Back again for one more round of lines from songs that have been beautifully or powerfully written and have produced joy, comfort, or other positive results. The following list contains such lines from songs specifically connected to the Christmas season – some of them old/ancient and some of them recent/modern.

On this first Sunday of the 2017 Advent Season, I love pausing to reflect on these lines again. I hope as you read them, your heart will also receive benefits and blessings.

Son of God and Son of Man // There before the world began // Born to suffer, born to shame // Born to raise us from the grave // Christ the everlasting Lord // He shall reign forevermore – Noel by Lauren Diagle and Chris Tomlin

O that birth forever blessed // When the virgin full of grace // By the Holy Ghost conceiving // Bore the Savior of our race // And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer // First revealed His sacred face // Evermore and evermore – Of the Father’s Love Begotten (Latin Hymn written in the 4th century)

Fragile finger sent to heal us // Tender brow prepared for scorn // Tiny heart whose blood will save us // Unto us is born // So wrap our injured flesh around you // Breathe our air and walk our sod // Rob our sin and make us holy // Perfect Son of God – Welcome to Our World by Chris Rice

The hopes and fears of all the years // Are met in thee tonight – O Little Town of Bethlehem

You’ve heard it told, you think it’s odd // The whole thing fraught with complications // The play begins with a baby God // And all His blessed implications – It’s True by Sara Groves

Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King // Born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring // By Thy own eternal spirit, rule in all our hearts alone // By Thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne – Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

In the comments section below, feel free to share one of your own favorite Christmas song lyric lines or share about how one of the above lines has been meaningful to you. Thanks and Happy Advent!

The other day, I was thinking about the power of words in the songs we listen to: how they can lift a mood or lift the spirit, how they can encourage someone to do good – or degrade the heart with a destructive tone.

That led me to think about some lines in songs that have been particularly powerful to me over the years right up until today. I wanted to share some of them here, hoping that they might encourage you too – and thanking all of the songwriters who have used their gifts to change the world for good.

Weak is the effort of my heart and cold my warmest thought // But when I see Thee as Thou art, I’ll praise Thee as I ought. – John Newton (“How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds”)

In the silence, in the waiting // Still we can know You are good // All Your plans are for Your glory // Yes we can know You are good. – Jason Ingram and Kristian Stanfill (“The Lord Our God”)

You’ve been loving me since time began // You’re behind my every second chance. – Nichole Nordeman (“Love You More”)

So with every breath I take in  // I’ll tell you I’m grateful again // And the storm may swell even then it is well // And You are good. – Clint Lagerberg (“You are Good”)

I came to Jesus as I was // Weary and worn and sad // I found in Him a resting place // And He has made me glad. – Horatius Bonar (“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”)

Even what the enemy means for evil // You turn it for our good // You turn it for our good and for Your glory // Even in the valley, You are faithful // You’re working for our good // You’re working for our good and for Your glory. – Bryan Brown, Aaron Keyes, and Jack Mooring (“Sovereign Over Us”)

I’ll be back next weekend with some more inspirational lyrics tied specifically to Christmas.

But I encourage anyone reading this post now to add a comment and share a favorite line from a song that has encouraged you or lifted your heart. Even if you don’t know the name of the songwriter, please include the name of the song. Thanks. 🙂

It’s not a piece of mindless, page-turning fiction and it probably won’t make the New York Times bestseller list, but I’ve been published.

My first academic piece, an essay on how the successful language teacher should view him/herself, published by a traditional publishing house.

Opening the brown paper parcel and holding the volume in my hands after many months of waiting, I sighed with satisfaction.

And then I sighed for another reason. This was not the first thing I’ve ever written. Nor the first thing I’ve ever attempted to have published.

And my heart went out to all the writers who dream of seeing their work in print (or digitally printed for wide e-reader distribution), who long to gain a respected reputation in the eyes of readers beyond their family and friends, who feel like giving up time and time again in the middle of drafting and editing processes.

Writing a short, well-researched piece is hard work. Finishing a whole book is even harder. I never realized until I started working on three- and four-hundred page manuscripts how difficult it really is. Because the rough draft is only round one in a glorious knock-down, drag-out fight. If you’re still standing after that, there’s reading and revising, seeking feedback, content editing, copy-editing, pitching and proposing…the list goes on and on. Even in today’s age of greater access to quality self-publishing, one still has to be savvy enough (or pay someone who is savvy enough) to upload a completed (pant, pant) correctly-formatted manuscript (ugh, sigh) for printing, e-reading, or both.

And, of course, which ever way one publishes, one must then work like crazy to promote ones work so everyone in the world will rush to read it.

