In the Multitude of Words. . .

. . .can get one in trouble.

My friend, John, has a great post today, Let Every Man be Slow to Tweet.

He quotes Matthew Henry on the subject:  

“Those that love to hear themselves talk do not consider what work they are making for repentance.”

Dictionary Word of the Day: acedia

It's been a long time since I've come across a Dictionary Word of the Day that was entirely new to me! (February 1st, to be precise)

acedia \ uh-SEE-dee-uh \  , noun;
1.  Sloth.
2.  Laziness or indifference in religious matters.

Quotes:

His tales give the impression of a man cursed with an incurable disenchantment with life, a malady about midway between acedia  and ennui.

-- James Norman Hall, Under a thatched roof
Five thousand people yawning in their cars, intimidated by the cops and bored to acedia  by the chant of the politicians.

-- Edward Abbey, The monkey wrench gang

Origin:
Acedia  is a simple derivation from the Greek akēdeia , "indifference.

Probably not a word I'll probably ever remember to use.  The thought of laziness or indifference in religious matters, though. . .

I'm glad there is a word that describes the particular indifference of religious matters because that particular indifference has eternal consequences.  That is not a subject about which anyone can afford to be lazy or indifferent and yet our neighborhoods are filled with people who were created in the image of God who go through their days without a thought about God, indifferent to His Word, indifferent to His Son, indifferent to His salvation.

It is not enough for us to avoid acedia in our own lives; we must also avoid acedia when it comes to those who are without Christ.

 Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Let us not become indifferent to religious matters; our own or that of those around us. 

There's a first time for everything

Tom, Sam, and I played Scrabble.  For the first time ever, we were all able to play down to our last tile.  Every single tile on the board. 

So far, there still isn't a second time for everything.  I've still only been beaten once at Scrabble.  Having said that, we're going to play another game.  I may have to update this post if I lose.

Dictionary Word of the Day: Oneiric

oneiric \oh-NY-rik\ 

Of, pertaining to, or suggestive of dreams; dreamy.

A new word to me and one that is very suggestive in light of Sam's graduation today.  Hopes and dreams past merging with hopes and dreams future.

Words and Memories

As most of my readers know, I am a word nerd. I love words and definitions. I get excited when I come across a word I don't know. I feel triumphant when I am able to discern the precise meaning by reading the word in context or discerning its Latin or Greek root. I talk about words, make lists of words, subscribe to blogs about words and, of course, occasionally I blog about words.

This morning I came across a word that I thought was just a family word. A word my mother learned from her mother and that I learned from her. Slumgullion. (Although my grandmother pronounced it 'slumgOlliun.') Slumgullion was her word for a delicious skillet dish she made from ground beef, onions and peppers, tomatoes, and macaroni. Lots of people make this dish (no one, not even my mother, who is a fantastic cook, could make it better) and I've heard it called goulash, Hungarian goulash, hot dish, but never slumgullion. So, I was excited and curious this morning when my Google Reader presented me with a new post from World Wide Words that included the word slumgullion:

The word sounds vaguely unpleasant, a good example of form matching meaning, since Americans have for more than for 150 years used it for a variety of things that are unpleasant to various degrees. . .

Today it means a cheap stew made by throwing anything handy into a pot with water and boiling it, an improvised dish which has had many other names, such as Mulligan stew and Irish stew. . .

American dictionaries guess that it may be a combination of slum, an old English term meaning slime (nothing to do with a squalid urban area, the word for which is an old bit of slang of unknown origin) plus gullion, English dialect for mud or a cesspool. This is still known in Scots and is probably from the Irish goilín for a pit or pool.

My grandmother was of Scottish descent.  She knew how to take whatever 'little bit of this and little bit of that 'that she had at hand and make a meal--a delicious meal, mind you--and even during the depression, my mother's family never went hungry.  And I promise you, there was nothing unpleasant about her concoctions! 

I still make slumgullion, but I call it goulash now.  I still make several dishes that my grandmother made and I think I must have inherited my skill at resurrecting leftovers and recreating them into completely new dishes from her.

I still love her 'Hungarian Bean Soup' which was a hearty soup she'd make from leftover navy beans and ham.  To the thick, end-of-the-pot beans she'd add a jar of her own canned tomatoes, onions, and peppers.  Mmmm.  I remember how good that smelled and how good it tasted with bread and butter--a staple at my grandparents' table.

