Docendo Discimus ( While teaching others we teach ourselves)

I live in a house where all things are too familiar to me that I can hardly notice anything new or unusual, especially after nearly eight years of living there.

But as it’s written in the online course: “You don't have to write a novel, you just need to take notes, observe, and write regularly.”

I totally agree with not writing a novel and not against taking notes, observing things and then writing regularly.

“So,” I say, “if you agree with all, what seems to be the problem, then?
Just, do it!”

It is also recommended “When you walk down the street near you home, try looking at it like you're a visitor and have never seen it before.
What things do you notice that has escaped your attention in the past?”
Walking around again and again:”Do this, don’t do that!”
--------
At that moment I somehow clearly saw why teachers are rarely do what they teach.
Teaching how to do and doing are two things that can’t go together!
Funny as it might sound but only a small amount of great players or masters were really able to raise talented followers. If they create and invest their time in doing, they have no time for teaching.

Sometimes I witnessed the scenes when masters could offer their annoying observes to see what they had been doing and try to imitate or repeat them.
Do you think it worked?
No, it didn’t.
Why?
Simple.

Imagine a painter who paints a picture and next to him stands his disciple who ties to do what his maestro is doing.
First, the painters are sensitive to anyone who looks at their labor from behind their shoulders and, God forbid, makes comments.

What is worse, an observer will inevitably start asking questions, or ask for explanations.
Who will ever answer them?
No way! The master needs involvement, concentration full attention.
Even a slight disturbance will tear a chain of his thoughts.

Okay, another example.
A writer.
Can a writer teach anyone how he does that, unless he interrupts his writing?
Interview? Hard, but possible, a short talk on TV, perhaps, but not teaching regularly.
Teaching is a process that is established according to a schedule of classes, seminars and the rest of learners’ curriculum activities.

A writer lives for writing because he cannot live without doing that.
He can live without food, family and most of other essentials. He cannot live without writing.
What if he is in the middle of the chapter and the sentences (as it is with me now), flow easily and naturally on the screen, and suddenly he realizes that in half an hour he’s got to start seminar at the university?

Great thoughts, as we all know, may well not come again…

" How can I start writing?"

 " How can I start writing?"

George Rusky
November 2005

To start writing it is necessary to start doing it. Period.

What do all people love talking, thinking and, of course, writing about?
What is the number ONE subject for everyone?
What is in the centre of attention of every one all the time?
Yes, correct!
She and He.
Every one loves occupy her time with thinking, speaking and writing about HERSELF.

Let's start.

Step One.

Switch off all the phones you have, everything producing any noises, send anyone from your apartment, find a place, where you can concentrate.

Before you start working with the questions, realize the importance of the next stages of the whole process from the first to the last point.

Here's what you do.

You:
-think deeply about each question
-answer the questions honestly before your self
-try to find the essence, the real gist of the notions, without pretending to be better than you are
-formulate your thoughts in your mind
-put your thoughts on the paper, transforming them into the sentences as they appear in your heart. No Grammar/No Spelling.
-critically observe what you have written
-read loudly. Hear how it sounds.
-correct your text, asking yourself if you have been sincere
-finally, edit your text.

That's the way how you start writing. This IS my 'magic' formula.

Please, begin now. Write the answers to the questions below. No clichés, no banalities, no verses, only what you think with your own words.

1.I was brought into this world for which purpose?
-
-
-

2.What was I given that differs me from others?
-
-
-

3.From all that I have described at 2, how much/how many/to what extend I have already used or using or intend to use?
-
-
-

End of Step One.

That's not easy. I understand.

And it will not be much easier.

Writing is about GIVING, investing, devoting, serving.

Reading is about getting, but

Writing is about GIVING.

That's why people don't write messages/e-mails/let alone, letters.
Not because they are lazy. No!

They love getting. That's why.

And the last. If you feel like sharing with me what you will write, please do it. Some thoughts may be too private. You decide.

Anyway, I need your thoughts.

The deadline-...day, the ...th of ...ember. Why the dead line?
You will know in my next message.

As soon as you finish with the first step, we'll move forward.

Happy writing!

George

George, I’ve got a question: “Reading English Books For Learning English. Your opinion?”

George Rusky
November 2005

George, I’ve got a question:
“Reading English Books For Learning English. Your opinion?”

In spite of a predicted answer “Yes, it certainly does help and will help…,”
I would rather say: ”It depends....”

Consider the following:

For a school learner where teachers follow the program, where a book for out-off-class reading is an element of the program,
it is good.
In a primary school it’s a book of adapted fairy tales or any other book for children.
In high or higher schools different levels of book for out-of-class reading are listed.
I’m a supporter of this reading.

Now, a university graduate with firm habits of learning various disciplines starts learning a foreign language, transforms her practice onto foreign language learning.
She buys a lot of books, follows a number of theories, among which her own occupies the main position, goes to various courses and changes the teachers, and so on and so forth…

But nothing works as quickly as she wants.

Then she thinks:
”I should learn a bigger vocabulary, I will read a book!”

In a book store she purchases a book or she finds appropriate book in a library, and full of good intentions starts reading carefully finding in a dictionary each unknown word.
After one or two pages she quits, simply stops reading.
A number of new words is overwhelming, writing the words in native language above the words in the text, doesn’t help much…

In fact, this kind of reading may give some information about the text, say for a purpose of general comprehension of the text.

But, I’m strongly against this kind of reading.

George, I've got a question: ”How do you choose a book for reading? Do you use any special methods for reading?”

October 2005

Let’s start with the cover of a book.

I believe, it reflects the author’s attitude towards his work.
Even today when the modern books are enveloped in covers that can hardly survive two or three readers,
there are still some works of the writers who believe that their novels will be read by more than one generation of booklovers.

On the contrary, the look of a tattered book will please the next library shelves’ explorer who may think:”Oh, that one’s been read by lots of folks.
I should read it too”
The first impression may be deceptive!

Here are some suggestions for selecting the reading you look for.

1. Before you come to a library ( not a book-store):

a) Carefully identify the area of your interest. What exactly you want to read.

b) Know your purpose of reading: pleasure, research, etc.

c) Have a list of the authors who wrote or write about your subject. What aspects of the problem they are dealt with in their works. Spend time for the research.

d) Get a general orientation of the authors and/or their works you think may suit your interest.

e) Choose a day and hours when there are fewer visitors in the library.

f) Prepare some change for Xerox-copying.

