Standing tall at almost 500 years-old, the Airlie Oak tree invites guests out to the Oak Lawn. The Airlie Oak is a Southern Live Oak and draped with Spanish moss. This moss does not harm the tree and uses water & nutrients from the air to grow and thrive.
1. Do you think the pandemic has had any kind of positive impact on your mental health? Explain.
Now that’s an interesting question. For me, depending on God more and reading His Word more has been the best positive impact on my mental health during this weird time. Knowing that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever brings stability in my mind when things get crazy.
2. A hot mess, hot under the collar, in hot water, hot button, hot diggity dog!, hot shot, hot seat….choose one and tell us how it applies to your life currently.
I’m choosing hot diggity dog because this song was popular and reached #1 on the “billboard” in 1956. I was five years old then and how it applies to my life now is that it makes me smile to remember it and sing along with Perry!
3. Speaking of the hot seat, do you work well under pressure or do you actively avoid high pressure situations?
I’m really not involved in high pressure situations. Being retired adds to that fact. If I have the choice I’d stay away from high pressure situations.
4. Hotdogs-yay or nay? If you said yay how do you like yours? Did you know July is National hotdog month?
Yes, please. I love a good hot dog. Nathan’s are my favorite. When in Chicago years ago I experienced a Chicago Dog and I would enjoy being able to have one of those when the hot dog craving hits. Haven’t found a good Chicago Dog on the West Coast.
5. I read here a list of America’s coolest Southern towns. They are Marfa Texas, Greenville South Carolina, Abindgon Virginia, Athens Georgia, Bentonville Arkansas, Florence Alabama, Oxford Mississippi, Abita Springs Louisiana, Wilmington North Carolina, Monroeville Alabama, McMinnville Tennessee, Natchez Mississippi. How many on the list have you seen in person? Which town on the list would you most like to see?
The only place on this list I’ve been to is Wilmington, North Carolina, specifically Airlie Gardens. Abingdon, Virginia looks like a nice place to visit.
In 2013 our daughter and I drove from the Seattle area to Jacksonville, North Carolina. Our son in law was stationed at Camp Lejeune and he was returning from a deployment in Afghanistan. We had the task of finding an apartment for the two of them and moving some of their stored possessions into that apartment along with buying some furnishings. When our work was done we took a little side trip to enjoy Airlie Gardens in the Wilmington area. The photo at the top of this post is of our daughter in front of the famous Airlie Oak.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Here are some more photos from Airlie Gardens.
And…speaking of gardens here are some quotes I want to remember:
“Ever since Satan deceived Eve false teachers following his pattern, have portrayed the truth as error and offered error as truth.”
“The risk of wandering from the truth and becoming confused and disloyal is a constant threat to the church of Jesus Christ.”
“Therefore, absolute loyalty to God, Jesus Christ, the gospel, and biblical truth are nonnegotiable principles for everyone who names the name of Christ.”
MacArthur New Testament Commentary 2 Corinthians, pg. 356 & 360
1. The sweetness of summer…where have you found it recently? If you’re in the Southern hemisphere, feel free to tell us about the sweetness you’re finding in winter.
When we have a group around our table enjoy each other I count it as sweetness.
2. Take your sweet time, sweet tooth, home sweet home, short but sweet, the sweet smell of success, sweet talk…choose a sweet idiom and tell us how it fits your life currently?
It would have to be Home Sweet Home. We’ve enjoyed being home alone and we’ve enjoyed overnight visitors in our home. I’m thankful to have a comfortable home where we can enjoy wide open spaces in our beautiful part of the country.
3. Sweet as honey, sweet as sugar, or sweet as pie, which phrase do you use when a sweet phrase is called for? What’s the last sweet treat you indulged in?
My mind keeps going back to Psalm 19:7-11. Dear and I have put this section of scripture to memory and recite it often. The Law of the Lord is Perfect. In verse 10 you find these words describing God’s teachings, “Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” Do any of you remember ths song from ages ago?