I remember her taking some leftover roast beef, carrots, potatoes, and onions from dinner the night before and presenting it the next evening as beef stew.  She whipped that meal together in no time flat and somehow the stew tasted as though it had simmered on the back burner all afternoon and was only ever meant to be beef stew.

I loved watching her make egg noodles.  She'd put a cup or two of flour on the kitchen table and sprinkle salt over it.  Then she'd make a well in the flour with her finger and fill the well with egg yolks.  Nothing was measured.  Then she'd scramble the yolks with a fork and she'd start working in the flour.  Sometimes she'd add more flour, sometimes she'd leave some on the counter.  Somehow she knew just when to stop adding flour.  I asked her once "how do you know when to stop adding flour?"  Her answer?  "You just know."  The noodle dough was rolled out thin as could be and rapidly cut with a knife into long strips.  Then they were either immediately put into the meat and broth that was simmering away on the stove or, if the noodles were for another day, they were gathered up and shaken in a brown paper bag with some flour and then draped over the back of the kitchen chairs to dry.

Isn't it funny how one little, obscure word can open a floodgate of memories? 

What memories do you have of cooking with your grandma?

Blogging Word of the Day: languishing

Languish(ing)

Pronunciation \ˈlaŋ-gwish\
Function:
intransitive verb
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French languiss-, stem of languir, from Vulgar Latin *languire, from Latin languēre
Date:
14th century

1 a: to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated b: to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality

2 a: to become dispirited b: to suffer neglect

3: to assume an expression of grief or emotion appealing for sympathy

Languishing. That word pretty much describes my poor, neglected blog for the past few months. Decreasing vitality. Suffering neglect. Am I 'appealing for sympathy?' Not really. Depressed? Not at all.

I'm honestly not sure what is going on, but I find I simply have less interest in my blog, other than as a depository of quickly dashed memories and a sporatic record (however incomplete) of some of the things I am thinking about. It doesn't feel like blog fog or a bloggy break. It feels like a total shift.

I'm enjoying so many new and old things; I'm reading more, I've got a sweet little grandson who has captured my heart and my attention, I see projects that need to be done around the house, I'm having fun baking bread again, I find I need more quiet time (and by quiet, I'm not talking about the 'noise factor'; I mean thinking time.) As I'm getting older, I'm finding that I just can't skip from one task to another, one thought to another, as seamlessly.

I've lost many of my subscribers. I can understand that. There certainly haven't been many scintillating posts recently! Losing subscribers would have bothered me greatly at one time. But the fact that I'm not really worried about that is the biggest indication to me that there really HAS been a shift.

If it weren't for the fact that I have several years of time and effort invested in this blog, I think I would shut it down and walk away. What happens to a blog that you stop paying for? Does it simply disappear into cyberspace--a collection of disembodied links and unattached images? That would be hard to take. This blog has become a repository of images and memories and snapshots of time and I would have a dreadfully hard time saying 'goodbye' to them forever. So I'm not likely to do that anytime soon.

If it weren't for the fact that I have made some very dear friends through blogging (you all know who you are!) I might just stop this blogging thing altogether. Can't do that! No more glimpes into spring on PEI? No new quotes that spur deep thinking? No more fashion shows, no more Beck (impossible to categorize Beck, don't you think?) , gorgeous photos and funny stories, shared brain experiences, theological promptings, political and doggy discussions? No more sharing grandson fun? No more happy wondering? Unthinkable! How would I learn about chickens and chicken coops? Where would I find book reviews and book discussions amongst friends? Who would be my social and political conscience? How else could I indulge my continuing, vicarious interest in home schooling once my own home schooling journey ends in a few weeks.  Where would I find an outlet for my occasional poetic promptings?

Several of my favorite bloggers have either quit entirely, have slowed down considerably, pop up only every once in a while, or are making a come back. I still miss Rosemary.  Only one I can catch up with over lunch.

Well that does it.  By writing it all out, I've come to a conclusion.  There are ebbs and tides in blogging.  For now, Hiraeth will continue to drift along on its current current as it has been. If you're here, you're invited to drift along with me and see where the current takes us. . .

Dictionary Word of the Day: eleemosynary

eleemosynary \el-uh-MOS-uh-ner-ee\, adjective:

1. Of or for charity; charitable; as, "an eleemosynary institution."
2. Given in charity; having the nature of alms; as, "eleemosynary assistance."
3. Supported by or dependent on charity; as, "the eleemosynary poor."