2. In the library:

a) Find a librarian who works in the section where you suppose to find the materials you need.

b) In details explain to her what you need. Show her the list you have prepared (see 1c above)

c) Let her know how important these materials are for you.

d) Get all you are advised plus anything you may find on the shelves.

e) Sit at a quiet place, get ready to work. (Don’t forget to switch off a mobile phone :-)

3. How to work with the book/books you have on a library table.

a) Place a book in front of you. Feel it, touch it, guess what the book is about.

b) Read the title, think if the title matches your subject.

c) Open it and read all the information on the first page esp. where and when it was published/republished.

d) Read the back cover of the book where there’s information about the writer and the resume.

e) Go through the dedications and acknowledgements: you will know how the writer himself values his labor. (The same and deeper information you may get from a foreword) Try not to skip it.

f) Read the contents and make a general impression of the manual.

4. How to read the book.

Reading is a very serious process. Depending on the type of literature, you must vary the approach and attitude to the whole process of reading.

Some general observations before we get to the a, b, c points.

A book, any book, is an act of an individual or group men’s creative activity that may be compared to, say, delivering a baby, building a house, tailoring a suit or anything else that a human being may produce.It’s an act of passion, hard labor, doubts, long chain of successes and failures, physical and mental efforts, sleepless nights, nerves breakdowns and so on and so forth.

It’s, after all, an act of a high responsibility of the writer before the readers of today and the readers of tomorrow.
Nearly all authors rewrite their sentences, paragraphs, even whole chapters several times, before their final versions are ready to meet the first readers.

After these comments, you may look at a book with more respect.

So, back to the reading.

a) Start with what directly related to your topic: go to the topic that is the closest to your theme.

b) Always read with a pensile in your hand and tick the phrases, thoughts, ideas that attract your attention, shed the light on the subject from another POV and so on.

c) On the sheet of paper fix accurately your thoughts that come into your head while you are reading.

d) Pay a special attention to the author’s ideas you may use in your work. Put them in brackets and write down a page on your sheet with notes: you will easily find them later.

e) Compare your own thoughts with the writer’s. Place exclamation/question marks next to the writer’s text. You’ll come back to them later.

George, I've got a question: "Nobody wants to hear my opinion. Why?"

I guess, it may happen.

Here are some of my observations, why.

First.
People just don’t need anybody’s opinion.
Second.
They’ve already formed their own outlook.
Third.
They are afraid to hear an opinion, different from theirs.
Fourth.
They don’t wish to change the opinion they already have.
Fifth.
They had spent years to create their ‘small world’, it may be destroyed by another, even a better built theory. That scares them.
Sixth.
They aren’t able to defend their way of seeing the things and can be easily suppressed by a more skillful orator.
Seventh.
They like living with the thought (illusion?) that their ideas are correct.

Some Observations About the Thoughts that Come to Us.

Observations about the ideas and thoughts visiting us.
(Some Thoughts from the Time of My Forced Break.)

George Rusky
September 2005

When a thought comes to us we have a choice: to accept it for further contemplation or to reject.
One should know, however, that all the thoughts are sent to us with a specific purpose, we are in charge for taking them as the ones worth our attention or the ones to neglect.

Consider also that the thought left without notice may never come again and, therefore lost forever.

Hundreds of times we’ve heard about lost wonderful opportunities in different areas of our lives that could have changed our lives if only we were clever enough to take them seriously.

Does it sound familiar?

The same with the thoughts: they come according to the caprice of the Sender who doesn’t care weather we are tuned to receive these thoughts or not.

Should we then be surprised that all philosophers, art folks, writers and the like, daily and nightly, wherever they are and whatever they do have something to write on?

Recommendations:

-Keep you ‘antenna’ ready for any thoughts you may receive. Carefully listen to the signal from the ‘transmitter’.
-Always, even at night, have something to write on and to write with. You never know when the thoughts may come.
-While making notes, try to fix the thought as fully as possible: your frame of mind at the moment the thought had come, the place, the time, other details.
-Never divide the thoughts, when they come, onto important or time-wasting. Trust and respect the Sender.
-During the day when you are involved in other things, try to concentrate on what you do, block the access to any thoughts unrelated directly to what you are busy with at the moment.
-If the thought visits you when you are busy with something else, come back to it later when you can spend more/enough time for the thoughts.

A Draft for the Website on Copywriting

A Draft for the Website on Copywriting

George Rusky
February 2005

"All great endeavors would inevitably sink into oblivion, if no one opened our eyes on these wonders to satisfy human desires and needs."
G.Rusky

This Site is about Copywriting. Copywriting as the trade, the science, the advertising, the marketing, the selling, the writing, the education, the earning money…

But most of all, this site is about the people in copywriting, a special breed of folks who take us into the world of unknown, telling us about new products entering the market today, or, as the Dictionary puts it: “A Copywriter is a person who writes or prepares a copy (especially for advertising material) for publication.”

Let’s think for a moment. Is that the main role of copywriter to inform her readers or listeners of a new vacuum cleaner or a better medication?

Do we agree with some career advisers who claim that: “…to become a copywriter, it’s enough, just to be able to write.?

I believe, a copywriter, first of all, is a person of high moral responsibility for the society she lives in. Consider the following, please.

Only a copywriter is able to persuade her audience to start using a new washing powder or to stay in the N. hotel. True?

Imagine: you read a leaflet which sends you to a hotel where there’s no hot water and yet, in his copy the author describes the whole range of pleasantries there?

Or, you’re invited to a new store, where, according to a letter found in your mailbox, something will be given away. You rush there, and soon learn this is just not true!

O.K. The last example.
A website designer promotes his website building program thru the most eye-catching sales copy. You click the link, then another, then another and finally, you leave his website with no intention of ever again clicking his link. Sounds familiar?

Isn’t a copywriter the one ho must be ready to declare, that she ‘stands to death’ for every word she has written, fully realizing that her readers may become buyers, and then users of the product she has once written highly about?

Being aware of that, I have worked out a Copywriter’s Oath, something similar to a well-known Hippocratic Oath, still traditionally taken by doctors at their graduation,
and invite you to read carefully the following and think if you are ready to put your name under it.


The Copywriter’s Oath.

I make the Lord my witness, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:
To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and to regard as equal to my brothers who have signed the covenant and have taken an oath according to the copywriting law, and to teach them this art—if they desire to learn it.

I will apply my knowledge and writing skills for the benefit of the readers according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

I will neither give the wrong information about any subject of my writing if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.

I will guard my reputation and my art.

I will not use my pen for writing anything harmful for my audience, even if I am offered all the treasures of the world, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.

Whatever house I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the clients, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of charging extra reward for the writing done.

What I may see or hear in the course of the writing or even outside of the writing in regard to the interests of the client, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.

If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.

Where To Make Friends
Part Two


How To Make Friends On The Internet?

Yesterday I forwarded the problem of making friends for middle-aged folks who had found themselves living in a new country, new city, in short, far from their birth nest.
Having traveled through a number of places of evident candidates for finding potential friends, I have peacefully arrived at the Internet.

