Post-Pandemic Blogging

Are we post pandemic? Depends who you ask-ha! We have resumed normal life for the most part here, with a few exceptions when exceptions are called for. I am not getting into a fist fight or verbal altercation with anyone over masks, vaccines, or the like, and wish everyone could at least agree on that. 

Mostly hubs and I say it feels like someone flipped a switch and the train is back on track. Our calendar has certainly ratcheted up a notch or ten and it feels good.

At the same time, this past year and a half has shown me I don't want to be busy every single day. While I'm super excited to have houseguests once more, I am purposely leaving some blank space in the summer calendar for quiet daydreams, naps on the porch, and the occasional orange crush from our lakeside Cabana. 

The weather is most definitely saying summer here, so on Saturday night hubs grilled steaks on the Big Green Egg, and afterwards we took our first boat ride of the season. 

Early evening into sunset is one of the best times to be on the water, partly because day boaters have exhausted themselves and are docked for the night, but mostly because the sky is everything I love about summer. 

On Sunday we had Sunday School via Zoom, but church in person. Hmmm...here's how I feel...everyone is doing their best to make good decisions for the benefit of all so we're rolling with it. Funny story-we attended church in person last Sunday too and y'all! In true 2020 fashion (yes I still call the whole big mess 2020) a baby possum entered the sanctuary mid-sermon, and created a bit of a ruckus. 

We had the side doors open at both the front and rear of the church and he walked on in like ain't no big thing. One of the Deacons sitting nearby leapt to his feet and gently nudged the possum out the back door, and if that isn't this past year in a nutshell I don't know what is. 

In other news, my favorite people will be stateside in the not too distant future (time is relative of course) and I cannot wait to get my hands on these happy little men. I don't want to wish away the summer, but it's awfully hard not to count the days. 

God grows us in seasons of waiting and I guess I've still got some growing to do. 

In the meantime I look at the beauty of a watercolored sky and remember He's got the whole world in His hands.

Tuesday

It's feast or famine here in terms of blogging. How about just an ordinary Tuesday what's new with you kind of post? 

We spent a lovely spur of the moment weekend in the mountains where we did a little bit of shopping and a lot of eating. We stayed in the charming town of Highlands NC which has so many wonderful restaurants it's hard not to indulge. 

I took almost no pictures and just enjoyed the views and the company. 

It seems like we've gone from doing absolutely nothing to a somewhat busy calendar these past two weeks which may explain why, when we pulled in the driveway on Sunday I remarked, 'Hey look, someone has gifted us a beautiful bird bath.' 

I don't know who I thought might have done that, but hubs said, 'yeah, I put that out there about four days ago and have been waiting for you to notice.' Apparently all this staying at home has messed with my powers of observation. 

We're still blaming everything on Covid, right? 

Anyway, the lovely purple finch has been enjoying the new splash pad and I'm sure has friends who will join him before too long. 

I heard from both my girlies via Facetime on Mother's Day which is not as fabulous as having them here in person, but still very special. Daughter2 sent me a framed wedding pic of the two of us that I absolutely love, and daughter1 sent Farmgirl Flowers of which I am a big big fan. Their creations are completely extra, plus there was a fun little bag of goodies tucked inside the box too...Swedish candy, salted caramels, toffee popcorn, a couple of face masks, and a candle. 

I spoke to my own mama Sunday afternoon and every Mother's Day I have with her in my life means so much to me. 

In other news we've got a couple of little-ish interior home projects going on, and I specify interior because if you know my hubs you know he has a never ending list of exterior home projects and would happily landscape, plant trees, plant shrubs, plant more trees and more shrubs if I didn't intervene. 

I'm changing up my office right down to the walls, re-doing our keeping room with a larger, lighter hued rug, and four new comfy chairs, adding wallpaper to a water closet in one of the guest suites, new bedding in that same guest suite, and reconfiguring shelving in my closet. It will be a lovely re-fresh when all is said and done. It's hard to believe we've been in this house nearly four years now but the calendar does not lie. 