Another word that I have never seen before and could not even begin to figure out.

Here's a little bit more about the origin of this word:

Of or pertaining to alms or almsgiving; charitable.

Quote of the Week: Calvin

All our words ought to be filled with true sweetness and grace; and this will be so if we mingle the useful with the sweet.

John Calvin

Word of the Day: Paraenesis

This morning I was musing about solitary reading--how pleasurable it is to read along with other 'solitary readers.' Even when one is surrounded by other people reading, unless one is reading aloud, reading remains a solitary experience--until someone speaks up and shares thoughts about what is being read.

In that post, I mentioned that I had come across a word that I did not know and could not find in a dictionary--paraenetic. I asked my readers if anyone knew the definition of the word and in very short order, I had an answer and a link from a reader named sem:

The paraenetic style is that in which we give someone paraenesis.. . persuading. . . him to pursue something or to avoid something. Paraenesis . . . is divided into two parts, i.e., persuasion and dissuasion. (2)

Restoration Quarterly Volume 38/Number 3
Towards a Definition of Paraenesis
Tim Sensing Burlington, NC

It's an interesting read.

Is reading a solitary activity?

Sometimes I think that Kim from the Upward Call and I share a weird brain connection. We frequently think about the same things and sometimes we think about them at the same time. Like this morning. Kim is thinking outloud about reading:

This one, was floating about in a number of places. It's a story about the growing popularity of electronic reading devices, specifically, Kindle, and the future of reading and writing. It disturbed me on many levels. Here is a one line that stood out to me:

"Nobody will read alone anymore"

This is a rather sad thought. Reading is supposed to be a rather solitary pursuit, is it not? And frankly, I don't think I want to see privacy and solitude become extinct. If all of this cyber "community" is so great, why are there still so many lonely people?

Funny, because I was thinking about that just last night. Tom was sitting on one end of the couch reading a biography of Benjamin Franklin. Ivy and I were laying on the opposite end. I was reading Doug Moo's commentary on Colossians. Sam was sitting in a nearby chair reading Harry Potter. We were all inwardly engaged in our own little bookish worlds; Tom absorbed with history, me with theology, Sam with fantasy. It was quiet in the house. You could hear the birds singing outside and I was keenly aware that reading was going on. Solitary pursuits--until one of us read something that required a comment. Tom shared a few things that ol' Ben got started (lending library, fire department, fire insurance), I found a word that needed looking up (still don't know what the definition of paraenetic is) which led to a brief discussion about words used in specific disciplines and areas of study, and Sam made an observation about a plot hole in the book he was reading. Every time someone spoke up, we all stopped what we were reading, listened to the other person, entered into their bookish world for a moment, then re-entered our own again--until the next observation.

I thought last night, while this was going on, how much I enjoyed times like that, when we were all reading and sharing.  Alone, but not alone. 

My favorite place to read is alone but 'not alone' with my family.

_____________________________________________________

BTW:  here's the word paraenetic in its context:

Paul's warnings about people who insist on following certain kinds of rules as basic to spiritual growth have been cited by theologians and laypeople alike to hold up the principle of Christian liberty.  And the paraenetic section of the letter, though brief, is typified by a collection of broad ethical principles that have provided significant guidance for believers seeking to translate their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ into practice.

Any ideas?

Dictionary Word of the Day: Crepuscular

crepuscular \kri-PUS-kyuh-lur\, adjective:

1. Of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight; dim.
2. (Zoology) Appearing or active at twilight.

CREPUSCULAR, CREPUSCULOUS, a. Pertaining to twilight; glimmering; noting the imperfect light of the morning and evening; hence, imperfectly clear or luminous. (Websters 1828)

Here's a bit more from a zoological POV from Wikipedia.

Crepuscular mammals include the Red Panda, cat, dog, deer, moose, rabbit, chinchilla, ferret, guinea pig, hamster, common mouse, skunk, rat, and capybara. Crepuscular birds include the Common Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, American Woodcock, and Spotted Crake.

Dictionary Word of the Day: thaumaturgy

thaumaturgy \THAW-muh-tuhr-jee\, noun:

The performance of miracles or magic.

A new word!  A new word!  I've never come across this word before, have you?

The only thaumaturgy I can claim is the occasional miraculous transformation of leftovers. . .

