Words Wit and Wisdom Archives

At Your Wits’ End

June 22, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 0 Comment

Have you ever been at your wits’ end? Like a train conductor with no track, you wonder, What now?

At your wits’ end means you have no idea what to do.

You have tried everything you can think of, but nothing works. You feel:

Confused
Bumfuzzled
Helpless
Upset

At your wits’ end may result from your problem or someone else’s.

A difficult project or repair
An unruly child
Unexplained delays in services

You run out of patience, and frustration grows.

Your distress often affects other people. They see your negative reaction, or you hurt them with your words or deeds.

This idiom has a long history.

The Free Dictionary says it “appeared in Piers Ploughman (c. 1377).” We also find it in the Bible.

When at your wits’ end, seek guidance.

Someone else may be able to help you figure out an answer. With both major and minor problems, two heads are usually better than one. Turning to God for peace and direction is even better.

What joy when we finally understand what to do.

“They were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress” (Psalm 107:27-28).

Thanks to Meghan Bowker, Editor, Missions Mosaic for the suggestion. Image by Niek Verlaan from Pixabay.

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Red Herring

June 15, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Few of us like to discuss difficult issues. Instead, we turn attention from the facts with a red herring.

This expression refers to a distraction from crucial matters.

A red herring is a dried smoked fish. Smoking to preserve the herring creates its red color.

The Free Dictionary says the expression may have come from using the fish’s strong smell to distract hunting dogs from a trail.

It may also have come from a writer “who used the scent-laying image as a metaphor.” Mystery writers still give misleading clues about “who-done-it.”

Children frequently use a red herring.

They don’t want to:

Complete chores.
Work on school assignments.
Admit when they disobey.

Instead, they:

Complain about unfair rules.
Ask irrelevant questions.
Talk about another child’s behavior.

A red herring from adults causes much greater harm.

Like children, we distract attention from:

Responsibilities we want to avoid
Main issues
Poor choices

We focus away from our involvement in:

Abuse, neglect, or other criminal activity
Political misdeeds
Business errors

Rather than do what we should, we:

Blame innocent people.
Focus on unrelated issues.
Make self-centered decisions.

A red herring often misleads as well as distracts.

We don’t just chase rabbits. We deliberately point people in the wrong direction.

Enjoy novels with red herrings. Avoid red herrings in real life.

“Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you’” (Matthew 24:4 NIV).

Thanks to Kay Emerick for the suggestion. Image by Hans from Pixabay.

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Close but No Cigar

June 8, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

Every summer of my childhood, I looked forward to a county fair. Several booths offered games with prizes. When I failed to win, the booth operator occasionally said, “Close but no cigar.”

Close but no cigar means almost, but not quite, successful.

That happens when we:

Barely miss the bull’s eye on a target
Almost win a contest
Make a close but incorrect answer

Years ago, cigars were a frequent prize.

The Free Dictionary says, “This expression comes from the old US custom of giving a cigar as a prize in fairground games of skill.”

Close but no cigar can encourage or discourage.

Some of us try again and try harder. Others give up in defeat.

Keep working toward worthwhile goals.

Don’t worry about what matters little. Trinkets from fairs rarely last. Focus on goals with eternal value.

Everyone falls short of perfection.

We miss the mark in life. For that reason, Jesus, the only perfect one, came to pay the price for our imperfections. Jesus offers life’s greatest prize, forgiveness for our sins and eternal life with Him.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 3:23; 6:23 NIV).

Thanks to Ann Klotz, Lindy Pierce, and Becky Nash Rowe for the suggestion. Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay.

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Fake It Till You Make It

June 1, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

Have you ever had to do a job you did not think you could do? Yet you had to do it. When that happens, you fake it till you make it.

When you fake it till you make it, you act like you know what you are doing.

You:

Act confident until you feel confident.
Imitate the skills of others until you learn the skills yourself.
Pretend you feel brave until you become brave.

You whistle past the graveyard until your fear disappears. The more optimistic you behave, the more optimistic you become.

You fake it till you make it to cheer yourself through tough times.

To survive, you act like a survivor. Although not always easy, it often helps.

Watch children play to learn this skill.

They pretend to be:

Famous singers and dancers
Sports champions
Doctors or teachers

They also imitate parents, best friends, and heroes. They learn competence by acting competent.

Fake it till you make it does not always work.

Some skills, feelings, or behaviors may exceed your abilities.

Choose wisely what to learn and who to imitate.

Learn well from those who teach you to live well.

“I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw” (Proverbs 24:32 NIV).

Thanks to Kathy Rouser for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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Freedom Isn’t Free

May 25, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

On Memorial Day, we remember that freedom isn’t free. Many paid a great price for us to enjoy our parades, cookouts, and fireworks.

Freedom isn’t free gives thanks for those who make freedom possible.

Men and women who serve in the military often risk their lives. May we never forget those who:

Remain missing in action
Live and bear the scars of their service
Give their lives to defend ours — those gone but not forgotten

The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. includes the engravement “Freedom Is Not Free.”

The memorial with that engraving honors and respects soldiers of one war. Yet its truth relates to all our heroes.

This idiom applies spiritually as well.

When Jesus died on the cross, He gave the ultimate price. He sacrificed his life to offer us eternal life. When He arose on the third day, He conquered sin and death. We share that victory when we follow Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Enjoy the holiday. Remember the reason.

