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Category: Self-Improvement

Tight as Bark on a Tree

Tight as Bark on a Tree

Tight as Bark on a Tree--oak leaf on tree barkWe don’t want to overspend, and we do want to save. Yet, we rarely want to be called tight as bark on a tree.

Tight as bark on a tree means extremely careful with money.

Other descriptions include:

In areas with Blackjack oak trees, we frequently hear “as tight as bark on a blackjack.”

If we are tight spenders, we buy only when absolutely necessary.

Money never burns a hole in our pockets. Instead, we lock our pockets and throw away the key! We make do with what we have in order to save.

Although we should save, we don’t want to go overboard.

Money is a means to an end, not the end itself. We use it to meet our needs and the needs of others both now and in the future.

When tempted to remain tight as bark on a tree, let’s remember:

Definitely save for a rainy day. At the same time, spend money and all of life as God leads today.

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want” (Proverbs 11:24 ESV).

Thanks to Billie Sue Kibbons and Lynn Kibbons Collins for the suggestion they recalled from Granny Rosa Fay Scott who lived near an area known as Black Jack, Missouri. Photo by Marta Wave on Pexels.

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Play by Ear

Play by Ear

Play by Ear--hands on piano keysMy sister received most of our family’s piano ability. She plays by reading music, plus she can play by ear. If she hears a song, she eventually figures out how to play it.

To play music by ear means to play without looking at printed music.

I have a hard time playing with or without the written score.

Play by ear also means to act without specific plans or rules.

We decide what to do as we go. Rather than worry about details, we

  • Remain flexible.
  • Adapt to the circumstances.
  • Take one step at a time.
  • Deal with events as they arise.

We fly by the seat of our pants.

Some of us do well playing by ear. Others desire more organization.

We want to know:

  • What are we to do?
  • When are we to do it?
  • How do we do it?
  • Who will help us?
  • What happens every step of the way?

Whether we prefer to plan or not, we can make beautiful music with our lives.

Every day offers opportunities to:

  • Do our best.
  • Encourage one another.
  • Worship God.

“I will sing and make music to the Lord” (Psalm 27:6 NIV).

Thanks to Cindy Shoemaker for the suggestion and to Gail Gosser for the photo.

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Move Heaven and Earth

Move Heaven and Earth

Move Heaven and Earth--tree in front of lakeHave you had people move heaven and earth to help you? They do everything in their power to provide what you need. I have, and I am eternally grateful for their assistance.

In a crisis, I called a friend. She stopped what she was doing and cancelled her plans to come to my aid. Her friendship is the real McCoy.

To move heaven and earth means to do everything possible to make something happen.

We resolve to do all we can to:

  • Help someone else.
  • Achieve what we desire.
  • Accomplish a goal.

In spite of challenges, we reach for the sky. We try to make the impossible possible.

Move heaven and earth implies commitment.

We:

  • Dedicate ourselves to a purpose.
  • Give our best effort.
  • Have no plan to quit.

Such commitment requires hard work.

Ordinary efforts are not enough. We strive for the extraordinary.

The Creator of heaven and earth set the example for us.

God loves us and offers life in heaven when we leave this earth. May we do all in our power to tell others of Jesus’ sacrificial gift to make that possible.

“May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 115:15 NIV).

Thanks to Scott Tice for the suggestion.

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Horse Around

Horse Around

Horse Around--Diana Derringer on Appaloosa horse in front of house and treesOur family owned a couple of horses for a brief time. We did not race them, show them, or make money from them. We simply enjoyed them. Dad bought horses for us to horse around.

To horse around means to play or waste time.

The activity has no purpose. We often horse around while we avoid work we need to do. Goofing off feels like more fun than work.

Sometimes we horse around in a rough way.

We get rowdy or aggravate others. Occasionally we hurt them. Sometimes we mean to cause their pain. Other times, our rough play causes accidents.

We can all use a little horseplay, if we don’t get too rough.

It allows us to rest our minds and have a fun time. However, when we get too rowdy, we need to hold our horses.

Enjoy life but allow others the same privilege.

Let’s keep our priorities in order.

Responsibilities come first. Then time to relax. We don’t want to put the cart before the horse.

God gives us a few years on earth. Whether working or horsing around, let’s make the most of the time we have to serve God and help one another.

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture” (Psalm 37:3 NIV).

Thanks to Becky Nash Rowe for the suggestion.

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Happy-Go-Lucky

Happy-Go-Lucky

Happy-Go-Lucky baby and child on tree swingsChildren on swings usually look and sound happy-go-lucky.

