and to never again see prayer as commonplace even though it should be common.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
So often I find that how we truly feel, think, or believe about things is reflected in how we speak of them. We reflect our feelings about events or past times not only in the emotion that we express but in the actual words we choose. I have caught myself saying something that I do not believe and wonder why I do.
The other day I told someone to just pray. I did not intend it as a platitude. I generally wished for the man to pray. Instead of handing him a suggestion that he harness one of the most powerful things in the universe, my suggestion came across as a limp attempt to placate his distress. My intent was anything but that.
It is one of those things that we just do. We do not know what to say or how to comfort someone so we offer a platitude. From time to time I forget that when I speak to God about anything I have the loving attention of the Master of the Universe. I do not me the little plastic guy from the cartoon. I mean the one in whom we “live and move and have our being.”
Saying to someone “just pray” becomes oxymoronic in this light. No one benefits from this and perhaps it lacks faith. When we sound like prayer is all we have to offer, it minimizes the power of that weapon. When I pray I ask God to act. He always hears and always knows what I need, even when I do not. The very fact that God is good means that no matter what I address with Him, the response will be in my best interest.
I am going to work hard to remove the “just” from my responses and to never again see prayer as commonplace even though it should be common.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
10 March 2010
Winter Cookies but not...
Greetings Dear Reader,
I have a friend, Ben, who is a creative and amazing soul. He is a constant learner and always in pursuit of new things. His music skills have yet to be honored or recognized at the level they deserve. He and my sons are close and I benefit greatly from his presence when I am blessed to be in it.
Several years ago Ben created a unique cookie recipe that he monikered Winter Cookies. They are delicious and both sweet and savory all at once. Since Ben is a vegan they are also vegan friendly and could be used as a gateway drug to that particular persuasion. Over the years I have received them as gifts and enjoyed every one.
In his kindness Ben intended to give me a batch of them for my birthday this year. I had recently commented about them on Face book and he was trying to be good to me. It turned out that he was better than he thought. Apparently he made an error in the amount of liquid he put into the would-be cookie dough. The presence of too much liquid yielded a batter instead of cookie dough. Being an intelligent and frugal individual, Ben greased up a baking dish and cooked the batter.
The result was an excellent cake or sweet bread that I have enjoyed for a week and more. My recommendation is that he keep both recipes and use them often. Most excellent in the experience was the lesson of not considering all errors a loss. I do not know if I would have turned this error into opportunity as Ben did. I do know that he did and I benefited greatly from it. I thank you Ben, for the treat and the lesson.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
I have a friend, Ben, who is a creative and amazing soul. He is a constant learner and always in pursuit of new things. His music skills have yet to be honored or recognized at the level they deserve. He and my sons are close and I benefit greatly from his presence when I am blessed to be in it.
Several years ago Ben created a unique cookie recipe that he monikered Winter Cookies. They are delicious and both sweet and savory all at once. Since Ben is a vegan they are also vegan friendly and could be used as a gateway drug to that particular persuasion. Over the years I have received them as gifts and enjoyed every one.
In his kindness Ben intended to give me a batch of them for my birthday this year. I had recently commented about them on Face book and he was trying to be good to me. It turned out that he was better than he thought. Apparently he made an error in the amount of liquid he put into the would-be cookie dough. The presence of too much liquid yielded a batter instead of cookie dough. Being an intelligent and frugal individual, Ben greased up a baking dish and cooked the batter.
The result was an excellent cake or sweet bread that I have enjoyed for a week and more. My recommendation is that he keep both recipes and use them often. Most excellent in the experience was the lesson of not considering all errors a loss. I do not know if I would have turned this error into opportunity as Ben did. I do know that he did and I benefited greatly from it. I thank you Ben, for the treat and the lesson.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
09 March 2010
And Miles to go Before I Sleep
Greetings Dear Reader,
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
As a teacher I spend a great deal of time pondering the road ahead. I am constantly planning where my students need to go next to be what they must be by the end of the term. As good as this is, I think it has coloured my character in a way that is less good. Because I am a teacher, I constantly, well, teach. This is not always good. In the lives of those I love I often forget that they do not need my instruction as much as they need my understanding and companionship.
In looking where others need to go I sometimes forget to remember how far they have come. This perspective, seeing how far others have already traveled is a gracious one. I must stand in the place where I can see where others need to go but with a constant eye on from whence they have come.
It is another great danger that I may forget how far I still have to go on my own journey. It is only in the light of Christ’s grace that I am able to be of use to anyone. When I forget from whence I came and how long the road is yet ahead of me pride settles upon me in drifts and I somehow imagine that I am of a stature that gives more grace that I need. In truth I may only give what is in turn given to me. Any good thing I do is because of Christ’s redemptive work already working within me.