Now, after having spent five years on the Internet, I may say that all Internet visitors are roughly divided onto two categories: those who show their faces names and addresses and the bigger part –who don’t do either of above mentioned.

They even don’t have names, just codes.

Anyway, to make friends at forums and newsgroups is real, provided you follow the rules. Some of them are:
1. Joint a discussion group, a forum or a newsletter.

2. In most of them you’ll be asked to tell about yourself. Do it.

3. Read carefully your fellow – writers’ mails.

4. Discover the writers working in the same or similar areas and contact them.

5. For a considerate reader, the character of their reply will display a lot. If you get a polite respond, bordering with the answer of auto responder, most probably this person just tries to be polite.

6. Important is also, if your new correspondent uses her Christian name or a nickname, weather communicates openly or strives to avoid naming herself.

7. Try to guess on the tone of a message weather the author is a man or a woman. The English tongue is sexless, so use your intuition, chiefly if you want to meet with a man-writer. A scarce, though.

8. Develop your relations very unhurriedly, stay away from bombarding your new acquaintance with more than one mail at a time.

9. Tell about yourself only when asked. Show your likes and dislikes cautiously.

10. You’ll be asked to criticize your friend’s stories. DON’T. Forestall this kind invitation saying that critiques are something you have never been good at.

11. You will also be asked personal questions. Answer shortly, avoid details. Respect you new friend time and patience.

12. Try to know something about your correspondent. We all love being asked about us. Ask only about something directly connected to the subject of her writings or trade.

13. Analyze the development of contacts, experiment with new subjects of your on-line friend’s possible interests. If you feel, that your relations do not have a tendency for progress, it might be wise to eliminate them and see how they will go.

14. The word of warning, if I may. Never use one text of message for a bunch of folks. You will most probably lose them all!

Well, I could have continued with the list of dos and don’ts, but try to find your way in it.

Instead of the Resume.
From my personal experience, I must confess that the Internet has been quite merciful to me, sending interesting, full of positive emotions people.
With them we exchange regularly e-mails, usual letters with photos and souvenirs.
One German guy with his family even came to me in Prague last year.

Keeping and developing good relations on the Internet demands your time, the most valuable we all have.
Invest yourself in your invisible Internet friendship and your life will always be full of joy and gladness.

Where To Make Friends

Where To Make Friends
Part One

By George Rusky
December 2004

Making friends today is getting more difficult than ever before.
I’ve asked tens of my clients how and especially when they had made friends. From all my respondents about 70 % found their classmates at a basic school
About 11% agreed and added high schoolmates and university mates.
The next making friend institution was work, clubs, common trips, recreation activities, and the like.

This quick and amateurish survey won’t hold any serious critic, but even done un-professionally, it gives a general overview of making friends.
Indeed, as we come back to the days of our childhood, we can agree, that the whole process of forming our buddies, even though based on likeness, was not at all complex.
Try to remember your first day at school. Wasn’t that the same?

I went to school at times when learners had to share a desk. I, for one, wanted to sit next to a boy and all I did, just asked him to join me at a desk. That simple.
Even then, we boys of six had their childish preferences.
After a while, some of the initial making friend’s steps had been remained and strengthened, while others went through some changes.

The end of the process of forming and developing close relations can be considered the graduation from the school. I believe that this period is the one that really makes friendship strong and long- living.
I’ve even met a couple of former classmates who then got married.

My respondents agreed that university studies didn’t bring a lot of chances to make new friends.
Why?
Most probably, there’s not much to draw students together.
Lectures? Hardly so. Big auditorium, voluntarily attendance, individual tests.
Students have few chances to meet and become friends. Agree?

Work. Nice place to make friends. Right?
Well, yes and no. First of all, who with?
The one who occupies the same position as you? Possible.
Don’t forget, however, that in this competitive world everyone has an chance for a promotion, which might destroy good terms.
Your superior? Good, if only she doesn’t thing you want to ‘dig a hole for her’
and overtake her position.
Your subordinate? If you don’t yourself think of losing your chair.
Someone from another company, operating on the market in the same industry?
Forget it! You’ll be immediately calculated as a potential commercial secrets deliverer.

So, what?
If someone had to move to explore new territories, and left all his ‘old guard’ at home, is she doomed?
Almost so. Yet, there’s a slight ray of hope.
Consider these places where it is still possible to gain some acquaintances with the hope that they may become your friends.

1. Clubs.
This is where birds of the feather rub shoulders. Membership gives you, sort of guarantee that you may meet the one you’ve been looking for.

2. Education centers for learning new skills: language courses, writing courses, mountain climbing training, playing games and other activities where folks of similar interests go.

3. Church is another great place to meet nice people. In many congregations church-goers dine together, organize trips, visit exhibitions, discuss various life problems.

4. Dating agencies. I, personally, dislike this way of meeting new people and have no experience of that kind, but it looks these businesses are getting quite popular.

5. If you live abroad, cafés, restaurants run by your compatriots where English is spoken. Places full of potential, with lots of openings to meet someone.

6. Our list of making friends ‘establishments’ will definitely not be complete, if we pay no attention to the Internet, this ‘Monster’ of knowing all.

But, this is a topic of our next talk. Let’s call it:”How To Make Friends On The Internet?”
So, till tomorrow!
Oh, I‘ve nearly forgotten. Think of your experience with making friends on the Internet, prepare notes, and tomorrow, while reading my article, just tick the same or similar points and add mine, if you like them, O.K.?

How To Write On One Breath

How To Write On One Breath
George Rusky
November 2004

Anyone embarking on a piece of writing, sooner or later, will face a difficulty of expressing one’s thoughts.
Everything seems clear in the head as you think about it; you even try to pronounce separate passages of your future article.
All seems to work!
And yet, something happens when you sit in front of the computer, try to excavate the words from your memory and draw them together into sentences.

No, I’m not talking about a writer’s block. Block is, well, another story.

Before we go further, let me ask you this question:” Isn’t it said that we think in words and sentences? If so, why our thoughts do not smoothly go to the screen?”

Before starting writing, I was told to think intensively about what to write, jot down my writing ideas in a note pad or record on the Dictaphone so that not to lose them later. Or, at night, waking up with a start, to fix the dream’s fading images and descriptions into a note pad.

In theory, everything is O.K.
In practice, not always, especially with night night’s half asleep scrawled ‘reportage.’
In the morning, only a general impression of the dream (or nightmare) remains.
Pity.
Sometimes night dreams bring us invaluable material for writing projects.

Listen, what if we had a special ‘smart’ machine to transmit our thoughts directly onto the screen of a computer, just without hands, fingers, keyboard, desk, desk lamp, and so on?
Imagine, you sit in a comfy armchair sipping a beer and create literary pearls?
Or, you sleep, and everything is read from your brain directly to the computer, or whatever it can be?
What is more, the text is edited, corrected, prepared for publishing? All with astounding speed!
“Wow!” you say, “What a challenge! I wish I had such a virtual assistant!”

