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Just Stepped Out of a Band Box

Just Stepped Out of a Band Box

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Just Stepped Out of a Band Box - Harriet Michael headshotPlease welcome my friend Harriet Michael as today’s guest writer. Harriet and I met at Kentucky Christian Writers Conference. She is a multi-published author and freelance writer. Harriet currently has five books out with two more coming out this year and three more under contract for release over the next two years. She also has hundreds of articles, devotions, and stories published in numerous magazines and books. Follow her on her blog or on her Amazon author page.

Looking Good!

Matching dresses made by Harriet’s mom

When I was a child, I often heard my mother say, “You look like you just stepped out of a band box!” She would say this to me when I was dressed up for church or some other nice occasion. I came to understand from the way she used this expression that she meant I looked nice:

  • Clean
  • Hair brushed
  • Clothes washed and pressed
  • Shoes shined

Where did the expression come from?

I actually did not know the answer to this question until I looked it up for this post. Here is what I found:

The bands in this expression are clerical bands—the white linen bands often worn around ministers’ necks. The bandbox then is the box that holds the ministers’ clothing which is always spotless and neatly pressed. So, if people look like they just stepped out of a bandbox, they look:

  • Neat
  • Clean
  • Spotless
  • In order

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17 NIV).

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Spitting Image

Spitting Image

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Spitting Image-bridge relfection in waterOne of our nephews is the spitting image of his father. They look alike in all their baby and childhood pictures.

A girl in my Sunday school class was the spitting image of her older sister. I have to look closely to tell them apart.

Spitting image usually means someone looks exactly like another person.

They are the mirror image of one another. Identical twins are the perfect example.

Spitting image also applies to things besides people, such as the reflection of this bridge on Magnolia Plantation.

No one knows for sure how this expression began. Two strong possibilities include:

  1. People look so much alike, one could have spat the other out of his mouth.
  2. The expression began as splitting image. This refers to a split (cut) piece of wood. The two parts of wood look alike.

People may be the spitting image in looks but not behavior.

  • Sons may look like, but not act like, their fathers.
  • Sisters may look like, but not act like, one another.
  • Identical twins definitely look like, but don’t always act like, each other.

People don’t choose how they look. They do choose how they act.

Therefore:

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 NIV).

Thanks to Debbie Tapscott 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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You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

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You Can't Judge a Book by Its CoverHave you ever wanted to throw a book in disgust? The title promised the help you needed. The cover picture looked perfect. Reviewers praised it. However, it was worthless to you. The difference in appearance and content prove you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Looking good does not equal goodness.

That’s true for books and true for life.

Businesses use misleading ads. Politicians make campaign promises they fail to keep. Much around us sounds or looks good … until we try them.

Good looking people who dress well get more job interviews. They also get more dates. They don’t always make the best employees or spouses.

Smooth, shiny hybrid apples look perfect. They don’t taste nearly as good as ugly, knotty vintage apples. The hybrid pleases the eye. The vintage gains our loyalty.

Like vintage apples, what looks bad on the outside may hide a treasure inside.

We find pearls in oysters. We find gold and silver in rocks. Don’t overlook possible treasures based simply on outward appearances.

Let’s look beyond the surface to find what matters most in life.

“People look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NET).

Note: I found all the books in this photo true to their cover.

Do you have an expression you want explained? If so, please comment below.

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