However, like those swings, most of us have our ups and downs. Circumstances often dictate whether we feel:

  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Lonely
  • Mad
  • Scared

Yet, a few people remain happy-go-lucky regardless of their situations. Little, if anything, gets them down.

Happy-go-lucky means always happy.

Such people’s moods remain cheery and good natured. Life never seems to trouble them. They stay happy as a lark and worry free.

Happy-go-lucky people dwell on the positives.

Although they don’t deny negative experiences, they remain optimistic. They treat problems like water off a duck’s back by shaking off any negative reactions.

We may not always feel happy, but we can always experience joy.

God offers each of us the joy of a relationship with Jesus as Savior and Lord. For many people in the world, that decision leads to persecution and/or death. In spite of the dangers, they continue to share their joy with others. True joy makes that great a difference.

“In all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.” (2 Corinthians 7:4 NIV.)

Thanks to Brad Leverett for the suggestion and to Darrin Jenkins for the photo.

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment below.

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All Hands on Deck

All Hands on Deck

All Hands on Deck--Sail ship during a night stormIf a ship requires help from the entire crew, it calls for all hands on deck. Everyone must get in position to batten down the hatches. They prepare for the storm ahead. The crisis may result from:

  • Severe weather
  • Enemy attack
  • Mechanical problems

According to The Free Dictionary, a ship’s crew members are also known as hands. The ship’s floor is its deck.

However, the definition for this expression has expanded beyond ships.

All hands on deck means everyone needs to help.

 After recent natural disasters, calls came for assistance from every available resource.  Troubles included:

  • Floods
  • Wildfires
  • Earthquakes
  • Drought
  • Tornadoes

In addition to government agencies, volunteer groups assisted.

Several in our church help with disaster relief services. They keep supplies and vehicles ready to go when calls come.

This expression applies to small problems as well as large ones.

Everyone has a role to play in:

  • Families
  • Sports teams
  • Offices
  • Schools

In every situation, many hands make light work.

Whatever our position, God calls us to remain ready.

 That applies regardless of our age, abilities, or social status. God’s call is not always easy. However, it is always worthwhile.

“Stand steady, and don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Bring others to Christ. Leave nothing undone that you ought to do” (2 Timothy 4:5 TLB).

Thanks to Jane Ashley Pace for the suggestion. Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

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Kristy Horine book--In a Season of MondaysIf you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends.

Congratulations to Pat G, whose name was randomly drawn from my mailing list to receive a free copy of Kristy Horine’s book, In a Season of Mondays. If your name is already on my mailing list, you will automatically be entered for any future giveaways. Please encourage your friends to subscribe.

All Thumbs

All Thumbs

All Thumbs--thumbs of four people When we try to do detailed work, many of us become all thumbs. Although texting has made thumbs an important part of daily life, we still prefer not to be all thumbs.

All thumbs means clumsy, especially with our hands.

Like a person with two left feet, we have trouble with physical coordination. Awkward and unskilled, we can’t get everything to work together.

We might experience this out-of-whack feeling with:

  • Crocheting, knitting, or other needlework
  • Playing a musical instrument
  • Handwriting, especially calligraphy
  • Anything that requires fine motor skills

If all thumbs, we lack grace.

 It’s hard to look dignified when we can’t manage our physical reactions. Often, the harder we try, the worse everything grows.

With work, we can usually improve.

That is why we take lessons. Practice may not make us perfect. It does usually make us better.

When we can’t improve, we look for other abilities.

God created each of us with unique skills. If we don’t have certain talents, we can enjoy the work of those who do. We can also grow in what we do best.

I doubt the woman described in Proverbs 31 could do everything. Nevertheless, she did her best at what she did in service to God, her family, and others.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate” (Proverbs 31:25, 31 NIV).

Kristy Horine book--In a Season of MondaysSubscribe to receive Diana’s weekly posts by email and receive a free copy of “Words of Hope for Days that Hurt.” On September 9, 2023, one name will be randomly selected from Diana’s mailing list to also receive a free copy of Kristy Horine’s In a Season of Mondays. If your name is already on the mailing list, you are automatically entered. Please encourage your friends to subscribe.

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment.

Thanks to Debbie Tapscott for the suggestion.

Out of Sorts

Out of Sorts

Out of Sorts--a pile of puzzle pieces

 

Out of Sorts-Kristy HorinePlease welcome my friend Kristy Robinson Horine as today’s guest writer. Kristy and I met at Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, where she serves on staff. Kristy makes her life in Paris, Kentucky with her husband, Eric, and is mother to four children – Hanson, Anna, Emily, and Sadie. Her professional and creative work has been published in newspapers, magazines and anthologies in Kentucky and beyond. She offers encouragement for each day through her book, In a Season of Mondays: A 30-Day Devotional Journal.

