Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Ohhh…. (02/04/10)
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TITLE: Turn Your Oh's into O's | Previous Challenge Entry
By Donna Wolther
02/09/10 -
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“Grrr!” I know this voice—but if I choose to not recognize it, I will overcome. However, if I try to reason with him, I lose every time.
“Grrr! You’ll never win the challenge!”
“Grrr!” I bit, “How do you know? I can write as well as any of them!”
Noting my raised hackles, he quickly changed tactics. “I mean, purr… you’re absolutely right—you can write as well as any of them. Why don’t you go ahead and enter this time?”
Confidence quickly faded to doubt, “Well, maybe I’m still not up to the challenge yet.”
“Try,” he coaxed sweetly.
On Tuesday, I wrote an entry for “Grrr!” and it was good! Well, I wasn’t really pleased with the purpose of my struggle with my enemy—should I attend an “R” rated movie, in which good triumphs over evil despite adult language, violence and sex. It wasn’t a normal struggle for me, but I couldn’t think of one that was. I reminded myself that it was my first submission and half the battle was to quit making excuses and finally submit something.
“Take a leap of faith!” Satan egged me on.
He knew something I didn’t and he was counting on me to decide that it wasn’t meant to be. However, in the end it turned out that I am not a fate writer, but a Faithwriter!
On Wednesday at lunch I actually did it, hit ‘submit.’ Surprise—you have to be a member to submit an entry! Okay then, I would join. I hit that button. Another surprise--it costs money!
“Too late now,” I decided, not sure whether I was disappointed or relieved that fate had indeed stepped in and I wasn’t going to make a fool of myself after all.
I felt like that cartoon character that has an angel standing on one shoulder and a devil with horns and a pitchfork on the other.
“Go ahead and join.”
“No, you better play it safe.”
I’m not sure who was taking which approach, but they were both tempting.
Finally, I pushed the button that led to Paypal. Another dilemma—which level?
Relief! A voice I know asked, “Do you really want to learn to write? Are you willing to work at it and take instruction?”
I pushed the platinum button and returned to the challenge page, but I still couldn’t submit!
“Grrr!” Satan.
“Grrr!” Grrreater is He who is in me than you,” I responded with a line out of my entry. While I wasn’t satisfied with the reason for my battle, I was pleased with the result.
“I’m confident that Paypal will settle tonight and I will submit first thing tomorrow.”
“Purr,” the father of all lies agrees, “perfect plan. Don’t get discouraged.” Again, that crafty devil knew something I didn’t yet.
8 a.m. Thursday morning. I went to submit my entry. The screen screamed out at me: This week’s competition “Oh.” One entry to date.
“Grrr!” I responded, “Oh no, oh great! The deadline must be 10 a.m. eastern time.”
I live in Washington.
“Oh boy, Oh, rats! I can’t think of one thing to write about ‘oh.’ Grrr!”
Friday morning dawned. I opened my bible. “Oh,” the Spirit reminded me, “ ‘O’ abounds throughout Psalms.“
I turned to Psalm 1 and started writing every verse that included “O.” I copied Psalm 3:3; 4:8; 5:3; 6:1-4; 8:1 & 9; and 9:1-2.
Psalm 9: 1-2 (NIV)
I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you:
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”
Filled with the Holy Spirit, I concluded:
Only God can count to infinity and beyond. He knows the actual number of hairs on each of our heads. He knows how many particles of sand are on the earth, stars are in the sky, and days are in eternity. Days without end! Omnipotent, oh! Omnipresent, oh! Omniscient, oh! The one and only God. Alpha and Omega.
Needless to say, I was listening to the right voice this time.
What does Webster have to say on the subject?
He is brief:
Oh: Interj. N. pl. oh’s or ohs an exclamation of surprise, fear, pain, etc.
For me, ‘oh’ is usually an exclamation of defeat and despair.
O 2: interj. 1 used in direct address {O Lord!] 2 Oh.
O, Lord, my God how great Thou art!
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