prevention Archives - Page 2 of 3

Teetotal

February 18, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 0 Comment

Teetotal means total or complete.

It refers most often to a person who never drinks alcohol. We call that person a teetotaler. Our family chose a teetotal life. Too many people we love have been ruined by alcohol. We decided better safe than sorry.

We occasionally see teetotal written T Total. Either way we spell it, we stress total.

No question about it
No doubt at all
Absolutely

Teetotal also means certainty.

Someone may ask, “Are you sure?” or “Is that your final answer?” To stress our certainty, we answer, “Teetotally.” We are completely certain. We definitely gave our final answer.

Teetotal also means completely full.

A full moon lights up the night sky.
Our hearts fill with sorrow.
We eat all we can.
Joy makes our cup run over.

For the teetotally best life, we ask God to fill us with His love and power.

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence” (Acts 2:28 NIV).

Thanks to Betty Johnson for the suggestion.

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Easter Reflections play script, flower, and cross in background Congratulations to Harriet Michael, whose name was randomly drawn from my blog subscribers for a free copy of “Easter Reflections.” You can read a script preview or order the play from Christian Publishers.

Loose Lips Sink Ships

January 21, 2019 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

We do well if we think before we speak.

Loose lips sink ships. If we talk too much, we:

Give information we should not give
To people who should not know

According to The Phrase Finder, this expression began during World War II.

The United States Office of War Information tried to keep information from enemy spies.

In times of war or peace, we want to watch our words.

Busybodies, as well as spies, cause much damage.

The children’s song “O Be Careful Little Eyes,” reminds us to be careful what we:

See
Hear
Say
Do
Think
Who we trust
And where we go

That sounds like good advice for any age.

Rather than put our foot in our mouth or hurt someone, let’s be careful what we say.

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19 MEV).

Thanks to Kristy Robinson Horine for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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Turn a Blind Eye

December 17, 2018 Diana Derringer Comments 5 comments

To turn a blind eye, we ignore something.

We pretend not to see it or know about it. However, we do see and know. We simply don’t want to do anything. We sweep it under the rug.

To turn a blind eye to small issues may cause no problem.

Children sneak a bit of food before dinner.
Families have small disagreements.
People make embarrassing mistakes.

To turn a blind eye to larger issues may cause great problems.

Children (or adults) have little or nothing to eat.
Family members suffer abuse.
People bully a disabled person.

We must take action when people suffer.

First, we figure out what we can do. Then we do it.

“Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but one who turns a blind eye will get many a curse” (Proverbs 28:27 NIV).

Thanks to Frank Cheatham for the suggestion and to Barbara Snow for the picture.

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Easy Does It

October 29, 2018 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

Easy does it tells us to move slowly and carefully.

Like gently flowing water, we:

Take our time
Work around hard spots
Go with the flow

If we move too fast, we quickly learn that haste makes waste.

Sometimes easy does it relates to work.

We remain careful when we:

Move a heavy piece of furniture
Carry a special painting or piece of pottery

We don’t want to drop or break any of those.

Other times easy does it relates to our emotions.

When we feel out of control, rather than blow off steam, we:

Calm down
Relax
Control our temper
Treat everyone as we want to be treated

Ways to stay in control include:

Taking deep breaths
Lowering our shoulders, so our muscles relax
Closing our eyes and thinking of a favorite place
Praying
Asking if what upsets us will matter in ten years

Easy does it works well for everything and everybody.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV).

Thanks to Janna Babak for the suggestion.

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Nip It in the Bud

October 22, 2018 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Nip It in the Bud--plant with flowers and buds “Nip it in the bud. Just nip it in the bud.” Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show said that over and over. We laughed at Barney’s many messes. However, he did get a few things right.

We often need to nip it in the bud.

We want to:

Stop something at an early stage
Prevent a problem before it happens
End a problem before it gets bigger

Taking action now may prevent regret later. Better safe than sorry.

If we don’t want a flower to bloom, we nip it in the bud.

We cut or break off the bud before it blooms. Sometimes, cold weather nips a flower in the bud.

Like flowers, some situations need nipping. To prevent problems or danger:

Parents punish their children’s bad behaviors.
Bosses fire lazy workers.
We quit bad habits.

Whether we nip buds or let them bloom, we can trust the Creator of them all.

Also, with God’s help, we can always bloom where we’re planted.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV).

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Put Your Foot in Your Mouth

July 9, 2018 Diana Derringer Comments 3 comments

Put Your Foot in Your Mouth--baby with foot in mouth Everyone smiles at a baby with its foot in its mouth. However, you don’t want to put your foot in your mouth as an adult.