It’s not harmful to dream, after all. Besides, I’m sure that this gear will definitely come out one day.
But, on the other hand, who can guarantee that the labor of a writing man will become easier?

I’m absolutely sure, whatever tricks the twenty-first century technical progress may play to us, and whatever the mechanism of writing may be, an author will always carry a burden of responsibility for what she wrote, whether she’d done it with the top speed of a super-modern writing gear, or scribbled it with a goose-quill.

O.K. With inability to transform thoughts into the words, the responsibility for evil-writing is clear, but what do you recommend?
I’m glad, you asked.

Without further ado, here we go.

First.
Write, write, write, and then read.
Write quickly what comes out from your brain. Main point- to place on the screen the more lines you can, not to lose anything that has been stored in your memory.

Second.
When you feel that you wrote yourself out, come back to what you have written and read the text loudly.

Third.
Read the text as quickly as possible to move forward the narrative where it had been stopped.

Fourth.
Go on typing as much as you can, completely ignore green and read wavy lines which may appear on the screen.

Fifth.
As long as you’ve written as much as you think you could, it is the time to start looking critically at what you have produced.

How To Write As You Talk.

How To Write As You Talk.
George Rusky
October 2004

One of the most frequent instructions we receive from the copywriting authorities who want us to write better is: write as you talk.

O.K. I, personally, agree. I’m not against it.
As a former teacher of history I am used to talk a lot.
As a current business consultant I also talk much. Sometimes my wife says:”You talk too much,” and she is probably right.
Whenever it happens, I, trying to defend my orator’s status, boldly declare:” I’m paid for what I say, darling! If I shut up, as you wish, we won’t be able to shell out the bills with all the ensuing consequences.”
I don’t know if she agrees, but her malicious attacks discontinue. Not for a long time, though :-)

Now, as I started writing articles, the same story repeats.
This time it goes:”What is the point of spending (she definitely wanted to say: ’wasting’) that much time in front of you computer, writing God knows what!”
“You’d better…” then follow variants of more lucrative activities for my heart, body, soul, and family affairs, of course.

This time I can’t say, I’m paid for that. I hope to be, one day, one glorious day!
So, anyway, everything is in a good time.

But, back to talking –writing tandem.
As I said, the idea of writing as you talk is fine. But the question of questions is: “Do I talk good enough, to transfer my talking on the paper, or rather, on the screen of the computer?”
“What if not? What if my talking is under the level acceptable for writing?”

Last week I had an amazing discussion with my clients about telling stories.
“What is a good storyteller?” I asked them.
To my entire surprise, seven out of eight participants of the talk announced they were not good storytellers and thus could not think of entertaining their listeners by telling stories!
Wow! A discovery?
Hardly so.

Speaking to the audience is a talent, a gift, a matter of years of drilling, mastering.
Does that mean we first need to master the way how we speak to people, communicate with them, influence them and persuade them to do what we want them to do?

Before joining a local speaking club, let’s put everything on their right places and sort out what we already have.

First.
Notwithstanding the way you talk, you have the right to record your words for someone to read. Period.
Think of a note your write to you next of keen, say, about your unplanned trip, or asking your son to walk your dog, or go to a grocery. You write it in the same way as you talk to you son. Anything odd will not work. I always put something like this: “Walk out Cristina!” Short, clear.

Second.
As you write, always think about your readers. Will they accept your writing as good time investment for them? Do they read your stuff as a side-line work, or they devote to it their prime time?

Third.
Never ever try to show off, to display your knowledge, however deep it may be. Unsolicited demonstration of knowledge will draw away your readers.
Imagine, how stupid it may sound, if you talk to a waitress :” I wonder, if you would be kind enough to give me a cup of this incredibly smelling blah,blah,blah…”

Fourth.
Writing is an act of addressing to an individual, not to a crowd, to a carefully selected reader.
I know what you are going to say. Books are written for millions, not for individuals.
Well, yes and no.

Consider this. How often you have heard: ”That’s a great movie, you can’t live without it?” Or:” This book is just a masterpiece, a must for everyone”
You go to the movie, you read a couple of pages of the book. Not much impressed.
Something in them did not touch you.
So, I will repeat that: as a writer, you must know who your reader is and what she wants to find in your writing.

Fifth.
Always try to talk to your readers, to ask for their feedback. If only there’s something you feel they want different, or they dislike, immediately change it.
As a bearded maxim goes:” He who pays - orders the music”

Sixth.
Once and forever identify your stand of a writer: you are on-line to serve your readers, not to cherish your ego. Chose the motto for your on-line presence: “At your service!”

Sevenths:
What ever you write, always do it with love. Love your writing, and others will love that too.
Even though you hope to get some money for your writing, (nothing’s bad about it, is it?) write as if you look into you reader’s eyes and say: “I want to tell you something that will solve all you problems as soon as you hear this.”

When your readers see your love in your sentences, they will pay for your writings their ‘last penny.’

How To Speak English In Ten Days.

How To Speak English In Ten Days.


A Course for Total Beginners.

A Message of the Author.

Dear Friend,

I’m sure you know that English has become the World Language, spoken in some countries as the first state language, in others
You can hardly find the area of human activity where this does not occupy a significant position.

In the Czech Republic, as it is in many countries around the world, the number of speakers of English grows every year. How does it happen?

Simple: thousands of children start learning English at basic schools, then continue at secondary schools and so on.
Quite naturally, after several years of school studies, young people speak good English. They can travel, communicate with foreigners or, if they want, find an interesting job.

Of course, you may say: “We are glad that our children can learn English at school.
But we, their parents, we didn’t have much chances to study English at school and now, so many years after school, we need this language. What shall we do?”

Good question.

I’m glad you asked, because
the book you are reading now I wrote for YOU, women and men, who could not study English at school and who need to study this language now, from the scratch.

You know what?

After seven years of teaching beginners of your age, I can say that I understand your problems very well.
Am I right to say that now, at forty-something,
-you have reached a high level in your profession,
-you are an expert in your department,
-you are full of energy and knowledge,
-you want and need to work where you are now, or
-you wish to find another job…and yet,
you can continue to work, use your knowledge or find another job only
If You Speak and Write English.

I agree with you that one thing is to study a foreign language at school, when you are eleven and another is when you work, look after your family, try to find time to rest or chat with your former school-mate, and now… to learn English. I know how difficult it may be. (Please, don’t ask me about my Czech :-))

That is why, since 1997 I’ve constantly thought how to help you with learning English. After years hard work I finally know how to do that.

All you need to start is written in this small book, the rules and exercises to begin and develop your English quickly and easily.

Besides,
I give you my word to personally help you with all you may need to make your studies trouble-free, fast, and funny.
Does it sound good to you? Great!

