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Keep Your Head

Keep Your Head

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Keep Your Head--Hope and Despair arrow signs pointing opposite directionsWhen life goes out of control, it’s hard to keep your head. Uncertainty leads to panic rather than patience.

Keep your head means to remain calm.

Although everything around you falls apart at the seams, you don’t. Instead, you find calm in the middle of the storms.

Keep your head does not mean you never feel stressed.

With so much turmoil in the world today, stress affects everyone. Daily news bombards us with updates on:

  • Wars
  • Price increases
  • Abuse
  • Disasters
  • Crime

Everything goes haywire. Yet you find personal control in the worst of it.

Rather than give in to problems, get a grip on solutions.

As a former teacher often said, “Think. Just think.” Apply the good sense God gave you.

Choose:

  • Faith over fear
  • Hope over despair
  • Peace over pressure
  • Calm in chaos

“But you, keep your head in all situations” (2 Timothy 4:5 NIV).

Thanks to Joanne Viola for the suggestion. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

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Sweat Bullets

Sweat Bullets

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Sweat Bullets-sweat on foreheadFew of us like to sweat bullets – physical or emotional.

After a hard day of physical work, giant drops of sweat the size of bullets drip from us. We get:

We long for a cool breeze, swim, or shower to help us feel better.

To sweat bullets also refers to emotional stress.

We become:

  • Anxious
  • Nervous.
  • Distressed
  • Fearful

We turn into worry warts.

Many stresses result from our circumstances.

  • Physical illness
  • Death
  • Job loss
  • Financial problems
  • Natural disasters

Other stresses come from within us.

We worry about:

  • An unknown future
  • Our purpose in life
  • Life after death

Whether external or internal, we tie ourselves in knots.

Next week we will look at a better way to deal with life’s stresses. Until then, stay cool, physically and emotionally. Seek God’s peace and purpose for this life and the next. Enjoy the possibilities of every day.

“Don’t fret and worry—it only leads to harm” (Psalm 37:8 TLB).

Thanks to Ann Maniscalco for the suggestion.

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Deer in the Headlights

Deer in the Headlights

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Deer in the Headlights-deer on a foggy road In our garden spot of the world, we have to watch for deer in the headlights. We have several trees on one side of the road and farm fields on the other. Although beautiful and fun to watch, deer cause many accidents.

Deer in the headlights freeze in the middle of the road.

Both cars and the people in them suffer damage if they fail to stop in time. Therefore, we drive slower in certain areas.

If we act like deer in the headlights, we also freeze in place.

Causes include:

  • Fear
  • Surprise
  • Confusion
  • Strong emotions

We might:

  • Get caught red-handed
  • Experience unexpected and overwhelming responsibilities
  • Face decisions with no easy answers
  • Receive news of a birth, marriage, death, or other major family event

Although we freeze at times, unsure what to do, we don’t have to face the future alone.

God offers guidance and hope, whatever our situation.

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:24 NIV).

Thanks to Carole Fite for the suggestion. Image by enriquelopezgarre from Pixabay

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Cold Feet

Cold Feet

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Cold Feet: Six uncovered feet at the foot of a bedMany of us live with cold feet. We don’t need winter, snow, or freezing rain. Our feet stay cold any time of year in any kind of weather.

However, cold feet means more than the temperature of our toes.

Cold feet freeze our plans or desires.

Cold feet refers to fear of doing something.

We lose our nerve. We get:

  • Discouraged
  • Shy
  • Anxious

Enthusiasm disappears. Cowardice replaces confidence. We wring our hands, afraid to do what we want to do.

A little fear can be a good thing.

It helps us:

  • Focus
  • Try harder
  • Avoid mistakes

Yet, cold feet paralyze us. They stop us in our tracks.

Faith overcomes fear.

Like socks or blankets warm our feet, faith covers us with courage.

We find support for our faith in:

  • The Bible and prayer for God’s strength (a perfect plan for every day)
  • Practice of what scares us (get our feet wet)
  • Encouragement from others (give it as well as receive it)

We choose. Will we freeze in fear or step forward in faith wherever God leads?

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV).

Thanks to Margaret Bertram for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Unsplash.

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Heebie-Jeebies

Heebie-Jeebies

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Heebie-jeebies--two small frogsFrogs give me the heebie-jeebies. Big ugly frogs. Cute little frogs. All frogs. They jump too fast. Plus, a friend once had a frog get tangled in her hair.

I am working on my frog fear. Since these little ones were behind glass, I was brave.

Having the heebie-jeebies is no fun. They make us feel:

  • Fear
  • Anxiety
  • Uncertainty
  • Dread
  • Worry

We differ on what gives us the heebie-jeebies.

Frequent fears include:

  • Death, so we use words like kick the bucket.
  • Frogs or other animals, so we try to stay away from them.
  • Public speaking, so we let other people speak for us.
  • The dark, so we keep lights on all night.

A few of us fear or worry about everything.

We are afraid of our own shadow and stay tied in knots.

A certain amount of fear can be helpful.

Fear may cause us to:

  • Take care of our health
  • Stay away from dangerous animals
  • Avoid dangerous people
  • Watch our step in dangerous situations

 Faith leads us away from fear and worry.

Faith does not remove all our problems. However, if we trust Jesus, He will be with us through life’s troubles. Faith in Jesus also leads us to a home in heaven.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Thanks to Margaret Bertram for the suggestion.

