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Tag: choices

In the Doghouse

In the Doghouse

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In the DoghouseDogs (especially puppies) often get in trouble. They:

  • Dig where they should not dig. We had a puppy dig a hole to the water line in our yard.
  • Chew things they should not chew. Our neighbor’s puppy loved our shoes and caps.
  • Jump on people at all the wrong times. Paw prints never look good on our best clothes.

When dogs get in trouble, their owners may put them in the doghouse.

Most dogs rather be with people than alone in their house.

Some people spend a lot of time in the doghouse.

They get in trouble with:

  • Bosses
  • Husbands or wives
  • Parents
  • Teachers
  • Friends

Because of their bad behavior:

  • Bosses give them more work or less pay.
  • Husbands or wives don’t want to spend time with them.
  • Parents take away fun activities.
  • Teachers give bad grades.
  • Friends stop being friends.

People in the doghouse don’t enjoy living a dog’s life.

Therefore, they need to watch their steps and stay out of trouble.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12 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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Rain or Shine

Rain or Shine

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Rain or Shine: cloudy sky over Niagara FallsThe old song “Come Rain or Come Shine” promises love that lasts forever. Nothing will stop it.

That is the kind of love I want to receive. It is also the kind of love I want to give.

Puppy love is not enough

Rain or shine means we will do what we say:

Regardless of the weather:

  • Rain
  • Sunshine
  • Snow
  • Wind
  • Storms

Regardless of finances:

  • Rich
  • Poor
  • Everything in between

No matter what happens, we will be as good as our word.

Nothing will keep us from doing what we say we will do.

Sadly, we don’t always keep our commitments. Many of us keep commitments most of the time. A few of us almost never keep them.

However, if we place our trust in Jesus, we have a friend who will always do what He says He will do, rain or shine.

“Let us acknowledge the Lord … As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3 NIV).

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By the Book

By the Book

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By the Book--stack of instruction booksSome people go by the book. Others fly by the seat of their pants.

People who go by the book follow directions.

They want to do their work right the first time. They don’t want to have to do it again. Therefore, they follow the rules.

People who fly by the seat of their pants think If all else fails, follow the directions.

Going by the book makes life easier.

It helps with:

  • Learning to use new products
  • Building anything
  • Measuring amounts for cooking or other work
  • Practicing new skills

People make mistakes when they fail to go by the book.

Sometimes their mistakes cause no big problem. They can go back to the drawing board and start over.

Other times, mistakes mean the difference in life and death.

For the best life, go by the best book.

  • Read the Bible.
  • Follow its directions.
  • Share its truth with others.

“Consult God’s instruction” (Isaiah 8:20 NIV).

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

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Heart of Gold

Heart of Gold

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Heart of Gold--a gold heartDo you know people who have a heart of gold? Why not honor them this Valentine’s Day?

I know most people think of romantic love on Valentine’s Day. So do I. Yet, why not show other kinds of love as well? I don’t know of any rule against that.

 People with a heart of gold give often.

They also give much. They are:

  • Kind
  • Friendly
  • Honest
  • Good natured

They give of themselves.

People with a heart of gold think of others before themselves.

They sometimes give away what they need, no strings attached. They love other people that much. Plus, they care for strangers as well as friends and family.

People with a heart of gold make good role models.

Think how wonderful the world would be if everyone showed that kind of love.

People value gold for its goodness.

Why not show caring people they are valued for their goodness too?

  • Thank them for their loving hearts.
  • Give them something they need or want
  • Give a gift to charity in their honor.
  • Hug them.
  • Take them to dinner.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 NIV).

Who do you know with a heart of gold?

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Play with Fire

Play with Fire

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Play with Fire--child in fireman's outfitMatthew knows he should never play with fire. He does not want to get hurt. Neither does he want to hurt others.

Instead, Matthew may become a fireman when he grows up. Rather than play with fire, he hopes to prevent and put out fires.

No one should play with fire.

It is both dangerous and foolish. Most of us would never play with a physical fire. Yet, many of us play with fire in other ways. We take risks when we:

  • Choose bad relationships
  • Cheat
  • Disobey the law
  • Practice bad health habits

When we play with fire, we get burned.

 We may:

  • Hurt or lose those we love
  • Gain a bad reputation
  • Go to jail
  • Suffer poor health

Instead, let’s prevent or put out fires when we can.

