The Conglomeration

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Art work by Effie

This is my very favorite piece of artwork that I saved. It is not mine, but was done by my son about fifteen years ago. His sister bought a new computer and he painstakingly created these three 'stooges'. I plan on creating a story around them, with his approval, of course.

Artwork I have created

This scribble is nothing much, but I kept it. It reminds of the clown I sometimes think I am.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A News Paper is the Best Bargain Around

Newspapers are not printed at the rate they once were, the Internet has nibbled away at their numbers. But the more tenacious ones remain and have gotten even better at keeping the public informed at about what is happening in and around their communities.

I Know this from my old habit of loving to read newspapers. This changed when the Internet took over and no longer did I have time to cater to both. Now, in my more leisurely years, I have started getting the daily paper again and I am hooked. I no longer look out my windows at my community and know nothing about what is going on except what I hear on the six PM news. Sometimes, busy at other chores, I miss that and I am totally left in the dark. No more.

The first thrill from reading the newspaper comes when my feet first hits the floor in the morning. Oh, wonder if the paper is here, I ask, whether it is four, six, seven Am? There is always that rush of excitement from opening the door and picking up the paper. This morning, however, I forget and about an hour later I remembered to get the paper.

I couldn't believe my eyes. The answer I needed was on the front page. I had already started writing, that's what I do daily, and the topic of the small article was how the health care reform would affect insurance premiums. I Knew a little from my past reading and thinking on the subject, but basically was at a blank as how to write my proposed article. I filled in the blank in my article by quoting the AP article concerning how the insurance premiums would be affected and was finished and had uploaded the article within ten minutes.

The moral to this is as writer I will never be without the paper again. Usually, I get from two to three writing ideas from the paper every week, sometimes more, sometimes less. Mostly these come from the questions I ask myself as I read the paper. I do not rewrite their stories but use them to guide me in my thinking. Sometimes, an idea, most likely generated from my reading of the daily paper, will surface days later when something arises that connect my thoughts to something read. In other words when what I have read is fully digested.

PS.
The piece of artwork is from my collection of 'junk' art I have saved over the past thirty or forty years. This one is nothing more than a strip of elm bark from a tree in my old home place. I was bored and wanted something to do one afternoon and surprised myself with my nimble fingers. To me it is representative of Egyptian art. Out minds tell us lots of things that may or may not be true, but that is what it has represented to me. I made the frame too.

Why place it here? It has a lot in common with news. When we just sit around and twiddle our fingers imaginatively, we often learn lots of things we didn't know. Somehow it opens up the mind. So does a newspaper. You never know what you will learn until you read it.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Twitterisms

This morning in the Herald-Dispatch I read a small AP item that caught my fancy. The caption read, Grasshopper outlook strikes fear in West. How can grasshopper strike fear, I wondered? Those bright green antic loving critters that everybody loves are not out for mischief, they are only joining the going green movement. They are natural green personified, aren't they?

Without knowing more than what the small two column notice gave, I am at a loss to see where the problem lies. This was my first thought. Reading further, it seems that there are bigger problems. They need to be fed and they are eating all the vegetation of in their area. Still, they are not likely to come inside homes and raid their refrigerators, so there is no actual danger from their green summit meeting in Wyoming.

The writer goes on to say that the arid North Eastern prairie of Wyoming is being riddled with these lively green vaulters. The note goes on to say they "eat T-shirts off clothes lines and and devour" every growing grown thing in sight. The report is out of Newcastle, Wyoming. That leaves us nothing more to do than to ask the second question, why? Why are they so proliferate that they are an infestation instead of a thing in beauty. Why aren't they being devoured by the larger animals which is the natural way of controlling population?

The obvious answer to that is that there are not enough hungry other creatures around that eat grasshoppers. Why? There seems to be no end to the why question. I will so some research and see if can learn more.
Until then....

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Just words

February, 23, 2010

Just words, but how I love them! How nice it is to stay hidden behind them, though. As one grows older, one's thoughts often grow too, but not exactly older, but hopefully, better and more pleasant and peaceful. It is good to read what others, of all ages, have to say online in their likewise desire to put in a good word now and then.

Impatience gives way, in older life, to acceptance. This makes for a better all-around experience in writing. Foolishness enters too. Just now, and I am fool enough to admit where I often go wrong in my writing -- spelling and grammar --, I tried three or four times to spell the word accommodate right. I had to seek out the spellchecker before I finally got it right. I knew, absolutely knew, that either the word had two c's and two m's, and I typed and fiddled around and the spell checker still insisted it was wrong. It was. I was leaving off the e at the end of the word.