That’s why, today, I simply want to tell every writer out there:

Thanks for what you do.

Even if you’re only getting started, don’t give up when the road gets rough.

Even if you’ve longed to see your writing published and never been able to do so, keep on writing and trying – and continue to share your writing with those who will read it, honing your style and voice.

Even if you’ve been published once or twice and would like to set down your pen, write on. Whether or not you are ever published again, when the words live in your soul, it is fundamental to your health to get them out. And if you were good enough to be published once, why can’t you eventually be published again?

Let us press on to share the good things that burn in our hearts and minds, no matter how big or small our readership.

I’m indebted to men and women who have helped me and continue to help me in my writing and publishing journey, eternally grateful for their time and the way they not only have seen potential in me but also have invested in that potential by advising and encouraging me.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Thinking Theologically about Language Teaching, you can do so via Amazon.com. If you need assistance in ordering a copy, please email me at kaylenesvoice@gmail.com and I will be happy to help you.

                                                            (source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/110619734567164356/)

For those who study and teach English as a second or foreign language, the sheer number of English verbs (not to mention the complex rules of tense and aspect) can be daunting. How will we ever learn them all?

For those who create and write using English words as a medium, the magnificent number of English verbs can be equally overwhelming. How will we ever use them all?

Part of what increases this language’s population density is the presence of both single-word verbs and phrasal verbs (verb phrases that are generally made up of – and defined through – a combination of a verb and a preposition).

An example of the difference between the two is this: to capitulate means to surrender, wave a white flag, or admit defeat. A phrasal verb with the same meaning would be to give up.

The modern conventions of writing, especially in the world of fiction, may drive a person crazy with the need to kowtow to tight word count limits and always choose a more active or dramatic verb over a less colorful one for fear that we might tell the reader something instead of showing it.

But I would like to argue that the verbs we choose (especially in our written communication) should not be chosen based solely on such factors. Rather, they should be chosen on a case by case basis, according to their basic meaning, their meaning in a given context, tone and register of the genre or audience preference, their weight or feel in a sentence, and the rhythm or texture they add to the piece as a whole.

To return to the first example, observe (or check out) these sentences:

It sounds much more noble for the king of the land to say, “I shall never capitulate, never give my self and my kingdom over to that fiend!” And it sounds much more realistic for the teen punk to yell at his brother while they are wrestling, “Come on…man! I don’t…want to…hurt you. Give up already!” Imagine how odd it might sound if we exchanged those two words in these cases.

To get your creative juices flowing, here is a list of ten more great verbs and their possible phrasal verb equivalents.

• Circumvent –> Get around
• Distribute –> Give out
• Investigate –> Find out
• Establish –> Set up
• Announce –> Talk about
• Display –> Show off
• Divide –> Divvy up
• Convert –> Change over
• Involve –> Draw in
• Cooperate –> Join with

I encourage you to add to the list in the comments section and also in your own writing notes. And the next time you’re working on a piece, don’t stress over adding an extra word to your count here or there if it means communicating your meaning and feeling more adequately.

Next in my series of writing posts, I would like to highlight five great nouns (and a few of their synonyms) that can be used to identify internal things/traits people may possess.  As you read my list, I hope it will stir up some fresh thoughts for your writing, written communication, and descriptions of others.

1. Contentment – state of having an easy mind because one is satisfied with what one has or because one has “enough”. Ease, gladness, equanimity, satisfaction. How often could you use this word to describe people you know? In our modern world, I find that people who claim to be content are often looked down upon because they aren’t driven and ambitious enough – and that having “enough” can be an extremely subjective thing depending on one’s personal philosophy.
2. Prowess – superior ability, skill, or strength to excel in something. Aptitude, expertise, talent, command, deftness. I have seen or heard this used in a mostly negative sense. But the truth is that many people possess prowess in one area or another. Whether we are arrogant, showy, or pushy about it is up to us.
3. Sensibility, Sensibilities – capacity to feel and quickness to respond; capacity for intellectual and aesthetic distinctions, feelings, and tastes. Insight, appreciation, discernment, sentiment, perceptiveness. Most people have common sense (though some of us pay less attention to it than we should), but some have sensibilities which are more heightened or prone to offense.
4. Tenacity – holding fast to something, not giving up, persevering.  Determination, doggedness, perseverance, steadfastness. This is another word that can be used in either a positive way (a school principal who works hard for years through a very lean budget to help struggling students achieve high goals) or a negative way (the businessperson who demands to make a higher profit not matter what harmful production byproducts might do to the community).
5. Gumption – Initiative or resourcefulness someone displays. Acumen, savvy, astuteness, get-up-and-go. When I hear this word, I often think of a person (like the Energizer bunny) who seems to have an endless supply of energy, hopefulness, ideas, or solutions. A person with gumption may get knocked down, but he/she won’t stay down for too long.