So often others see a glimpse of Christ reflected by me in some small way and they wish to linger with me thinking that I am their guide. My lot is to point them down the road toward the true light which I have been honored to reflect. I am merely a wayside; a door warden who helps them discover the latch. It is their hand not mine that opens the door to the new path. Some may stay with me a bit to rest and heal, but it is their lot to travel onward to their own journey.
Anyone I teach; any good things I accomplish, any mercy I show, and any sound words I pen are only the outworking of Christ and his spirit. Through his broken vessel he is showing the world his redemptive work. It is my own pride that says “I am a writer.” It is my own vanity that thinks “I am a mentor.” My own ingratitude tells me that I may be anything other than warm wet clay in the hands of the caster. What form of vessel he makes of me is his choice; is it not? I do, however, know that my journey is his alone and I have far to go before I have kept the promises I made when he first called my name. So I journey on, reminded that I have far to go and responsibility to those whom I allow to follow me.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep. – Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Robert Frost
As a teacher I spend a great deal of time pondering the road ahead. I am constantly planning where my students need to go next to be what they must be by the end of the term. As good as this is, I think it has coloured my character in a way that is less good. Because I am a teacher, I constantly, well, teach. This is not always good. In the lives of those I love I often forget that they do not need my instruction as much as they need my understanding and companionship.
In looking where others need to go I sometimes forget to remember how far they have come. This perspective, seeing how far others have already traveled is a gracious one. I must stand in the place where I can see where others need to go but with a constant eye on from whence they have come.
It is another great danger that I may forget how far I still have to go on my own journey. It is only in the light of Christ’s grace that I am able to be of use to anyone. When I forget from whence I came and how long the road is yet ahead of me pride settles upon me in drifts and I somehow imagine that I am of a stature that gives more grace that I need. In truth I may only give what is in turn given to me. Any good thing I do is because of Christ’s redemptive work already working within me.
So often others see a glimpse of Christ reflected by me in some small way and they wish to linger with me thinking that I am their guide. My lot is to point them down the road toward the true light which I have been honored to reflect. I am merely a wayside; a door warden who helps them discover the latch. It is their hand not mine that opens the door to the new path. Some may stay with me a bit to rest and heal, but it is their lot to travel onward to their own journey.
Anyone I teach; any good things I accomplish, any mercy I show, and any sound words I pen are only the outworking of Christ and his spirit. Through his broken vessel he is showing the world his redemptive work. It is my own pride that says “I am a writer.” It is my own vanity that thinks “I am a mentor.” My own ingratitude tells me that I may be anything other than warm wet clay in the hands of the caster. What form of vessel he makes of me is his choice; is it not? I do, however, know that my journey is his alone and I have far to go before I have kept the promises I made when he first called my name. So I journey on, reminded that I have far to go and responsibility to those whom I allow to follow me.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
08 March 2010
There is an APP for that
Greetings Dear Reader,
Between my students and my children I am surrounded by iPhones. While I admire the versatility, convenience, and small size, I have a philosophical difficulty with its parent company. That being true I am admittedly amazed by the many applications that can be acquired and used at will on smart phones.
For my recent birthday I received a Windows Smartphone. The phone is not smart but it sure can do many things. As with most Smartphones worth owning it had all the phone and texting features one would want as well as internet via phone or Wi-Fi. I can get weather, news, and most other information with a few taps of a screen. Information, communication, and entertainment are instantly available no matter where I am.
All this is excellent but there is this nagging feeling I have surrounding the diminished level of face to face communication. I value very much speaking to someone and looking them in the eye when I do. The speed and alacrity of communication is good. Diminishing the quality of that communication is not. There is not an APP that will replace real time with my family and friends. Nothing substitutes for real time love and laughter or even shared grief passing between people.
As we become more digitally connected I fear that we are becoming less personally connected. It is too easy to assume that we can problem solve with our devices and depend less on each other. I think we also make it too easy to distance ourselves from spiritual matters. We can research, think, and even view sermons from the comfort of our solitudes. We can forsake the human element of our journey to God.
The difficulty I find is that it removes me from all accountability. We need to be among each other. The faith journey is a shared experience and we are not meant to travel alone. The distancing ourselves from the community of believers is not a healthy one. There is not an APP that can replace the experience of corporate worship and communal prayer. No matter what our reasons, when we deprive ourselves of the community aspect of our faith journey, we suffer.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
Between my students and my children I am surrounded by iPhones. While I admire the versatility, convenience, and small size, I have a philosophical difficulty with its parent company. That being true I am admittedly amazed by the many applications that can be acquired and used at will on smart phones.