Let’s not waste our time and immediately go to Unit One.

And, of course, I wish you to speak English as soon as you want!

Good luck,

George Rusky

P.S. To start your course, e-mail me.

How To Grow Winning On-Line Imitator.

How To Grow Winning On-Line Imitator.

By George Rusky,
September 2004

Dear Fellow Marketers, without a long introduction, let’s get to the point.
And the point of the article is the question:
“To Imitate or Not?”

If you are among those who see hundreds of ‘lose or gain’ on-line messages, asking to follow pictures, written, audio, video testimonials, in short, duplicate something done, you will understand what I’m talking about.

So, what? To imitate?
”If someone,” you may say, “is worth imitating, why not?”
Then, an obvious question: ”Who is? What is the rule for choosing one/ones?”

Trust me, I’m serious.
In real life, if I want to get in touch with someone who interests me, I often fail to do so: the territory, time, connections, visa regulations, and so on and so forth.

On-line everything is easy: you can contact any one.
And that’s where the problem conceals.
After a week of submitting to a bunch of newsletters and e-zines you know a lot about the ‘flagships’ of today’s Marketing.
And, as the majority of them advocate long sales letters, you can imagine what it takes to go through their materials.
But the worst is, to identify, who to follow, who to imitate, whose actions to repeat.

I believe everything written about gurus, I trust the authors. I love their command of superlative adjectives used in their biz messages!
So, whom to decide in favor of?

Ever experienced the same problem? You have?

Let me tell you what I have come up with.

First.
Chose the on-line entrepreneur according to your life preferences, I mean how she looks, what she produces, how she made her web site, her style of writing, etc

Second.
Try to know as many/much as possible about the master and her business.

Third.
Purchase everything the guru has created: it will help you to propagate her and her business (it is called affiliate)

Fourth.
Whenever is it possible, promote your superior, e.g. your business cards, briefcase, tie, t-shirt, cap, etc.

Fifth.
Write about your trade partner, share the results of working for this business, never exaggerate.

Sixth.
Remain loyal to the chosen one. Rotation on-line is huge, yet trustworthiness counts.

Sevenths.
Imitate the most, if not all, what your leader does. Remember, even if it sounds alien, she/he is the one who caries the ‘burden’ of responsibility for your on-line success.

Eighth.
Make friends with your mentor. Get to know her family. Don’t just look at her as an entrepreneur, see the real person, like you and I.

Ninth.
Attend her workshops, seminars, take part in all her ad campaigns, be active in all she does in his business.

Tenths.
Prove, that your cooperation means a lot for you! As soon as she trusts you as an essential part of her business, an expert, she may invite you to take part in her endeavors, create a new product together.
Joe Robson once was asked to write a book for Ken Evoy. As the result of this creative ‘tandem,’ a book, no, THE book, the gift, “Make Your Words Sell” was given to the world.

Elevenths.
Be ready for biz offers: big businessmen start new projects, and, as it always happens, they look for someone to take care of the old ones. You might be the candidate to take up ‘the baton.’

And the final twelfth.
Think of starting your own business. As soon as you are ready for that, your teacher will help you to take off, to develop and win.
Starting your own successful business, must remain the aim, the crown, the apogee, the zenith of everything you are doing on the Internet.

With this in mind, let me wish you to find your the only one to imitate, and enjoy a happy on-line living!

How Many Words Should An Article Contain?

How Many Words Should An Article Contain?
By George Rusky,
August 2004

Have you ever thought of how you start reading a new article? I mean, what do you do first?
Look at a list of pre-things I’d like you to consider before reading articles.
So, what will you start with?
The title?
The author?
The subject?
The short contents of the article?

I, for one, always start with the title of the article. If it grabs my attention, I go to the author, and ...

1. If the writer is known and authoritative, read the article;
2. If un-known, immediately seek the information about the author. Suppose, from the information, it’s not clear about the writer’s expertise.
Then my next step is - the number of the words. If the number of words exceeds 350-450, most probably the article will be left without reading.
Why is that so?
The art of writing articles lies in the ability of an author to advertise her mastery, her business, her mastery to persuade the readers to single out her from her competition, to lead the reader to the Most Wanted Response, which is a click on the link to the article writer’s site, and only this tap of a reader’s point finger is worth writing an article.

Now, where does the above mentioned 350-450 number of words come from? Simple arithmetic:
The Title-8-10 words.
The Lead of the story, the most important paragraph -40-50 words.
The Body of the article, depending on the business may vary from 250 to 300 words.
The Ending may include not more then 50-60 words.

And now, probably, the most important part of the whole article: The information of the writer and her business, not more then 25-35 words.
So, let’s put these figures together:
a) minimum: 40+250+50+25=365
b) maximum: 50+300+60+35=445

These simple calculations surely do not reflect the whole spectrum of writers’ approaches, and only the authors exactly know what and how they want to write.
But, listen up!
The further the writer from tested and proven standards of business writing, the further is she from the Most Wanted Response.

P.S. This article serves as the illustration of the writer’s concept: The Title- 7words The Lead- 51words The Body-242words The Ending-50words The Info about the author-27 (The total number of words is-377)

How To Find A Topic For Writing

How To Find A Topic For Writing
By George Rusky,
August 2004

In his article “6 Tips That Make “How To” Book Writing A Snap” Jeff Smith recommends: “Pick a topic that people want to read about AND that you are passionate about.”

So, what can be a better advice for writing?
Write, right?
O.K. Let’s pick a topic people want to read about...

Suddenly I caught myself on thinking about writing as a human activity, when and how it was born, for what purpose and, what topics ancient people wanted to read about.

According to Microsoft Encarta 98 encyclopedia, Writing is “Method of human intercommunication by means of arbitrary visual marks forming a system.” When and why and how was this ‘system of arbitrary visual marks formed’?

I imagined a group of people living on a separated territory, thousands years ago, using for communication only their voice and body language… What might have been a motive, a need or any other stimulus for recording words or pictures people used every day? From our own experience we know that writing is directly connected with reading.

A winged maxim: "Write for someone to read" is known to anyone who had ever embarked on a piece of writing. Who and why and how could need a new method of communication, as an alternative to already existing one, verbal?

Speculation One.
a) Sending a written message to someone. (No mobile phones, no telegraph, no radio or TV. No pigeons.) Hardly so. Messengers were widely used for delivering good or bad news (extremely dangerous mission: in some cases ended deplorably for heralds of evil news.)
b)Sending a secret message to a distant correspondent who knew the language in which the message was penned. Sounds more or less probable. But how often could such correspondence occur?