Does 2020 count double time because I feel like maybe it should? 

The weekend is looking lovely so perhaps an inaugural boat ride is in order. We like to let the pollen calm down before we do too much boating, and like I said, we've been busy with projects and assorted other goings on. Hubs had the boat out once for a quick 'let's make sure it's running' spin around the neighborhood, but I haven't had a ride yet this season and I'm thinking it's time. 

Yes it's Tuesday and I'm already talking about the weekend. 

It's nice to be a little bit busy but I also know I cannot be busy all day every day. Chalk that up to life lessons learned courtesy of Corona and the crazy year that was. Is? Whatever. Here's a picture of the Cobb salad I made for dinner last night-

Because salad pics are blog content on ordinary Tuesdays. Enjoy yours! 

It's Always Sunny In The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. 

One item of business...I'm declaring next week Spring Break in the Hodgepodge. Between Easter weekend happenings, wrapping up the wedding recap, the A-Z Blog challenge starting, and life in general, I need a breather. So no HP on Wednesday April 7th, but back in action on April 14th. 

Okay, here we go-

1. The Hodgepodge lands on the last day of March...in ten words or lest bid the month adieu. 

Were you really only 31 days? 

2. March 31st is National Tater Day...your favorite way to have a potato? Given a choice would you opt for sweet, white, or red? How often are potatoes on your menu in one form or another? Ever been to Idaho? If not, is that a state you'd like to visit someday?

I love potatoes pretty much any which way you want to serve them. The tiny red ones are my fave. That being said I try not to indulge too often and I steer clear of fries. Except when hubs orders and then it's okay if he wants to share. My favorite is for sure homemade mashed potatoes, reserved for holidays and special guest dinners only. 

I've never been to Idaho, but sure I'd love to visit. There's some beautiful scenery and Yellowstone creeps across the line there, so absolutely let's go. 

3. Last time someone or something 'rained on your parade'? Explain. 

Pretty sure we can all say Corona and the ensuing restrictions, lockdowns, and nonsense dumped buckets on everyone's parade. Specifically hubs and I wanted to a) spend my birthday in the UK and b) take another round the globe trip to visit our daughter and her family in South Korea. We were hoping to see a little bit more of Asia while they were there, but are so thankful we at least were able to meet baby Max in person. 

If you're new here, his name is not Max. That's just how he's referred to on the blog.  

4. Put all your eggs in one basket, get cracking, nest egg, bad egg, good egg, egg on, have egg on your face, or walk on eggshells...choose a phrase from the list that applies to something in your life currently and tell us how or why.

There is a fairly significant home project I need to get crackin' on. While there's no firm timetable for getting this particular job done, hubs is a 'git 'er done' kind of guy, so I need to 'get crackin'. 

5. If I visited your home would I find a lot of baskets there? Something you like to keep in a basket? 

Not a lot of baskets, but some yes. I used to have more but really pared down to just the ones I actually use. Something I keep in a basket...crackers? I don't really decorate with baskets anymore. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

I've been recapping my daughter's wedding in words and pictures and this seems like a good place to share one more. Her dress y'all...

Swoon!

In A Word

I saw this writing prompt on Tanya's blog (The Other Side Of The Road) and thought I'd play along. This month marks one year since the world went topsy turvy (topsy turvy-er?), and as my blog is more or less a journal of my observations about life, this seemed like a nice way to sum up the year that was. 

Can it be summed up? 

We shall see. 

If you'd like to answer the questions copy the graphic and have at it. Let me know if you do so I can read what you write-

What was life like in early 2020? Well, it was ordinary is what it was. I only wrote three blog posts in all of January and February and they were about the everyday beauty found in a pinky red sunrise, adorable baby boys growing up fast, a road trip to my mother's house in New Jersey which, as it happened, was the last time I saw her in person until a couple of weeks ago. I also posted a list of small seemingly manageable goals for the year. Ha! 

