Oh My Stars It's The Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post then leave a comment for the blogger there before you. Kind comments make the blog world go round, and for that we're grateful. Here we go-

1. Marilyn texted me something that inspired this question, so thank you Marilyn! Of the following sayings, typically associated with the (American) southern way of speaking, which do you most relate to right now? Explain. 

Bless your heart~too big for yer britches~ madder than a wet hen~you're preachin' to the choir~

knee high to a grasshopper~oh my stars

As it happens today is Marilyn's birthday so everyone hop over to her blog (Memphis Bridges) and wish her a happy day. 

My grandma used to say 'oh my stars' a lot and that one makes me think of her. Today I'm going with  "you're preachin' to the choir'. Feels apropos in these turbulent times. I see so many 'political' posts shared on Facebook, but I don't see those posts changing anyone's mind. 

2. The Hodgepodge lands on (US) Veterans Day this year. Are you a veteran? Have a family member who's a veteran? If you answered yes, tell us something about them. Will you do anything to mark the day in some special way? 

I'm not a veteran but am the daughter of one,  and I appreciate our service men and women more than I can say. My dad was a Marine and served in three wars. I'm proud of that. My son-in-law went to med school courtesy of the US Army so he served his country and finished med school debt free. A win-win. 

If I see someone wearing a hat that suggests they were in the service I'll ask, and if they say yes I'll tell them thank you. I try to pay for coffee or a meal if the opportunity presents itself. Our neighborhood has a monthly happy hour at the clubhouse and in November we honor any veterans who happen to be neighbors. Someone puts together a slide show that will play while we sip and chat, and last year they played all of the anthems from the various service branches which always stirs up feelings of patriotic pride. 

3. Is breakfast for dinner a stroke of genius or a sign of total household collapse? Is breakfast for dinner a regular thing at your house? Are all family members on board? 

Personally I'd call it a stroke of genius. Who doesn't love breakfast? I wouldn't say it's a regular thing here, but if we've been traveling, going going going, or have no plan for dinner then an omelette is one of our go-to options. Or a fried egg sandwich. 

I don't do waffles or pancakes or that sort of thing, but when there were little ones in the house that was popular. Hubs is on board with an omelette and in fact, if we're having an omelette he's the chef. 

4. How do you see the world? 

Broken. In need of a Savior. But also beautiful. Filled with small acts of kindness, goodness, and generosity if we're paying attention. We had a message on gratitude last week in church and one of the things the pastor said really stuck with me. 

So often it's not that we aren't grateful, but we're busy. So so busy. Distracted. In such a hurry to move on to the next thing that we don't pause to acknowledge how grateful we are for what we have, what's right in front of us, how much we've been given.  I think that's so true. 

5. And this week's gratitude question-what's something about your surroundings (home, neighborhood, city) you're grateful for? 

The lake has been absolutely gorgeous this fall. Stunning. I tried to snap a picture on Monday capturing the tree line reflected in the water, but my picture doesn't do it justice-

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A very dear and precious friend of mine passed away yesterday. I met her in a Bible Study in the UK the first year I was there and we've remained friends for more than twenty years. She loved Jesus with her whole heart, always pointing people to Him, always with a smile on her face and joy in her heart. She leaves a legacy of faithfulness, thoughtfulness, love, and graciousness that I admire and hope for in my own life. 

Some friendships feel like a little glimpse of heaven. Hers was one of them.