For my recent birthday I received a Windows Smartphone. The phone is not smart but it sure can do many things. As with most Smartphones worth owning it had all the phone and texting features one would want as well as internet via phone or Wi-Fi. I can get weather, news, and most other information with a few taps of a screen. Information, communication, and entertainment are instantly available no matter where I am.
All this is excellent but there is this nagging feeling I have surrounding the diminished level of face to face communication. I value very much speaking to someone and looking them in the eye when I do. The speed and alacrity of communication is good. Diminishing the quality of that communication is not. There is not an APP that will replace real time with my family and friends. Nothing substitutes for real time love and laughter or even shared grief passing between people.
As we become more digitally connected I fear that we are becoming less personally connected. It is too easy to assume that we can problem solve with our devices and depend less on each other. I think we also make it too easy to distance ourselves from spiritual matters. We can research, think, and even view sermons from the comfort of our solitudes. We can forsake the human element of our journey to God.
The difficulty I find is that it removes me from all accountability. We need to be among each other. The faith journey is a shared experience and we are not meant to travel alone. The distancing ourselves from the community of believers is not a healthy one. There is not an APP that can replace the experience of corporate worship and communal prayer. No matter what our reasons, when we deprive ourselves of the community aspect of our faith journey, we suffer.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
04 March 2010
Look what they’ve done to my words Ma…
Greetings Dear Reader,
Every once in a while I get exasperated by the degradation of our language. Today is National Grammar Day. As I ponder the changes in our language over the last few decades I am amazed at the swiftness at which language changes. Words degrade and degenerate due to poor education. Meaning is skewed by culture and commonality.
I realize that language is a living thing. Change is necessary or English goes the way of Latin or Chaldean. Many words lose their usefulness through changes is industry, commerce, and technology. New words arrive for the same reasons. The thing that is threatening to me is that language is also being degraded at the common level.
My rant may be the result of having just corrected and graded thirty lengthy term papers. Some common mistakes that I found very alarming are ones that should be rooted out in elementary if not high school. The examples that follow were each evidenced in at least two of the papers I recently marked.
Than and Then: Than is a conjunction for comparison. Then is an adverb denoting time.
Accept and Except: Accept is a verb for receiving things. Except is either a preposition of exclusion or a verb for the same purpose.
Affect and Effect: Affect is usually a verb regarding influence or a noun of expression. Effect is usually a noun denoting result or can be used as a verb to bring about a result.
There, They’re, and Their: There is an adverb or an expletive. They’re is a contraction of They Are. Their is a plural possessive pronoun. (Their is not singular. It is improper to try to be politically correct by using this instead of his or hers.)
To, Too, and Two: To is a preposition for which there must be an object. Too is an adverb meaning also. Two is a number meaning more than one but less than three.
They’re is many moore ex-samples of the weigh bad grammar effects hour language. Than again wee can muggle hour weigh threw things if we knead two. It is to bad that hour language has so many acceptions two the rules. I guess wheele have too reed they’re righting more carefully.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
Every once in a while I get exasperated by the degradation of our language. Today is National Grammar Day. As I ponder the changes in our language over the last few decades I am amazed at the swiftness at which language changes. Words degrade and degenerate due to poor education. Meaning is skewed by culture and commonality.
I realize that language is a living thing. Change is necessary or English goes the way of Latin or Chaldean. Many words lose their usefulness through changes is industry, commerce, and technology. New words arrive for the same reasons. The thing that is threatening to me is that language is also being degraded at the common level.
My rant may be the result of having just corrected and graded thirty lengthy term papers. Some common mistakes that I found very alarming are ones that should be rooted out in elementary if not high school. The examples that follow were each evidenced in at least two of the papers I recently marked.
Than and Then: Than is a conjunction for comparison. Then is an adverb denoting time.
Accept and Except: Accept is a verb for receiving things. Except is either a preposition of exclusion or a verb for the same purpose.
Affect and Effect: Affect is usually a verb regarding influence or a noun of expression. Effect is usually a noun denoting result or can be used as a verb to bring about a result.
There, They’re, and Their: There is an adverb or an expletive. They’re is a contraction of They Are. Their is a plural possessive pronoun. (Their is not singular. It is improper to try to be politically correct by using this instead of his or hers.)
To, Too, and Two: To is a preposition for which there must be an object. Too is an adverb meaning also. Two is a number meaning more than one but less than three.
They’re is many moore ex-samples of the weigh bad grammar effects hour language. Than again wee can muggle hour weigh threw things if we knead two. It is to bad that hour language has so many acceptions two the rules. I guess wheele have too reed they’re righting more carefully.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