Have fun with family and friends. Be sure to also give thanks for those who make that time possible. Above all, accept and give thanks for the greater freedom we find in Jesus.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36 NIV).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson for the suggestion. Image by Em Sawyers from Pixabay.

The Apple Does Not Fall Far from the Tree

May 18, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

The apple does not fall far from the tree in orchards. The same is often true for children.

When children act like their parents, we might say the apple does not fall far from the tree.

We all learn from the people closest to us.

Parents
Guardians
Other relatives

They teach us how to:

Walk
Talk
Live

One of the scariest statements a child can make is, “When I grow up, I want to be just like you.” That should make us pay attention to our words, actions, and attitudes.

The apple does not fall from the tree does not always apply.

Children do not always look or act like their parents. Sometimes that is the children’s choice. They may:

Rebel against positive examples.
Rise above negative examples.

We cannot change our biological roots. We can change our behavior.

May we all learn and live well.

No one, including the best parent, is perfect. Therefore, we want to follow the one and only perfect example we find in Jesus.

When we root ourselves in Jesus’ love, we gain the best life now plus an eternity with Him in heaven. We also bear fruit by sharing Jesus’ love with the rest of the world.

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8 NIV).

Thanks to Thad Reames for the suggestion. Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay.

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Split Hairs

May 11, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Do you remember sky-high teased hairstyles? Or have you seen pictures of them? Can you imagine all the split hairs that caused? Worse damage occurs when we split hairs with our words.

When we split hairs, we fight about minor details that make no major difference.

We focus on the petty or unimportant.

This metaphor “was first recorded in the late 17th century,” according to The Free Dictionary.

Most of us have split a few hairs.

Yet why let anything that is neither here nor there steal our attention? No need to stress. No need to waste that time. If it will not matter six months from now, let it go.

Let’s focus on the worthy.

Do what needs to be done.
Forget what makes little or no difference.
Never let trivial matters get our goat.

A single hair should not overtake the rest of our body. Neither should one small detail overtake our minds, emotions, or relationships.

“Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen” (2 Timothy 2:14 NIV).

Thanks to Tracy Crump for the suggestion and to Misty Durham for the photo.

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Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth

May 4, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

My husband and I lived in a college campus apartment for two years. It was so small we had to push our table against the wall to open the back door. Just as too many cooks crowded our kitchen, too many cooks spoil the broth.

When too many cooks add too many ingredients, broth tastes terrible.

The same applies to too many:

Managers
Coaches
Music conductors
Agencies

Too many cooks spoil the broth offers a word to the wise.

It cautions against several people trying to:

Do the same task.
Gain control.
Influence an outcome.

When that happens, the work:

Results in confusion.
May be ruined.
Has little chance of success.

The Phrase Finder lists a similar proverb in 1575 by English historian John Hooker.

In The Life and Times of Sir Peter Carew, Hooker wrote, “There is the proverb, the more cooks the worse potage.”

Several similar proverbs exist.

Too many cooks in the kitchen
(A shortened phrase) Too many cooks
Too many cooks spoil the soup (or stew).

Extra workers usually help. Extra managers often hurt.

Completing the work is more important than taking credit for it.

Whether we manage or not, let’s faithfully do what God calls us to do.

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:23 NIV)

Thanks to Joyce McCullough for the suggestion.

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Whistle Past the Graveyard

April 27, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 9 comments

I grew up near a graveyard. Later, my husband and I built a house across the road from one. We laughed and said we would have quiet neighbors. However, some people fear living so close to graves. They feel the need to whistle past the graveyard.

When we whistle past the graveyard, we hide our fear by acting calm.

We may be afraid of our own shadow. However, we don’t want anyone to know.

Whistling past the graveyard happens often.

In addition to passing a cemetery, we fear:

Public speaking
Competition for a championship
Any embarrassing situation

To whistle past the graveyard may increase courage.

Acting with courage often makes us more courageous. We survive what we fear, so the next time becomes easier.

The Bible tells us we have no need to fear death.

Followers of Jesus know that death and the grave are not the end. When Jesus arose from the grave, He conquered sin and death. We can share that same victory and look forward to an eternal home in heaven.

“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice” (John 5:28 NIV).

Thanks to Bobbie Smith Bryant and Martha Orlando for the suggestion. Image by Carol Colman from Pixabay

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Bigger Fish to Fry

April 20, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 10 comments

Do you prefer small fish piping hot from the grill or oven? Or do you enjoy bigger fish to fry?

For non-food decisions, go for bigger fish to fry.

Bigger fish to fry means more important matters to manage.

You deal with:

Major activities rather than minor
Emergencies rather than routine
Long lasting rather than brief

Bigger fish to fry does not mean never having fun.

Meaningful moments include:

Relaxing
Resting
Focusing on relationships

Personal accomplishments do not equal success.

Quality time with family is more important than awards.
Helping people in need matters more than promotions.
Investing in lives outlasts investing in stocks.

How you spend your time and money reveals what you value most.

Will it make a difference?
Does it have eternal worth?

Be sure bigger fish to fry are worth the effort.

Focusing only on self often leads to fishy situations. Focusing on God’s will and helping others keeps you on the right track. Jesus said to follow Him and become fishers of people. All people. Everywhere.

“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people” (Luke 5:10 NIV).

Thanks to Lindy Pierce for the suggestion and to Terry Pennington, owner of Creekside Restaurant, for the photo.

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