One good thing about being old is that you have time for these little interruptions in your busy life. My busy life is not so busy but I do write every day, but my writing has not the freedom I feel here. Editors at the various places I write are not always as agreeable as I am. I must really get those commas in the right place, and the words spelled right. I understand, but I long for the days when a writer could write freely knowing that the errors would be corrected. Now days if the manuscript is not right, it gets sent back for rewriting.

Still, I love words and learning about them and how to rearrange them better to complete sentences that showcase my thoughts on something I think is important, is an interesting way to while away the time. I try not to get so carried away with the thoughts that I completely forget how to spell the words.

Words are powerful. They deserve all the work it takes to get them saying what you want them to say. I often think, that letters words are a lot like people, some of them are right and in their chosen places, and others kind of wander out into unknown territories and cause problems for those trying to deal with them.
Until next time, be kind to yourself, God expects it.

Effie

PS. The artwork is a keepsake from a grandchild. For words, I wanted something fitting to illustrate my page. What better than a childhood drawing from one who also loves words.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Today begins now...

January 20, 2010

It is 5:21 Am. I am up and beginning my writing day. Why so early? Bedtime was around nine and that always means I will be up early. As an older person, sleep is whenever.
I generally get a good six hours of natural sleep each night but it is not always at regular sleep time. Today, to help matters along, I will probably nap for a couple of hours in the afternoon and be assured of a little television watching time. Eleven PM is still the ideal bedtime.

Who cares, you may ask? All oldsters who fret over not sleeping well should care. I find sleep, as well as the rest of what happens to us is mainly a state of mind. I would rather stay awake all night than take sleeping medication. Normally. If ill and needed it, I probably would. Routinely? Never.

Have a good day, and rest well at night, everyone.
Ps. The artwork is a saved bit of yesterday's cutout paper cardboard art. I did several in different colors.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Praying for Haiti

January, 18, 2010
I am not a good blogger. I neglect to comment day after day, week after week, month after month. I promise to do better. But what I want to say today is important and worthy and is what everyone is saying. HELP HAITI. I am shouting it. Of course everyone is praying and donating and doing whatever they can do. Yet, It cannot be said enough.

This today will be brief because I am writing and donating my time and my winnings on Helium for Haiti. The contest is Writing for Haiti and each article written nets the Helium fund for Haiti two dollars. And yes, the winners of the contest do not get the $50, $30, or $10 dollars, but help Haiti does. What a wonderful way to contribute when you have little to contribute.

Every one can do something.

PS: The artwork is mine. It is three dimensional cardboard cutouts. I was done about twenty years ago, or less.

Just words

Monday, April 12, 2010

Found art work

Yesterday I found a pencil sketch of a girl I called a coal mine angel. I had sketched it on old piece of paper and supposedly I liked the picture and kept it. On March 26, 1999, for some reason I was doodling with pencil and paper, a favorite hobby.

The words I wrote then were "Coal miner's angel, out there in the dark, alone in eternity, feeding the pigeons in the park-- alone."

Why I found it yesterday April, 11, 2010 I do not know, but since it was fitting for the tragic times, I am placing it here. Surely, thinks, I, there must be many a child out there now feeling alone and missing their loved ones. It is to them I offer my childlike thoughts.

Friday, April 9, 2010

A Silent Prayer For WV Miners

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Tragic Mine Accident in WV

Lord:
Only you know what is going on down in the ground in this terrible tragedy that has happened in West Virginia. All I can say, is please give help to those who are suffering and see that out of this comes hope for those who are most in need of it.

We human beings are laughing one day and crying the next. That is life, and only You can teach us how to deal with both the good and bad days that comes to us all. Suffering is the lot of humanity, and it is clear the families of the victims are having their share of that. See, that it is not wasted. Yet who am I to tell You that?

The above words are full of nothing, but I felt I must say something. Usually when I feel deep sadness, I simply keep quiet from not knowing what to say. Today is different.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Studying the Bible When Uninspired

It is easy to write and praise the Lord when one is inspired and when one makes good resolutions; it is not so easy when one is concerned with other more earthy matters. Yet the challenge is even greater there. Yesterday, when creating this blog I made myself a promise to daily add a few paragraphs from the bible and make some comment on them.

