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It Is What It Is

It Is What It Is

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It Is What It Is--stump with a moose carvingIt is what it is. That reality applies to all of life. Much we can change, but not everything.

It is what it is refers to a situation we can’t change.

We don’t like it, but we can’t undo what has been done, so we:

  • Accept it
  • Do the best we can
  • Move on with our lives

We must deal with life as it comes.

When we can’t change it, we make the most of it. Yes, it is frustrating. Yes, it is hard. That’s life. We deal with it as it is.

A simple example: What do we do with a stump? The tree is gone. Do we:

  • Do nothing and leave the stump where it is?
  • Dig it up and fill the hole with dirt?
  • Try to make it beautiful?

It Is What It Is--honeysuckle covered stumpTree carvers turn stumps into works of art. Most of us don’t have that skill. My family’s solution: We let honeysuckle cover the stump. Honeysuckle is a weed, but we love its blooms.

Our stump is still a stump, but we chose to make the best of a bad situation.

Before I took the honeysuckle picture, a deer ate most of its blooms. I was disappointed, but it is what it is. I took the picture anyway.

Occasionally, it is what it is becomes an excuse to do nothing.

Although hard, most difficulties are not impossible. We simply don’t want to deal with them.

Let’s use this expression to motivate, not to excuse.

Make the most of life as it is.

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24 NIV).

Thanks to Karen Atwood for the suggestion. First image by Kai from Pixabay.

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

How the Sausage Is Made-Harriet Michael book, Glimpses of the SaviorOn Saturday, October 22, I will randomly select the name of one person on my mailing list to receive a free copy of Shirley Crowder and Harriet Michaels’s devotional book, Glimpses of the Savior: 50 Meditations for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. If you are not already on my mailing list, you can sign up here.

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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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