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Go Haywire

Go Haywire

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Go Haywire--tangled fence wire and leavesLife goes haywire from time to time. Everything goes wrong. Nothing works right.

Recently, emails of my blog posts stopped sending. I had changed nothing. They simply stopped. Plus:

  • Friends and family members suffered major health problems.
  • Several loved ones died.
  • Freezing temperatures and electricity problems left us in a cold, dark house.
  • Slick roads prevented travel.
  • To-do lists grew out of control.

My life went haywire.

Go Haywire--stacked hayGo haywire probably relates to the wire farmers once used to bale hay.

The wire held the hay together. Farmers also occasionally made repairs with old wire. Such repairs rarely lasted. In addition, thin wire easily tangles, as seen in the fence wire above.

Go haywire has two main meanings.

The Free Dictionary explains both.

  1. “To go wrong; to malfunction; to break down.”

Like the people and possessions in my recent life, everything falls apart.

  1. “To become irrational or crazy.”

When life gets crazy, acting crazy often follows. Because my surroundings felt out of control, I had a tough time staying in control.

Personal reactions do not have to depend on circumstances.

Once I changed my self-talk and thoughts, my emotions also changed. Hard times happen. That’s life. Yet, good can come from those times.

Whether circumstances remain calm or go haywire, I want to let go and let God hold my life together.

“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28 NIV).

Thanks to Randy Gosser for the suggestion and to Connie Atwood Murphy for the photos.

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

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Make Groceries

Make Groceries

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Make Groceries-vegetablesHave you ever made groceries? I have many times. However, I did not know it until recently.

To make groceries means to shop for groceries.

 I have been to the grocery store all my life. I would never have called that trip making groceries. Yet, the expression is common in New Orleans.

According to New Orleans.com, “Old-timers in New Orleans ‘make groceries’ at the store. This is another one that has French origins, as a rough translation from “faire son marché,” which means to do one’s grocery shopping. Since ‘faire’ means both ‘to do’ and ‘to make,’ making groceries came from a slight error in translation from French to English.”

Whatever we call it, we need food.

If we have never been hungry for long periods of time, we are richer than many. Millions have nothing or slim pickings. If we say we are starving, we usually mean only that we hunger. Yet, starvation remains a harsh reality for our world.

When we make meals after we make groceries, let’s give thanks.

  • Thank the farmers who grow the food.
  • Thank the stores that stock the food.
  • Thank the cooks who prepare the food.
  • Thank our Creator and Savior, the everlasting Bread of Life.

Then, let’s put feet to our prayers.

  • Share with others in need.
  • Donate food or money to local food pantries.
  • Give to reliable agencies that help feed the world.

A little food for thought.

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’” (John 6:35 NIV).

If you have been to New Orleans or have heard this expression, I would love to hear from you. Please comment.

Thanks to Laura Lee Leathers for the suggestion. Image by Gabe Raggio from Pixabay

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Put Our Hand to the Plow

Put Our Hand to the Plow

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Put Our Hand to the Plow--horses pulling old plowWhen we put our hand to the plow, we are ready to work.

Years ago farmers ran their plows behind horses or mules. When they put their hand to the plow, they usually had a full day of work.

A few people still prepare their land for planting the old way. However, most farmers today use tractors with bigger plows.

Homeplace on Green River hosts Plow Day each spring. During this festival, people watch farmers plow like they did in the good old days. They see the ground break open, ready for planting.

In the past, when seeds began to grow, farmers had hard rows to hoe. Harvest time meant more work

Most farmers today have easier ways to work. However, farming still means long, hard days.

When we put our hand to the plow, we have hard work ahead.

We may not plow fields. Yet, we face long hours with much to do.

Sometimes we put our hand to the plow for ourselves. Other times we put our hand to the plow for someone else.

Whether farmers or office workers, we can experience the joy of hard work and a job well done. At the end of those long days, most of us are ready to hit the hay.

“Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:62 NIV).

Thanks to Sarah Borders Creason for the photo from Homeplace on Green River’s 2016 Plow Day.

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

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