SNOWED-IN BONUS ADDITION OF WINSDAY WISDOM
Have you ever gone “Cold Turkey?”
Cold Turkey is a colloquial phrase used most often to describe the sudden and total stoppage of some activity or habit.
The term is usually associated with the abrupt cessation of taking a drug to which one is addicted or complete withdrawal of substance abuse. The resulting sudden behavioral change, rather than a gradual cessation of some habit, often causes unpleasant experiences.
People try to go “cold turkey” from smoking, alcohol, drugs, dating, social media, soft drinks, sweet desserts, or television. Sometimes it involves the cessation of a favorite activity or unhealthy relationship.
The term might have originated from the goosebumps people sometimes get in the days after they quit a bad health habit, causing them to look like the skin of a “cold turkey” in the fridge.
I am more familiar with the cold turkey sandwich served straight from the fridge rather than heated in the oven. (forced smile)
I had a serious addiction to club sandwiches, but I quit cold turkey. Now I only eat BLT’s. (drum roll rimshot)
It could also be a reference to the temperature conditions of a middle eastern country, such as “Istanbul is experiencing a cold Turkey winter.” (groans)
My research points to the cold turkey phrase evolving from the idiom “talk turkey,” a reference to plain and direct conversation. Lay out the facts and get down to the truth of the matter.
Why cold and why turkey and what do they have to do with suddenly and completely ceasing to do something?
The meaning associated with the idiom is similar to other expressions which have no connection to what they sound like they would mean, such as “letting the cat out of the bag” or “dog days of summer” or “break a leg” or “beating around the bush’ or “give someone a cold shoulder.”
Well. Let me “shake a leg” and “spill the beans” on my most memorable experience with going cold turkey.
Years ago, I wanted to lose some weight. The primary nemesis was my enjoyment of cokes and chocolate donuts, especially as driving companions and late-night snacks. I decided to go cold turkey.
No gradual change. No weaning away. No diet drinks. No substitute sweets. Cold Turkey.
The success was directly connected to my determination. I do not recall getting goosebumps, the shakes, or dry sweats. I did miss the sheer enjoyment.
Water and fruit became the go-to snack. Several months lessened any desire to return to those savory delights. The change was becoming deeply imbedded into my routine…until.
Until the time I did a Bible conference in Altus, Oklahoma. Their pastor was a true hero of preaching. I was humbled to be asked to return for a second conference. The Sunday morning service was packed. The response was encouraging.
There was good attendance for the Sunday evening session as I preached about the life and love of Jesus. At the conclusion, two young college-aged guys approached me with a question. They introduced themselves as actors with the parts of Jesus the Savior and God the Final Judge in the church-sponsored “Haunted House” promotion set up across the street for the rest of the week.
The inquisitive young man asked, “Were you saying the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is God?” I replied, “Definitely.”
He shook his head and then lightly popped himself on the jaw as he blurted out, “I did not know that.”
Then he smiled broadly and loudly declared to his buddy, ‘Hey, you are God, and I am God. We are both God! That is so cool!” Then they high fived and hugged one another.
I was a little taken aback that the young men did not understand the basics of their character roles of God the Father and the divine Jesus who said, “If you know me, you know my Father; from now on, you know Him through me and you see him in me” (John 14:7).
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and blood to live among us, and we saw his glory as the Son was the same glory of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14).
I was happy for their God-given revelation of Jesus’ identity as “Immanuel, God with us.”
That was not the deal breaker for my cold turkey reversal. That would happen the following night.
The Monday night Bible study attendance was very sparse. I feared that my teaching had been boring and ineffective. The pastor sought to encourage me by informing me that almost two hundred of their members were involved in the Haunted House evangelistic extravaganza about to begin.
Bible study or Haunted House? The #1 Textbook claims to be the sole power to save a soul and transform lives. The Haunted House promises to be a “sure-fire-attention-getter” and maybe even a “scare your pants off” experience. (Those idioms also have no connection to what they sound like they mean.)
Participation in Bible teaching or Haunted House scare tactics is a matter of preference. I do not condemn those who chose the latter. Their intentions were good. I did privately question the wisdom of simultaneously scheduling the events.
What shook my soul all the way to its cold turkey inner chamber was what I saw as I left the church that night. The long line of people outside the Haunted House wrapped around five blocks. I would have talked to more people that night if I had been a ghost.
The sight of the large crowds across the street hurt my pride more than my spiritual discernment.
I stopped at the nearby convenience store on my way back to the hotel. I bought a two-liter bottle of Coke and a box of chocolate donuts. I turned on the second half of Monday Night Football. I went into some trance as I emptied both the bottle and the box before midnight.
Relapse could not begin to describe what I did that night.
I am thankful I was not a recovering alcoholic, gambler, or former druggie. I certainly identify with their struggles. I would have been a no-show for the next day’s Bible study. Somehow, I made it to the senior citizen luncheon with some dried chocolate on my cheek.
Most of the overheard energetic conversations centered around the costumes and scary experiences designed to “scare the holy h-e-double-hockey-sticks” out of its participants!
Since that time, I have gone cold turkey on haunted houses.
Do you have anything in your life which would be better if you stopped it cold turkey?
I have a truck load of wrongs which need some cold turkey resolve. Impatience, anger, bitterness, irritation, SELF-CENTEREDNESS. Sadly, I have lifelong struggles of cold turkey resolutions and relapse moments.
The #1 Textbook describes this journey to love first and most as a continuous struggle to “put off” the wrong stuff and “put on” the life and love of Jesus (Ephesians 4:20-32).
Jesus lives inside of us to lead us to others He intends to love through us.
Life is not about what other people do or do not do, say or do not say. It is about each one of us pressing on to love God and others at ever higher levels.
ALL OF LIFE IS A STEWARDSHIP.
I encourage you to talk turkey with God. ‘Shake off some cobwebs” on the spiritually unhealthy habits. Take some “baby steps” to be better this week.
Love first, love most, and “do the locomotion with me.”
Everybody’s doing a brand new dance now
(Love first, love most)
I know you’ll get to like it if you give it a chance now
(Come on, baby, do the loco-motion with me)
–The Locomotion, sung by Little Eva, written by Carole King
LOVE FIRST...LOVE MOST 