amen [รค-'men]: used to express solemn ratification;
Hebrew {ืืื}, meaning ‘let it be so’
Wikipedia describes….
Three distinct Biblical usages may be noted:
1. Initial Amen, referring back to words of another speaker, e.g. 1 Kings i. 36; Revelation xxii. 20.
2. Detached Amen, the complementary sentence being suppressed, e.g. Neh. v. 13; Revelation v. 14 (cf. 1 Corinthians xiv. 16).
3. Final Amen, with no change of speaker, as in the subscription to the first three divisions of the Psalter and in the frequent doxologies of the New Testament Epistles.
…and…
In Judaism, it is taught that the word Amen is an acronym for A[l] (or El), Me[lech], N[e'eman] meaning “Lord (or God), King, [who is] Trustworthy.” It is related to the Hebrew word emuna or “faith” with the same linguistic root, implying that one is affirming with, and of, “the faith”
All this is likely known to those with some sort of Bible school background (or so I assume). I’ve always found etymology to be rather interesting.
As for the case above — it hit me one day when I attended mass several months ago. It has caused me to ponder this ingrained response. During mass, I became acutely aware that my ‘amen’ in the liturigcal response was an agreement of faith. Yet, while more obvious in this still slightly foreign worship structure, the same concept can and should be applied to church services with which I am more familiar. That ‘amen’ at the end of a hymn or prayer or responsive reading or even in an enthusiastic shout from the pew — do I fully appreciate all of what this one word captures in its essence? Is it a solemn ratification or has it edged ever nearer towards sacrilegious flippancy?
And the winner is
……………………… Rob,for posting comment #250. A glorious achievement on one of the frigidest of winter days. I get to look forward to -50 degrees tomorrow. Eleanor is not going to like it despite the block heater. Alas, that’s what life on the prairies gets you. (Not at all bitter towards the parents on a tropical cruise at the moment. Not one bit.) But I do get to go on a retreat to Shekinah this weekend (in the utter depths of winter). Should be a blast. Will write more when I get back and have thawed out a bit.
I’ve complied a list of songs (in no particular order) to express the bitterness, angst, and cynicism that many people feel on a day like today [aka, anti-valentine's day songs] ….
1. Through with you – Maroon 5
2. You Oughta Know – Alanis Morrisette
3. Love stinks – J Geils Band
4. Love hurts – Nazareth
5. Tainted love – Soft Cell
6. I hope you die – Bloodhound Gang
7. Creep – Radiohead
8. White wedding – Billy Idol
9. Polly – Nirvana
10. She hates me – Puddle of Mudd
11. I hate everything about you – Ugly Kid Joe
12. I used to love her (but I had to kill her) – Guns N’ Roses
13. What’s love got to do with it – Tina Turner
14. Misery – The Beatles
15. I hate myself for loving you – Joan Jett
16. Only – NIN
17. Love is a battlefield – Pat Benetar
[Mind you, I'm not actually feeling all that bitter or depressed at the moment -- this is all in good fun. Perhaps I'll have to post the all time cheesiest love songs in the near future. I've now enjoyed an evening full of chocolate and ice cream and chatting with great friends and Valentine's specials on TV. A good sleep tonight, and then it's up early to hit the gym.]
“Vindicated” – Dashboard Confessional
Hope dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption
Winding in and winding out
The shine of it has caught my eye
And roped me in
So mesmerizing, so hypnotizing
I am captivated
[Chorus]
I am vindicated
I am selfish
I am wrong
I am right
I swear I’m right
I swear I knew it all along
And I am flawed
But I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself
So clear
Like the diamond in your ring
Cut to mirror your intentions
Oversized and overwhelmed
The shine of which has caught my eye
And rendered me so isolated, so motivated
I am certain now that
[Chorus]
So turn
Up the corners of your lips
Part them and feel my finger tips
Trace the moment, fall forever
Defense is paper thin
Just one touch and I’d be in
Too deep now to ever swim against the current
So let me slip away [3x]
So let me slip against the current
So let me slip away [4x]
[Chorus]
Slight hope
It dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption…
Nothing ventured, nothing gained?
So, after not hearing from the “internet boy” for several days, I broke down and sent a nice email querying future coffee meetings. After slightly more than 24 hours, I receive an interesting response. Concise, to the point, even blunt perhaps. Alas, he feels things are not meant to be in a relationship sort of way and left no mention of “just friends”. (Which, after all, is rather nice not to hear, but still…)
That’s it. Hopefully there are more single, professional, 25-35 ish guys in town.
Why am I so darn desperate lately? Kathy suggests (as I am writing this and talking with on her on the phone) that when most aspects of one’s life are fulfilled or going well, you look to the ones that aren’t. But then I said, do I really need a man to complete me? The giant, eternal question of single women anywhere. Need, probably not. Want, definitely.
What’s a girl to do? All I can say, is that after watching bits of Bridget Jones’ and a glass or two of wine and the relative closeness of a certain greeting-card holiday … there are no good solutions, except for, perhaps chocolate.
