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Mad as a Wet Hen

Mad as a Wet Hen

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Mad as a Wet Hen--chickenWhen we get mad as a wet hen, we get angry – very angry.

This seems like a strange expression, because most hens don’t mind getting wet. (Hen usually means a female chicken.)

We may not get mad often. Yet, most of us get mad as a wet hen or fit to be tied when people:

  • Hurt someone we love
  • Steal from us
  • Lie to us

Sometimes we get mad as a wet hen for no good reason. A little problem occurs, but we make a mountain out of a molehill. We usually regret that anger.

How do we act when we get mad as a wet hen?

We have several bad choices:

  • Fly off the handle and do something we regret
  • Scream like a baby
  • Destroy property
  • Hit something or someone

We also have several good choices:

  • Think before we act
  • Admit our anger
  • Learn how to express anger without hurting anyone
  • Use our anger to improve life for everyone, if possible

As with all emotions, we choose how we show anger.

May we always use it for good.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NIV).

Thanks to Pam Barnes Harlow for the photo.

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Senior Moment

Senior Moment

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Senior Moment--child tying string around an adult's fingerReady to sing, I stood before the crowd in my aunt’s church. However, the first words out of my mouth were, “I forgot.” At three-years-old, I had a senior moment.

Actually, I had a bad case of stage fright. That fear made me pull my skirt to my mouth and forget the words of my song.

A senior moment means we forget something or make a silly mistake.

As senior (older) adults entering our golden years, we may:

  • Forget where we put our glasses and then find them on top of our head
  • File something in a safe place and forget where that safe place is
  • Fail to remember a good friend’s name
  • Tie a string around our finger to help us remember but forget why we tied the string

 As we age, we forget more often.

We can get upset about those egg-on-our-face moments, or we can laugh.

Like the people at my aunt’s church, most of us laugh. However, we want to laugh with, not at, one another. Never make fun of someone with memory problems.

Any of us can have a senior moment.

In addition to age, we forget because of:

  • Fear
  • Too much on our minds
  • Excitement
  • Illness or medication
  • Accidents

From seniors in high school to senior adults, we forget. Why not accept that fact and enjoy every moment?

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2 NIV).

Thanks to Carole Fite for the suggestion and to Karen Atwood for the photo.

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

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Beat Your Head against a Wall

Beat Your Head against a Wall

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Beat Your Head against a Wall--stone wall with redbud trees in frontIf you beat your head against a wall, you try to do something that looks hopeless.

You may also say you:

  • Bang your head against a wall
  • Bang your head against a brick wall

However you say it, the expression means you waste your time.

You beat your head against a wall when you try again and again with no success.

Few people beat their head against a real wall. However, some do. Unless you want a terrible headache, don’t try it.

Beat your head against a wall means you feel frustrated.

You may want to:

  • Reach a goal that appears impossible
  • Help someone who refuses your help
  • Stop a bad habit you keep repeating

You cannot figure out what to do. As a result, you get down in the dumps.

Although frustrated, you don’t want to give up too soon.

  • You may reach your goal if you try one more time.
  • The person you want to help may succeed with one more chance.
  • You will never break that bad habit unless you keep trying.

With one more try, you may begin to see daylight.

Sometimes you turn your frustrations into beauty.

What can a farmer do with rocks in his field?

  • He can beat his head against a wall because of all the rocks.
  • Or he can build a fence that becomes a work of art.

Occasionally you do need to give up.

You decide to spend your time more wisely. Therefore, you:

  • Do what you can.
  • Accept what you cannot.
  • Make the best use of the time you have.

“Why bother even trying to do anything with you when you just keep to your bullheaded ways? You keep beating your heads against brick walls. (Isaiah 1:5 MSG).

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

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Fit to be Tied

Fit to be Tied

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Fit to be tied-rope tied into a heart shapeMost of us have occasional fit-to-be-tied moments. We become:

  • Angry
  • Upset
  • Excited

We fly off the handle.

When fit to be tied, we get out of control.

Our emotions grow so great, we need someone to calm us down. No one actually ties us. However, they do try to:

  • Prevent anything we will regret
  • Keep us from hurting ourselves or someone else

We may grow fit to be tied for selfish reasons. 

  • When we don’t get our way
  • If our plans don’t work

We may also grow fit to be tied for unselfish reasons.

  • When someone abuses a child or older adult
  • If someone lies, steals, or hurts people in any other way

Little things often make us fit to be tied.

Some of us deal well with life’s big problems. Yet, we blow off steam when faced with small ones such as:

  • Slow traffic
  • Food spills on a clean floor
  • Noisy neighbors

God gave us emotions.

However, we want to use those emotions for good, not harm. How do we do that?

  • Recognize what upsets us.
  • Remember we can’t control everything.
  • Change what we can.
  • Ask for help when we need it.
  • Focus on what matters most.
  • Ask God to guide us and work through us.
  • Choose to love everyone, including those who make us fit to be tied.

“Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 HCSB).

Thanks to Pat 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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Begin to See Daylight

Begin to See Daylight

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Begin to See Daylight -- a sunriseIf we get up early, we begin to see daylight as the sun rises. After a long night, daylight appears. We enjoy the promise of a new day.

Sometimes our lives feel like a long night.

We face problems with no end in sight.

  • We think we will never get out of school.
  • Our job never seems to end.
  • Goals appear too far away to reach.

We begin to see daylight when success seems possible.

  • Classes are almost over.
  • We near the end of our long task.
  • Our goals appear within reach.

We finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

We don’t see daylight when we look the wrong way.

If we fail to look outside, we never see the sun rise. If we always look on the bad side of everything, we never see the good. We remain down in the dumps.

As this New Year begins, we choose.

  • Will we focus on our problems and the dark side of life?
  • Or will we look up and begin to see daylight?
  • When we begin to see daylight, will we let our light shine?

“My God turns my darkness into light” (Psalm 18:28 NIV).

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

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Count Your Blessings

Count Your Blessings

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Count Your Blessings-cornucopia with pumpkins

I love to hear Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney sing “Count Your Blessings” in the movie White Christmas. I also love the words of the hymn “Count Your Blessings.” In recent years, Laura Story’s “Blessings” has become another favorite.

Laura wrote “Blessings” after she learned her husband had a brain tumor. I first heard it after my husband’s brain tumor diagnosis. Laura tells her family’s story in this video.

All three of these songs remind me (and you) to be thankful.

We can count our blessings at all times and in all circumstances.

  • During good times and bad
  • Whether rich or poor
  • When alone or with others

Hard times can be blessings in disguise.

  • Illness often gives us a greater love for life.
  • Job loss sometimes leads to a better job.
  • Pain can make us stronger.
  • Money problems can teach us better spending habits.

Let’s think about the good in our lives and give thanks. When life gets hard, let’s ask God to show us the blessings in those experiences.

Happy Thanksgiving!

“May God our Father shower you with blessings and fill you with his great peace” (Colossians 1:2 TLB)

What are some of your greatest blessings? Please comment below.

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Hole Up

Hole Up

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Hole Up--hole in a treeIf we hole up somewhere, we find a place to hide.

Sometimes people who break the law hole up. They try to hide where the police cannot find them.

Hole up-squirrel in a treeMany animals hole up in trees for the winter. They gather nuts or other food before the cold, snowy days.

I always thought the old tree at top would be a great place for squirrels or an owl. I have never seen any in it. That does not mean they are not there.

 However, Jenny Kuo found this squirrel holed up in a tree behind our house.

My home is my favorite place to hole up.

I prepare for cold, snowy days with:

  • A warm house
  • Favorite foods
  • A comfortable chair
  • Plenty of books

With all of those, I can enjoy hours of peace and quiet. I may be snowed under, but I am ready. I find comfort in my little garden spot of the world.

 “Do you really think anyone can hide himself where I cannot see him?” the Lord asks. “Do you not know that I am everywhere?” the Lord asks” (Jeremiah 23:24 NET).

What about you?

Do you have a favorite place to hole up? Please comment below.

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In Over My Head

In Over My Head

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In Over My Head--Acadia National Park CoastlineI love to travel the coastline of Acadia National Park. However, if I enter the water, I get in over my head.

Sometimes I feel like I am in over my head with life.

I have more on my to-do list than I have time to do. I drown in work.

Also, when I try new tasks, I feel in over my head because I:

  • Don’t understand how to do them.
  • Have to spend hours or days to learn them.
  • Think I will never learn.

I feel like I am spinning my wheels.  I want to give up.

When in over my head, I often tell myself:

  • I can’t do this.
  • I don’t know what I am doing.

When that happens, I need to get away from it all.

I need a break. My thinking must change to:

  • I can’t do everything, but I can do some things.
  • I can’t learn everything, but I can learn more than I know now.

When I focus on my problems, I feel in over my head. When I let go and let God take control, I find peace.

“God, save me! I’m in over my head” (Psalm 69:1 MSG).

How about you? What do you do when you feel you are in over your head? Please comment below.

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Cross a Bridge When We Come to It

Cross a Bridge When We Come to It

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Cross a Bridge When We Come to It-covered bridge Everyone knows we cross a bridge when we come to it.

  • Not before we come to it.
  • Not after we come to it.

We cross only when we come to it.

We understand that about physical bridges. We often forget that truth in our personal lives.

We cross a bridge when we come to it by dealing with life as it happens.

We don’t worry about something before it happens.

  • If it never happens, we worried for nothing.
  • If it does happen, worry did not stop it.

 Instead, we handle each moment as it comes. We plan and prepare, but we don’t worry. We don’t borrow trouble or tie ourselves in knots.

Cross a Bridge When We Come to It-church framed by bridgePrayer prepares us to cross a bridge when we come to it.

Rather than becoming a worry wart, we ask God to lead us. The Goddard Covered Bridge in Fleming County, Kentucky, shows that well. When we look beside the bridge or through it, we see a small country church. That church, like so many others, reminds us to trust God.

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27 NIV)

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

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Poor as a Church Mouse

Poor as a Church Mouse

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Poor as a Church Mouse--mouse on a fenceIf we are poor as a church mouse, we are the poorest of the poor.

We own almost nothing.

Years ago, few churches had kitchens. Therefore, if a mouse lived in a church, it had little to eat. A child might drop crumbs from a snack. Yet, that would not last long. The poor mouse might starve.

We may have times poor as a church mouse. We may also have times rich as a king.

Our happiness does not depend on what we own.

We can be poor as church mice and happy. We make do.

We can also live high on the hog, and be unhappy.

Money matters little for true meaning in life.

We find real wealth in:

  • Peace in our souls
  • Purpose for living
  • Love for God and one another
  • Hope for the future
  • Joy for every day
  • Sharing what we have with those in need

We can’t take it with us when we die. So, why not put what we own to good use now?

“Better to be poor and honest than rich and a cheater” (Proverbs 28:6 TLB).

Thanks to Debbie Tapscott 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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