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Category: Peace

Put to Bed

Put to Bed

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Put to Bed--sleeping puppy on a hand-made cherry bedFollowing baths, brushed teeth, prayers, and other routines, children are put to bed every night.

Some of us also put our pets to bed. This puppy receives lots of love and care from its owner. A hand-made cherry bed waits anytime puppy needs a nap. Not a typical dog’s life.

We understand the literal meaning of put to bed.

People and animals need sleep. Going to bed may be voluntary or it may be required. Sometimes it serves as punishment for bad behavior.

It also means to stop discussing or arguing about an issue.

Whether we agree or disagree, we drop the subject. We let sleeping dogs lie.

It often means to complete all or part of an activity.

Final preparation begins or is already finished.

It’s a common saying for newspapers and other printing and means no more edits. Papers or books are ready to print.

The most important decision to put to bed is our eternal destination.

 We don’t want to leave our relationship with Jesus up in the air. At the end of the day, nothing matters more.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4 NIV).

Thanks to J.D. Wininger for the suggestion and to Ina Ree Pickett for the photo.

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Up in the Air

Up in the Air

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Up in the Air--clouds cover the sun; sun rays above bare treesA friend’s car died during a recent out-of-town trip. It left her stranded on the side of the road. Her son took his car to her. The fate of her car was up in the air.

Could her car be fixed? Would she have to buy a new one? How much would either of those possibilities cost?

Up in the air means uncertain.

Something is not settled. It could change. The uncertainty may refer to such matters as:

  • Choice of school
  • Plans with friends
  • Work options
  • Food selections
  • Government decisions

Like clouds, anything up in the air floats around waiting for a decision.

 The metaphor may also refer to flying birds.

Some decisions matter little.

The choices are six of one and half a dozen of  the other. Fairly equal, either choice makes no great difference.

  • Dark chocolate or milk chocolate
  • A long walk or two short walks
  • A long book or two short books (or both)

Major decisions must be made.

Failure to decide is to decide to leave results in the hands of others. Riding the fence rarely works.

Choose well. Choose with eternal consequences in mind.

“How can men be wise? The only way to begin is by reverence for God. For growth in wisdom comes from obeying his laws. Praise his name forever” (Psalm 111:10 TLB).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson and Rita Smalley for the idea.

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Pep Talk

Pep Talk

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Pep Talk--CheerleaderWe encourage with our actions. We also encourage when we listen. One of our greatest methods of encouragement is with our words. A pep talk works wonders.

When we land down in the dumps, we need a good pick-me-up.

A pep talk encourages or builds confidence.

We see this during sports events. Coaches gather their teams around them and rouse them to:

  • Get back in the game.
  • Do their best.
  • Never give up.
  • Win, win, win!

Cheerleaders lead fans to cheer their teams to victory. Schools or teams hold pep rallies to prepare for big games.

Pep talks occur in more than sports.

  • Parents encourage children.
  • Teachers inspire students.
  • Friends support one another.
  • Churches nurture members and the world around them.

Everyone needs encouragement.

Hard times come. That’s life. We can’t encourage everyone. That’s reality. Yet, we can urge those around us to keep on keeping on. That’s hope.

“Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13 NIV).

Thanks to Joyce Cordell for the suggestion and to Parker Davis for the photo.

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Part and Parcel

Part and Parcel

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Part and Parcel: farm house surrounded by treesWhen our family sold the house where I grew up, we included all the property on that side of the road. Those few acres, in the middle of nowhere, held part and parcel of my childhood memories.

In addition to the house, we sold:

  • The lot where my grandmother used to live
  • The woods where we played
  • Dad’s garden and orchard
  • A small hay field that helped feed our cows
  • The shop and garage

We kept all the farm property across the road. When we go fishing or check the farm, we still get to see our homeplace. However, the essential part of our childhood home no longer belongs to us.

Part and parcel means an essential part of anything.

It is a basic feature such as:

  • Edits for writers.
  • On-call duty for doctors, firefighters, social workers
  • Middle of the night baby feedings for new parents

Success requires meeting those vital responsibilities.

