Blog - Page 38 of 70 - Diana Derringer

Food for Thought

June 10, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 3 comments

Food for thought means something to consider.

What we consider may come from:

Our own minds
Something we see or read
An event
Another person (They offer information, or we pick their brain.)

All make us think about an idea.

Much like we digest food in our stomachs, we digest food for thought in our minds.

The digestion process may be easy or hard. We enjoy easy thoughts. However, we probably gain more from the hard ones.

Food we eat may give us food for thought.

Most of us enjoy food. It fills our stomachs and takes away our hunger. In addition, food offers:

Fellowship
Comfort
Fun
Learning opportunities

Some people have slim pickings in food. Others of us enjoy more food than we need. Rather than keeping it all for ourselves, perhaps we should consider giving more away. What better way to show an attitude of gratitude?

By sharing with others, our thoughts become action.

Please comment below with your ideas for putting thoughts into actions.

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8 NIV).

Thanks to Carole Fite for the suggestion.

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You Made Your Bed, You Must Lie in It

June 3, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 0 Comment

You Made Your Bed--bed in The Elms (R. I.) You made your bed, you must lie in it has nothing to do with making a bed. The expression focuses on behavior.

You have to live with the results of what you do.

Good choices bring good results.
Bad choices bring bad results.

If you cause problems, expect problems in your life. If you share joy, expect joy in return.

Of course, exceptions to the rule occur. However, you usually experience the natural or logical effects of your actions. You did it, so you must live with it.

Several expressions have the same meaning.

Whether you talk about beds, gardens, music, or chickens, the message remains the same. For the best life, make the best choices.

“When you see trouble coming, don’t be stupid and walk right into it— be smart and hide” (Proverbs 22:3 CEV).

Thanks to Bonnie Alley for the suggestion.

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End of the Road

May 27, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

While on a trip, many of us look forward to the end of the road.

Once we hit the trail, we can hardly wait to get where we are going. We want to spend most of our time there.

If we ride a bus or train, we might talk about the end of the line. The road or line stops, so the bus or train cannot go farther.

The end of the road means the conclusion or final step.

This expression may refer to the end of a:

Trip
Process
Activity

Often the end of the road refers to death, the end of life’s journey.

We kick the bucket. We are graveyard dead.

On Memorial Day, we remember and honor those who died in service for our country.

Many of us look forward to the end of life’s journey.

We enjoy life. However, we know when we reach the end of life’s road, we step into our eternal home in heaven.

On a trip, people may follow the sun for physical direction. To receive a home in heaven, we follow the Son for spiritual direction. Jesus, God’s Son, offers life and purpose both now and at the end of the road.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life” (John 3:36 NIV).

Thanks to Janis Atwood for the photo

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Cool as a Cucumber

May 20, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 3 comments

Some people stay cool as a cucumber.

Whether good times or bad, they remain calm.

Cucumbers are mostly water, which keeps them cool. A slice of cucumber in a glass of water provides cool refreshment on a hot summer day.

However, cool as a cucumber does not refer to a cool temperature. It means people who rarely get upset.

Plans don’t go their way. They make other plans.
People mistreat them. They still treat those people well.
Losses occur. They give thanks for what they had.

They live an easy-does-it life and look for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Few things get them down.

When they do get down, they soon rise again and keep going. They know that nothing in this life lasts forever. Therefore, they make the most of the moments they have.

Cool as a cucumber people spread peace.

By staying calm and peaceful, they help people around them stay calm and peaceful.

Peace that never fails can be found when anyone lets go and lets God.

“[God’s] peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 TLB).

Thanks to Janna Babak for the suggestion.

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Ox in the Ditch

May 13, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

Ox in the Ditch--cow in water behind trees My friend Phyllis recently had an ox in the ditch. She and her husband dressed for church. Then they noticed a cow having trouble birthing its calf. Their cow needed help. Putting first things first, they helped their animals. They arrived at church late but with an attitude of gratitude for a healthy cow and calf.

An ox in the ditch is not usually an ox.

Examples of an ox in the ditch include:

Sick people who need a doctor
Crime victims who need the police
Buildings on fire that need firefighters

An ox in a ditch means an emergency.

The need demands:

Immediate action
Total attention

A great need replaces a good plan.

