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Tag: don’t rush

Hold Your Taters

Hold Your Taters

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Hold Your Taters--two small hands holding three potatoesWhen my brother was little, I often said, “Patience, Robbie, patience.” He once responded, “I hate that word!”

He might have preferred my saying, “Hold your taters.” Tater is slang for potato.

To hold your taters means to wait or be patient.

  • Don’t rush.
  • Take your time.

This expression is similar to:

All remind you to practice caution.

 If you move too quickly, you often end up in trouble.

To stay out of hot water, you need to:

  • Slow down.
  • Think before you act.

Hold your taters in all of life.

  • In work or play
  • Alone or with others

Hurrying or skipping one thing so you can begin another rarely works.

Instead:

  • Take a deep breath.
  • Complete step one before you take step two.

“It is dangerous and sinful to rush into the unknown” (Proverbs 19:2 TLB).

Thanks to Debbie Tapscott for the suggestion and to Karen Atwood for the photo.

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A Watched Pot Never Boils

A Watched Pot Never Boils

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A Watched Pot Never Boils--two pots over a fire pitI am not the world’s best cook. However, I do know how to boil water. I have also learned a watched pot never boils. Oh, it eventually boils if I watch it, but it seems to take forever.

I wait. And I wait. And I wait.

When I focus on anything I want done quickly, time drags.

A watched pot never boils means impatient waiting makes the wait feel longer.

Time slows down. This happens when I wait for a:

  • Computer screen to refresh
  • Favorite meal to cook
  • Special visitor to arrive
  • Repair to complete

Checking every few minutes only makes my impatience worse. Wanting something done immediately if not sooner does not make it happen any faster.

A focus on other concerns helps relieve anxious waiting.

If I stay busy as a bee, I don’t have time to wring my hands while I wait. When I ignore the pot, it surprises me how quickly it boils.

Patience works better than a watched pot.

Allow the proper amount of time, and any project or activity improves. So does my mood.

A few good reminders:

  • Slow down.
  • Don’t rush.
  • Take it easy.
  • Enjoy the moment.

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains” (James 5:7 NIV).

Thanks to Pat Childress Conner Stapp 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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