What say I today? I would rather not, but here I am making the effort. What am I to make of Jerimiah 18:18? That happens to be where I mindlessly placed the bookmark the last time I read the bible.

"Come", the said, "let us contrive a plot against Jerimiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of the counsil, nor the counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets. And so let us destroy him by his own tongue: let us carefully note his every word."

How does he manage this? He leaves it in the hands of the Lord. And so will I. This is as common today as it was then. People for whatever reason, will set out to malign others for no other purpose than they probably don't like what they say. In other words, they set out to kill the messenger, when they don't like the message. Will that undo the message? Of course not. Only God can take care of this kind of back biting and hatred.

Having given no thought to this message beforehand, I have nothing much to add here. If I ever had any such enemies, I doubt if I would ever have done much but to dodge them. And were I to comment with any authority, I would have refreshed my memory of what the plot was all about, and that I have no done. At least today, I have commented, for what it is worth.

March 8, 2010
Jeremiah is an Old Testament Prophet that was living and teaching in 627 BC. I am by no means knowledgeable about Jeremiah, of the bible for that matter. I know only that he was a prophet, somewhat of a quaint one if reading his prayers to his Lord is an any indication of how he thought.

He is probably better known to non Bible studying people through that song that was well known about thirty ago, Jeremiah was a Bullfrog. Even though that song with a catchy tune was well liked, it was not downgrading to him. At least I never though so. It only forced me to like him even more. It told me also, that he was probably made fun of during his reign as a teacher, but while that was annoying, it did not stop him from delivering his messages from the Lord.
What is probably truly important about him is that he was true to the Lord and wanted to lead his people faithfully, but he no doubt suffered for it.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

1 Corinthians 4:10-13

(Corinthians 4:10-13)
"We are fools in Christ's account, but you are wise in Christ, We are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we are in disrepute. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless. And we fail. When working with our hands, when ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond, gently. We have become like the world's rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment."

What's this all about? That was Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Time wise it was the first century and the purpose was to admonish his children. Why is this letter important? It gives insight into the mood of the first century when Christianity was first beginning. This community was founded by Paul in 51 AD while he was on his second missionary journey. At that time it was being led by a preacher namee Apollus.

Corinth was important to the early Church because it was a crossroads community where many different cultures met to buy and sell. Essentially, it was much like most of the seat ports of the middle east in those times. Christianity was having a hard time getting started due to the diverse thinking of the area, but those who took it more to their hearts were the poor and the disenfranchised. In this letter, he saw himself as one of them. It was to them that his teaching was most heard and upheld.

Now rumors has it that much of this teaching was being altered and he sat out to take care of the problem. The leaders were antagonistic toward the poor and had set themselves above reproach. Indulging themselves in drinking too much wine and merry making and making of Christianity something it was not meant to be, brought on this scolding.

The letter was written from Ephesus in the year 56, five years after he had established the church. More importantly, this letter gives us a clearer view of Paul. It lets us in on what kind of personality the early Church members were dealing with.

In order to fully understand why Paul wrote the letter, it is necessary to read from the beginning. Bible readers, who pick up the bible and take in a message here and there settles on words that strikes a bell, such as what happened here with the above quote, become so intriqued with the words, want to know why the words were necessary.

This is learned by reading from the beginning and then, only then, can they grasp the mood of the times. To take the small bit out of context and make of it what a reader, or writer, wants to make of it, is missing the point. Up to this time, supposedly it was a letter to inform and to send routine messages to those in charge, but when it is learned that the church is being corrupted, much as it has been at various times in the past 2000 years, then the letter takes on an added meaning. Not only that, it once more become new, immediate, and of paramount importance.

He is cordial. At first he writes "you have been called to be holy" and he greets with the peacd of the Lord. Then, as any good letter writer writes, he puts them in a proper frame of mind for reading his message. He offers them praise and encouragement. Then he sets out to cite, alphabetically, the problems with the Church in Corinth.

He wants no divisions and he wants them all to be of one mind and of one spirit. How to do that has been a big problem throughout the 2000 years of Christianity and persists even today. Questions here might be, how can this be reconciled since all people are created with varying qualities of mind, spirit, and body?

Each sees the message according to their education and their knowledge and of course, their faith. God only permits them to see according to thier understanding. How then can they be of one mind? Paul, of course, understands that and cautions against the foolishness of human wisdom. In 1:25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

In the second chapter, he explans his reasons. As he says "But it is written "what eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him." He then explains this is revealed to them through the spirit.