Dictionary Word of the Day: Mot juste

mot juste \moh-ZHOOST\, noun:
a word or phrase that exactly fits the case

I'm crazy about words. My Dictionary Word of the Day posts came out of my love for words and my delight in learning new words. I set out to blog about the new words I've learned through Dictionary.com but,  sadly, such is my vocabulary mania that entirely new words are few and far between. Most times I end up blogging about favorite words, or like today, word associations that jump into my mind when I read the current word of the day.

Today I will be leading a discussion of Hebrews 7: 26-28 with my friends, Dorothy and Carol.

26For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Jesus Christ is the mot juste; He exactly fits the case.  He exactly fits our need--in both His Person and His Work.  The appointed Son, the Spotless Lamb of God, the Word made flesh.

The Mot Juste.

Dictionary Word of the Day: circumlocution

circumlocution \sir-kuhm-loh-KYOO-shuhn\, noun:

The use of many words to express an idea that might be expressed by few; indirect or roundabout language.

Grin.  Someone at Dictionary.com must've watched last night's Presidential Debate in Tennessee.  I found it interesting the way BOTH candidates, when given a new question, seemed to warm up to their answers by taking around and around about nothing substantive and yet begin talking a MILE away from the actual question asked them once they got going. (circumlocation?)

It was as if they needed that warm up period of random circumlocution in which to think about what they wanted to talk about instead of the given question while giving the appearance that they were considering the question with the understanding of its full weight.

Give a politician time to circumlocute and he'll find a way to change the subject.

Shhhh. . . .now I've broken my self imposed rule of never discussing politics on my blog. . .

Squealer Would Probably Have Something to Say About This

I assigned George Orwell's Animal Farm for Sam's first book report this year. I read it when I was in Junior High, so it seems a little late for him to be exposed to this novelette, but there was a method to my madness. He's in his final year of home schooling, he's taking Government and, after all, it is a Presidential election year. I wanted to see what he'd do with it.

I didn't give him much information before he read it--I just handed him the book. He understands what satire is and what an allegory is and he figured out right away that it was political in nature.

Today we discussed the book and I've got to crow a little here. He was SPOT ON when it came to the symbolism, metaphors, and themes of the book. The boy can think and analyze. He was a little shaky on some of the actual details of the Russian revolution. He did know that Napoleon represented Stalin's reign and Snowball represented the opposing view of government in the struggles after the Revolution, but he didn't go so far as to identify Snowball with Trotsky. That's OK. His understanding was amazing and his observations sound. This sort of nervous, 'end of the home school experience stressed' mother was proud and relieved. Sam is a critical reader and a critical thinker. I am delighted. (that's my brag for today, here comes the rant)

I thought it might be fun to see if we could find a DVD of a made-for-TV version of Animal Farm so I logged into our local library catalog and discovered that, not only did they not have the TV movie I was looking for, to my dismay they didn't have a copy of Animal Farm either:

No copies in this library

Animal Farm

George Orwell

I was surprised, to say the least, so I clicked on the little button that invited me to "Ask A Librarian" and asked:

I am curious to learn why our library does not own a copy of Orwell’s Animal Farm. Is this a matter of policy or simply oversight?

I got a prompt reply:

We have two copies of George Orwell’s book, Animal Farm . We also have a cd audiobook and a downloadable audiobook on our website. In our catalog the book is listed as: Animal Farm: a fairy story (the 50^th anniversary edition) and is located in the Adult Fiction area. Unfortunately, both copies are checked out, but I will be happy to reserve a copy for you.

It may be confusing, because the last listing in our catalog says Animal Farm “no copies in this library”. This means that one copy of the title Animal Farm , was discarded, the book was located in the Youth area and was probably discarded due to poor condition.

If I can be of any further assistance, please let me know.

I have no issues whatsoever with the librarian, mind you. Her response was appropriate and helpful. But did you notice anything that catches YOUR attention about the information in this prompt and courteous note? Does anything bother you or cause the hairs on the back of your neck stick up? It bothered me. It made me wonder.

I wondered why Animal Farm had been moved from the juvenile section to the adult section. I was also alarmed and rather shocked at the new title of the 50th anniversary edition--Animal Farm: a fairy story. A fairy story??? There is a WORLD of difference between a fairy story and a satirical allegory. It may seem like a small thing but it's not. At least not to me.

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Animal Farm, of all books, has been called a fairy story just 50 years after it's publication? I wonder what Squealer would have to say about that. I'm sure he could explain it all in a way we would understand and accept.

