Greetings, Metaphor Mavens,

As a preacher, I deal in metaphors like pastry chefs use flour—the right kind and right amount make things amazing, but mess up the proportion or use the wrong mill and things end up unsatisfying. (Okay, I also deal in similes.) Metaphors give our brains something familiar to help us grasp complexity.

Which brings me to my 1972 Buick LeSabre. I purchased this car in 1983 from my sister for a bicycle and $680. The beast (metaphor) burned oil, not the blue smoke out the tailpipe quantity, more like ½ quart for