How does this work? It works through sincere prayer. The world has problems. It is hurting. Many are at their wit's end. They pray for understanding and for an ability to overcome their discomfort, or at least to understand its cause, it it cannot be removed.

In chapter three he explains and refreshes their memory of how he taught them while he was still among them. He talked to them as people of the flesh, not of the spirit. There were not yet ready for solid food, he tells them, they were being fed milk. (1 Corinthiand 3:2)They still are unable to take solid food, he tells them. In the most basic terms he explained that he planted, Apollus watered, but God caused the growth. (3:7)

Then we see the letter and the admonishment. He is endeavoring to backtract, to reinforce his builers so they will continue building according to his specifications as together they poured the foundation.

In Chapter four, he reiterates what a good Christian should do to become better stewards of the mysteries of God. They should be trustworthy and should understand that only God judges, and he alerts them to be beware of pride. Then he himself enters the picture. It is obvious he is being undermined by some of the leaders of the group, and possibly falsely accused of crimes he did not commit. Some of what he has heard, may be overly reactions to gossip.

It seems that his displeasure with them stem, in great part, to their assuming stances he felt they should not take. Self-satisfaction, laying up riches, become kings without including all of the Christian group. This is a long letter, yet the quote about the poor at the beginning of this article, is at the heart of it. The next question is how can we make it a guide against today's wickedness?

Inspiration from the Bible

When I am lonely and wondering about life and feeling insecure, or when I desire a closer walk with my Lord, I always turn to the bible. I have done this off and on for my whole life. Even as a small child I read the bible even though I had not a clue, often about what I was reading. Truthfully, this was probably the only book that was there, and it was one I had earned by reciting bible verses.

Yet, this book had words and even then they fascinated me. I've simply never gotten enough of them and daily I work with them. I find them most useful when I am in the mood for meditating and I want to pick a subject and spend some time trying to get inside a favorite quote or a profound statement from the bible.

This blog is all about such happenings in my life. It only takes a sentence or two of profound thought to get me started on the road to thinking and interacting with the good book.

Just words

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Just words

I love words. I love the Bible but days will go by without reading any words from the good book. Should I have named this blog something else? Probably, but being a sometimes reader of the Bible is better than never reading it. I will say when I do pick it up when I am searching for something to satisfy a longing for this questioning mind of mine, I find the experience rewarding.

Unfortunately that does not happen every day. Yet, words are words and the best ones most likely sprung from out of those pages and we pick them up from out of thin air, from off the pages of newspapers, from out of the mouth of our friends and associates.

I will, therefore let the title stand. The first thought is usually the best one, I often believe. Besides, I have two other Google blogs, (Effie at Large) and (Writing by Effie) that will take care of any other random ideas I have. All three of these should catch all the spillover from my Helium writings, my occasional article at Associated Content, and my dealings, every now and then as a ghost writer for Textbroker. Twitter gets a crumb or every few days that should be enough for me.

All this is certainly nothing I could ever have imagined back in the early nineties when I had to pay for a web page. Not only that I had to study extremely hard to learn HTML and find ways to get my page uploaded. Technology is great, I am a living example! Now these fifteen or so years later, I do have to pay more for my online service, but neither do I have to get online from 4 am to 7 to be sure and not run up my bill too much. I was then, and am now a dedicated writer. I must have been born that way.

Ps. The picture is mine. It is a framed fabric collage.

Thought for Today

Be yourself and if this is not up to par, improve on that. It is futile to want to be someone else, as if we could. We were created for a specific purpose of our creator and that is far above anything that we can comprehend, let alone surpass. All we have to do is to accept where we are, who we are, and what our trials and tribulations are and too, accept the joy that comes regularly that tells us we are improving, ever so slowly, in most cases.

How do we do this? We stop listening to the crowds that criticize and start listening to our own wee still voices that will let us know when we are headed in the right direction, or in most cases, the wrong direction.

All of us however are guided by our spiritual natures. And it is in this knowledge that allows us to know when we are following the wrong leader, or the right one. Learning the difference takes a lot of time and understanding. And even under the best of circumstances we are often led astray. Yet when we are sincere we can rest assured that we will be directed to the right path if we sincerely ask to be guided by the good director, while ignoring the bad one. This is the constant battle that we face when we plod on daily.

PS: Thanks to whomever I owe for picture posted on this page. It came form the internet and speaks volumes. Thanks again.