Do you know all you have?

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;

His love endures forever."

Psalm 118:29

I'm a bit of a "word geek," so although I don't remember doing it, I long ago signed up to get a "Word A Day" email every morning from the Merriam-Webster.  Sometimes it's a word I never heard before, which can either challenge me to make it part of my vocabulary, or cause me to think "Yeah.... I'm never gonna use that word..."

Sometimes it's a word I already know, but even that can be interesting, if I'm learning the origin of it, or learning an obscure definition to a word I thought I knew.

But my favorite thing is a learning a word I didn't know, for a circumstance I do know.  Like the word "tmesis."  I've mentioned that word before, but I'll share it in case you haven't read it.  Tmesis is what you call it when you separate a word with another word, like "that's a whole 'nother story" or "just put that any-old-where."  I read that, and I thought, "Huh!  I didn't know there was a word for that!"

Or just the other day, I got this fun experience again.  The word was: "hendiadys" and it means:  the expression of an idea by the use of two usually independent words, connected by the word "and".  Got that?  For instance:  "nice and warm."  That's hendiadys.  Or "good and loud."  "Sick and tired."  See?  Fun, right?  Are you saying to yourself, "I didn't know there was a word for that!"?

And then there have been times in my life when I needed a word.  When I thought to myself, "The English language is so lacking.  We need a word for that."  Years ago, when I worked in an office, I had a meeting to attend in a neighboring building in the complex.  I reported to work, then headed over to the meeting, taking with me only stuff to take notes.  I did not, however, take my coat.  And the room where the meeting was held, was f r e e z i n g!!  My hair was still slightly wet from having showered, and they had the air conditioning on, and I was ≈ shivering ≈  When the meeting was over, and I went back to my office, it took me several minutes for the chill to wear off.  When I had returned to normal body temperature, I was very aware that I was no longer cold.  It was such a nice feeling.  But here's the thing:  I didn't feel warm.  I felt not cold.  "Warm" implies a temperature a little higher than average.  I was just feeling regular again.  A wonderful sense of regular.  But I could only call it a feeling of "not cold."  I needed a word for that.

I thought of all this today, while chatting with a friend.  I was talking about how different my life feels compared to one year ago.  And compared to two years ago.  My sweet husband, the Apple of my Eye, has been one of those searching for employment for the past couple of years.  He's been working hard at  free-lance, and temp jobs, but nothing permanent, and no benefits.  It has made for difficult decisions, and times of anxiety and frustration for us.  This year feels different.  He's had a long-term temp job which is not a great salary, but it has been reliable for most of this year.  While we're still praying for something permanent for him, we are both less anxious, less fearful than we were at this time last year, and I'm so thankful for that feeling.   I shared this with my friend, she said, "There's a word for that feeling.... peace."

With that comment, my mind was off and running, and I started to think of other things that God's Word promises us... and the fact that those promises are mine, whether I know I've got them or not.

I am not hungry or thirsty or lacking a roof over my head.  And there's a word for that... contentment.

I have not been swallowed up by the earth or struck by lightning, despite my sinful, selfish, slow-learning nature.  There's a word for that... mercy.

I do not live in dread of eternity.  Jesus is my Savior.  On the day that I take my last breath on this earth, on that very day I will be with Him in paradise.  And there's a word for that knowledge.... joy.

Every day I can find guidance, wisdom and hope in His Word.  There's a word for that.... encouragement.

My life is out of control.  Well, it's out of my control.  But there's a word for that.... faith.

~ "Mercy, peace and love 

be yours in abundance" ~

Jude 1:2