This expression includes a legal background.

 According to The Free Dictionary, part and parcel has been used as a legal term since the fifteenth or sixteenth century. Its main use was for “clauses of a law and for parts of a landholding.” Part means “a portion.” Parcel means “something integral with a whole.” The idiom “began to be used more loosely from about 1800. Although both nouns have the same basic meaning, the redundancy lends emphasis.”

The Bible holds part and parcel of God’s will for our lives.

  • Love God.
  • Love others.
  • Repent and trust Jesus.
  • Follow Jesus’ example.

For details, I urge you to read all the Bible.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV).

Thanks to Ann Maniscalco for the suggestion.

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At the Drop of a Hat

At the Drop of a Hat

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At the Drop of a Hat--Sun hat hangs from shelf with garden trowel and gloves above itMy grandmother worked in her flowers at the drop of a hat. I wish I had inherited her green thumb.

My talent? I cry at the drop of a hat.

  • Happy times? I cry.
  • Sad times? I cry.
  • Babies and puppies? I cry.
  • Sad books or movies. I cry.

Tears come quickly, and almost anything causes them.

At the drop of a hat means suddenly and with little warning.

Many of us laugh at the drop of a hat. We find humor everywhere. People around us laugh at our laughter. What a hoot!

At the drop of the hat also means without delay.

Mention travel, and we pack our bags to hit the trail. We want to leave immediately, if not sooner.

This expression probably originated with dropping a hat as a signal.

According to The Free Dictionary, a dropped hat signaled “the start of a race or other contest” in the late 1800s.

A few people help others at the drop of a hat.

If they have it, they share it.

  • Time
  • Abilities
  • Money
  • Possessions

Without hesitation, they practice “What’s mine is yours.”

We read such a story in the Bible (Luke 10:25-37). Often called the parable of the good Samaritan, one man helped another who had been robbed and beaten. The Samaritan ignored differences in background and culture. He simply saw a need and met it.

Referring to the good Samaritan, Jesus said, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37 NIV).

Thanks to Ginny Merritt for the suggestion.

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Heart-to-Heart

Heart-to-Heart

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Heart to Heart--sunset silhouette of young girls forming heart with handsMost relationships benefit from occasional heart-to-heart talks. When we open our hearts to one another, we learn to appreciate each other more.

Heart-to-heart means open and honest.

It usually refers to conversations where we don’t hide our emotions. Such talks occur between:

  • Family members
  • Friends
  • Coworkers
  • Neighbors

Honest discussion helps us work through differences of opinion.

The outcome varies. We may:

  • Agree
  • Compromise
  • Agree to disagree

Although such talks don’t always end the way we hope, they usually result in improvement.

Most heart-to-heart talks involve serious subjects.

We don’t just shoot the breeze. Through open discussion, we try to prevent or work through conflicts. Under ideal circumstances, our talks build on already strong relationships.

We celebrate Valentine’s Day with hearts of all kinds:

  • Candy
  • Cards
  • Cakes
  • Clothing

Why not also include heart-filled conversations? Resolve conflicts. Strengthen bonds. Love with both words and actions.

“I have a lot more things to tell you, but I’d rather not use paper and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk. That will be far more satisfying to both you and me” (2 John 1:12-13 MSG).

Thanks to Glenda Britton for the suggestion. Image by u_uf78c121 from Pixabay.

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Go Haywire

Go Haywire

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Go Haywire--tangled fence wire and leavesLife goes haywire from time to time. Everything goes wrong. Nothing works right.

Recently, emails of my blog posts stopped sending. I had changed nothing. They simply stopped. Plus:

  • Friends and family members suffered major health problems.
  • Several loved ones died.
  • Freezing temperatures and electricity problems left us in a cold, dark house.
  • Slick roads prevented travel.
  • To-do lists grew out of control.

My life went haywire.

Go Haywire--stacked hayGo haywire probably relates to the wire farmers once used to bale hay.

The wire held the hay together. Farmers also occasionally made repairs with old wire. Such repairs rarely lasted. In addition, thin wire easily tangles, as seen in the fence wire above.