Speculation Two.
While some men-warriors spent time hunting and fishing or, perhaps, fighting, others could depict the deeds of the first, say, on the walls of their caves. In fact, hundreds of cave drawings were found here and there to prove this theory. Let’s imagine, for a moment, someone, who saw the picture on the wall, where his exploits might have been portrayed.
What could be his natural reaction? Of course, to try to notice a resemblance. Cave pictures, however, did not bare a high level of mastery, were performed quite primitively, and thus could hardly looked like the original.
A natural question:”How to place a name of a personage next to the drawing?” An ancient painter had a home work!

Speculation Three.
I guess, writing as the way of recording events or someone’s deeds could not emerge in a primitive society, where all members had equal rights and therefore no one claimed a privilege to occupy a special place or position in the tribe. Most probably writing appeared when there was a demand to document life stories of outstanding people of those days.
It is not incidentally that most of ancient graphic arts depict heroic deeds of emperors, tsars, kings and pharaohs who may have ordered to invent an extra way of describing their unique role in the life of their people.
So, as a result and logical continuation of fine arts, followed written comments. The final speculation is about a significant role of clergymen who in all times had been the most educated group in any ancient human formations.
Serving gods led the clergymen to inventing the way for recording everything connected with their ministry.

Resume.
1.Writing came into existence as a result of natural development of human society and since the early days of human history, has occupied a prominent place in the row of most significant inventions of all times.
2.At the outset writing was a privilege of a limited group of learned people who wanted to remain their exceptional status.
3.Writing met the needs of ruling classes, primarily for the records of glorious deeds of reigning dynasties.
4.In ancient Assyro-Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, civilizations literature had a vast variety of styles and genres, long lists of bright names of authors, founders of classical drama, comedy, poetry, prose, religious, historical, philosophical writings.
5. For the last 5,000 years the list of most wanted topics had not been changed at all. (I’m not sure, if ancient wordsmiths wrote much about marketing, say, in Athens of 2004 BC :-) )

Conclusion:
Write about evergreen topics:
-family,
-health,
-human relations,
-business,
-love,
AND you won’t fail to win your audience!

The Articles Full Of Clichés, Or The Challenge To Writing Authorities.

The Articles Full Of Clichés, Or The Challenge To Writing Authorities.

George Rusky
June 2004

Dear Fellow-writes,
I’ve discovered something fantastic about writing!

Contrary to a well-known concept of maximum concentration while writing, advocate of which I’ve been for decades, the new approach, or method or, whatever you may be inclined to name, of writing, literally had taken me aback.

Hear this; I’m talking about writing to the music.

A flashback.

A short while ago I was writing a long message to my wife, trying to find appropriate words and expressions. After having lived together for nearly three decades, it’s not always that simple. The radio was on, sort of a political discussion.

All of a sudden, a beautiful music started. As a long time music lover I naturally lent an air to this melody. The more I listened the more I fell under the influence of the tunes.
But what was the most amazing that immediately I started drumming the words on the key board as if I wanted to translate the piano music into the computer.
Reminiscences of happy years spent with Lady S. from long forgotten past revealed in small details so vividly as if they took place a few days ago.

The music stopped, I rushed to switch the radio off and under the impulse I had gotten, I finished the writing.
Excited, I read what I’ve written. Boy, was that gorgeous!
After a quick editing, I hit the send button.

Lady S. was shocked! As you may well guess, the natural question of hers was if I had been drunk.
Well, you know how it goes.

Inspired by such an unexpected result, I tried some more samples of music and found out that diverse musical styles and fashions help with writing differently.

Here’s something I have discovered.

Dynamic, energetic, full of movement melodies, for example, help out with writing sales letters, something motivational, especially if your writing is directed to future,
while calm melodic tunes make us feel sad, even depressed, cast a gloom over past experiences.

A word of caution, though: the music must be instrumental, without words.
Why? The words grab our attention, mix up with the words we are writing.

These are in a nutshell the basic lines of my ‘theory.’

Interested?
Write to me about your experience, we may all benefit from such an exchange.

A Conversation In A Subway Train

A Conversation In A Subway Train
George Rusky
May 2004

"…For this money I would have never started even thinking of making that myself! "
I came closer to two women talking about a crocheted bag, which was the subject of their conversation.
"It’s a waste of time for me," went on the owner of the bag. "I can afford to pay the cost, but as I think about the time and efforts invested into making such a bag, I don’t understand how one can make it!"

The other woman was wearing a knitted jacket, which I guess she had made herself, was just smiling…
As it has become a habit to think about S. when I see or hear about crocheting, my thoughts immediately went to her.
She’s been working with needles and crochets for nearly forty years, had made hundreds of garments, and had never earned a dollar for any of her projects.
"Waste of time…" May be for some people it really is. But, not for S.
For her crocheting is the way of living, the whole philosophy!
Do you know this 'ancient,' quotation:" Do what you love doing and money will come!"

Love, the everlasting locomotive of all our existence! Passion and love to whatever we are doing in this world are the keys to happiness, wealth, success.
This is why, when I offered to S. to create a web site for crocheters, she loved that idea at 'first hearing' I will not bore you with description of hard work of creating our first web-baby, the work which is now in progress...

Another factor that helps us is our faith that everything we are doing will be useful for crocheters.

The Temptation of George Rusky.

The Temptation of George Rusky.

By George Rusky,
Prague 2004

Dear Friends,

I’m writing to you because I want to share with you some of my concerns and
ask you for help.
It’s about Internet, of course.

The biggest problem caused by the Internet, as I can see it, is the openness and accessibility to an unlimited amount of information.

Naturally, one who can touch a key board at least with one finger, should accept the internet with all its good and evil as an incredible invention of all times.
That’s one side of the coin.

Another one is that I’m, for one, is totally lost in the ocean of on-line offers; one is more seductive than other.
”The best method of creating your wealth on line…” shouts at us a sales letter.
“The most progressive ever way of building your list of subscribers…”hollers another.
Tens if not hundreds of messages (most of them, certainly, unsolicited) call us to prosperity on line.

I don’t know about you, but I was raised to respect the word written. It’s not only The Constitution , laws of the state, school textbooks, manuals, instructions, notes, you name it!
The Bible, of course. I will always remember a notorious question my Pastor used to ask me: ”What is written in the Bible about it?”
Looked like for every problem one had ever experienced, Pastor could find the answer in the Bible.
In short, the miraculous power of the word, written in my heart, is written ‘in stone.’

Now, when I read the unlimited list of superlative adjectives of sales letters I feel desperate, thriving to find out ‘where the dog is hidden.’

The messages where the writers start saying:
”Don’t you lose this one in your whole life opportunity, etc”

I wonder, if one can find a pumpkin, who would wish to lose his one time in his whole life chance?
So, I click the link, open the web site and read a special report, nicely formatted, highlighted, emphasized, splashing good news into my face, raping me with ‘order, order, order, and again, order.’

But that’s not all!

