problems Archives - Diana Derringer

Weather the Storm

February 16, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

How did you weather the recent storm? Some of you may have escaped snow, ice, and frigid temperatures. However, we experienced all three. More than one person said our driveway was like a skating rink.

Literally, to weather the storm means to stay where we are until a storm passes.

We go nowhere. With few options, we hunker down and wait until the worst is over.

Figuratively, to weather the storm means to survive a hard time or situation.

We experience and live through it. Many close to us have recently faced such hardships.

Health crises
Death of family members
Job loss
Financial difficulties
Family problems

According to The Free Dictionary, this expression “has been used figuratively from about 1650.”

A similar expression is to ride out the storm.

We hang on for dear life through our difficulties.

Life is not always easy.

We experience ups and downs. Hard times come and go. Yet we can make it.

We never have to weather the storm alone.

God promises never to leave those who follow Him. Because He remains near, we have no need to fear.

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” (Hebrews13:6 NIV).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson for the suggestion.

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Flash in the Pan

December 29, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 13 comments

I thought flash in the pan originated with gold mining.

If a miner saw glitter in his pan, he became excited. Rather than gold, what he often saw was only a flash in the pan.

I was wrong.

According to The Phrase Finder, flash in the pan originated with flintlock muskets that had small pans for gunpowder. When gunpowder flared but no bullet fired, it was called a flash in the pan.

The expression, “hang fire,” has a similar origin.

Flash in the pan refers to a promise of success that fails.

Authors write only one bestseller.
Musicians record one hit but no others.
Actors star in only one major movie or play.
Athletes lose their positions after a brief career.
Businesses boom and then go bankrupt.

They make a splash, but their success does not last.

Doing our best beats trying to impress.

Let’s use our abilities, great or small, to make the world a better place. Now, that’s success!

“May the God of peace … equip you with everything good for doing his will” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV).

Thanks to Frank Cheatham for the flash in the pan suggestion and to Brad Leverett for hang fire. Image by Alexander Lesnitsky from Pixabay.

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UPDATE: Thanks to Warren Johnson who noticed that the pistol in my photo is a percussion pistol, not a flintlock. See his comments below for more interesting details about his flintlock rifle pictured here.

Do or Die

November 24, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Have you watched people fight to succeed when failure seemed certain? Their final effort is do or die. This little one was determined to get to her uncle’s chewing gum. She succeeded with her extra effort.

Do or die means we give our best to succeed and avoid failure.

We keep on keeping on despite:

Difficulties
Danger
Death

We refuse to give up.

Do or die also means our last chance.

Ballgames hinge on the last play.
Companies depend on end-of-year sales to stay in business.
Relationships rely on a final effort to stay together.

Results rest on our willingness to do our best.

We cannot depend on:

Past success
Reputation
Other people

Like the little girl above, let’s refuse to give up.

We all face hard times. That’s life. Turn to Jesus who helps us through every challenge and every storm.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26 NIV).

Thanks to Chris J. Beam for the suggestion and to Debbie Tapscott for the photo.

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Scapegoat

November 10, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

Have you ever been a scapegoat? Something bad happened. It was not your fault, but you received the blame. Or have you ever scapegoated someone else?

A scapegoat receives all the blame or punishment for the wrongs of others.

The person may be innocent or only partially at fault. However, they receive total blame.

Family members accuse a relative for all their problems.
Company leaders condemn an employee for the company’s losses.
Team members blame one player for their team’s defeat.

We don’t like to be accused when innocent.

Neither do other people.

We find the background for a scapegoat in the Bible.

God gave Moses directions for the Day of Atonement. Aaron, Israel’s first high priest, took two male goats for a sin offering. One goat was sacrificed. The other (the scapegoat) had the sins of the people symbolically placed on it. It was then driven into the wilderness.

Rather than condemn others unfairly, let’s:

Take responsibility for our own actions.
Encourage one another to make wise choices.
Forgive the mistakes of others and ask forgiveness for ours.

Let’s not hang one another out to dry. Instead, let’s treat others like we want to be treated.

“He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. (Leviticus 16:21 NIV).

Thanks to Karen Atwood for the suggestion and to Lori Carmicle for the photo.

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On the Tip of Your Tongue

July 21, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Have you ever had someone’s name on the tip of your tongue? You know the person well, but the name simply will not come to mind.

On the tip of your tongue means something you can almost remember.

The thought is nearly there but not quite. When you start to say it, it disappears. You could kick yourself, but that would do no good.

On the tip of your tongue refers to more than names.

People often forget:

Answers to questions
Thoughts
Quotes
Words

The inability to recall information affects everyone.

However, certain conditions make the situation worse.

Age
Stress
Multi-tasking
Distractions
Illness

Those and other circumstances often make the brain work at a snail’s pace.

Humor helps when anything remains on the tip of your tongue.

Like water off a duck’s back, let it go. Learn to laugh at yourself. You are not alone.

Aren’t you glad God never forgets?

Never has. Never will.

“Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely” (Psalm 139:4 NIV).

Thanks to Lindy Pierce for the suggestion and to Chelsey Stone for the photo.

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Mayday

July 14, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Old movies often show someone in trouble who calls, “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”

Mayday is an internationally recognized radiotelephone signal for help.