Something else bothered me. (did you know this was coming?) Animal Farm is a book. A hold it in your hand book. Named Animal Farm. It may also be available as an e-book or on DVD, but those are not the exactly same as books. Not everyone has an iPod or a portable DVD player. But everyone who can read can hold a book in their hands and read it. And if you're asking about the book Animal Farm, would you necessarily assume that Animal Farm: a fairy story is the same book under another title? I guess I'm too black and white. I expect books, especially classic books, to keep their proper titles.

In the words of the Mad Hatter, "These are the things that upset me." Or in the words of Alice, "In MY world. . ."

Sigh. Well, that's my rant for today. Or at least as much as is fit to share on the blog, right Dorothy? (Who was gracious enough to serve me copious amounts of tea and listen to me rant and rave.)

Dictionary Word of the Day: fettle

fettle \FET-l\, noun:

A state or condition of fitness or order; state of mind; spirits -- often used in the phrase "in fine fettle."

Well, vacation is officially over.  The attic and much of the basement is "in fine fettle."  I have spent some time reorganizing my physical fitness and personal goals and hope that with some adjustments, that area of my life will soon be fettled.  (Is that a word? **smile**)

I must admit that, at least for this morning, my state of mind and spirits are decidedly 'unfettled.'  Sad that vacation (even a working vacation) is over, sad that Tom is going back to work today, sad that my all my fun is over.

But it's a cool, crisp September morning and the day is calling and promising to be bright and cool. The leaves are turning and the dogs are ready for a walk.  My Hebrews study is on track again and I get to meet with my friends on Thursday to discuss what we are learning.  My drawing board is (relatively) clean and organized and I have work to do.  School is going well and we'll be adding another class this week.

And so it turns out that the fettling process continues.  Vacation may be over but still I must renew my mind and discipline my body and give thanks.

Dictionary Word of the Day: tintinnabulation

tintinnabulation \tin-tih-nab-yuh-LAY-shuhn\, noun:

A tinkling sound, as of a bell or bells.

A new word!!  A new word!!  And what a great word!!  

I love tinkling sounds.   Don't you?  Wind chimes, the sound of keystrokes on a keyboard, that particular 'tinkling' sound when a little bottom is sitting on the potty chair, keys in the door when hubby comes home, the jingle of the bell on the front door when Ivy wants to go out.  But my favorite tintinnabulation of all is the tinkling of dog tags as my girls tintinnaMbulate through the house.  Each has her own music.  Do you remember this nursery rhyme?

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross

To see a fine lady upon a white horse

Rings on her fingers and bell on her toes

And she shall have music wherever she goes

Dictionary Word of the Day: Hobson's Choice

Hobson's choice \HOB-suhnz-CHOIS\, noun:

A choice without an alternative; the thing offered or nothing.

The origin of the term Hobson's choice is said to be in the name of one Thomas Hobson (ca. 1544-1631), at Cambridge, England, who kept a livery stable and required every customer to take either the horse nearest the stable door or none at all.

Oh, where was this word when my boys were growing up?!  I applied Hobson's choice frequently when it came to bedtime,  dinner time, and 'time to come in from play and get a bath.'  It would have been nice if ol' Hobson had joined 'Mr. Sheets' our old across-the-street neighbor whose name eventually became a by-word in our family.  When the boys had no answer for a question such as, "How in the world did you manage to get so dirty?," or "Where are your shoes?," their "I don't know's" were often followed by "Well, who should I ask, Mr. Sheets?"

Mr. Sheets and Hobson would have got along just fine, I'm thinking.

100 Books Wordle

Click to enlarge

Dictionary Word of the Day: Sempiternal

sempiternal \sem-pih-TUR-nuhl\, adjective:
Of never ending duration; having beginning but no end; everlasting; endless.

If I had been introduced to this word in any other way than seeing it in my Dictionary Word of the Day feed, I'd've thought someone made it up.  I make up words like that sometimes.  Like purr-puppy.  I've always called my cats purr-puppies.

I wonder why no one seems to use this word to describe the eternality of God?  In all the theological books and systematic theologies I've read, I've never come across this word being used in a theological setting.

Hmmm.  Wonder why.  It seems a perfectly wonderful word to me.

Maybe it's just because our Bible study discussed Melchizadek yesterday. . .

UPDATE:  With my second cup of coffee, I can see why it's not used to describe God.  These words:  HAVING BEGINNING.  That's why!  I mentally added a 'no' before beginning.  Too much Melchizadek on the brain, I guess. . .