“If you order before midnight,” it says, “you will sure get tons of bonuses, so don’t tarry!”
I move aside from my desk everything, spilling a cup of coffee I was advised to grasp before reading a message, fumbling for my ‘electronic wallet’ and just about to fill in the form…

Thanks the Lord, it is still necessary to fill in the form, the last chance to escape the hypnotic daze of the sales letter, cool down, and recover from the fog of a ‘narcotic’ power of the commercial offer.

Uff, sweating and shivering, I regain consciousness, trying to think about something else and put off the hanging above me horrendous cloud of doubt: ”What if this is that one chance from a thousand , which just come only to bold and smart individuals, who, after just a few months report to us:
”I come back to gloomy days of the winter 200? when I didn’t have any money to pay the bills, to do this and that, etc, unless I met John Smith who showed me the big picture… so now my life has completely changed. Look at my house, I bought a week ago and a new car I’m thinking of buying, and, so on.”

To resist this temptation is beyond my power.
I grasp my right hand so that not to click the desirable link taking me to the treasures island where money grows on the trees and one can experience joy and gladness because one blessed day she clicked this miraculous link!
Paradise lost?
No, Mr Milton,
Paradise found…

Instead of an epilog.

After nearly four years of trying to find a ‘Magic formula’ for getting rich on the Internet, I’m still where I was last century.
“If I could do it, you can too…”
“Can I?”

Are We All Writers?

Are We All Writers?

George Rusky
March 2004

As a member of the CWG (Christian Writers Group) on line, I receive a good number of various messages.
The authors of them tell us about their problems, ask for advice or help, share some information, and require critique for their stories.
As it generally goes in the group, somebody asks a question, and if the members of CWG find the subject interesting, or it inspires them to take part in the talk, they send their messages to the group, thus a discussion begins.

Recently, a ‘hot’ discussion has started around the subject Called to write.
Nearly every active member of the group shaped their understanding of what they felt the Lord had called them to write for.

As it appeared, some authors wrote in the field of business, others in fantasy. A number of writers honestly confessed they have been just called to write and were asking for advice how to set off.
The messages, however, can sometimes lead to rather unpredictable discoveries, as it was in the case of Mr.’s N. e- mail.

After a short review of other writers’ ideas about the subject, he briefly introduced himself, saying he had not been a regular contributor to on-line discussions, but this time he “felt obliged to share this with the rest of the group.”
His call to write Mr. N. saw in serving the Lord in writing horror books and carrying out duties of a Chairman of an international organization, a union of writers of horror literature.
“I received this call from the Lord, who clearly let me see my mission in writing horror books,” he wrote on.

“Well,” I said to myself, “Live and learn!”
The message made me thing about it.

I got used to reading the e-mails like “The Lord called me to write. Hey, guys, what to write about?”
Or “ How long should be the sentences and the paragraphs of the story to be approved by editors and published?”

I could go on with the extracts of this kind; there’ve been lots of them.
But this time I didn’t know what to think!
Could we assume that Jesus Christ calls to write horror books?
Could He call to write about violence, sex, pornography, and such like?!
How shall we accept then Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6:9,10:
” Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
Well, it is not written about authors of horror books, though.

What does worry me in all these sharing, that their authors do not realize one crucial point: when God chooses us, His servants, for His mission it is a great honor for us and privilege to be His part-takers. It’s an awesome responsibility too.

Moreover, when it does happen, He gives all necessary ‘instructions’ for carrying out His divine task. Whether we want it or we don’t, we are just nominated to do what our heavenly Father wants us to do. Period.
The Bible is full of such examples. Let’s recall just a few of them, shall we?

Moses,
“And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? (Ex.3:11)
The Father’s answer in the next twelfth verse:“ And he said, Certainly I will be with thee;…”
From that moment onwards, the Father ‘tutors’ Moses till the day, when Moses, performed everything for which he had been brought into this world.

David.
Why was he chosen by our creator to fulfill His intentions? We read:
” But the LORD said unto Samuel… for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1Samuel 16:7)
From that moment onwards the Father is with David, teaching the king how to live and serve his nation.

Hosea.
Can we, men, imagine someone from our dearest tell us to marry a harlot?
What if our father would say that?
“And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms… “ (Hosea 1:2)
Hosea accepts this command from the Father in Heaven with no questions asked:
“So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.”
From that moment onwards God leads Hosea all along the way telling him what to do.

Jonah.
When God calls Jonah to preach repentance to the Ninevites, the latter turns down the assignment and tries to flee. But God is serious about His command. He has appointed Jonah, and that means there’s only one way for him - to follow God’s will.

Habakkuk.
The Lord God instructs Habakkuk what to write and how to write:
“And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
Habakkuk acknowledges the command from the LORD with gladness:
“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (3:18)

Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother.
Jesus said: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt.4:19)
From that time onwards the Lord leads them till the last breathe of their lives.

Saul from Tarsus.
The Lord talks to Saul, on the way to Damascus:
“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”(Acts 9:6)
From that moment the Lord had been with Saul-Paul teaching him what to say, what to do, and what to write till the day of Paul’s death.

These are just a few well-known names from the Bible.
How many Christians do we know, that, having heard the voice of the Lord, answered the call and gave their lives to the Lord?
I’m sure, everyone can tell us about some.

So, what is in it for us?

We all like talking about our position in the body of Christ, referring to the epistle to the Ephesians 4:11 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” or: 1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”

The gifts of the Lord are an obligatory topic of our Bible studies.
We also try to place ourselves in the church of the Lord according to the call we have received (or, rather, we think, we have).

There’s nothing wrong about it, is there?
“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7) (italics are added)

Grace is given, dear brethrens!

The Lord gives the gifts and provides everything for the realization of His gifts.
What is grace for a pastor? His flock!
What is grace for an elder? Wisdom for governing the church.
What is grace for the teacher? Clear delivering of the message of the Lord.
What is grace for the healer? To heal the body and heart of a sinner.

What is grace for a Christian writer…?
To answer the call of the Lord, to be His instrument by performing His Father’s will of
saving sinners, and to do that thru our writing!

The Father sent His son to the world to save the world!
We have no right to write about anything except this theme.
Isn’t it what we are here in the world for?

We are pastors -our readers are our flock.
We are the light to the world -we call sinners to repent and give their hearts to the Lord.
We are elders -we look after our readership.
We are evangelists -we educate our readers according to the word of God.
We are teachers-we teach our readers the God’s truth.
We are translators -in our writings we help readers to understand the scriptures better...
These are just few tasks we have to carry out, if we really claim to be Christian writers.

In his work Telling the Truth Dr. Marvin Olasky wrote:
“If even fifty new, talented, biblically directed journalists were to emerge in America during the next few years, the revitalization of Christian Journalism would be well under way…”
My thoughts are interrupted by a nice melody coming out from my computer: another e-message has been delivered.
It says: ”Hi, I’m new to the group. I feel God called me to write…”

I close my eyes and pray the Lord that this new called writer will say she desires to write for His glory!
Amen!

