From the Home Place

March 26, 2026

I reckon some folks may have slept with a window open last night, with a low of only 44. For sure, yesterday was a day to let some spring air into your house. Today should be right at 40 degrees cooler than yesterday but will come with a wind speed to match the temperature.

Yesterday found Miss Deb and I working on a spring project in the yard, after I carried water to the rhubarb, raspberries and young trees. The yard project involved building a new flower bed and repairing an old one. We cooked right along, until we ran out of sand to put under the retaining blocks. Without the sand, it is almost impossible to keep said wall somewhat level.

O.K. that sounds like a subject I can work with, let’s talk about sand. When I was a kid, the phrase, “He’s got sand in his craw,” meant that a man was just tough, or more often it meant that he was on the growly side. Usually such a feller was someone you wanted to give some space any time you had to work with him.

Way-back-when I was a young feller, I knew a few such men. They weren’t mean, but they were sure enough tough to be around. They were the kind of person no one liked to work with, but someone usually had to. Way too often, it seemed that I would “draw the short straw” and get to spend a day attempting to please someone who could find fault in everyone and everything.

Now if you think on it some, sand in your throat would make most any person a little grumpy. It would make it difficult to swallow most things and would probably constantly be a nasty irritation. Well, these men seemed to be that kind of person. No matter what was going on, they could quickly figure out the negative side of it. Not only that, but they seldom were satisfied to just voice their disagreement, but it seemed like they were never satisfied until they had argued everyone else into submission to their way of thinking. Such arguments often led to “fist-a-cuffs”, leaving their opponent not feelin’ real shiny for a day or two.

Yep, I sure enough was fortunate enough to live around some men who had sand in their craw. I say fortunate, ’cause being around such a man for a day of work made me appreciate most other men. After spending a day working for one of these “sandy” fellers, working for anyone else seemed to take on a whole new completion.

I remember different occasions when one of those grumpy ‘ol fellers would get to growling around like an old grizzly bear looking for a fight. More often than not, such a grumpy person would be told to change his attitude or change his location when there were some other men around. But as a kid around one of those “grizzled old coyotes” I knew better than to “shoot off my mouth”, so I would just get my work done and get headed home as quickly as possible.

I sure wish I could say that all of the sandy fellers had passed on, but in today’s culture, it seems as if they have just reproduced. Today, we don’t use the phrase about sand in their craw, today we say that “he has a chip on his shoulder.” The terminology may have changed, but both terms still mean that such a person is difficult to work with.

As such, may I suggest that when you and I are working with such other folks, regardless of the setting, let’s make sure to keep the sand washed out of our craw with God’s grace. It’s a simple fact, difficult people still exist, but we should all be careful not to be one of them. Perhaps this is a good time to mention “The Thumper Principal.”

If you have ever watched the movie “Bambie,” then you will remember when Thumper the rabbit comes home and starts buggin” his little sister. Momma rabbit responds with, “Thumper what have I told you?” To which our prize Jack Rabbit responds, “If you can’t say sumpin’ nice, don’t say nuffiin’ at all.”

Wow, if we would all just practice that very simple philosophy. I know there have been plenty of times when Miss Deb wishes I would have put The Thumper Principle into practice. In Proverbs we find a similar statement, “A kind word turns away wrath.” We can usually let someone get away with a sharp word, but when we respond with a similar sharpness, someone will usually end up with sand in their craw!

You see, that “kind word” spoken of in the book of Proverbs in the Bible, appears to me to be like when a person takes a piece of rough wood and carves it into something nice. A “kind word” is when someone has enough wisdom to carve the rough edge off of words and turn them into something nice.

As I look back over my years, a “kind word” sure would have saved a whole lot of “scabs on my noggin!” I remember my momma often telling me that “quietness takes the kick out of a donkey’s butt.” Well, that’s probably another phrase for another day. For today, let’s all practice calming the rough waters with a “kind word.” Instead of exchanging “tit for tat,” let’s just be quiet. All right, that’s enough, may we each just try to say nice things to difficult people. Enough said!

Speaking kindly to others with you, Neal