Go haywire has two main meanings.

The Free Dictionary explains both.

  1. “To go wrong; to malfunction; to break down.”

Like the people and possessions in my recent life, everything falls apart.

  1. “To become irrational or crazy.”

When life gets crazy, acting crazy often follows. Because my surroundings felt out of control, I had a tough time staying in control.

Personal reactions do not have to depend on circumstances.

Once I changed my self-talk and thoughts, my emotions also changed. Hard times happen. That’s life. Yet, good can come from those times.

Whether circumstances remain calm or go haywire, I want to let go and let God hold my life together.

“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28 NIV).

Thanks to Randy Gosser for the suggestion and to Connie Atwood Murphy for the photos.

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Well Begun Is Half Done

Well Begun Is Half Done

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Well Begun Is Half Done--Snake River float trip with Grand Tetons in backgroundMy husband and I love to travel. For years, we hopped in our car as often as possible to explore our country. However, we usually spent weeks planning the trip. We learned that well begun is half done.

We decided in advance:

  • How far we wanted to travel
  • What sights we wanted to see
  • How much time we had

We also allowed for short unplanned side trips off the beaten path.

Well begun is half done means if we begin well, we are more likely to end well.

Work begun well usually means:

  • Less work to complete
  • Increased chance for success

This holds true whether we want to:

  • Build a house
  • Write a book
  • Sell a product

If we have no idea what we need to do, we get nowhere.

We spin our wheels and accomplish nothing.

Well begun is half done also relates to our spiritual lives.

For the best life, we make the best plans. Will we focus on ourselves for our brief time on earth? Or will we choose a personal, eternal relationship with Jesus? If we follow Jesus, we receive:

  • Joy for our present journey in both good and bad times
  • Hope for a home in heaven

At the end of life’s road, nothing matters more.

 “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19 NIV).

Thanks to Joy S. Taylor for the suggestion.

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What’s Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander

What’s Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander

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What's Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander--geese in flight from waterIf my sister received a privilege as a child, I thought I had the same right. My little brain believed what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Since my grandmother raised geese, I knew a gander was a male goose. However, I also knew this expression applied to both males and females.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander relates to fairness.

If my sister enjoyed a treat, I wanted one too. That included such favors as:

  • No chores
  • Late curfews
  • New clothes or books

If anything is okay for one person, it should be for another.

I wanted equal treatment, and so did my sister.

Regardless of backgrounds or circumstances, most people want to be treated with:

  • Respect
  • Dignity
  • Worth

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander keeps everyone off a high horse.

If my sister and I acted too high and mighty, we knew our goose was cooked. We ended up in trouble.

God created all people in His image.

To follow God means to treat one another with the same love, forgiveness, and justice God gives.

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly” (Leviticus 19:15 NIV).

Thanks to Becky Nash Rowe for the suggestion. Image by Ted Erski from Pixabay.

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Herding Cats

Herding Cats

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Herding Cats--Five kittens on grassJuggling several responsibilities feels like herding cats. Difficult at its best, it becomes impossible at its worst. That truth holds, whether we:

  • Teach an unruly class
  • Work on multiple assignments

We find ourselves spread too thin.

Herding cats usually refers to an unmanageable group of people.  

Trying to organize them becomes a nightmare. Think about:

  • Planning a wedding with people from several states
  • Getting a perfect picture of all those people

A few years ago, a commercial based on this expression became wildly popular. It compared the ease of herding cattle to the difficulty of herding cats.

Caring for small children frequently feels like herding cats.

Ask day care workers or preschool teachers. They organize school plays or end-of-year programs. Yet, children have others interests and ignore most directions.

Our most difficult work often becomes our most rewarding.

We make a greater difference than we realize.

  • Seemingly minor moments leave lasting impressions.
  • People hear and recall when we wonder if anyone heard or learned anything.

Keep working. Keep changing lives. Keep herding those cats.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6 NIV).

Thanks to Darrin Jenkins for the suggestion. Image by Jan Mallander from Pixabay.

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