Animals/Nature Archives - Page 19 of 21

Water under the Bridge

September 23, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 10 comments

Some of my favorite childhood memories took place under this old swinging bridge. My sister, cousins, and I waded in the water under the bridge. I learned to swim in the water on the other side of the bridge.

We loved to walk across that bridge. It swayed and bounced like an amusement park ride. It scared me silly, but I always wanted to cross it again … and again … and again.

As I walked across the bridge, I looked down at the water. I didn’t think much about it then, but the water under the bridge kept changing. It flowed down the creek, replaced by new water. That constant movement kept the water fresh and safe.

When anything is water under the bridge, it has already happened.

It’s over and cannot be changed. Like water that has traveled under a bridge, that experience is past.

In spite of that, we often hang on to the past, not letting it go. We fail to let bygones be bygones. In the process, we make ourselves miserable.

Rather than living in the past, let’s realize the past is water under the bridge.

We can remember it.
We can learn from it.
But we must not dwell on it.

Live in the present. Look forward to the future.

“He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water” (Isaiah 49:10 NIV).

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Don’t Fence Me In

September 9, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

If animals could talk, I think most would say, “Don’t fence me in.” Farmers and ranchers regularly repair fences where cows, horses, or other animals escape.

We may not have physical fences around us. Yet, many of us feel fenced in by circumstances:

Responsibilities
Other people
Lack of personal space
Little time alone

Because of that, we can understand the popularity of the 1934 cowboy song “Don’t Fence Me In.” Robert (Bob) Fletcher of Montana wrote the original lyrics. We can still enjoy much that he wrote about in parts of our great country today.

We explore wide open spaces.
We drive for miles without seeing another person.
We feel free.
Our minds, as well as our bodies, can roam.

Whether we like country life or not, we desire freedom. We want to go, do, and speak as we please. We don’t like people telling us what we can and cannot do.

However, a fence has more than one purpose. We focus on what a fence keeps inside. Equally important is the danger it may keep outside.

With no limits, we live in total confusion. We need fences (rules) to provide order and protection.

Our freedom must do no wrong.

“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil” (1 Peter 2:16).

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Out on a Limb

July 22, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 1 comment

Have you seen the cartoon of a man sitting out on a limb? He’s sawing off the limb between himself and the tree. We laugh because we know that when the limb falls, so will he. Yet, he remains unaware.

The bear cub in this photo may not be out on a limb yet. However, we know if he tries to crawl out any of those tiny limbs, he too will fall.

We often fail to see the dangers around us.

Like the man and the bear cub, we cause many of those dangers ourselves.

Marriages fall apart because of harmless flirting.
Addictions result from trying just one drink or drug.
Bankruptcies occur when we can no longer pay all those little charges.

If we never take that first dangerous step, we don’t have to worry about falling.

Let’s take preventive steps instead.

Weigh the good and bad.
Make well-informed decisions.
Set reasonable limits in every part of our lives.

Let’s not put ourselves at risk. Let’s choose not to go out on a limb.

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40 NIV).

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Horse of a Different Color

July 1, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 0 Comment

Have you ever talked with someone and their response had nothing to do with what you said? They were talking about a horse of a different color.

Have you ever bought something you thought you liked? However, later you realized it was not what you bought before? You bought a horse of a different color.

Has anyone ever invited you to a gourmet meal but took you to a fast food restaurant instead? That meal was a horse of a different color.

The traditional Swedish Dala in this photo is definitely a horse of a different color. We also find one in a brief scene from the Wizard of Oz movie. Both provide fun reminders of the totally different items and experiences our world offers. Both also remind us that different does not necessarily mean bad — simply unrelated.

The following may help us adjust to every difference, whether good or bad.

Listen well.
Observe carefully.
Expect the unexpected.
Don’t stress.
Accept what helps.
Reject what harms.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).

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Get Your Goat

June 17, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 1 comment

If I get your goat, I make you angry or upset.

Although Jenny and I both got a goat in this photo, we were definitely not angry or upset. What fun we had with Paul and Janet Hert at Green Hall Farm, feeding, holding, loving, and learning about goats.

I wish we would all relate to one another that way. Why do we choose to:

Annoy one another for no good reason?
Hurt others when we hurt?
Make fun of people different from us?

Why don’t we:

Seek the best for one another?
Help one another through good times and bad?
Celebrate our differences?

Like Jenny and I did with the Herts’ goats, let’s:

Feed one another when we’re hungry.
Hold one another when we hurt.
Love one another unconditionally.
Learn from one another’s life experiences.

“In that day the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and goats will be at peace. Calves and fat cattle will be safe among lions, and a little child shall lead them all” (Isaiah 11:6 TLB).

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Off the Beaten Path

May 13, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 11 comments

If you have an opportunity, watch cattle. Few stray off the beaten path.

They line up, single file, and walk the same path every day. The grass on that path becomes beaten down and dies.

That seems funny, because most cows have an entire field to explore. However, think about our own behavior.

Notice families on vacation.
Check interstates that lead to well-known tourist attractions.
Compare restaurant chains to little-known cafes.

Cars line up like cattle, one after the other, all with the same destination.