The person, usually on a ship or in an airplane, is in crisis. Problems may include:

A fire
Engine trouble
A collision

If the person in the thick of it survives, it may be on a wing and a prayer.

According to The Free Dictionary, mayday originated with the French phrase, m’aider.

M’aider means “Help me.” Danger threatens.

Mayday now includes other difficulties or dangers.

Most of us have experienced the stress of major and minor disasters.

Storms destroy property.
Appliances stop working.
Cars break down.
Electronics die.

Mayday should not be confused with May Day, the May 1 springtime celebration.

May 1 is also Labor Day in some countries.

When emergencies arise, God directs us to help one another.

God comforts us. Yet, God also guides us to help the hurting. Shared love and support encourage us to get a grip and keep on keeping on.

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7 NIV).

Thanks to Mike Bertoglio for the suggestion.

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In a Pickle

July 7, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 10 comments

A friend recently said, “I don’t like to put you in a pickle.” She did not want her plans to cause me trouble.

In a pickle means in a difficult situation.

Similar expressions include in a jam or in hot water.

We often end up in a pickle or in a jam through no fault of our own.

Circumstances work against us.
People’s actions hurt us.
Weather destroys our property.
Sickness strikes our family.

We have no control over those situations.

Occasionally we get ourselves in a pickle or in hot water.

Our actions work against us when we:

Mistreat others
Break laws or rules
Refuse to work

Sometimes we add words to this expression.

Examples include:

In a pretty pickle.
In a right pickle.
In a real pickle.

However we say it, we get in a mess.

Simple steps may help us out of our messes.

Request help from friends, family, or coworkers.
Apologize for mistakes.
Pray for God’s guidance.

“I cling to your commands and follow them as closely as I can. Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things” (Psalm 119:31 TLB).

Thanks to Rita Smalley for the suggestion and to Gail Gosser for the photo.

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Chopped Liver

June 2, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 11 comments

Does anyone out there like chopped liver? I tried to eat it by:

Hiding it in mashed potatoes
Holding my nose
Breading it and adding spices

Nothing worked. It still tasted like liver. I know liver is good for me, but I don’t like it. I consider it a dish for the birds.

Whether we eat it or not, we sometimes feel like chopped liver.

No matter how hard we try:

Not everyone likes us.
Many overlook us.
Few appreciate our potential.

Chopped liver means worthless.

We judge a person or thing as:

Unpleasant
Unimportant
Undesirable

Emotional responses to such treatment include:

Sadness
Anger
Disappointment
Defeat
Frustration

A common verbal response is, “So what am I? Chopped liver?”

We may say this when:

We fail to get a job.
Friends reject us.
People make fun of us.

According to The Free Dictionary, this expression “likely originated as a part of Jewish humor.”

It probably refers to “chopped liver as a common side dish.” It was “overlooked in favor of the main course.” Many people dislike its taste.

We may consider chopped liver as good only for garbage. Yet, we never want to treat one another that way.

“To love [God] with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33 NIV).

Thanks to Joan Borton for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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Red Tape

April 14, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

I was a social worker for almost thirty years. The work was stressful and the hours horrible. I was on-call twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. Yet I loved it.

I did not love the red tape. We had to jump through hoops of:

Endless paperwork
Frequent bureaucratic changes
Fluctuating budgets that reversed progress

Red tape refers to complicated, time-wasting official procedures.

Such requirements are:

Strict
Difficult
Tiresome

They focus on details and rules rather than efficiency and outcomes. Correct forms overrule positive results.

Red tape results in service delays.

Forms and rules should lead to speedier outcomes rather than needless obstacles. Likewise, successful procedures should remain regardless of leadership changes.

According to The Free Dictionary, this expression refers to “the former British custom of tying up official documents with red ribbon.”

Red ribbons make a document look good. However, appearance matters little. Contents determine the difference, good or bad.

A certain amount of red tape must remain.

Rules offer guidelines.
Paperwork gathers needed information.

Yet, a fine line exists between:

Efficient or ineffective
Helpful or hurtful

“Every official is under orders from higher up, and the higher officials look up to their superiors. And so the matter is lost in red tape and bureaucracy” (Ecclesiastes 5:8 TLB).

Thanks to Regina Graham for the suggestion and to Karen Atwood for the photo.

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Elephant in the Room

March 31, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Few of us desire an elephant in the room. Not the kind on four legs and not unpleasant subjects.

An elephant in the room means a problem no one discusses.

The situation is:

Serious
Important
Obvious

We need to address the topic.

Everyone knows about it. However, no one wants to discuss it because it makes us feel:

Uncomfortable
Embarrassed
Awkward

As a result, we ignore the issue rather than rock the boat.

Families don’t mention strained relationships.
Workers overlook wasteful systems.
Friends choose peace over responsibility.

Excuses for ignoring difficult situations include:

“It’s none of my business.”
“No one gets hurt.”
“I don’t have time to get involved.”

We want to remain on the right track. At times, that means we avoid unnecessary problems. Other times, it means we stand firm for truth and examine the elephant

An elephant in the room’s origin is unknown.

According to The Phrase Finder, it probably began in the United States.

^“It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret” (Ephesians 5:12 NIV).

Thanks to Ann Klotz and Darrin Jenkins for the suggestion.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm Matin Wiles book — Version 1.0.0

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