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Afraid of His Own Shadow

Afraid of His Own Shadow

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Afraid of His Own ShadowDo you know anyone afraid of his own shadow?  He:

  • Frightens easily
  • Is afraid of almost everything
  • Has a hard time trusting anyone and anything
  • Is usually shy
  • Avoids other people, especially crowds.

No one wants to be afraid of his own shadow.

Some people make fun of a person with fears. They may bully him, which makes his fears worse. Other people feel sorry for him.

A person afraid of his own shadow needs courage.

Like the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz, he wants to be strong. He may try to hide his fear by acting brave.

Children often fear their shadow when they see it the first time. Yet, there is no real reason to fear. They simply need someone to help them understand their shadow and be brave.

There is no real reason for many fears.

Like children, an adult afraid of his own shadow needs help understanding the shadows that scare him. Some problems are real. Some are not.

When a person trusts God, God promises to be with him through both good and bad (scary) times. He can stand tall, unafraid, trusting God’s love and care.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV).

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Snake in the Grass

Snake in the Grass

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Snake in the Grass--a snake's head coming out of grassI don’t like to get too close to a snake in the grass.

I’m not afraid of most snakes. They help keep mice away. However, I don’t want snakes to hide in my yard.

A few snakes can kill with their bites. I am afraid of them.

I prefer not having a person who is a snake in the grass near me either.

A snake in the grass cannot be trusted. That person will:

  • Cheat
  • Lie
  • Steal
  • Hurt others to get what he or she wants

Like a dangerous snake (animal) hiding in the grass, a snake in the grass person tries to hide bad behavior. The person attacks or hurts others when they least expect it.

God offers a better way.

I pray that everyone who tries to trick and hurt others will choose God’s way. Just as God forgives me when I confess my wrongs, God will also forgive them. Sometimes we all need a fresh start.

“Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 NIV).

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Get Our Feet Wet

Get Our Feet Wet

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Get Our Feet Wet: ocean washing against a beachIf we want to learn to swim, we have to get our feet wet.

A friend’s grandmother taught her to fear water. Therefore, my friend never learned to swim.

My parents had me playing in water when I was a baby. I never feared water, but I did obey safety rules.

My sister, brother, and I enjoyed water games for hours. We:

  • Stood on our hands
  • Floated on our backs
  • Jumped and splashed
  • Looked for fish

I wanted my friend to know the freedom of such a day. First, she had to get her feet wet.

When we try anything new, we must get our feet wet.

We have to take those first steps. Once we get our feet wet, we can move on to deeper water. We can add new skills.

Yet, fear often keeps us from trying.

  • What if I fail?
  • Will I look silly?
  • What will people think?

The truth is:

  • We all fail sometimes.
  • We all look silly sometimes.
  • People don’t notice us as much as we think they do.
  • If we make mistakes, we can always go back to the drawing board.

As an old song says, step into the water.

Get your feet wet. Then, one step at a time, experience the fun of learning something new.

“‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said” (Matthew 14:28-29 NIV).

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Kick the Bucket

Kick the Bucket

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"Wild Bill" Hickok, Mt. Moriah Cemetery "Boot Hill"
“Wild Bill” Hickok, Mt. Moriah Cemetery “Boot Hill”

The literal meaning of kick the bucket sounds harmless. However, the idiom fills many people with fear.

When we kick the bucket, we die.

Kick the bucket may have started when hanging was a common method of execution. Sometimes criminals stood on a bucket while the rope went around their necks. Another person then kicked the bucket out from under their feet.

Many people rather not talk about death.

Perhaps that’s why we use so many idioms instead:

  • Push up daisies
  • Bite the dust
  • Croak
  • Pass away
  • Depart this life
  • Meet our Maker
  • Go to our reward
  • Fade away
  • Breathe our last
  • Laid to rest

We have many more, but you get the idea.

We avoid a hard truth by the words we choose.

Notice how western movies describe death. Like “Wild Bill” Hickok, cowboys are laid to rest with their boots on and their heads pointed west. Whatever the words, they remain graveyard dead.

Death is a natural part of life.

As Dr. L. Nelson Bell said “Only those who are prepared to die are really prepared to live.”

If we prepare to meet our Maker, we need not fear.

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain” (1 Corinthians 15:55 and Philippians 1:21 NET).

Next week we will look at the related but more popular expression, bucket list.

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Fair to Middling

Fair to Middling

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Fair to MiddlingI love Midway Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Like the name suggests, it sits in the middle of the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins. However, it definitely is not fair to middling. It:

  • Steams, spews, and stinks
  • Changes constantly
  • Never disappoints its visitors.

Unlike Midway Geyser Basin, when we say we are fair to middling, we mean:

  • I’m not wonderful.
  • I’m not bad.
  • I’m in the middle of those two feelings.

Nothing horrible happens. Nothing great happens. We live, but little more.

Who wants to live like that?

Of course, we all have those days, but we hope they don’t last long.

We want to feel well. We want to wake each day ready to jump out of bed and go.

Often we get this fair to middling feeling because we fail to give life our all. We hold back because we fear failure. Yet, we all fail.

  • The greatest baseball players have more strikes than homeruns.
  • The greatest actors frequently forget their lines.
  • The greatest teachers occasionally have to say, “I don’t know.”

Let’s give life our best. Let’s not rob ourselves of opportunities and adventure. Living every day for all it is worth does not mean constant activity. It does mean squeezing every possible benefit from that day. That may mean staying busy as a bee. It may also mean taking a nice long rest.

Regardless of our circumstances, let’s move beyond fair to middling. Let’s choose to live a full life.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV).

Special thanks to Judith Coopy for suggesting this expression.

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