This past week I was embarrassed to find out that I had made a serious spelling error in a doodle I posted.
It’s funny sometimes… you look at a word, and there is some uncertainty… is that spelled right, or not? And there are numerous words in our complicated English language that can be spelled more than one way.
Spell-check can be a friend… or foe.
So when I spelled perseverance wrong… and honestly I had checked it out… and still missed it, I was somewhat miffed at myself!
But I had to laugh, when I looked at the word with the right spelling… it was rather severe.
Persevere. Do you perceive this?
The way I had spelled it… perserverance… had an extra r, as you can see, but I rather liked the word within… “serve”...perserverance…..so much better. 🙂
The dictionary defines the word – the correctly spelled one – this way: “a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc. especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.” (Dictionary.com)
There are always lessons in everything, to my way of thinking. And I have learned some lessons, from sitting with this word this week, a word I dubbed word of the week. It is a message I share often with those who are discouraged, in pain, in despair. Don’t give up, today is a gift, life is precious. Even when it is hard.
It is a message I preach to myself.
And perhaps there is a severity to perseverance at times; a determination in the tough times to slog through, to wake up and get moving, to choose life instead of despair. For some, this is hard work indeed.
I also had to think of those who “serve” the discouraged. They are the Barnabas people in my life. He was known as an encourager in New Testament times. They are the people we want to be around, those who show up with gifts of care, and practical gifts of help, and endless encouragement.
So to persevere. With a servant heart. With determination. Still a good word, misspelled, or not!
