the ivory tower of this poor and simple parson

I like words - varied words, big words, technical words, fun words... words of all sorts.

When using words beyond those of "simple English", it often seems that others are quick to assume the speaker (or, writer) to see himself as on another level; namely, one above them. That assumption often fails to be rightly grounded.

So, here in the beginning, I simply want to make it known that my ivory tower is actually made of wood and can be visited by anyone who wants to climb into it at a local park. As I write the posts on this blog, you (the reader / viewer) can quite comfortably feel certain that I am more than likely not in some old-world study with a pipe hanging lazily from my mouth. On the contrary, probability would have it that I am actually in the parsonage so kindly granted to my by a loving body of Christ just outside of Ackerman - a town with a populace numbering not quite 1700. In this comfortable parsonage, there is probably a beautiful little terror running around. (Days ago, she just learned to walk.) She is - no doubt - screaming, crying, drinking water from a wash cloth recently dipped in a toilet, digging in every trash can she can find, unrolling every square of all-too-valuable toilet paper from its roll, leaning over my lap with her eyes mere inches from mine so that I must look at her instead of my book or laptop, or quite likely jibber-jabbering on a couple of remote controls she mistakenly confuses for cell phones. In the background, you can probably here "What Not to Wear" on TLC, for which I cannot entirely blame my wife - I like it about as much as she does.




That being said, I enjoy living in the reality that this world is undeniably present and immediate, while more remains just beyond our sight. Therefore, I am summoned to think, to pray, to live.