The latest sweet I indulged in while typing this on Tuesday afternoon was a slice of this frozen dessert below. This dessert goes a long way. I made it for 10 people and we still have part of it in the freezer to enjoy a slice of in the evening. The shot above with our 2nd batch of summer company has the dessert pictured in front of each place ready to be eaten.
4. First thing that comes to mind when you hear the word fidget?
True confession: I fidget when someone is long winded or takes way to long to explain something. I don’t consider most sermons in the long winded category at all. I can listen to a good long sermon when someone is rightly dividing the Truth. Usually long winded to me is someone who talks way too long on stuff that isn’t the truth or when I can’t figure out the point they are trying to make.
5. Share with us one of your favorite childhood travel memories.
I can remember very little snippets of our travels to places to camp or pick fruit growing up. We did not travel much as a family especially after four more siblings were born after the original four. I was the youngest of the first 4. Camping was the highlight and camping at San Clemente State Beach was the ultimate camping experience for me (despite sunburns). What added to the adventure at San Clemente was the fact that the Grunion were running one of the nights we were there. It was so exciting to hear the yells, “the Grunion are running, the Grunion are running” and then to scramble and try to pick up the silvery fish and throw them in your bucket. If you’ve never heard of Grunionclick here.
The above photo is of my family camping at Big Bear California.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
My other memorable summer experience in Junior High and High School was being able to go to Hume Lake Christian Camps in King’s Canyon between the Sequoia and Sierra National Forest of central California. Go north to Fresno from Southern California and turn right. This is where for the first time I clearly heard that I was a sinner who needed to repent and follow Christ instead of myself. God called me at this camp and He helped me to respond to that calling.
1. The Hodgepodge lands this year on National Secret Keeping Day…on a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being I’m a blabbermouth and 10 being I’m a vault) how good are you at keeping secrets?
I’m going to say 8.
I can keep secrets but I will not listen to secrets people want me to keep from my husband except for surprises for him.
There are secrets that are more detrimental than helpful. The truth is easier to deal with than secrets has been my mantra for years. I can deal with the truth but the imagination is hard to deal with.
I read here nine jobs for people who can keep a secret-cybersecurity worker, executive assistant, housekeeper, lawyer, nuclear plant technician, physician, private investigator, psychologist, security guard Of the jobs listed, which one most interests you and why?
I could be an executive assistant and I have been a housekeeper. The houses I cleaned never needed secret keeping. I did get called on occasion wondering if I saw the remotes or other things the homeowners found missing. I also found things in the cushions that they were missing. Sometimes I think I could have been a good detective…
2. What’s the secret of life (or one of them anyway)?
The Bible has the best prescriptions for life and they aren’t a secret.
Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Him.
Today counts for eternity and life continues into eternity. Where will you spend it? There are only two choices heaven with God or Hell without Him. And the great news is you can start spending life with God right now. I pray He is calling you to live life with Him through the life and sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
3. Off the record, best-kept secret, a fly on the wall, top secret, my lips are sealed, secret shopper, as quiet as a mouse, poker face, spill the beans, open secret, bite your tongue…which secret idiom can you best relate to right now? Explain.
Bite your tongue is the one I’ll choose. Don’t answer a fool according to his folly…
4. Spill here the secret ingredient in one of your favorite recipes?
This is a story about my dear mother. She had lots of great recipes that she had in her head not on paper. Our sister Vera worked hard getting those recipes recorded for all of us. Once when our mom visited us at our home in Kenmore she decided to make a large pot of her Borsch. When I was watching her she added something that was not in the recipe, a cube of butter. Maybe that was her secret. I don’t think I have any secret ingredients although sometimes I’ll add a little sugar to some sauces that I don’t publicize.
5. My mama celebrates a big birthday tomorrow. Share a favorite quote, song lyric, saying, or verse of scripture that will add some sunshine to her day (ours too!)