I knew before I came into the kitchen, I was in trouble. My daily responsibilities took longer than anticipated. I still had to put away groceries and unload the dishwasher before I could start supper. My day had not gone as planned, and I was out of sorts.

To be out of sorts means to be jumbled together or mixed up.

Sometimes, being out of sorts happens the moment our feet hit the floor in the mornings. There is no rhyme or reason for the feeling. It just happens.

Sometimes, being out of sorts happens because of other people’s decisions:

  • A child volunteers to bring cookies to an event but doesn’t tell us until the night before.
  • A co-worker drops the ball, and we are left to pick up the pieces.
  • Another driver gets distracted and crashes into our car.

Other times, being out of sorts happens because of the decisions we make:

  • We forget to unload the dishwasher at the right time.
  • We say yes to too many things.
  • We don’t communicate well, causing chaos and conflict.

Whether being out of sorts comes from within us or from others, we can still choose to act in a way that pleases God.

We find clues in one of my favorite passages in the Bible.

“Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus, that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed” (Luke 1:1-4 World English Bible).

Learning from this passage, we can easily get back on track, even though we find ourselves out of sorts. We can:

  • Listen to those who have been there.
  • Look at our situation with accuracy.
  • Lead others to know the truth.

What are ways you find yourself out of sorts? Can you listen, look, and lead to put things right?

Kristy Horine book--In a Season of MondaysSubscribe to receive Diana’s weekly posts by email and receive a free copy of “Words of Hope for Days that Hurt.” On September 9, 2023, one name will be randomly selected from Diana’s mailing list to also receive a free copy of Kristy’s In a Season of Mondays. If your name is already on the mailing list, you are automatically entered. Please encourage your friends to subscribe.

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment.

Get Back on the Horse

Get Back on the Horse

Get Back on the Horse--horses in field behind flowering shrubsGet back on the horse. That’s what we often hear if we fall. The horse may have bucked us, or we may have fallen for other reasons. Whatever the cause, we receive encouragement to try again.

My sister disagrees. As a teenager, she did not like to ride horses. A cousin convinced her to ride behind him. She did. On a trip through our orchard, he lowered his head to miss a tree branch. He forgot to tell her. That was her last horse ride.

Get back on the horse means to try again.

We don’t give up. Instead, we get up. We go another time. One failure does not mean we will always fail.

Life gets difficult for everyone. We all fall. People or circumstances hurt us. Nevertheless, we keep going.

We learn from our mistakes.

Rather than kick ourselves, we try to correct what went wrong. We don’t want to live in fear—with cold feet—all our lives.

Get back on the horse applies to every area of life.

We may:

  • Lose a job
  • Fail a test
  • Suffer from illness
  • Grieve lost friendships
  • Endure persecution

In every circumstance, we decide whether to shake it off  or tie ourselves in knots with worry. If we don’t know how to get back on the horse, we can always rely on God for direction.

 “Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1 NIV).

Thanks to Joe and Ann Klotz for the suggestion.

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Keep Your Ear to the Ground

Keep Your Ear to the Ground

Keep Your Ear to the Ground--bison grazing

Stampedes of cattle, horses, or bison occur frequently in old Western movies. The herds can often be heard before they can be seen. A few movies teach that if you keep your ear to the ground, you detect the stampede’s vibrations.

That also holds true for:

  • People
  • Trains and other vehicles

If you keep your ear to the ground, you stay alert to what is going on around you.

You listen for what is happening or may happen. That helps you keep up with:

  • Current events
  • Changes
  • Opportunities

You benefit if you stay well-informed.

For example, you learn quickly of

  • Job openings
  • Special events
  • Investment options
  • Trends

If you keep your ear to the ground, you may also learn the latest gossip.

Of course, gossip may or may not be true. You usually benefit if you stay away from busybodies. Even if what they say is true, it is often unkind and unnecessary.

To stay informed, keep your eyes peeled and your ear to the ground.

To learn about the best life, focus on the one who created you and can guide you through all life’s changes. At the end of the road, that’s all that matters.

“The Master told me, ‘Go, post a lookout. Have him report whatever he spots. When he sees horses and wagons in battle formation, lines of donkeys and columns of camels, Tell him to keep his ear to the ground, note every whisper, every rumor.’” (Isaiah 21:6-7 MSG)

Thanks to Lindy Pierce for the suggestion.

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment below.

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