Minding Our Ps and Qs
“Minding our Ps and Qs” — I’ve read some theories about the origin of that phrase, but evidently no one knows for sure. It’s good advice, irregardless of the origin of the phrase. I like the word “irregardless” because my Daddy used it. I like to hear it, irregardless of the fact that Merriam Webster’s Dictionary advises against using it because it is has yet to receive “general acceptance.”
“Irregardless” reminds me of Daddy’s relish for words. I’m glad I had a Daddy who sat and read the dictionary for fun, irregardless of the fact that his occupation was far from literary, but rather grocery store floor manager in his daddy’s small town grocery store.
Well, I suppose if I were really minding my Ps and Qs, I wouldn’t go on and on like that.
Well, anyway, living in small town Appalachian culture as we do, . . .
. . . we get reminded to mind our Ps and Qs more than we did during our twenty-two years in university towns. I’ll tell you a story to illustrate what I mean.
During one of our high water events a couple of weeks ago, I had good reason to call the county highway department to make a suggestion. Don’t you know they just love to hear from people making suggestions! I gently suggested that they put up road closure signs when the water gets up, so that folks don’t have to find out by driving along and simply coming upon water. It seemed like an important suggestion to me.
As I chatted with the man who answered the phone, he stopped me with a question: “Are you Mrs. Notgrass?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“This is David Tucker,” he said. Knowing that David, who usually leads our singing at church, is a retired postal worker, I was surprised. He went on: “My sister-in-law had an appointment today and Wanda [David’s wife, who is a retired school teacher] couldn’t come today, so I’m here answering the phone.”
Don’t you just love it! What sweet, serving people we live among. I love that the kind man who listened to me so patiently, and who even added in affirmations about what I was saying, was our friend David from church and that he was filling in for his wife who normally fills in for her sister or sister-in-law (I don’t know which because I wasn’t born here like most of the folks at church).
There is something different about talking to someone you know as opposed to talking to an anonymous government employee, isn’t it? But it shouldn’t be, should it? We mamas especially should be minding our Ps and Qs all the time, because, as we all know, those little eyes around us are watching.
This verse from Paul to Timothy is encouragement specific to a young man, but those categories in the middle are appropriate for all of us. We need to mind our Ps and Qs in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity and we need to train our children to do so, too, in our words and in our example — and aren’t we thankful for God’s patience and forgiveness when we don’t!
Let no one look down on your youthfulness,
but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity,
show yourself an example of those who believe.
1 Timothy 4:12