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
A very happy birthday to your dear mom!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Today July 8th is Dear’s only brother’s birthday and Terry is his only sibling. Dear is younger by 4 years. I made this collage to show the resemblance of each of the boys to their parents. I think Terry resembles my mother in law and that Dear resembles my father in law. Rex died in 1985 before our Katie was born and Verna died in 1997. Verna was very close to our daughter Katie. Dear’s brother’s family is living in North Carolina these days. The photo of Terry and my Dear was taken at my mother’s funeral in 2013.
Thank you to Joyce for asking the questions! Click here to see more answers.
Dear and me at a courtyard on the campus of Magdalen College (pronounced Maudlin) in Oxford England. (July of 2014)
The phrase the best-laid plans is a translation of a Scottish proverb that was first published in 1786.
The best-laid plans refers to something that has gone awry, something that has not turned out as well as one had hoped. The expression the best-laid plans carries the connotation that one should not expect for things to always turn out to plan. Like many proverbs, the best-laid plans is usually quoted by itself, though it is not the full proverb. The full proverb is, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. This is a passage from the poem To a Mouse, written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1786. The verse was translated into English, the original Scottish quotation is: The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley, / An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, / For promised joy. Note that best-laid plans is spelled with a hyphen, as best-laid functions as an adjective before a noun. Laid is sometimes misspelled as layed, though layed is not a word. Laid is is the past tense and past participle tense of lay.
And now here are the Hodgepodge Questions on this first day of July!
1. Are you currently making plans of any kind? What kind?
Currently I am making plans for getting things ready for some summer visitors arriving next week.
What emotions are associated with the planning process?
Excitement to be able to share our new environs with some loved ones who haven’t visited with us in our Country Bungalow before.
Tell us about one plan you had to cancel due to the current situation which shall remain nameless. Ha!
We had to cancel our trip to England scheduled for the middle of September. We are very pleased with the cancellation policy of Airbnb. They refunded us our money within an hour. We still need to call British Airways and try to get our money back for our flights. That was a big chunk of change and we hope to have good dealings with the airlines. As you can imagine they are swamped with phone calls. We were going to stay in Oxford. We are disappointed for sure.
2. Last time you saw stars, either literally or figuratively?
Our country bungalow is in a part of town where there are no street lights and very few lights shine from neighboring properties so star gazing is something we can do most nights when we don’t have cloud cover. It really is amazing to see so many stars and to be able to pick out constellations.
3. Blueberries yay or nay? Blueberry pie, blueberry muffins, blueberry yogurt, blueberries by the handful…what’s your pleasure?
Yes to blueberries. I like them fresh picked by the handful. I also enjoy them thrown into a bowl of cereal/granola.
4. swim against the tide, swimming upstream, in the swim, sink or swim, makes your head swim…choose one of the ‘swim’ idioms listed and tell us how/why you relate?
In the current climate of our country I’m definitely swimming against the loudest tide. I know there is a quiet tide that I’d fit in with but it is being drowned out by all the angry noise.
5. Sum up your June in a single sentence.
A glorious time in June for family to be all together again.
Be happy in your mask!
Start them young!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
One of my favorites to quote in good times and bad times, C. H. Spurgeon:
“Visit good books but live in the Bible”
“Let us not fear the enemy until he actually comes, and then let us trust in the Lord.”
“Lord, help us in such a way that we may see that thou thyself art working. May we magnify thee in our inmost souls. Make all around us to see how good and great a God thou art.”
On June 23rd of 2019 we were driving to church for our first summer service. Don’t know what we did the rest of that day.
2. In honor of National Pink Day (June 23rd) tell us your favorite pink food or beverage. Was it on the menu at your house yesterday?
Kensington Dream
In a shaker over ice add juice of 1/2 a lemon, 2 oz. Creme de Cassis, 1 oz. each Brandy and Amaretto. Shake well and pour into Goblet. Add about 4 oz. of champagne. Enjoy but don’t drink and drive! There’s a reason this drink is called “Dream”.
I’m taking the liberty to say this is a pink drink and it is my favorite and I’m enjoying one right now while I type out my answers for the “podge”.
Do you like to wear the color pink?
