Words Wit and Wisdom Archives - Page 13 of 51

High Cotton

August 22, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Whether we know it or not, we probably wish we were in high cotton.

During the height of cotton’s growing season, fluffy fields of white appear throughout the southern United States. Growers hope for a successful crop.

When we achieve success, we are in high cotton.

Businesses earn a high profit.
Students make good grades.
Families enjoy the perfect home.
Children receive their favorite toys.

High cotton does not give us the right to act high and mighty.

Success does not make us any better or worse than anyone else. With an attitude of gratitude, we use our success to help other people succeed. Rather than a big head, we develop a big heart.

We want to bear fruit that makes a lasting impact.

We have only a few years on this earth. What we do with them makes an eternal difference.

Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all (1 Chronicles 29:12 NIV).

Thanks to James E. Hodges for the suggestion. Image by Clayton Decker from Pixabay.

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Many Hands Make Light Work

August 15, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Do you have little helpers who remind you that many hands make light work? Maybe your children or grandchildren? Perhaps a neighbor or friend?

Many of my favorite experiences involve children who helped me. Their help may have meant extra time or a bigger mess. Yet, what fun. They learned to work together and to help one another.

Many hands make light work means the more who work together, the easier and faster the work.

Work may be on:

A garden’s long hard rows to hoe
Large family meals
Caregiving for family members
A youth group project

Many hands may not make the work easy as pie. It will make the work easier.

Many hands make light work applies to all areas of life.

Jobs
Family
Friends
Community
Church
Volunteer work

Take advantage of opportunities to lend a helping hand.

Supporting one another makes life better for everyone – the one who receives help plus the one who helps.

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17 NIV).

Thanks to Tracy Crump for the suggestion and to Karen Atwood for the photo.

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Grow Like a Weed

August 8, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

My youngest relatives grow like a weed. One day, they are knee high to a grasshopper. The next, they stand as high as my shoulder. Now, most tower over me.

It takes longer than three days for that to happen. However, they do grow fast.

To grow like a weed means to grow quickly.

If we have a garden, we have weeds. We pull the weeds. A day or two later, we have more weeds. Tall weeds. The battle never ends.

To grow like a weed also means to grow well.

We want our vegetables or flowers to grow well. When we bite into tomatoes, still warm from the vine, we almost burst with joy. Yet, to enjoy those tomatoes, we must deal with pesky weeds.

Weeds grow almost anywhere.

In addition to gardens, we find them in:

Yards
Fields
Parks
Cracks in sidewalks

Many weeds are beautiful.

People in Kentucky try to keep dandelions out of our yards. Yet, a first-time visitor from South Korea loved our beautiful yellow flowers.

Considered a weed by many people, goldenrod is Kentucky’s state flower. It turns a bare field into an ocean of gold.

All of us were created to grow.

We may not grow as fast or as well as a weed. However, we can grow and bloom where we are planted. Let’s make the world a more beautiful place with our presence.

“We are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field” (1 Corinthians 3:9 NIV).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson for the suggestion.

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On the Right Track

August 1, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 9 comments

When we ride a train, we want to get on the right track. We never get where we want to go if we go the wrong direction.

If I visit other countries with friends, we always stay close together when entering or exiting trains. We don’t want to arrive at the wrong destination alone.

On the right track means we will probably succeed.

This applies to travel. It also applies to life, when we head the right direction.

On the right track relates to both our thoughts and actions.

What we think usually guides our behavior. In order to find and follow the right direction, we want to choose the right:

Friends
Mentors
Teachers

We also want to research and think for ourselves. Any of us can be wrong at times, like a dog that barks up the wrong tree. Therefore, let’s obtain all the information we can rather than simply follow the crowd.

May we always make wise choices.

That way, we have no regrets when we reach the end of the road.

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11 NIV).

Thanks to Ann Maniscalco for the suggestion.

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Make Groceries

July 25, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Have you ever made groceries? I have many times. However, I did not know it until recently.

To make groceries means to shop for groceries.

I have been to the grocery store all my life. I would never have called that trip making groceries. Yet, the expression is common in New Orleans.

According to New Orleans.com, “Old-timers in New Orleans ‘make groceries’ at the store. This is another one that has French origins, as a rough translation from “faire son marché,” which means to do one’s grocery shopping. Since ‘faire’ means both ‘to do’ and ‘to make,’ making groceries came from a slight error in translation from French to English.”

Whatever we call it, we need food.

If we have never been hungry for long periods of time, we are richer than many. Millions have nothing or slim pickings. If we say we are starving, we usually mean only that we hunger. Yet, starvation remains a harsh reality for our world.

When we make meals after we make groceries, let’s give thanks.

Thank the farmers who grow the food.
Thank the stores that stock the food.
Thank the cooks who prepare the food.
Thank our Creator and Savior, the everlasting Bread of Life.

Then, let’s put feet to our prayers.

Share with others in need.
Donate food or money to local food pantries.
Give to reliable agencies that help feed the world.

