F is for Fealty by Alan Anderson

 

Dear reader, did you take a second look when you read this F word? I bet you did! In my experience I cannot say I have ever used the word. Perhaps I am in good company.

 

Meaning of Fealty

What on earth is fealty? Good question!

 

Early forms of the word, “fealty,” originate around 1300 and referred to the loyalty a vassal had to a lord. As time went on the meaning of “fealty” broadened. Fealty is now used to express one’s loyalty to other leaders, a country, or a principle of life. These days the word isn’t used often.

 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fealty

 

One of the closest words we have today to fealty is loyalty. “Loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.”

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fealty

 

Fealty to One’s Call as a Writer

 

This post will be devoted to fealty as loyalty to one’s call to write. Our fealty to our call to write is also one of commitment and an expression of devotion. As writers who are also Christians to betray our call is not an option.

 

The members of InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship are more than casual hobbyists. To us writing is more than a fun thing to do. There is skill to develop, genres to explore, energy and concentration to aid in our focus, and passion in what we want to write. We can add to this list, but I hope you get my meaning. Writing is indeed fun, but it also requires work and loyalty to develop one’s skill.

 

Wow, my friends, just think, we are writers! We spend time writing down words to reach other people. To us words are alive. They aren’t mere empty thoughts coming from a dark hole. Our words represent our loyalty to a call God has placed on our lives.

 

Fealty in the Face of Life Change

 

A recent appointment with my doctor confirmed my suspicion. He confirmed, in his words, I am, “no longer a spring chicken.” Okay, this is no surprise to me. The past months of 2023 and latter 2022 has been a period showing me my youthful years are now history. I guess I had to come to a place in my life where I had to admit I am an almost old guy.

 

This realization, however, has not crushed my fealty, my loyalty, to my call as a writer. Lord willing, I still have years of energy to walk in nature, play with my grandchildren, enjoy life with my wife, serve my church community in some way, sit on the back porch with my dog, and write, write, write. My loyalty to writing has not diminished.

 

A Couple Questions to Ponder

 

Writer friends, are you loyal to a particular genre of writing? Readers, are you loyal to particular authors?

 

 

Alan lives in Deroche, B.C. with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. He contributed stories to Good Grief People by Angel Hope Publishing, 2017; Story by Story: The Power of a Writer, Unstoppable Writers Publishing, 2018; Easter Stories & More by InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship, 2021. He is currently working on a book expressing the grief of grieving grandparents entitled “Hidden Poetic Voices: A Reflective Work of Grief, Faith, and Poetry.” Alan periodically writes articles for FellowScript Magazine. He has written posts for our InScribe blog since 2015. He is the Writing Group Coordinator for InScribe. Blog: https://scarredjoy.ca.

 

Why Loyalty Is Your Best Friend by Bob Jones

 

“You give loyalty, you'll get it back. You give love, you'll get it back.” Tommy Lasorda, LA Dodgers

 

“The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other.” Mario Puzo

 

Loyalty. Aside from faithfully carrying out my responsibilities in the first month of my first pastoral role, that’s the only expectation my senior pastor placed on me.

 

Fresh out of Bible College, newly married, and grateful to have a paying job, why would I not be loyal to the man who gave me a chance? Besides, loyalty is easy when there is respect for a trustworthy leader and her or his experience. I was the rookie. He was the veteran. He was easy to work with, an example of dedicated faith, had a great sense of humour, his three sons respected him, and his wife was devoted to him.

 

We worked hard, saw men and women make decisions to follow Jesus, and the church grew. He gave me opportunities to lead and experience ministry, didn’t overreact when I made mistakes or fell short of excellence.

 

About a year into our experience, I received a call from a man in the church that I respected. He wanted to know if I was interested in going with him and his friends to a Major League baseball game in a neighbouring city. He didn’t have to ask twice! That would be my first time in a storied ballpark to see a team I cheered for as a kid.

 

During the drive to the game the conversation turned from baseball to our church. Did I feel over-worked? Did I feel our pastor was doing a good job? Did I have any concerns about his leadership? Do you see yourself as a senior pastor? No. Yes. No. No, why would I? The conversation turned in another direction and the subject never came up again that night. The baseball game and the stadium were fantastic. The days ahead were not. That was the last game I was invited to.

 

Not too long after that night our lead pastor called me into his office. He explained that some of the members were upset with him. They had drafted a petition for a vote of confidence on his leadership. There would be a “meeting.” Did I know anything about that? No. Who would do that kind of thing? Turns out there was more than a baseball game going on that night a few weeks back.

 

He asked my wife and I not to attend the meeting. This was one pastoral experience he didn’t want us to have. The confidence vote failed. He could stay. However, eight months later he accepted a pastoral role in another province. He thanked me for my loyalty and asked if I would be willing to come with him as his assistant. We readily said, yes. I remember his surprised look and then a smile and a tear.

 

We worked together for a total of ten years in two churches over thirty years ago. We stay in touch. My loyalty is still to him. Always will be. Both of us are aged now, with no regrets.

 

My situation didn’t become an ethical dilemma, but I wonder if that’s because all I wanted to do was be loyal.

 

I write to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.

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