OVER THE BACK FENCE! 6/30/13

I HAVE HEARD the expression ‘chew the fat’ all my life but never understood how it came about. I knew what it meant but why do we say that? In reading some fascinating tidbits I discovered that many thoughts have been recorded but no evidence is available to support the claims. For instance chew the fat has been attributed to sailors, who would chew on salt-hardened fat. Some say it came from the practice of North American Indians who would chew animal hides during their spare time. I’ve read that British farmers chewed on smoked pork but again no proof. I’ve eaten pork rinds but you can’t chew them for long before you swallow them!


WHEN our son Danny was still in a highchair, Jim gave him a piece of steak for him to chew on. He loved it! He held it in his hand and chewed and sucked until the dark piece of meat was totally white. Even while the juice was running down his chin and his arms, he refused to give it up!

TO CHEW the rag is another term closely related to chewing the fat. They say some natives, in the days of the early explorers of North America, liked to chew dried leaves, although they were smoking them in pipes also. Sailors sampled tobacco and liked it!  UGH!  Smoking on the wooden ships was restricted so they chewed. When tobacco was hard to come by, they chewed whatever they could find. ‘Pork fat; soft leather and rags!

TODAY the metaphor of chewing the fat or chewing the rag is implying a kind of general grumbling fest; to alleviate boredom; gossiping sessions, and a way to define telling tall tales like the proverbial fish story where the fish get bigger as the story is told and retold. So chewing the fat all comes down to idle conversation, friendly small talk, complaining, spreading gossip, humorous banter and even just wanting to hear yourself talk.

DID YOU KNOW that God’s Word addresses “chewing the fat or chewing the rag”? Perhaps not in those terms but there is no denying that God knew there would be days, in our lives , that we would find our hands idle and our mouths gushing with evil! I guess that is why the song writer of a children’s song says; “Oh be careful little mouth what you say!”

PROVERBS is full of good advice when it comes to the mouth. “Put away from your crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.” Proverbs 4:24    I like to chit chat but I don’t like my chatting to focus on others and their misfortunes or misdeeds. Doesn’t set well with me! Makes me upset and also it is worrisome. “Wise men lay up knowledge, but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near.” Proverbs 10:14    I have never considered myself wise and I do babble, but I certainly do not want to be the cause of someone’s ruin; do you?

OVER THE BACK FENCE is another expression that usually brings about thoughts of the old days of sitting on the porch, in a rocking chair listening to the crickets and visiting over the back fence. Many old cliche’s, that are worn-out or just common phrases, were born ‘over the back fence’! I’ve heard about Christians evangelizing over the back fence! What a good idea! “The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious, and adds persuasiveness to his lips! Proverb 16:23

IN THE early days of my marriage we had a wall in the back yard. I couldn’t see over it but my neighbor, Anita was tall and I could look up and see her face. We would visit over that wall! But then we would visit all the time. Having been a Lutheran, she became a Catholic after she married. We talked of many things and God was one of those subjects. During a vacation Bible School at my church, she came with her son and she helped in the nursery.

HER SON was in the VBS program and Nick, her husband, came along with Anita to see it all. God was our bond! A few years ago I was able to get in touch with Nick! After 40 some years we got a little caught up, and I would send him my Morning Glory blog. Nick passed away this month and my heart ached!   But the glory is in the Father and He walks with me!   By Jane Ann Crenshaw 6/29/13