2020 just laughed at our goals and resolutions, wouldn't you say? 

Unlike many Americans Covid was actually fairly high on our radar because we have family living in South Korea, and they'd locked down there two months prior. We were naturally anxious for their safety, but the country and the Army both seemed to have the situation mostly in hand. 

In early March hubs and I drove to Florida to spend time with lake neighbors who had recently purchased a home there. We had a wonderful few days of fun in the sun before the clouds rolled in. 

And rolled and rolled and rolled and remained pretty much to this day.  

Covid struck here for real the day we headed home, and in those early days we were all pretty much on the same page as far as staying home, apart, and a little on edge. It was almost as if we'd been issued a group challenge and as a nation were determined to master it. We felt up to the task and thought fourteen days at home to slow the curve would be very do-able.  

Yeah. Remember fourteen days? Well it morphed into something else entirely and people lost their ever lovin' minds ransacking the toilet paper aisle and buying up all the yeast, flour, rice, and clorox wipes they could get their hands on. 

In a word-ridunkulous. 

What was the biggest change? America turned ugly. It wasn't just Covid though...I think it was Covid combined with so many people's endless (and I do mean endless), borderline-sick, white-hot hatred of our president and their inability to not carry on and completely melt down over every single word he spoke, tweeted or thought. It's really hard for me to separate the pandemic from the political fallout because I think it was a double whammy we have yet to recover from. 

In a word-exhausting

What were my coping mechanisms? Baking for one, but of course I couldn't keep that pace up for an entire year. I mean I could have, but we had a wedding to plan and a dress to wear which was highly motivating. 

Mostly I spent very little time on social media, and when I did scroll I hid or muted anyone spewing vitriol and judgement about lockdowns, social distancing, mask wearing, and the election, all under the guise of opinion stated as fact. Hubs and I intentionally listened to as little news as possible and I read books, prayed a lot, Zoomed with family and friends and I blogged. These things kept me sane when the world felt...

in a word-insane. 

What did connection in my relationships look like? 

It looked a lot like text threads, faces on a screen, and a perpetual longing for things to be different. Like wishing I could hop on a plane and see my grandsons, hug my mom around the neck, and have a conversation with the person sitting beside me at a table, in a church pew, or standing less than six feet away in the check out line. 

Still we made it work. Things were far from perfect but the ties still bind. 

What will I remember most?

Lots of things...how one day felt so much like the next, how time was blurry and we kept thinking tomorrow would be different...better..

Masks and hand sanitizer and wrinkled fingertips.

Netflix, no makeup, and cooking all the meals all the days every day. 

Cancelled appointments, cancelled parties, cancelled trips, cancelled fun. 

So much judgement. 

In a word uncertainty. 

What was a beautiful memory?

My girl got married. I highly recommend a wedding in the middle of life's most uncertain seasons. Where no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Where hate is poison and joy is the antidote.

In a word-love wins. 

What do I believe now that I didn't one year ago? 

The media is lost. News is now commentary, very often without any facts at all behind it, and we are so much the poorer for it. 

In a word-dismayed 

What would I do differently? 

Buy stock in Purell, Clorox, and Kimberly-Clark? 

Honestly there was so very little we had the power to control that I'm not sure I could have done things differently. We live on a lake with plenty of space both indoors and out and took full advantage of the natural beauty in our own backyard. We're retired with no school aged children in the house, so we didn't have to figure out the whole work from home while also overseeing a child's education thing so many struggled with. 

Mostly we considered ourselves luckier than most. We rolled with the ebb and flow of life as best we knew how and I reminded myself daily God is bigger than any challenge we might face and He is still in charge of the universe. 

In a word-fortunate

What will I carry forward? 

That in the midst of both enormous challenges and minor irritations, quiet acts of kindness make things easier to bear. That God is present, working, and available even when we humans struggle to understand the hows and whys of a situation. 