A little food for thought.

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’” (John 6:35 NIV).

If you have been to New Orleans or have heard this expression, I would love to hear from you. Please comment.

Thanks to Laura Lee Leathers for the suggestion. Image by Gabe Raggio from Pixabay

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On the Ball

July 18, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

When I played softball, both my coach and my husband reminded me to keep my eye on the ball. Whether batting or playing third base, I needed to focus on the ball.

As my husband said, “You can’t hit it if you don’t see it.” He also reminded me, “You can’t throw it if you don’t catch it.”

On the ball means to stay alert.

It applies to all of life.

If I remain on the ball, I:

Pay attention
Learn all I can
Do what needs to be done

On the ball also means skillful.

I was never the best player. I tried hard and did my best. However, other players were more skillful. They knew how to get the ball rolling in a game.

They

Understood the game better
Moved faster
Had more success

Many times, when they swung for the fences, they hit a home run.

Nevertheless, I

Had a great time
Met new friends
Made many memories

God gives new opportunities to stay on the ball every day. Like everyone, I choose whether to accept them.

“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18 NIV).

Thanks to Carole Fite for the suggestion and to Richard Robards for the photo.

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Rub Elbows

July 11, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 2 comments

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we rarely shake hands anymore. Instead, we bump fists or elbows. We have had few opportunities to rub elbows.

To rub elbows means to interact with another person or persons.

Our elbows rarely touch, but we make social contact. We are close enough we could touch elbows. Contacts may be one-on-one or with a group.

Such contacts do not usually require hard physical work or elbow grease. Instead, we socialize.

We rub elbows in both work and non-work settings.

If we want a better job, we try to rub elbows with our bosses. We hope to impress them with our abilities and our willingness to work hard.

If we want to join a social group, we try to rub elbows with people in that group. We hope to convince them we would make a good member.

In all our interactions with one another, we want to present ourselves well.

Rather than get off on the wrong foot,

Work well.
Treat others well.
Live well for the one who created us – elbows, feet, and all.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 NIV).

Thanks to Lindy Pierce for the suggestion.

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Bigwig

July 4, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Few of us are bigwigs. However, we probably know people who are.

A bigwig is an important person.

The person may be a:

King, queen, or other government official
President of a company
Famous actor or athlete

A bigwig usually has a high position, power, and money.

According to The Phrase Finder, “The fashion for wigs began with the Bourbon kings of France. Louis XIII (1601 – 1643) went prematurely bald and took to wearing a wig. By the middle of the century … wigs were virtually obligatory for all European nobility.” Their wigs became so large, this phrase grew in popularity.

Bigwig also means a person who pretends to be important.

If we try to be a bigwig, we act highfalutin. Our pride gives us a big head. Other people usually recognize the behavior as only an act.

Everyone is important to God.

We may not have a high position, money, or power, but God gives us purpose. May each of us find our purpose and do it to the best of our ability.

“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3 NIV).

Thanks to Regina Graham for the suggestion. Image by Michael Gaida from Pixabay.

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Horse Sense

June 27, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 5 comments

We can be sharp as a tack but not have a bit of horse sense. Education does not give us horse sense. Neither does talent. Instead, it is what we do with the knowledge, education and talent we possess.

Horse sense is common sense.

It does not require:

An impressive resume
A sophisticated lifestyle

We use wisdom in what we say and do. Sometimes that wisdom outwits the more intelligent and better educated.

With horse sense, we make practical decisions that work well.

Those decisions apply to:

Relationships
Jobs
Free time

We learn when to act and when to hold our horses.

Good decisions lead to a good life. Therefore, we want to stay wise as an owl, always ready to do what is right.

“‘Learn to be wise,’ he said, ‘and develop good judgment and common sense! I cannot overemphasize this point’” (Proverbs 4:5 TLB).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson for the suggestion and to Jeri Gumm Stone for the photo.

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Happy as a Lark

June 20, 2022 Diana Derringer Comments 3 comments

Nothing compares to the sound of birds singing. Hearing their music makes many of us happy as a lark.

Listen to the songs of a western meadowlark here. For six-year-old William Zhang’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Song of the Lark, Op. 39 No. 22, listen here.

Happy as a lark means very happy.

Little things often give us joy.

A child with a toy
Time with family and friends
A walk in the park

We increase our happiness when we make others happy.

Causing them to smile makes us smile too.

Look for opportunities to make others happy as a lark.

We get so busy we often fail to notice needs around us. Instead, we can:

Babysit for a tired mom, swamped with responsibility.
Run errands for a sick neighbor.
Take children to sing for a senior citizens group
Cheer up someone down in the dumps.

Enjoy the songs of birds. Share your songs of joy with a hurting world.

“The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches” (Psalm 104:12 NIV).

Thanks to Bill Ellis, whose May 2022 Kentucky Monthly article, “Though I’ve Never Played a Violin, I’m Fit as a Fiddle,” led to this post. Image by Johnnys_pic from Pixabay.

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