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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Oh Those Typos!


            I love to read the author John Feinstein. His latest book-ONE ON ONE- is another excellent one. He closes it by telling a very emotional story of a tragedy involving one of his friends.
            The story concludes with his friend encouraging himself with the classic poetic quote that hangs above the door of the Army football locker room at West Point, “I lay me down for to bleed a while but I will rise to fight with you again.”
            Next comes Feinstein's last paragraph. He writes of how he was so emotional hearing this from his friend, he wept.
            Seeking a satisfying climax, Feinstein, in his last sentence, describes how lucky he has been “to have known the people I have known over the plast twenty-five years.”
            That is not a typo; the last sentence contains the word “plast” instead of “past.”
            Having written an entire book, with deep emotions and tears, having written tens of thousands of words, Feinstein, three words from the finish line, types a typo!
            I was amazed and stunned. Perhaps, in his original manuscript, Feinstein had typed the correct word–“past.” Perhaps, along the way, someone in the publishing company pushed wrong key on his computer.
            Still, everybody missed it. And ultimately, Feinstein's name is on the product.
            Can you imagine how he felt when he discovered the mistake? I’m sure he was distressed that all of his work geared toward a stirring finish was wasted because of the distraction of that last sentence.
            In a strange way, I find comfort in this mistake. I hold Feinstein in the highest regard; this mistake does not change my feelings for him.
            If someone of his quality can make a mistake, I do not have to beat myself up for mine. The Lord knows I make plenty of them, beginning with MY TYPOS in my blogs (including this blog!)
            More importantly, I’m glad that my Lord not only forgives me for my mistakes—he forgets them.
             The writer of Hebrews, quoting Jer. 31:34, writes of God saying, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.


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