I challenge you to go off the beaten path.

Skip the crowded beaches, amusement parks, and restaurants.
Learn to read a map instead of depending on another person or devices’s directions.
Choose an out-of-the-way place to visit.

Tiny crooked roads led to some of our family’s greatest adventures.

We crossed mountains, crept down dirt roads, and explored small towns.
We traveled miles without a sign of civilization.
We discovered one-of-a-kind festivals and art shows.
We drove a highway many consider the most scenic in America.

All these we found by looking on a map and saying, “That looks interesting.”

We enjoy the well-worn, high traffic areas too. Yet, nothing compares to the little known jewels we found off the beaten path.

Look for those scenic, relaxing places away from the crowds. While you’re at it, seek spiritual refreshment found only in moments alone with God.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1).

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A Hard Row to Hoe

May 6, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

A long line of plants can be a hard row to hoe.

Gazing from one end to the other, we want to give up before we start.

My parents always believed in the value of hard work. Therefore, my sister and I began gardening at an early age. I thought those garden rows would never end. Plus, Kentucky summer temperatures often reach the 90s with humidity near 100 percent.

I recall standing in the hot sun, fuming at the cruelty of it all. I pledged that once I had a home of my own, I would never plant a garden. Famous last words!

After a few years, I realized vegetables taste better when I grow my own. Not even a farmer’s market can compete.

I also learned that if I focus on the plant of the moment, I reach the end faster. It keeps me from looking ahead with dread.

That holds true for most tasks.

Focus on what needs to be done now.

Then move to the next task. Any assignment becomes more manageable and less intimidating. With steady pacing, we soon complete our work. We can then enjoy the fruit of our labor, whether it is a:

Fresh ear of corn
Good test grade
Clean house
Completed work detail

Remember: When facing any difficult task, any hard row to hoe, don’t try to tackle everything at once. Take one step at a time.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

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Stand Tall

March 18, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 9 comments

The Redwood Forests of northern California never cease to amaze me. Standing at the base of the world’s tallest trees, people appear small and insignificant.

Like soldiers with their shoulders back and heads high, the redwoods stand tall and brave.

Their pasts include attacks from animals, weather, and people. Like all of nature, they face an unknown future. Yet they stand tall.

So can we.

Regardless of our size or struggles. God created each of us for a special purpose.

Therefore, we can stand tall, not in our own strength but in God’s strength.

Each redwood began as a tiny seed.

Each had an uphill battle to survive. Life can’t be easy for them. Yet, facing hardships makes them stronger.

Likewise, standing tall and courageous does not mean we never have problems or we’re never afraid. It does mean we:

Face our fears and grow stronger.
Learn from our struggles and grow wiser.
Accept our limits and grow humble.
Support one another and grow closer.

Whatever comes our way, we can stand tall, knowing, with God’s help, we never stand alone.

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm” (Exodus 14:13 NIV).

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We Reap What We Sow

March 4, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

If we sow (or plant) tomato seeds, we reap (or harvest) tomatoes. If we sow corn seeds, we reap corn. If we sow bean seeds, we reap beans. If we sow flower seeds, we reap flowers. Do you see a pattern here?

Logic tells us that we reap what we sow.

That truth applies to behavior as well as gardens.

If we study hard, we make better grades.
If we practice regularly, we improve our performance.
If we work well, we advance in our career.

As with most of life, exceptions occur.

We can’t guarantee that our flower seeds will sprout and grow. Bad weather, hungry animals, and other conditions may result in a poor crop year. However, we can be certain that flower seeds will produce flowers, not potatoes.

Neither can we guarantee that positive behavior will always result in positive responses. In general, however, we live with the consequences of the choices we make — we reap what we sow.

If we ignore the rules, we get in trouble.
If we follow the rules, we stay out of trouble.
If we frown at people, they frown back.
If we smile at people, they smile back.
If we focus on the temporary, we reap temporary rewards.
If we focus on the eternal, we reap eternal rewards.

Let’s sow good seed, not just for our own sake but also for the sake of others.

Remember, whether beans or behavior, we reap what we sow.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7 NIV).

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Snowed Under

February 25, 2014 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

Much of the United States has been snowed under for several weeks.

Almost everything outside disappeared under multiple layers of snow and ice. Bitterly cold temperatures and strong winds made the situation worse.

As a result, schools, offices, and stores closed. Emergency services encouraged people to stay home.

Any time of year, we can become snowed under with responsibilities.

We have more to do than we can possibly do. We feel like we are under a mountain of chores. Demands come from:

Home
Work
Church
Community
Friends
School
Our own expectations

Fun activities are no longer fun. We can’t stop thinking about what we need to do. Our lives feel like we are on a treadmill. We go as fast as we can but seem to get nowhere.

So how do we crawl out from under this snowed under feeling?

Set priorities. Decide what’s most important. Do that first.
Keep a list of what we need to do. Lists free our brains to focus on one task at a time.
Learn to delegate. Ask other people for help.
Do what we can. Then let the rest go until later.
Delete. If activities take too much time and are unimportant, get rid of them.
Take a break. A brief rest can increase our energy and improve our outlook.
Be thankful we are not bored.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NIV).

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