Also this. These people. The knowledge that even when the world tilts love will find a way-

In a word-2020

About Last Week

Just doing my usual here aka playing catch up. We've actually had a few things on our calendar which feels strange and fun and not quite normal, but let's say almost normal. 

My mother-in-law celebrated a birthday last week and we were able to surprise her by showing up for lunch on the actual day. We drove over to Tennessee the night before and had a great time catching up in person with hubs brother and sister-in-law. They live on a lake and we like to compare notes and landscaping plans and projects amongst other things. 

There's a restaurant in their nearby town we've been wanting to try and we finally had a chance to do just that. The Walnut Kitchen was started by a chef who came from Blackberry Farm, and let me state for the record Blackberry Farm is high on my list of places to someday spend a night or two. Anyway the original owner of the Walnut Kitchen has I think moved on, but the restaurant has retained his vision. We had a wonderful meal and it felt so good to be dining out. 

My mother-in-law was not expecting to see any of her family on her actual birthday and we'd all made excuses as a cover story. Her best friends told her they wanted to take her to lunch and she was so surprised to walk back to the table and find her oldest and youngest sons there to greet her. 

We were missing two of the sibs, but since Covid continues to wreak havoc on people's ability to move about if they have kids in school or in-person jobs they weren't able to join us. 

Still a real day brightener to at least have half of her crew sitting beside her. After lunch we went back to my brother-in-laws lake house and my mother-in-law came too for an enjoyable and relaxing afternoon of porch sitting and face to face conversation. We headed home Friday morning because we had company of our own coming for dinner on Saturday evening. 

No pictures of the people but I did make a key lime pie for dessert and snapped a picture of that. I served the pie on these pretty plates, a recent addition to my dish collection courtesy of my grandmother via my mother. Question-can a person have too many pretty dishes? Asking for a friend who is hoping the answer is no. 

And now here we are rolling in to a brand new week. I see the dentist first thing in the morning which feels like a very Monday thing to do. Tell me what fun thing you have planned that can top that? 

Coming Clean In The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another 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 before you. It's the neighborly thing to do in this mid-week little blog hop. 

 

1. Your favorite cleaning product? Do you clean your own house or hire out? Most disliked household chore? What one chore do you not mind so much? 

100 meaningless extra credit points to anyone who figured out what inspired this question...

I can't say I have a favorite cleaning product. Maybe my hubs? Ha! He is really helpful and there are a few tasks he regularly takes care of around the house which I very much appreciate. He vacuums and I clean bathrooms. He takes care of the wood floors and windows and I cook, meal plan, dust, and handle the laundry. 

Housekeeping is definitely a shared job here, and we clean our own because we can. I've had a housekeeper in the past and that was nice too, but right now we're home, it's just the two of us, and we're neat. 

My most disliked chore is ironing. Hubs likes to iron so I rarely have to take this one on. I don't mind washing dishes. I have a dishwasher, but still wash a lot of things by hand. 

 2. It's Canned Food Month...do you use a lot of canned goods? What are the three canned items you purchase most often? Last thing you made using a canned ingredient? 

I don't use a lot of canned food items but the three I purchase most often are probably Del Monte Blue Lake fresh cut whole green beans (they must be whole and I can eat them right out of the can), RO-TEL, and kidney/black beans for chilli. 

Last thing I made using a canned ingredient? Baked ziti...I made my own sauce but used some canned tomatoes. 

 3. Can of worms, anything can happen, can you imagine?, as best I can, kick the can down the road, more than one can take, no can do, not if I can help it...choose an idiom and tell us how you currently relate.

Nothing particular relates but I was reminded of something from childhood that feels like it might fit. When I was a child I spent a week or more at summer camp. Each week had a theme and one week was always Anything Can Happen Week.  The year 2020 2021 feels a little bit like that week. 

