We thought we would lighten things up a bit th=
is week. There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any=
other two-letter word, and that word is up. In a desk-sized di=
ctionary, it takes up almost one-fourth of =
the page and can add up to about thirty definitions.
=
It’s =
easy to understand up, meaning toward the sky or at the top of =
the list, but . . .
When we awaken in =
the morning, why do we wake up?
At a meeting, why does a topic come=
up?
Why do we speak&nbs=
p;up, why are the officers up for election, and why=
is it up to the secretary to write up a =
report?
We call up our friends.
We brighten up a ro=
om and polish up the silver.
We warm up the leftovers and clean up the kitchen.
We lock up the house, and some guys fix up the old=
car.
People stir up trouble, line up fo=
r tickets, work up an appetite, and think up excuses.
To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed up&nb=
sp;is special.
And this up is confusing: a drain must be opened&=
nbsp;up because it is stopped up.
We open up=
a store in the morning, but we close it up at n=
ight.
We seem to be pretty mixed&nbs=
p;up about up!
=
Don’t get me started about weather!&=
nbsp; When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding up. When=
the sun comes out, we say it is clearing up. When it rains, it=
wets up the earth. When it doesn’t rain f=
or a while, things dry up.
And we fill up a containe=
r after its contents are used up.
Don’t give up. Keep your sp=
irits up. Matter of fact, just trying to keep up with up may crack you up.
&nbs=
p;
Okay. Up to now, you may have been keep=
ing up. To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of up,=
look it up. One could go on and on, but I’ll wrap i=
t up, for now my time is up, so … time t=
o shut up.
If you are up to it, you might try b=
uilding up a list of the many ways up is =
used. It will take up a lot of your time, but if you =
don’t give up, you may wind up with a hu=
ndred or more.
=
You have the ability to cheer people up without trying. Keep u=
p the good work.
~~
Dr. Bob Griffin
“=
;Abhoring all my sin, adoring only Him”