In the comments section, I invite you to share some of your own favorite nouns – especially positive or negative character traits that people can possess – or to give an example of how you might use the above words in a sentence.

Writers – and language speakers in general – have a tendency to fall back on go-to words that are comfortable for us. In the case of adjectives, this may mean that we describe too many things as big or small, nice or good, interesting or all right. These can become “weasel words” – words that sneak into our communication to make it commonplace and far less powerful than it could be. Why not use over-sized for big, enjoyable for nice, captivating for interesting, and passable for all right? Variety is the zest and spice of grand writing.

On that note, my next several posts under the label of the written stuff in coming months will highlight sets of rich words that you can build into your own writing (and speaking, when appropriate), to more specifically, meaningfully, or delightfully communicate to your audience.

Let’s start with five potent adjectives…

1. Lavish: sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious. (Wow, in that definition, there are a string of other great words!) When was the last time you experienced or imagined something lavish? And what elements of your current lifestyle might seem lavish to a family in a developing country?
2. Chivalrous: having such qualities as courage, courtesy, and loyalty, especially used for men who are gracious towards women and honorable towards their enemies. Some would call this word archaic because it smacks of gender inequality and a bygone, sexist society. But it’s still a great word to use in writing historical pieces. And I, for one, find chivalrous men to be the best sort. 🙂
3. Objectionable: offensive or causing disapproval and protest. This is another one that doesn’t sit well with some folks presently because it may accompany an intolerant attitude or judgmental set of ideals. But the truth is we all have opinions and we all find certain things to be uncomfortable to the point of being NOT OK. We must learn to screen such feelings and instincts for truth, but such feelings and instincts are there for a purpose and can be used to do a great deal of good when rightly acted upon.
4. Ambivalent: having mixed feelings or being unable to choose between two or more things or courses of action. It’s ironic – how ambivalent I can feel about picking the right word in a given sentence while revising a draft. 🙂
5. Leery: wary, suspicious, or distrustful of someone or something. Adding a variety of feeling words such as these can enrich the description of a character’s emotions, one the draws the reader further in to the character’s personal experience.

Happy vocabulary building! If you have other useful or enriching adjectives you have discovered or successfully used, please share them with us in the comments section below!

My hail-damaged car was declared totaled by the insurance adjuster, so off I went in my rental to find and buy a different car.** When speaking to my insurance agent over the phone, I was told to bring in the title of my surrendered car along with a photo ID in order to collect my coverage check. I drove home from work feeling sure that I knew where the title was, but when I opened the envelope I was expecting to find it in, it was not there. I pressed down a wave of panic, searching diligently until I found it.

This experience made me think about the importance of paper documents – and why we keep some and throw others away. Though our world has become increasingly filled with digital replacements (and some say eventually everything will be digital), many of the most important documents in our lives are written or printed on paper or some form of paper/plastic.

Car titles. Passports and drivers licenses. Leases and contracts. Wills and power of attorney papers. Birth, marriage, and death certificates. Insurance cards. Diplomas. Letters of recommendation. Hand-written notes from those we love or respect.

The above are not necessarily valuable because of what they are written or printed on. They are valuable because of what’s represented in that writing.

Ownership. Identity. Promises. Trust. Final wishes. Life, love, and leaving. Protection. Achievement. Good faith. Relationships.

The same holds true for a printed book. I could go and buy any new Bible or a copy of Great Expectations from the bookstore. But the feeling I’d have in picking up those new copies is not the same as the one I have while holding my grandfather’s worn Bible or my friend’s favorite copy of Dickens. The feel of holding the paper copies in my hands is comforting, both for the texture and smell of old leather and cloth covers – but even more so because of the people or memories they represent to me, and the solid writing found in these books.

This is what key written documents do: help us to hold the value of all life, and of our own life, in our hands.

And this is what well-written words do: help us to consider lives and thoughts of the past and present and think of how we will live in the present and the future.

The next time you look at or hold something hand-written or printed that is valuable to you, consider these words. Take a moment to be grateful for what you own, what you have been entrusted with, the people you love, and the blessings you have been given. Let the tangible remind you of the intangible and the unseen.

**Special thanks to Marc Alvarado and the staff of Dingman’s Collision Center, Aaron Stockton and State Farm, Andy Larson and his colleague Jean of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Quincy Hunt and the team at Beardmore Subaru for helping me through the maze of my car replacement process. God bless you all.