Yes, I do enjoy wearing pink. (fuschia)
Me and my sisters.
If we came to visit would we find this color in your home decor?
You would see some pink but only in dishes or figurines or fresh flowers and some pink in the play room, like this pink kitchen.
Blush-fuschia-salmon-raspberry-your favorite shade of pink?
I think I’ll go with Blush.
3. Stop and smell the roses, looking through rose colored glasses, a rose by any other name, not all moonlight and roses, no rose without a thorn…which rosy saying currently fits your life in some way? Explain.
no rose without a thorn…
To enjoy something pleasant like our acreage means we have to work hard to keep weeds under control and especially in the Spring and Summer we have to do a lot of mowing and weed wacking and weed pulling.
4. Are you a ‘reader’?
Yes.
Do you tend to read lighter books in the summer months?
I haven’t been reading any light books lately. When we take road trips we enjoy listening to books on CD, usually murder mysteries.
Do you have a summer reading list?
Not a list. The books I’m reading right now are the Bible, a compilation of works by Spurgeon, a commentary on 1 Corinthians, Strange Fire by John MacArthur.
If so, give us a title or two.
For lighter reading I love going back to some Children’s Classics like Narnia books by C.S. Lewis, The Wind in the Willows, and Anne of Green Gables.
5. Share with us one rose and one thorn from your weekend.
The rose was having time with our grandchildren and honoring Fathers. The thorn was the evil narrative going on in our nation.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
We have lots of Columbine that we did not plant and they come up every year with no help from us. They are always a great surprise.
Thank you to Joyce who comes up with the questions for us to answer.
1. Saturday marks the first official day of summer! Whoohoo! Your favorite thing about the season?
Summer visitors. The photos below were taken in our front yard when we had summer visitors camping out last August.
2. Love it!, labor of love, not for love or money, no love lost, love handles, love does, love-hate relationship, misery loves company, tough love, love will find a way…pick one and tell us how it applies to your life right now.
I’ll pick LOVE-IT. Love it when family visits. Love it when we can visit our family. Love it when I spend time with the grandchildren and see all their new skills. Love it when our freedoms come back to us. Love it when all the birds flit about in our back yard. Love it when the Truth is spoken and it is louder than evil.
3. What’s one thing currently causing you to seethe?
When people call evil good and good evil.
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20 (ESV)
One thing currently making you smile?
See #2
4. Of the following to-dos found on a summer checklist (here) which three would definitely make your personal list of summer want-to-dos?
roast marshmallows over a fire, go berry or peach picking, dangle your feet off the end of a dock, sit on a porch swing, watch the sunset from a beach, nap in a hammock, go barefoot in the grass, collect seashells, play tennis, go fishing, build a sandcastle, catch fireflies, eat a soft serve ice cream cone, make a pitcher of Sangria, swim in a lake, stargaze, ride a bike, paddle a canoe or kayak, make a summer road trip, throw a frisbee
Take a summer road trip. 2. Make a pitcher of Sangria. 3. Paddle a canoe or kayak (although it is getting more and more difficult to get into or out of) Do you make an actual list? NO
5. Thursday is National Splurge Day. What might you splurge on in order to celebrate?
Well, since Thursday will be mow the 4 acres day I will celebrate by listening to at least 3 good sermons since that’s how long it takes for me to mow. Maybe to keep the theme going we’ll go out to eat in one of the local restaurants that have re-opened.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
A summary of a good sermon in 5 sentences:
“You can’t change a fallen world. We come and go and are forgotten. The only one who can change the world is God. MY story is not THE story. We need to fear God and keep His commandments.”
By the Fear of the Lord men depart from evil. Proverbs 16:6
Thank you to Joyce for coming up with the questions for theHodgepodge.
I said yes to watching our little grandson Jaymison on Tuesday morning. No regrets at all. It’s always fun even though I come home tired.
2. No big deal, no contest, no dice, no hard feelings, no ifs ands or buts, no kidding, no offense, no pain no gain, no way…choose one and tell us how it applies to your life currently.
