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Horse of a Different Color

Horse of a Different Color

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Horse of a Different Color

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.

  1. Listen well.
  2. Observe carefully.
  3. Expect the unexpected.
  4. Don’t stress.
  5. Accept what helps.
  6. 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

Get Your Goat

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Get Your GoatIf 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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Straighten Up and Fly Right

Straighten Up and Fly Right

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Straighten Up and Fly Right 1When my parents told me to straighten up and fly right, they were not telling me I had poor posture. Neither were they saying I should suddenly sprout wings or buy a plane ticket. Instead, they were ordering me to improve my behavior … now!

If they were extremely upset, the full sentence was usually, “Young lady, you’d better straighten up and fly right … and I don’t mean maybe!” I knew I was in trouble as soon as I heard, “Young lady.”

I had pushed all the wrong buttons or become too big for my britches. My parents would tolerate no further misbehavior.

  • I knew what rule had been broken.
  • They knew my actions were no accident.
  • Humor, hugs, kisses, and innocent looks would not help.

I needed to obey, the sooner the better.

Their warning usually achieved its goal. I tried to straighten up and fly right. If I succeeded, I avoided their wrath. If I ignored them, I suffered. What I failed to understand at that time was that my parents were trying to teach me:

  • How to succeed in life
  • How to avoid difficulties and danger
  • How to get along with others.
  • How to be my best

As adults, we may not have anyone telling us to straighten up and fly right. That does not mean we don’t need to do so.

It’s never too late. Listen and learn.

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (1 Peter 1:14 NIV)

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Push All the Wrong Buttons

Push All the Wrong Buttons

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Push ButtonsAs a person challenged by any kind of electronics, I often push all the wrong buttons. Regardless of the gadget, I can mess it up.

  • Cell phones
  • Laptops
  • Notebooks
  • Personal computers
  • Televisions remotes
  • Cameras
  • Microwaves

If it has buttons, I have problems. Nevertheless, I’m learning. I know I need help.

  • I seek guidance from people with more knowledge.
  • I review online tutorials.
  • I read my instruction book.
  • If all else fails, I seek help from the manufacturer – I go to the source.

Sadly, we have the same problem in relationships. We often push all the wrong buttons of other people.

  • We disobey rules.
  • We anger or upset one another.
  • We seek our own pleasure, regardless of who we hurt.

Let’s learn in relationships. Let’s recognize we need help.

  • Listen to wiser, more mature people.
  • Study ways to improve.
  • Read the Bible, the greatest instruction book in the world.
  • Go to our Creator – the source of all wisdom.

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4 NIV).

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Don’t Toot Your Own Horn

Don’t Toot Your Own Horn

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Don't Toot Your Own Horn--“His Own” brass quintet
His Own Brass Quintet

We want children to develop good self-esteem. At the same time, we don’t want them to boast—to toot their own horn.. Finding the right balance between the two takes work.

Children naturally desire attention. That’s okay up to a point. However, they should not seek recognition every time they do well. They need to share attention just like they need to share toys.

Telling children (or anyone), “Don’t toot your own horn,” or “Don’t blow your own trumpet,” means they should not praise themselves. In other words, don’t brag.

No one wants to hear their endless boasting:

  • “I’m the fastest.”
  • “I’m the smartest.”
  • “I’m the prettiest.”
  • “I’m the best.”

If those statements are true, let people see it for themselves. If untrue, bragging only makes them look sad or silly.

We hurt children if we allow them to grow up with an inflated sense of their importance. Instead, let’s teach them that we all have strengths, and we all have needs. By supporting one another instead of focusing on ourselves, everyone wins.

“Don’t praise yourself; let others do it!” (Proverbs 27:2 TLB).

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Off the Beaten Path

Off the Beaten Path

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Off the Beaten PathIf 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

A Hard Row to Hoe

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A Hard Row to Hoe 2A 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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Don’t Get Too Big for Your Britches

Don’t Get Too Big for Your Britches

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Don't Get Too Big for Your Britches 3Don’t get too big for your britches has nothing to do with our height, weight, or the size of our pants. Rather, it warns us against having too much pride. Similar expressions tell us not to put on a high hat or act high and mighty.

When life goes well, we should certainly enjoy it. However, we don’t want to grow arrogant over our good fortune. Circumstances can quickly change.

Let’s maintain balance in our lives.

  • Celebrate success, but give credit to those who helped us succeed.
  • Enjoy financial gain but share that wealth with those in need.
  • Seek the occupation of our dreams but express appreciation for the work of others.
  • Strive for self-improvement but never at anyone else’s expense.

We all put our britches on one leg at a time.

No one deserves to be viewed as less worthy than anyone else. Likewise, no one deserves to be viewed as more worthy than others.   Let’s treat everyone with the same respect we desire.

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 NET).

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Graveyard Dead

Graveyard Dead

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Graveyard DeadDead is dead.

Graveyard dead emphasizes that fact. Someone or something died with no hope of revival and must be buried. The phrase can be used for the death of:

  • An idea
  • A business proposal
  • Animals
  • People

The redundant description clearly means:

  • No effort will help.
  • No hope exists.
  • We must say good-bye.

But is that all?

If we have no hope, why have the word?

  • One idea or proposal may not work, but we can always try another.
  • The loss of an animal doesn’t remove the good it gave.
  • Jesus promised this short life is not the end.

Claim the message of Easter. Live it every day. Hope endures!

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11 NIV).

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Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

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Don't Put All Your Eggs in One BasketAlthough not found in the Bible, egg hunts have become a common Easter tradition. Close to Easter seems a good time to remember we don’t put all our eggs in one basket.

As children find Easter eggs, they usually place them in brightly-colored baskets. Too many eggs make a basket overflow. Extra weight from the eggs can make a fragile basket break.

Using more than one basket, if needed, reduces the risk of losing or breaking their eggs.

Neither should we put all our eggs in one basket.

We don’t want to limit our resources to one possibility.

For a greater chance of success, we must diversify.

  • Invest money in more than one company.
  • Study more than one subject.
  • Learn more than one skill.
  • Apply to more than one school.
  • Develop more than one hobby.
  • Plan more than one vacation route.

We want to keep our options open.

If one goal fails, we have an alternative.

If our dream becomes a nightmare, we can follow a different dream.

“But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Psalm 33:11 NIV).

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