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Throw Your Hat into the Ring

Throw Your Hat into the Ring

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Throw Your Hat into the Ring--two people throwing their hats into the air with the sun setting behind themDo you often throw your hat into the ring? Maybe for a group activity, fun event, or political office? You decide to give it a whirl.

If you throw your hat into the ring, you announce your decision to join or compete.

You may:

  • Enter a contest.
  • Make or accept a challenge.
  • Participate in a special event.
  • Start a new step in life.

Throw your hat into the ring began with boxing.

According to The Phrase Finder, “The expression dates from at least the early 19th century.” Boxing rings were “circular spaces in a crowd of onlookers.” No “square roped ‘rings’” like today. If someone wanted to compete, he threw his hat into the ring. That was easier than shouting above the noisy crowd.

Be careful before you throw your hat into the ring.

Many activities prove worthwhile. Others you want to avoid at all costs.

When Jesus calls, always follow.

The cost may be great, but the reward will be greater. Many believers endure persecution such as:

  • Ridicule
  • Job loss
  • Rejection from friends and family
  • Imprisonment
  • Death

Nevertheless, they throw their hat into the ring with Jesus. They prefer to suffer rather than deny their Savior.

“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3 NIV).

 Thanks to Lam DeBrot for the suggestion. Photo by Nabil Naidu with Pexels.

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Onward and Upward

Onward and Upward

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Onward and Upward--Old Faithful geyserOur family loves to visit Yellowstone National Park. We always watch the Old Faithful geyser erupt. Several times a day, Old Faithful moves onward and upward.

This wonder of nature reminds us of the importance of our own faithfulness.

Onward and upward means to keep moving forward.

We work toward:

  • Improvement
  • Progress
  • Success

Onward and upward often means steady rather than sudden growth.

Old Faithful begins with a sputter but then grows higher and higher. We don’t have to start fast either. However, we do want to keep going and growing.

Onward and upward encourages us not to give up.

We all face difficulties and disappointments. Yet, we advance one step at a time. Failure teaches us what does not work. To reach our goals, we keep on keeping on.

This challenge applies to every age and circumstance.

  • Youth graduating from school
  • Adults seeking the right job
  • Retirees beginning a new stage in life

As long as we live, we have meaning and purpose. May we always seek to find and fulfill them to the best of our abilities.

Our greatest advancement occurs when we step from this life into the next.

If we follow Jesus’ plan for our lives, we find the best now and through eternity. Let’s keep moving onward and upward.

“In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13 NIV).

Thanks to Joy S. Taylor for the suggestion.

Cut and Dried

Cut and Dried

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Cut and Dried--bunches of dried flowersI love to go outside to look at flowers. A stop to smell the roses refreshes my body and mind. I rarely cut them to bring inside. They wilt and die too quickly. However, I do decorate with cut and dried flowers.

Dried flowers remind me to find beauty following tough times. They also match my love for a vintage look. Most of all, I appreciate their lasting value. They bring smiles for years rather than days.

Cut and dried means unchanging.

Like cut and dried flowers, a situation remains the same over time. It is:

  • Decided
  • Settled
  • Clear
  • Definite

This description can refer to plans or solutions to problems.

Cut and dried can also mean dull or boring.

A situation is:

  • Uninteresting
  • Common
  • Routine

Writers and speakers never want to appear cut and dried.

Not everything cut and dried is dull or boring.

Many plans, solutions, and presentations never change. Yet they challenge and inspire. Like dried flowers, they endure.

For example, a man asked Jesus for the greatest commandment. Jesus said to love God and love others. His response, in a nutshell, was clear and unchanging. It was not boring then. It is not boring now.

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘… Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31 NIV).

Thanks to Joe Klotz for the suggestion. Image by Richgold from Pixabay.

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Fill Someone’s Shoes

Fill Someone’s Shoes

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Fill Someone's ShoesCharli likes to wear her parents’ shoes. She tries so hard to fill them, but she can’t. Her parents have big shoes to fill.

We often say it will be hard to fill someone’s shoes when that person leaves a position. We also say the person left big shoes to fill. We mean:

  • The person did a good job.
  • We will have a hard time finding someone else that good.
  • The next person will have to work hard to do as well.

None of us can fill someone’s shoes like that person. We may get close. Some people may see no difference. Yet differences remain.

That is true for:

  • Teachers
  • Business leaders
  • Family members
  • Anyone

We each fill our shoes in our own way. God made only one Charli. God made only one me. God made only one you.

Great workers and leaders challenge us to do our best. Yet, we will always be who we are. Therefore, Charli needs to be the best Charli possible. I need to be the best me possible. You need to be the best you possible.

Let’s all leave big shoes to fill.

“Work hard so God can say to you, “Well done.” Be a good workman, one who does not need to be ashamed when God examines your work” (2 Timothy 2:15 TLB).

Thanks to Natalie Parker for the photo.

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

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