4.The last Tuesday in February is National Spa Day. Are you someone who enjoys a day at the spa? Last time you visited a spa? Do you have a favorite spa? Are salons open for business in your area? Have you made changes to your hair and nail routine since Corona hit? In what way? 

I do enjoy a day at the spa, but sadly have not visited one since Corona struck. I especially love the spa at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Ft. Lauderdale but obviously don't get there regularly. 

Salons are open here with safety measures in place. My hair salon is small and I've been several times since March of last year. When I'm there it's just me and the stylist so I feel fine about that. I haven't visited a nail salon in the past year because that felt a bit more risky in terms of exposure. Plus I can live with bare nails more easily than I can gray roots. Just sayin'.  

Also,  for the record I'm not going another whole summer without a pedicure. 

 5. Believe it or not this is the last Hodgepodge of the month. In one sentence sum up your February. 

February? I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that it's 2021. 

Okay...it was cold, gray, and wet but also short so no complaints here. 

 6. Insert your own random thought here.

I know some of you have followed my daughter1's blog for a few years. She's left it quiet for a bit (211 days, not that I'm counting), but is back at it this week with a brand new post. Pop over and say hi if you have the time. The link is here-Sincerely-Shannon

Stuff On A 2020 Monday

Yes I know it's 2021. It's also another gray Monday in these parts, and I don't know why I say 'these parts' because I live in a neighborhood, not some remote cabin in the woods. Sometimes saying 'these parts' just feels right. 

It's going to be one of those posts isn't it? 

I got nothin'. 

Let's blog anyway. Actually I have many somethings, but I try so hard not to whine in this space and the thoughts in my head feel a teensy bit whiny. Where is the sun???

On the bright side all this rain is not snow. 

I might rather have snow. 

How was your weekend? Did you celebrate Valentine's Day in some way? Mine started early with hubs walking through the door Friday, the most gorgeous red roses in hand-

For the record fresh flowers make February feel less February-ish. 

We rarely dine out on Valentine's Day, or any day lately, but on Valentine's day we typically cook something together at home. This year our local wine store offered a 'to-go' cook at home special which included a half bottle of champagne, two filets, two crab cakes, and a bottle of red so that's what we did. Hubs grilled the steaks, I cooked the crab cakes, we added a wedge salad and shared a baked potato and it was all super delish. 

We made a creme brûlée for dessert. I cooked and hubs fired up the sugary top and I meant to take a picture but wasn't quick enough. Oh well. There's always next year. 

Saturday night our neighbors invited us over for a spur of the moment get together which was really fun. Fun friendly neighbors are a blessing y'all. It was just the four of us and we had tacos and played cards and listened to music and discussed life and marriage and summertime fun. It all felt very un-2020 ish.  

I know!! It's 2021 but somehow 2020 is a better descriptor, don't you think?

I have three books going currently so read a lot, and we watched more television than is probably good for us but we do what we must in the middle of a rainy, gray, corona-y winter. 

We had a fabulous Facetime with our grands, the highlight of which was my 3 year old grandson singing a new song he'd learned that is essentially Proverbs 17:22 set to music. He sings it with great enthusiasm and not a little drama proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that a joyful heart really is good medicine. 

In other unrelated news, I'm hoping to participate in this year's April A-Z blog challenge and am trying to come up with a theme now. I do better with a theme, but blog content is in short supply these days. As evidenced by this post,  ahem. Can I even write 26 posts in a row in 2020 2021? I'm open to suggestions. 

Okay. I guess we're done here. Summer's comin'! but in the meantime let's find our blessings in the small things, k? Have a great week everyone!

Happily Ever 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 linking before you. Here we go-

1. What's something we'd find you doing most afternoons? 

Afternoon activities vary here, but it's safe to say at some point between 1 and 3 PM you'll find me making a cup of tea. 