No offense but you are wrong! What most of my comments would be on a lot of facebook and instagram posts lately if I really thought it would matter to make a comment. I have only commented when I have felt I have a voice in someone’s life and the post does not line up with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the shared faith I thought we had together…
3. Thursday June 11th is National Making Life Beautiful Day…in this strange season how are you adding beauty to your days/life?
I’m in the process of completing a scrapbook for Jaymison’s first year of life. Getting pages accomplished and seeing all that has happened in his life in just one year has added beauty and smiles to my days. I have his 1 year pages to do and I’m all finished.
4. According to an article found here, these six foods taste better in June than at any other time of the year-strawberries, asparagus, peas, peaches, beets, and garlic. How many of these have you tasted so far this month? Anything on the list you’d say ‘no thank you’ to trying? Rearrange the list starting with your favorite (1) to your least favorite (6).
I’ve only tasted strawberries and garlic this month…but the month is young. I wouldn’t say no to anything on this list. This Ice Cream cake has strawberries in it and no garlic. 🙂 Recipe on my blog yesterday.
Back to question 5 and my response. I’m bewildered and distressed by dear friends who seem to have left their faith for rubbish. I went back and forth from Galatians where Paul says who has bewitched you foolish Galatians…and this.
The Light of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4)
4 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
I’m looking up and in the Word of God (The Bible) to get my bearings…
Thank you to Joyce for coming up with the questions for Hodgepodge!
1. What’s something you could do today to feel more peaceful?
Turn off the TV and open my Bible!
2. June 2nd is National Rotisserie Chicken day. Who knew? Are you a fan of rotisserie chicken? You’ve purchased one at your local market for tonite’s dinner. Will you serve as is or make something else using the chicken?
First meal we would eat it as it is with a salad. Then I’d take all the meat left on the carcass and save it for a Chicken Pot Pie, or Chicken Chili, or Chicken Enchiladas, or Chicken Noodle Soup. A Costco Rotisserie Chicken is our favorite and you can’t beat the price.
3. I read a list recently (go here to read more) of 20 of the most beautiful places in America. How many of these have you seen up close and in person? Of the sites on this list that you haven’t seen, which would you most like to see?
Antelope Canyon Arizona, Kenai Fjords Alaska, White Mountains New Hampshire, Crater Lake Oregon, The Palouse Washington and Idaho, Grand Prismatic Spring Wyoming, Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Oregon, Horsehoe Bend Arizona, Na Pali Coast Kauai Hawaii, Antelope Valley California, Lake Tahoe California, The Berkshires Massachussets, Maroon Bells Colorado, Angel Oak South Carolina, Acadia National Park Maine, Grand Teton National Park Wyoming, Turnip Rock Michigan, Central Park New York City, Niagara Falls New York, and Skagit Valley Tulip Fields Washington
I’ve been to Crater Lake, The Palouse in Washington, Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge, Grand Prismatic Spring Wyoming, Central Park, Niagara Falls, and Skagit Valley Tulip Fields (Photo Above).
I think I’d like to see Acadia National Park in Maine.
4. What’s one pretty spot you’d add to the list in question #3?
I’d choose one of the beaches along the coast of California or Oregon like Laguna Beach in Southern California or Cannon Beach in Northern Oregon.
Are there travel plans of any kind on your calendar right now? Does that make you happy, anxious, excited, sad, or relieved?
I’m sad that we are in the process of cancelling our trip to Great Britain. Things are not loosening up in travel abroad quick enough for our comfort in keeping our plans intact. Airline tickets are purchased already and half of the cost of our lodging has been charged to us, too. So I’ll have to contact the airlines and Airbnb to work on getting our money refunded. I will be relieved when that is taken care of.
5. Tell us one un-COVID related thing you’re looking forward to in the month of June.
We are going to Church on Sunday June 7th in our building not online! That is very exciting!
