As pohanginapete thinks crusing is confusing, here is some more about Cruse, a UK based organisation which offers a range of support in all types of bereavements.
The origin of the term is Biblical. Elijah had been sent off into the desert, where the ravens brought him bread and meat morning and evening, until such time as he was sent off again, under Godly command, to find a widow to supply his needs. Accordingly he met the widow, out there gathering sticks, as widows do, and requested water in a jar....'Oh, and some bread while you're at it'. The widow explained to this stranger that she had only a small jar (a cruse) of oil and handful of flour, and a son to feed, but Elijah was having none of it.
'Go home and do as you're told,' he said. 'But first make me a cake out of that flour'.
And the widow did as she was told, as widows are supposed to do, and because of her diligence and obedience, the pot of oil and the jar of flour became inexhaustible. Elijah stayed on, and he and the widow and her son ate from the jars for some unspecified time. (The diet may actually have been better and more varied when the ravens were in charge.)
It's good to be inexhaustible, to spread the oil and flour as far as possible, and, of course, you don't have to be widowed to do it.
Lots of us do it all the time.
But for those who are bereaved (no matter how long ago), and whose supplies of oil and flour are in danger of running low, Cruse is there to help.
So was it Elijah or the widow who we should credit with the term "cruse control"?
ReplyDeleteGiven the intelligence of ravens and the apparent lack thereof of so many of our so-called "world leaders", I suspect we'd be better off if the ravens were still in charge. And not just of the diet, either.
Curiously, I happened to buy olive oil and wholemeal flour just the other day. I, however, feel anything but inexhaustible, having just biked up to the edge of the Ruahine Forest Park.
I love the tone of this post — and I learned a few things, too. Wonderful! :^)
Thank you, pohanginapete. Ha ha - much more to come on 'cruse' themes, I fear. I believe the organisation is considering a name-change, and you can see why!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have your own oil and flour; it's interesting that Elijah needed quite so much looking after.
(The diet may actually have been better and more varied when the ravens were in charge.)
ReplyDeleteThere is a lovely sense of irony here. I am enjoying your writing.
I went to a CofE Primary School so this story has remained in the back of my mind, but you have refreshed me memory on the fine details ....
Thank you, MM.
ReplyDeleteThose Biblical men really knew how to treat birds of all types, didn't they?
(I've added an email contact.We could sit and watch the trains go by sometime?)