I doubt most of you can physically get your foot to your mouth. Yet, most have probably had foot-in-your-mouth moments. You wish you had kept your mouth shut.

When you put your foot in your mouth you say something you regret.

Your words sound:

Silly
Mean
Insulting
Embarrassing

Once out of your mouth, you wish you could take those words back.

But you cannot. You end up in hot water.

Think before you speak.

Sometimes you need to bite your tongue instead of saying anything. Silence is golden more often than you realize.

Better to keep quiet than get off on the wrong foot.

“Don’t talk so much. You keep putting your foot in your mouth. Be sensible and turn off the flow!” (Proverbs 10:19 TLB).

Thanks to Karen Atwood for the photo.

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On the Back Burner

May 14, 2018 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

When cooking, we often put pots of food that need little attention on the back burner.

They don’t require as much stirring, mixing, or other work. Those pots may also need less heat.

Likewise, we put ideas or plans on the back burner.

Some plans seem less important than others. Therefore, we:

Think less about them
Decide to do little or nothing about them until later

A few plans stay on the back burner a long time.

We may leave them there to simmer (slow cook) until the right time. However, we may simply want to avoid them. We are fixing to do them, but not now.

Cleaning carpets
Working on taxes
Pulling weeds

We cannot leave plans undone forever.

Food on low heat eventually burns.
Plans left undone eventually become a problem (including carpets, taxes, and weeds).

At some point, we must get the ball rolling.

A few plans should never go on the back burner.

Our relationship with God
Family relationships
Helping people in need

“When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it” (Ecclesiastes 5:4 NIV).

Thanks to Carole Fite for the suggestion.

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Burn Our Bridges Behind Us

August 28, 2017 Diana Derringer Comments 3 comments

We can’t go back when we burn our bridges behind us.

An army occasionally burns bridges when it does not want its enemy to follow. However, that also means the army can’t return across those bridges.

Likewise, we burn our bridges behind us when we make decisions we can’t change.

We can’t undo them, just as we can’t unscramble eggs. For example, we might:

Get a tattoo
Quit school

Our behavior can also burn our bridges behind us.

Some actions make people want us to stay away. This often happens if we:

Yell at our boss and quit our job
Get a divorce

Rather than build bridges, we destroy them.

Sometimes we can repair burned bridges or build new ones.

Yet, the situation will never be the same. We try to make it as good as possible. Much like we mend fences, we rebuild our bridges.

That may mean we:

Walk through water until we build a new bridge
Cover our tattoo or have surgery to remove it
Return to school as an older student
Apologize to our boss or spouse

Water under the bridge means the past can’t be changed. What happened in the past may or may not have been our choice. However, when we burn our bridges behind us, we make the choice. Let’s be sure we want to live with the choices we make.

“If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me” (Jeremiah 15:19 NIV).

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Sweep under the Rug

July 24, 2017 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

No one sees dirt we sweep under the rug. Yet, the floor remains dirty.

We sweep dirt under the rug to hide it.

However, if we don’t get rid of the dirt, it damages both the floor and the rug.

We get rid of dirt now, or we deal with problems later.

News reports show that truth every day. People try to hide what they say or do. What they hide may be:

Embarrassing
Unpleasant
Shameful

They hope no one learns about what they sweep under the rug. Yet, they often get caught red handed.

Why not avoid the dirt?

If we don’t want people to learn what we do, don’t do it.

When we get dirty, admit it.

We avoid big problems later if we tackle small problems as soon as they happen.

Let’s get rid of the dirt. Everyone suffers less when we do.

“Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?’” (Isaiah 29:15 NIV).

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In the Doghouse

June 12, 2017 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

In the Doghouse Dogs (especially puppies) often get in trouble. They:

Dig where they should not dig. We had a puppy dig a hole to the water line in our yard.
Chew things they should not chew. Our neighbor’s puppy loved our shoes and caps.
Jump on people at all the wrong times. Paw prints never look good on our best clothes.

When dogs get in trouble, their owners may put them in the doghouse.

Most dogs rather be with people than alone in their house.

Some people spend a lot of time in the doghouse.

They get in trouble with:

Bosses
Husbands or wives
Parents
Teachers
Friends

Because of their bad behavior:

Bosses give them more work or less pay.
Husbands or wives don’t want to spend time with them.
Parents take away fun activities.
Teachers give bad grades.
Friends stop being friends.

People in the doghouse don’t enjoy living a dog’s life.

Therefore, they need to watch their steps and stay out of trouble.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12 NIV).

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