PODCAST
Lively Lexicon
by Lively Lexicon
Essays into the Lively Lexicon is an attempt to stir your soul. Even as there is more to you than meets the eye, so there is often more to a word than meets the eye or ear. Through these essays we journey together –looking at origins – wondering about changes – considering this and pondering that- seeking to get past superficialities. As we return home from adventuring about, we often find our vocabulary as well as our minds and hearts have been enlarged enough to invigorate our souls in their connection with God and others.Steve Bostrom is a lover of words. He and his wife Via are the parents of one daughter and seven sons – with a growing number of others who have been welcomed into their family by birth, marriage and friendship. Steve has served as a pastor/church planter for more than 35 years, founded an adoption agency and served a variety of groups. He hopes you find companionship and challenge in these essays and wishes you Godspeed.
Episodes
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Essay 18: Adiaphora
Between 500 and 479 BCE, Herodotus, the “father of history,” wrote On the Persian Wars. He was impressed by the diligence of the Persian horsemen who served as intelligence messengers to their king, Xerxes. Herodotus wrote: For these [riders], not snowstorm, not thunder-shower, not heat, not…
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Essay 16: Pulpit
If pulpits could speak… I’ve preached from a variety of pulpits. One was ornate polished marble, another, translucent smoky plastic. Some have been portable handcrafted pulpits – like the beauty my son-in-law made from cherry and walnut trees cut down by a nephew. Some have been massive. Some…
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Essay 17: Reciprocal
When five candidates for a new district judge position were interviewed at Hometown Helena, they played up their Montana heritage. The first told of his family making Montana home for three generations. The next two each upped the ante - four generations and then five generations! We chuckled…
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Essay 15: Pastor
In 1736, the Wesley brothers, John (33) and Charles (29), came as Christian missionaries from England to America. Their fellow passengers were some gospel besotted Moravians. Although John Wesley had been dealing with the outside of “Christian” things since he was a child, the Moravians showed...
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Essay 14: Pagan
Yogi Bera, the Yankee’s catcher, was a 15-time All-Star; he won the league MVP award three times (1951, 1954, 1955) and caught Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 Series. In 1972, he was elected to the United States Baseball Hall of Fame. Now, his fame as a baseball player has been eclipsed by...
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Essay 13: Normal
“Who, who, who,” called the wise old owl, “is normal?” Maybe the owl could ask a carpenter. Our word “normal” means “standing at a right angle.” It is from a Latin word, normalis, “made according to a carpenter’s square,” from norma, “rule, pattern.” And who sets the pattern? Susan Cain, author…
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Essay 12: Laughter
When I first joined Kiwanis, I asked what the name meant. Everyone agreed: “It’s an American Indian term.” The official Kiwanis site says it means: “We make ourselves known.” Kiwanis makes a noticeable difference through community service – particularly to children. Great. But, what about...
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Essay 11: Godspeed
Some data stinks of decay by the time it fires our synapses. For example, Every 60 seconds 168 million emails are sent on the Internet – 694,445 search queries are made. What a frenetic world we live in. Still, still, such data provokes some of us to tune up our hyper-drive. Daylight’s burning....
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Essay 10: Cynic
The sign on the gate said, “Beware of the dog.” The dog was a powerfully muscled boxer held back by a 10 foot chain with massive links – links that were stretched taut. Whether he had been abused as a pup or whether he had a heightened sense of territorialism, I never knew. His snarling unbridled...
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Essay 09: Awkward
A friend and I attended a Brewers baseball game – no, not the Milwaukee Brewers – the Helena Brewers. This is minor league ball. And the stands are minor league too. My friend, in his mid-70’s, missed the ancient bleachers’ elevated first step up. There being no handrail to grab, he sprawled. As…
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Essay 08: Through
A new leader came to a company that had been selling drill bits for a century. When he was shown the company’s share of the diminishing “bit” market, he replied: “There is no market for bits; our market is holes. Drill bits were needed only as long as bits were the best way to make holes.” Before...
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Essay 07: Rest
As you can see from the attached photo, our grandson, two-year old Judah Michael, was tuckered out. A day at the beach had done its work. And then, while Judah slumbered, the couch did its work. I have vague recollections of such childhood snoozes. For little Stevie B, the 60-mile trip home to...
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Essay 06: Life
Today is my birthday. Appropriately, the word we will “essay into” is “life.” Our daughter, Rachel, visited us over Christmas and gave me a book (“Homo Sacer – Sovereign Power and Bare Life,” Giorgio Agamben, translated by Daniel Heller-Roazen, 1998, p. 1). The introduction states: “The Greeks…
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Essay 05: Dull
“Dull” is a word that comes to us from Old English – dol – about the year 1200. Originally it meant “slow-witted, foolish, stupid.” Today people use expressions like: In his case, the elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top floor. He is missing a few buttons on his remote control. Often, when…
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Essay 04: Church
Today’s lively word is “church.” Did I lose you already? Did someone say: “Isn’t ‘lively church’ an oxymoron?” Stick with me for a bit, I hope you will wonder with me at a new discovery. But, first, a bit of history. The name Kildare comes from Ireland. Those of you who watched TV during the...
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Essay 03: Charm
The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (born 1785) and Wilhelm (born 1786), had six younger brothers and a sister. What kind of story telling took place in their childhood household? Charmed, the Brothers Grimm collected fairy tales and passed them on to us. The brothers were captivated not only by stories…
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Essay 02: Bread
Sometime my sons call me “Earl.” It’s an odd and treasured nickname. I hear: “Earl, would you make me a sandwich?” I take delight in hearing that name and in ransacking the fridge and pantry to create a savory sandwich. And, there is a much larger story behind that ordinary reality. “Sandwich” is...
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Essay 01: Cross
According to legend, St. George defeated the dragon and won the hand of his lady while bearing a shield with a red cross. This cross became England’s national emblem. It was also used as a sign of warning. During a great plague in London, a red cross marked the doors of houses where people were...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Essays into the Lively Lexicon is an attempt to stir your soul. Even as there is more to you than meets the eye, so there is often more to a word than meets the eye or ear. Through these essays we journey together –looking at origins – wondering about changes – considering this and pondering that- seeking to get past superficialities. As we return home from adventuring about, we often find our vocabulary as well as our minds and hearts have been enlarged enough to invigorate our souls in their connection with God and others.Steve Bostrom is a lover of words. He and his wife Via are the parents of one daughter and seven sons – with a growing number of others who have been welcomed into their family by birth, marriage and friendship. Steve has served as a pastor/church planter for more than 35 years, founded an adoption agency and served a variety of groups. He hopes you find companionship and challenge in these essays and wishes you Godspeed.
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Lively Lexicon
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How many episodes does Lively Lexicon have?
Lively Lexicon currently has 18 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Lively Lexicon about?
Essays into the Lively Lexicon is an attempt to stir your soul. Even as there is more to you than meets the eye, so there is often more to a word than meets the eye or ear. Through these essays we journey together –looking at origins – wondering about changes – considering this and pondering that-...
How often does Lively Lexicon release new episodes?
Lively Lexicon has 18 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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You can listen to Lively Lexicon on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Lively Lexicon?
Lively Lexicon is created and hosted by Lively Lexicon.
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