And yesterday, June 2nd, I had the wonderful experience of finally having my hair cut and styled! And I have another appointment in 6 weeks.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I looked up peace in my Bible and wanted to share these verses:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1, ESV)
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostilityby abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. (Ephesians 2:13-16 ESV)
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5-7, ESV)
“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
1. The US of A celebrated Memorial Day this past Monday. Does your family have any military ties? If so, tell us about them.
We do not have any family member who died in combat but we do have Veterans. Our daughter has educated us on the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. Memorial Day is not a day to honor anyone who has served but it is for military members who have died in combat. Our son in law is a non-active Marine who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He saw some of his Marine buddies die. The collage above shows Marines who were serving the same time as Andrew and who died while serving. These are those who we honor on Memorial Day. My father in law served in World War II. My brother in law served in Viet Nam and it took a toll on his life. My father-in-law and brother-in-law are both buried at the same cemetery, Riverside National Cemetery in California. They were buried 30 years apart.
2. Cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, potato chips, mac and cheese, macaroni salad…your favorite BBQ side? How many of these do you make from scratch vs. buying from the deli?
Does opening up a can or a box qualify as scratch? 🙂 I enjoy potato salad from scratch but I’ll go for Coleslaw from the deli. I have never made potato chips. I’ve doctored up a can of beans.
3. I enjoyed asking this question back when the Hodgepodge was a regular thing…Lake Superior State University posts a list each year of words they think should be banished from the Queen’s English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness. The 2020 list includes-quid pro quo, artisanal, curated, influencer, literally, I mean, living my best life, mouthful (word used by foodies to describe texture of food in their mouth), chirp (basically an insult, you can read more on the website), jelly (short for jealous), totes (short for totally), vibe, and OK Boomer (internet response from millenial to older generation).
Of the words/phrases listed which would you most like to see ‘banned’?
Well I’m happy to say I haven’t heard most of these. Something about Living my best life doesn’t ring true to me. It seems like something that comes out of the mouth of health and wealth false teachers/charlatans.
4. I’m sure next year’s list will be filled with words springing out of this weird season we’re all in currently. What word or phrase associated with the Corona would you be happy to hear less often?
“Social Distancing” “Self Quarantine”
5. The month of May wraps up in just a few days. Bid her adieu in ten words or less.
May, thank you for opening welcome doors back to normal.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Here in Northeastern Washington where the population is low and the COVID-19 numbers are low, too, we have some normalcy returning. Dear and I went to a local eatery on Sunday for a burger and it felt as if things were normal in the establishment except for a table here and there that they had a sign on that said “Governor’s Table”. Made us chuckle. Something that is not normal yet is my COVID-19 hair. Oye and ouch. My mop needs a lot of help!
Photo from Mother’s Day with some gifts from our kids.
Thank you to Joyce for asking the questions and managing Hodgepodge.
1. In a single sentence tell us something about your 40’s. If you haven’t reached that milestone yet tell us (in a single sentence) something about whatever decade you’re in now.
The decade in my 40’s (1991-2001) was the most tumultuous of my life.
(Photo above taken at 2nd rental home 1998ish)
2. Life begins at forty. Agree or disagree? Tell us why. And if not at forty, when?
I don’t agree. I’m too black and white. Life began for me in my mother’s womb. From birth on life has been shaping who I am now. I was born again in 1963 so I’ve been in the sanctification process for 57 years. I wish I had been more obedient in this process.
Sanctification: When you were justified, you were declared righteous by God. Now that you are justified, there is a process of growth and transformation in which you are enabled more and more to grasp the reality that you are dead to your old sinful life and that you actually become more and more like Christ. There are three aspects to our sanctification: definitive sanctification, progressive sanctification, and ultimate sanctification.
3. Share a favorite book, song, or quote with a number featured in it somewhere.
I didn’t remember this great song with a number in the title but Theresa posted it on her post and it really has meant a lot to me over the past several years so I’m adding it in here. Thank you, Theresa!
This quote from the Bible is one I wrote down after reading it.
Jeremiah 32:39 ~I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever for their own good and the good of their children after them.