Let’s watch our steps, make good choices, and help others do the same.

“Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?” (Proverbs 6:27 NIV)

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

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Photo courtesy of Tammy Seyfried.

Eyes in the Back of Her Head

Eyes in the Back of Her Head

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Eyes in the Back of Her Head--adult femaleDoes your mom have eyes in the back of her head?

Many children think so. Of course, moms don’t have eyes in the back of their heads. Yet, they seem to know when their children have done wrong.

Children’s behaviors usually show they have disobeyed. They may:

  • Avoid their parents
  • Fail to look them in the eye
  • Say “I didn’t do it,” before parents ask if they did anything

As adults, we share some of those same behaviors.

We usually act guilty if we are guilty.

Some people hide guilt better than others. Yet, when we try to hide our guilt, we make a bad situation worse. We may:

  • Fear contact with the person we wronged
  • Change our behavior when around that person
  • Lie and lose that person’s trust

Why not choose a better way?

Then we won’t have to worry if Mom, or anyone else, has eyes in the back of her head.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13 NIV).

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Bark Up the Wrong Tree

Bark Up the Wrong Tree

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Bark Up the Wrong Tree--Dog standing among trees

Dogs love to chase other animals. Usually they can see or smell them, so they stay on the right path. When those animals run up a tree, dogs stand under the tree and bark.

Occasionally dogs bark up the wrong tree.

They lose sight or smell of the animal they chase. They may stand under a tree and bark as loudly as they can. Yet, all that barking does no good if they bark up the wrong tree.

We can also bark up the wrong tree.

That happens when we:

  • Make a wrong choice
  • Follow the wrong path
  • Listen to the wrong people

We may think we are going the right direction. Yet, we have strayed from our goal.

Sometimes we know we made the wrong decision. Yet, we keep going. We fail to admit our mistake and change. We get comfortable going the wrong way.

To find what we are looking for, we must follow the correct trail.

  • True for dogs
  • True for people

When we hit the trail, we want to be sure we are on the right one.

“Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way” (Psalm 23:19 NET).

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

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Worry Wart

Worry Wart

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Worry Wart-fallen tree covered in weedsI don’t want warts on my skin. Neither do I want to be a worry wart. Both can annoy us.

Worry warts worry all the time.

Sometimes they worry about what has happened or is happening. Often they borrow trouble  – they worry about problems that could happen.

Their worries include:

  • Health
  • Personal relationships
  • The weather
  • Money
  • Death

Worry warts worry about everything.

We have trees behind our house.

  • I can enjoy their shade and beauty. Or I can worry that a tree may fall on my house.
  • I can enjoy the animals that live among those trees. Or I can worry that one will bite me or give me a disease.
  • I can enjoy the leaves as they change colors. Or I can worry about having to rake all those leaves when they fall.

The tree in this photo did fall. However, it was old and rotten inside. It was far from the house, so the fall was no problem. We cut our trees when we think they may cause problems. The other trees we choose to enjoy.

Why worry?

Marian Woosley lived and taught a good plan for life. One of her favorite expressions was, “Why worry when we can pray?” That’s a good question, don’t you think?

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 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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Reach for the Sky

Reach for the Sky

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Reach for the sky--Devil's Tower with the sky aboveReach for the sky has two meanings.

  1. A robber tells people to hold their hands in the air by saying, “Reach for the sky.”
  2. We tell people to set high goals by saying, “Reach for the sky.”

We will focus on the second meaning.

When we look at the sky, it seems so far away.

  • The clouds float high above us.
  • Birds fly into it.
  • Children pretend to touch it.
  • Yet, how can we reach it?

When we look at goals, they may also appear far away.

  • Some goals seem greater than our ability.
  • Other people succeed while we fail.
  • We sometimes do nothing more than dream of what we want to do.

Far away does not mean impossible. 

In spite of challenges, we can reach the sky. In spite of challenges, we can reach our goals. Yet, how do we do that?

We reach goals, like most of life, one step at a time. We may never get as far as we hope. Yet, we will get closer than if we never tried. Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

If we try, we may surprise ourselves. In addition to reaching our goals, we could go far beyond them.

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies” (Psalm 36:5 NIV).

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

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