A Doric Tongue Update

This is me trying to look
reverential and ministerial
in my study  

I do not know whether it is true or not, but I sense that local people are no longer dropping off using the Doric Tongue when they are speaking to me. They used to do that a lot, but not as much now. I feel more comfortable with the language when I am around local people. I have found that the key things to do are to relax and not try too hard to understand all that is said word for word, but to get the sense of what is being said. I think some people are surprised at how much I understand. 

The big challenge for me right now is to be able to speak more in the Doric. It is important that I do this naturally rather than thinking about it. I have noticed that when I use a Doric word it comes out flat and it doesn't sound right. It drops with a dull thud on the floor. I want Doric words and phrases to come out naturally and unconsciously. I have all these Doric words and phrases swirling around in my mind, waiting to pop out in conversation. I have been expecting situations when they would naturally make their appearance known. 

I have had several situations when I could have used the Doric phrase nay bother. I hear it all the time. I often use the phrase no bother or no problem. I use those phrases often, but no where as much as I hear people say to me nay bother. Often I find myself telling someone no problem when I could have and should have said nay bother.  The problem was, I was thinking about it and it would not have come out naturally. I missed the opportunity.

Several months ago I was heading down to St Andrews by train. I was fortunate enough to get one of four seats at a table. The guy next to me kindly asked if he could get out into the aisle. Before I knew it I uttered nay bother. It just came out of me so unconsciously from deep down within me. It was totally me. It was a good sign that the culture here in the land of Buchan is starting to seep down into me. This is the way it has to be now: that Doric words and phrases come from within me, from my heart, rather than consciously through my mind. Don't think about it, just blurt it out. This means learning like a child again, not thinking about what I say or how I should say it. That means I have to be less self-conscious and open to making mistakes and being corrected. That is very hard for me to do. There have been other cases since then when I have spoken Doric words and phrases that came from my heart without thinking through first what I was to say.

I am in the process of going through what happens to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The proclamation that Jesus died on the Cross for the forgiveness of sin and was resurrected from the Tomb three days later is not an abstract notion left in the air, but a reality that is translated into history of flesh and blood people in communities throughout the world. A long time ago God the Father, in love, sent the Son through the power of God the Spirit. The Word of God took on human flesh and spoke Aramaic words with a strong Galilean accent. Jesus was a Jewish man who dwelt in the Hebrew society of ancient Israel. In these days I sense that the Spirit is fleshing out the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a Doric accent. The Spirit has certainly done that before in the North East, but I sense the Spirit of Jesus is on the move again in the Land of Buchan. Please join me in praying that the Gospel will again take on flesh for revival and renewal among the people of Buchan.

Blessings to you and yours,