~
And this quote that I forget who said it…maybe Steve Lawson: “Don’t let your feelings get captured. Your feelings can suffocate your understanding of God. Gaze on the Lord 10x more than you concentrate on your feelings.”
4. A picture’s worth a thousand words, a stitch in time saves nine, back to square one, catch-22, on cloud nine, my two cents…pick a number phrase and tell us how it applies to your life currently.
I will pick “A picture’s worth a thousand words” or 1,000 pieces and 500 pieces. One of our COVID-19 stay at home activities has been putting together jigsaw puzzles. Some of these puzzles we’ve had for years and others were acquired before COVID at garage sales. The Fireside Embroidery one was a purchase during COVID-19. I was happy to see our local grocery store had a rack of puzzles a couple weeks ago and I grabbed this one.
Buying a threefold poster board has really aided our puzzling endeavors. We can move it off the dining room table easily if we are having the kids over for a meal. It also gives a nice flat surface.
5. Last time you drove more than 40 miles from home? More than 400 miles from home? Where were you going? Was it before or after this current season of social distancing?
Today bright and early we are driving to Spokane for a follow-up eye appointment. My surgery was last August. This will be a 70 mile drive from home. This one is during social distancing and Dear will have to wait in the car when I go in for my appointment.
The last time we drove closer to 400 miles from home was December 2019 when we drove to the Seattle area to stay overnight with our “Coast Kids” and then continue on to Chilliwack, British Columbia for our annual MGCC Christmas Party. This was before we knew about this Pandemic.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I’m going to go deeper into that decade in my forties. Dear’s mother was living with us in a Mother-in-law apartment in our basement. In that decade Dear completed his Pharmacy degree at the University of Washington, had a year of residency, got a job at Immunex Corporation in Seattle Washington. While he was in school I started a house cleaning business and added a medical clinic and dental clinic at night as part of the job. Dear and I worked together in the evenings at those clinics. Because Dear’s mother was living with us we could leave at night after the kids were in bed. I was the skinniest I had ever been with all that aerobic scrubbing.
When Dear’s new career was going well I retired my cleaning business just in time to pull our daughter out of public school and home school her for 4th, 5th and 6th grade. She was experiencing heart wrenching persecution at school. During those homeschooling years with our sons in high school we had a major landslide on our back slope and long story short we walked away from our dream home and started the very new to us need to rent homes while still having all of Dear’s mother’s stuff in our possession. When the major slide forced us to walk away from our home, Dear’s mother moved out of our home to Yuba City, California to live close to her younger sister.
In May before our oldest son graduated from high school, Dear’s mother passed away and we were in Yuba City for the funeral and then having to divide up her stuff between Dear and his older brother and haul it back to our place. In August I drove Josh to Westmont College in Montecito , Califonia. (Santa Barbara), on my own. An emotional time for this mom. We were in our 2nd rental home at this time.
In Dan’s senior year we moved to our third rental home in October of 1998. In November of 1998 just one month after moving all our stuff to this third rental home the owner of the home told us he had to sell the home. We were devastated with this news not knowing where we could move next. We decided to try to buy this rental and were amazed to find out that there was nothing on our record showing we had defaulted on our landslide house loan! We bought our home in Kenmore not because we chose it but because we couldn’t face moving again. We enjoyed 20 years in that home and made some amazing upgrades to the property. Dan graduated from high school in 1999. We had Josh and Laura’s rehearsal dinner at this home in August of 2001 and then in September of 200l life changed for all of us because of 9-11. And that my friends was my decade in my forties.
That’s just a little of the story of my 40’s! I’m happy to say my fifties and sixties have been less tumultuous and filled with some wonderful adventures and travel. In my late fifties I was connected to the Mennonite Girls. In my sixties we enjoyed the weddings of our daughter Katie and our son Dan. We made a major move again this time to the country from the city. Blessed with two grandchildren in our sixties. And now Dear is officially retired.
But…we press on to the upward call…
Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Thank you to Joyce for coming up with the questions for Hodgepodge!
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 