Lifting Eyes to the Hills.

Lifting Eyes to the Hills.

George Rusky
December 2003


The narrator: George Rusky, 50, a Christian writer and teacher.
Martina: a visitor, a Czech woman
Pavel: her future husband, a Czech man.

"I’m living in the Czech Republic, writing articles for a couple of local newspapers and magazines that are printed for English-speaking readers. In my free time, I teach English at the Jazykova Skola, ( a language school) more for fun, rather than for money.

I wish I could write like the gifted Ernest Hemingway, except without his lack of Christian ideals.
I’m married with two adult sons, D., who is twenty-six, and K., who is twenty. S., my wife, will be fifty this year.
To make the picture complete, we have a ten- year old dog Cristina, a Toy-Terrier.
She was only two weeks old when S. brought to the family.

When I meet fellow-Americans for the first time, I am often asked: ”Why are you here?” with various tones, melodies and, sometimes, unpredictably, “What the hell are you doing here?” What is so great about living here in Prague?” Local folks don’t bother to ask me this question. They just figure that it is none of their business.
(A lot of my countrymen have the bad habit of being nosy; that is precisely why we get into so much trouble overseas.)

Well, this is the question I failed to answer myself, until recently.
Back in 1997, when I came here I intended to see Europe, to explore new territories, just as our ancestors did a couple of centuries ago. A well-known story, is it not?

As time passed I came to feel that Prague is a great city to live in* In a spiritual sense, I see it as the crossroads between the East and the West; the river brings commerce and goods, from the West and mysterious country folk with their ancient customs and folk-medicine.

Soon after my wife and younger son arrived, they both began liking their new city.
K. got to know, and later became a member of our local Baptist church.
There he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and was baptized.
Can you see this chain of events? In other words, GOD brought my family and I here.
It is truly wonderful!

Then, only then, I very clearly realized, why God had brought me here.

Well, after such an introduction, it’s the time to tell you the story.
It was Sunday, the day when I sometimes meet with people and talk to them about the Lord and the Bible, sort of Bible studies, a home course, if you want.

I’m fond of these meetings, where my listeners are able to share their understanding of God, who He is, and what they think about Christianity, and how we all have to live according to the word of God. We discuss a lot of various questions connected with this subject.

Along with the writing and teaching English, I consider this part of my ministry very important.
On that Sunday I was expecting M. and P. a young couple who came into my life to learn English and to learn about GOD. I usually try to combine
both lessons into one, but I had to confine my religious teaching at home.

Matina and Pavel seemed to be interested in learning about GOD, so I invited them to our apartment.
Since that day, they have visited me several times.
I must say, these meetings were not only very warm and pleasant, but useful in learning English and understanding of the nature of God. We began practicing as we started reading the Bible in English. Generally speaking, our friendship grew and developed.

As I waited for them to come I was thinking about the course and what were we going to study, when the telephone rang.
It was Martina.
“I’ve just arrived by bus,” she said.” I’m coming to see you in twenty minutes. Pavel called me and said he didn’t know if he would come. He is sorry.”
“May I come without him, yes?” she asked in her nice voice with an irresistible accent.
“Yes, sure, no problem,” I replied.

I put my mobile phone on the desk. Something was wrong. I felt it even though I didn’t know what it was.
I tried to pull my thoughts together.
“I come without him, yes?”

Did Martina say that? Did she say she was coming without her boy friend this time into my apartment where we were supposed to be alone with no one else there?
“What seems to be the problem?” I said in a strong voice.
“We are going to read the third chapter of Matthew and discuss it, aren’t we?” I went on.
I was just about to continue my speech in the same vein, but suddenly I saw Martina’s eyes, her smile, her hair, the picture was so vivid and real, as if she was next to me.

I even could sense the aroma of the perfume she was wearing.
I remembered, when I first saw her, I was charmed by her look.
I felt a warm wave spreading on my body, the tongue got dry.
I couldn’t control my thoughts which now led me to the images of her naked body with a perfect shape of her breasts and smell of her skin. I imagined us in bed with all the details of the moment.

I could hardly breathe!. The flow of sexy pictures overwhelmed me. The vision was so strong and real, that I lost control. Faces of Jesus, my wife, my children all of my dearest ones changed one another in front of my eyes.
Yet, there was someone else, who’s whispering I heard. It was going through my ears into my brain and chained my will, pushing me into the act!

Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it was terribly wrong to follow his instructions and not to be strong enough to struggle against him.
I suddenly realized! I had to do something to stop this flow of images!
But how could I do that?
“Isn’t she a good partner? You know now what to do when she comes! “The voice kept on whispering.
”You don’t have to read Mathew to her, it’s a long ago story. Use this chance; answer the call of your human nature. Both of you will just love it! Nobody will ever know that…”

“But my Father in Heaven will!” I gathered all my power and shouted.
“Come on, don’t be stupid,” he continued. ”Hath your Father said, Ye shall not love a woman you want?” He started laughing at me, waiting for my reaction.
Something dramatically familiar was in the question…

Yes, now I remembered, from where I had known the question.
I knew also, that alone, I could do nothing against him. I reached the Bible and breathed out: ”Jesus, help me, please!”

I repeated again and again, or it might have been just my thoughts, rather than words. I tried to imagine Christ’s face, His hands his eyes, the ones I saw in the movie Jesus Christ
“My Lord, only you can help me now, please do it for me. I’m not strong enough, I’m so sorry. Forgive me for not being that strong,” I begged…

Then, in an instant, my dream was over. I opened my eyes, and whoosh! The voluptuous vision disappeared! I found myself with the Bible in my hand, kneeling on my knees. I felt a great sense of relief, as if a giant boulder had fallen off my shoulders!

“Oh, Jesus, thank you, my Lord. I knew you will never let me down, when I need you”
I said.
I slowly stood up, closed my face with my hands, trying to realize what had happened a few minutes ago. The Lord helped me. There was no doubt about it. Hallelujah!
“Thank you my Lord, thank you for your help…”

The doorbell brought me back to reality. I opened the door.
Martina was smiling at the door, and next to her, stood Pavel.
“A strange thing happened to my boss. He, all of a sudden, changed the time of our meeting today, so,” Pavel continued,” I can have the pleasure of seeing you!”
His words rang in my head: “The pleasure of seeing you!”
“You can’t imagine, what a pleasure for me to see you,” I said, smiling.

No, I didn’t just say it, I practically shouted, and laughed hysterically!
They both had a quizzical expression on their faces but they didn’t ask me any thing. They didn’t know, what had happened to me just a few moments before, and they never will!

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 121:1,2)