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God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise

God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise

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God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise -- flooded creekAll my life I have heard people say, “God willing and the creek don’t rise.” My family usually said, “Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.”

I apologize to grammar teachers. I know don’t should be doesn’t. However, that is the only way I have heard or seen the expression used.

God willing and the creek don’t rise means people will do what they plan, if all goes well.

For example:

  • We will visit you tomorrow, God willing and the creek don’t rise.
  • She will begin her new job next week, God willing and the creek don’t rise.
  • I will finish this paper tonight, God willing and the creek don’t rise.

The speakers know they can’t always do as they plan. They can’t control everything that happens.

Years ago, if people lived near a creek, a flood could cut them off from the rest of the world. Often, they had no good bridge to cross the creek. When it started raining cats and dogs, they could not go anywhere. They had to delay plans. That was as bad as being up a creek without a paddle.

“If God’s willing, what does it matter if the creek rises?”

That quote came from Dave Dudgeon. His wife, Dana, added, “If God’s willing, He will provide a way, even if it looks impossible (or impassible) to us.” Mark 10: 27 tells us “all things are possible with God.” Maybe we should just say, “God willing” and not be a worry wart about the creek.

“You ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:15 NIV).

Have you heard this expression? If so, did you hear “God willing” or “Good Lord willing”? Please comment.

Update:

Since this posted, I received several messages about a different origin for “God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise.”

According to the Native Heritage Project, “the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. He was a politician and Indian agent. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. In his response, he was said to write, ‘God willing and the Creek don’t rise.’ Because he capitalized the word ‘Creek’ it is deduced that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water.”

This explanation also makes don’t correct, since it refers to a tribe (plural).

Regardless of the origin, the life lesson remains the same: Trust in and follow God’s will.

Thank you to everyone who contacted me on this. You keep me on my toes.

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Thanks to Becky Nash for the suggestion.

Fly off the Handle

Fly off the Handle

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Fly off the HandleDon’t fly off the handle — helpful advice for axes and for people.

An ax can do great good or great harm. Its heavy metal blade cuts through wood. That wood can provide heat, art, building supplies, and more

However, if the ax blade flies off the handle, look out. Anyone nearby is in danger of injury or death.

Likewise, anger can do great good or great harm. Controlled anger helps us:

  • Speak against evil.
  • Right a wrong.
  • Change ourselves.
  • Lead others to change.

However, we often let anger get out of control. Anger controls us rather than our controlling the anger. We fly off the handle (lose our temper). As a result, we suffer and cause others to suffer.

With an ax, we want to:

  • Keep it in good repair.
  • Hold the handle firmly.
  • Cut wood and never hurt people.

With anger we want to:

  • Understand its cause and purpose.
  • Keep it firmly controlled.
  • Use it for good, not harm.

Remember to treat anger like water off a duck’s back. Use it in a positive way, and gain tools for a better life.

An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins. (Proverbs 29:22)

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

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Let Go and Let God

Let Go and Let God

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Let Go and Let God

If we Google let go and let God, we receive about 37,400 results. This expression is probably best known as a slogan for Al-Anon, a support group for friends and family of people with addictions. Yet, its popularity goes much further. But what does it mean?

First, let’s look at what let go and let God does not mean.

It does not:

  • Justify neglect of responsibility
  • Equal apathy or laziness
  • Mean accepting defeat

God gave us a brain and physical abilities for a reason. He expects us to use them, under His guidance.

Let go and let God does mean we:

  • Realize we are not all knowing. God is.
  • Understand we are not all powerful. God is.
  • Accept we cannot be everywhere. God can.
  • Recognize we do not sees life’s big picture — past, present, and future. God does.
  • Confess our limitations in order to receive God’s unlimited power.
  • Let go of fear, jealousy, ego, worry, and other negative emotions.

Releasing control goes against our nature.

Some of us want to:

  • Fix any problem
  • Take responsibility for every solution
  • Manage everyone and everything

Yet, only by releasing our lives and those we love to God’s will can we experience true peace.

Like the child in the offering plate, we must give God all. God’s answers may not come in the way and at the time we expect. Nevertheless, they will come.

We have a choice.

Will we let go and let God or continue our self-defeating quest for control?

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Thanks to Karen Atwood for the suggestion.

Do you have a favorite expression or one you want explained? If so, please comment.

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Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch

Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch

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Don't Count Your Chickens Before They HatchPeople who raise chickens understand exactly what this means. They know you don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

Too many disasters can occur to those fragile eggs.

  • Animals may eat them.
  • Children may use them to play ball.
  • Someone may accidentally sit or step on them.

Likewise, we have no guarantee our plans will work.

Not with:

  • Family
  • Work
  • Recreation
  • School
  • The next hour

We can:

  • Plan
  • Organize
  • Prepare for possible problems.

In spite of that, our plans may fail.

So, do we give up? Do we stop trying? Definitely not!

We continue to plan, organize, and prepare for problems. With hard work, our plans often succeed.

But we also remain flexible.

We face the fact that we can’t control everything. We remember that sometimes our best-laid plans fail.

Above all, we remember that when we can’t count on anyone or anything else, we can always count on God. God never fails.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

Thanks to Emily Akin for suggesting this expression.

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