Good and Gone

I regularly attempt to solve the New York Times Daily Crossword Puzzle. The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Puzzles are pretty easy to complete. These puzzles have clever clues, but are not too terribly hard to figure out. Then come the later part of the week's offerings. Saturday's clues are often extremely difficult and they regularly include puns, grammatical nuances and word tricks that drive me slightly crazy.
But, on Sunday, the puzzles are the best. They are extra large and usually contain clues that baffle many of us pseudo-wordsmiths. Some of the hardest clues involve words that we no longer use or words that have disappeared entirely from our vocabularies.
Take for instance the word, "gusset". The last time I used or even heard the word gusset was in 7th grade Home Economics Class. A gusset, by the way, is an extra piece of material sewn or attached to a custom made garment. And, I remember having to make several.
Think about it. What words, that you once spoke daily, have disappeared forever? How about icebox, dishrag, or divan? Here are some hyphenated ones: eight-track, sock-hop, white-walls.
Linoleum and oleo are a couple more. All of those words are essentially dead and gone.
But, they make terrific crossword clues and answers.
Change is inevitable. Our lives are ever changing, and so is our language.

Ever Present Lord: You are the Constant in our upside down, everyday existence. Help us to acknowledge your greatness, your faithfulness and your power. Calm us in our times of distress. With You we can accomplish anything.We praise your never changing Holy Name.