Klobosniky

ByHal Hammons

Purists insist that a “kolache” with sausage inside is actually a klobosniky.  And strictly speaking, it is not Czech in origin, as is the kolache.  It is a native Texan.  Word has it the klobosniky was invented in West, Texas (which, ironically, is not in west Texas) at the Village Bakery in 1953.

 If you are not from Texas, you don’t care.  If you are from Texas, you probably still don’t care.  Frankly, I’m not sure how much I care.  I just like saying klobosniky.

I used to get completely wrapped around the axle in such matters.  Call things by their proper names!  Be precise in your language!  And I’m still like that somewhat.  But age, and fatigue from fighting battles that I knew I would never win, have tempered my enthusiasm a bit.  If I get what I want by asking for a sausage kolache, and I get nothing more than a weird look when I ask for a klobosniky, how exactly has my persnickety verbage advanced the cause of human communication?  More importantly, my precise language may cost me a tasty morsel at the town bakery.

Pick your battles.  That’s my takeaway, I suppose.  I will continue to use the word “Christian” in the Biblical way — referring only to blood-bought, baptized believers in Jesus (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).  “Church” will always be the body of Christ, not a building (Matthew 16:18).  But if I hijack every conversation in which one of these words is misused, I may create more confusion than clarity.

If I have to choose between being precise and being effective, God help me choose to be effective. 

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