Monthly Archives: March 2010

Tim Crump, former editor at our local newspaper [The Kindersley Clarion] passed away today.  I became friends with him over these past few months.  He was witty, engaging and winsome.  At 55, his cancer finally overtook him.  Family members will gather today and mourn the loss.

As I stood with his lifeless body today, I groaned.  Tim had made no overt commitment to God through Jesus Christ.  He certainly had the background heritage and a number of concerned friends and family.  Only God knows his own decisions in this regard.  My groans were as much for his future as for the loss of a newfound friend.

May God comfort the family and friends in this time of loss.

I was culling my files and came across some of the following sage advice on writing good!  (Attributed to Sally Bulford – maybe?)

1. Avoid alliteration. Always
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
4. Contradictions aren’t necessary
5. One should never generalize.
6. Don’t be redundant; don’t use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Understatement is always best.
9. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
10. Who needs rhetorical questions?

Bookmarking my day (where I examined a book library of a friend and culled files), Jill and I headed to a small town to have lunch. 

The town of Hoosier has about 11 people in town.  The “Hoosier Lunch and Munch” is a small addition on the front of one of the homes.  The town has a small COOP store.  Otherwise, not much there!

At the “Lunch and Munch” there were four tables – one covered with newly painted Easter eggs and sundry items.  Local farmers and oil workers drifted in.  we arrived and the proprietor cleaned off a table for us.  With four chairs at the table, we positioned ourselves to take in the sun.  Single sheet menus were handed to us and the special pointed out on a small whiteboard fastened on the wall.

Then Roger and Walter arrived.  They were local farmers.  The other tables were occupied.  We were asked if we minded if they sat with us.

Not at all.  We chatted and ate together.  They had soups and their usual fare.  We had a Denver and Clubhouse with fries (a little too much fat and fries for our health, but sure tasted good).  We found out local lore, a way home by way of gravel and oiled grid roads, and how much fun small town can be.

Here’s a picture of the Hoosier Lunch and Munch – just for you!

My sermon today hit on tough times.  And groaning before God.  Without words.  As Romans 8:26-27 says:

²⁶In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

No more words!