It seems recently the “OMG” craze has started to get to me.  Now, I understand the context and ease of use when a person, typically a teenage girl, is shocked, surprised, or disgusted…

In fact I used to say the actual phrase when I was a kid and didn’t realize, or didn’t care, the significance of it.  Plus, I grew up in the 80’s (’nuff said) but with all of the “I’m sure,” “totally,” and “gag me”‘s being thrown around, it was just another valley girl phrase to add to our repertoire.

That’s how the phrase is being used today, and I get it if you don’t know Christ, haven’t been churched or taught respect for the Lord, but it drives me batty when Christians, the people who are aware of what “OMG” stands for and the respect and reverence it holds and who would never be caught dead saying “Oh my God!” aloud, are ok using an acronym.

HOW is that ok?

Growing up I was taught that saying “Oh my God” was wrong.  I got in trouble if I said it and many times got in trouble if someone wrongly heard me say “Oh my gosh.”

In fact, I remember one time I was at Gram’s house helping her and a frustrated “Oh my god” flew out of my mouth and she called me on it.  Of course I wasn’t going to admit it so I nonchalantly said ‘No, of course I didn’t say that!  I said ‘Oh my gaaahhh’.”

Mmmm-hmmm…

Now when I was with my friends, of course I used that phrase as well as other much more colorful exclamatories, but the only time I said a swear word in front of my parents was when my Mom and I were driving out of a busy parking ramp at the Milwaukee airport.

I was the only one who could see around a huge cement column and I didn’t see the car that was speeding toward us until I told her it was ok to go.  She stepped on the gas, I then saw the car and said “OH SH**!!” which caused her to slam on the brakes, the car avoided us and it was never spoken of again.

So really in that instance it saved a life.  Yup, definitely a Martha Stewart “Good Thing”…

I continued saying “Oh my gosh” for many years as I became a Christian, got married and had children of my own.  Many of my friends would say a much gentler version that I remembered old ladies saying as I was growing up: “Oh my word” and never did I think that phrase would come from my tongue, until one day I heard my two year old daughter say “oh my gosh!”

It sounded a bit different coming out of her mouth, so I nipped that in the bud!

It didn’t too take long before I had an “Oh my word” habit formed and used it for years, and one Sunday I heard a sermon based in John.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”   John 1:1

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”   John 1:14

I realized at that moment that saying “Oh my Word” was existentially worse!!  I was cursing Jesus himself, the One who saved me, the One who died in my place!!

No more!

I still struggle with not saying “Oh my Word,” habits are hard to break, but I am trying.  I heard another phrase recently that I’m considering… “OH MY GIDDLEYDONK”

…which turns out I mis-heard Juliet say in the movie Gnomeo & Juliet.  She actually says “Oh my giddy aunt” [cue: english accent]

so I’m still entertaining the “giddleydonk” idea.

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”   Exodus 20:7 

“You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.”   Leviticus 19:12

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