The Bible says Jesus healed a sick person on the Sabbath. Work was forbidden on days of worship. However, Jesus asked if people would not pull an ox from a ditch (or well) on the Sabbath. Another time Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 NIV).

God expects people to rest and worship one day a week. However, God also expects believers to put feet to their prayers – to meet needs when they arise.

“Then [Jesus] asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” (Luke 14:5 NIV).

Thanks to Phyllis Patton for the suggestion and Bart Woodrum for the photo.

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Consider the Source

May 6, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 0 Comment

Before we trust anyone or anything, we consider the source.

We do not want to:

Eat food from a garbage can
Buy a car from a junk store
Drink water from a lake filled with salt

We usually trust what was good, safe, and trustworthy in the past.

However, if anything has not been good, safe, or trustworthy, we do not trust them now.

The same applies to people.

Have they:

Made many mistakes? If so, we will not ask their help.
Proved themselves trustworthy? If so, we usually trust them.
Hurt others? If so, we fear they may hurt us.

Consider the source is often a warning.

It tells us to be careful.

That person has been wrong in the past.
He cannot be taken seriously.
Do not believe him.
He may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing or a snake in the grass.

If we want others to trust us, we must prove worthy of their trust.

We build a reputation by every:

Choice we make
Action we take
Word we say
Attitude we show

May others always know us as a source worthy of their trust – as good as our word.

“What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 TLB).

Thanks to Becky Nash Rowe for the suggestion

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Preaching to the Choir

April 29, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

Preaching to the choir--church choir in robes Pastors don’t need to convince believers to accept Jesus. That would be like preaching to the choir. Believers have already made that choice.

Preaching to the choir means trying to get people to accept an idea they already believe.

Why try to convince them when they:

Share the same opinion
Support the same cause

Some people compare this to kicking an open door. The door stands open. No one needs to kick or knock on it.

Doctors don’t need to be told people get sick.
Teachers don’t need to be told children’s minds wander.
Judges don’t need to be told people break the law.

They already know that.

To spread a message, the messenger must go to those who:

Have not heard it
Do not believe it
Need to learn more about it

Preaching to the Choir--children's choir Of course, people enjoy sharing the same beliefs. Choir members sing and praise God with other believers. True worship makes them all ears to God’s message. It warms the cockles of their hearts.

However, they also take their message outside the church. They want to share it with people who have not heard.

“The master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled’” (Luke 14:23 ESV).

Thanks to Darrin Jenkins for the suggestion and to Campbellsville Baptist Church and Joan Tinnell for the photos.

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Chickens Come Home to Roost

April 22, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

Chickens Come Home to Roost--chickens on a fence Chickens come home to roost.

Birds usually return to their nests at night.
The results of our past actions return to us.

Bad behavior in the past may causes problems in the present or future.

We may get away with bad choices for a while. However, we often suffer for them later. We land in hot water. That is true for what we do and what we say.

We live with the consequences of the choices we make.

Mistakes or wrong choices hurt us and others. We reap what we sow.

Fail to study: fail a test.
Hurt other people; expect to get hurt.
Ignore physical needs; suffer physical pains.

Therefore, we do well to always make right choices.

Be careful what we say and do. What goes around comes around. We don’t want our words and actions coming back to haunt us.

If we follow the straight and narrow, we have no need to worry.

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14 NIV).

Thanks to Steve and LuAnne Russell for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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Take It to the Bank

April 15, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

Take It to the Bank -- bank vault If someone pays us by check, we take it to the bank. The check promises money.

Of course, not all checks are good. In those cases, we lose the money listed on the checks.

When we say we can take it to the bank, we mean something is good.

We can depend on it.
The person who wrote the check has the money listed.
A person always speaks the truth. He is as good as his word.

We cannot take everything to the bank.

Like bad checks, not everyone speaks or acts in truth. When that happens, we lose trust. The person’s bad choices hurt us.

We all make bad choices. However, we can receive forgiveness.

Easter celebrates Jesus coming to earth to pay the price for our sins – our bad choices.

Jesus’ words and actions taught us how to live.
He died on the cross for our sins.
Before and as He died, Jesus prayed for us.
He arose from the grave on the third day.
Jesus’ victory over sin and death becomes ours free and clear, if we place our faith in Him.

Friends, we can take Jesus’ promises to the bank.

“This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3 ESV).

Thanks to Kristy Robinson Horine for the suggestion and to Citizens Bank for the photo opportunity.

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