2. Who do you take after? In what way(s)? 

I'm like my mother in very many ways, but not all ways, and naturally there's some of my dad in me too. I wrote a post along these lines back in 2017 which you'll find here. Basically my mom and I both enjoy a lot of the same things... cooking, reading, Bible study, and loving our people. We're sensitive and we both might be a little bit stubborn or as I like to say 'independent'. We like the word home and all that entails. 

3. 'After every storm comes a rainbow' or 'the calm before the storm'...which phrase do you relate to more right now? Tell us why? 

I like the first one, but fear the latter applies better to our country just now. People are not happy and it shows. 

For me personally I'm going with the rainbow. We've just experienced a wonderful wedding weekend, and while I wouldn't necessarily describe the season of planning as 'stormy weather' it wasn't all cloudless skies either. 

The day itself was for sure all rainbows though.

4.What are your plans for the day after tomorrow? 

We don't have a lot of plans this week since we're coming off the wedding weekend. We're laying low and sticking close to home to be sure everyone is healthy. I'm doing a few things each day in the way of catching up...laundry, blogging, vendor reviews, putting away all the wedding bits and bobs...

5. Complete this sentence-"After all is said and done_____________________."

He is still the great I AM. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have almost no pictures on my phone, but here's one someone sent...a sneak peek of the gorgeous cake. You really need to see the wider view of the table it was sitting on because our florist worked some crazy beautiful magic there-

Ironically I'm holding my phone? I think we had just called her sister. 

Also, might as well get this out of the way now...that's the grooms adorable grandparents in the background, sharing one short small dance together all by their lonesome on the dance floor. Rest assured they wore masks at all times otherwise, had their vaccines prior, and did not stay past dinner. Not that it should be anyone's business but their own, except in 2021 people make all sorts of things their business that are not their business. 

I know by sharing photos there will be judgements made because sadly, that's how the internet rolls. With great judgement. With everyone's opinions stated as fact. Going forward I'm not going to explain the back story to each and every shot I post so keep calm and carry on everyone, and have a happy Wednesday. 

Good Things Come In Small Packages

Where to begin? My head is swimming and I need a nap, but I know from experience if I don't start to put some of my wedding-related thoughts into words the blog mountain will grow and feel insurmountable. I'm sure I'll write several posts diving into all the fun details but I need to start somewhere so let's start here.  

We hosted a wedding this past weekend. Yes. In the middle of a pandemic. And it was all the things a wedding should be...sacred and serious and beautiful and fun. So much fun! 

It was also small. Should weddings be small? Let's start there because I have a few things to say about that. 

If you know us in person you know we're social people. We've moved a lot and have friends scattered around the globe, and our daughters are both social creatures as well, with lots of friends scattered around the globe, and in fact our daughter1, the brides sister and bestest friend in the whole wide world is herself around the globe, which I'll get to in a minute, but the point is we like people. We like parties, social gatherings, laughing, dancing, music, and great big bunches of our friends and family in the same place at the same time. 

In 2021 that is just not meant to be. So what do you do? Do you postpone? Until when? Until summer? Next year? Nobody seems to know, and so we make a choice. We set new expectations and we laser in on the truly important. We find new ways of celebrating and marking life's milestones because by golly, they need to be celebrated and marked. 

Daughter2 and her oh so special groom joined hands and lives to become Mr. and Mrs. on a blue sky January day.  I think we all wondered how this wedding would look and how it would feel and I am here to tell you it looked amazing and it felt fabulous. 

For the record, I don't have many photographs to share because everyone was fully present which is how a wedding should be. I'm sharing a few phone snaps people have given me, but our fab photographer uses real film so the professional shots will take some time. 

We would not have chosen a small wedding were it not for Covid, but I can honestly say I loved everything about the size of our gathering. It was so wonderfully intimate and the venue was gorgeous. 

Then there was the bride. This girl was positively beaming, relaxed and happy as she marched confidently through the door God opened many months prior. She and her groom were able to thoroughly enjoy time with each other and with every guest present. We all were and that is so very special and something we've all taken away from the weekend. 

Quite a few of you who read here regularly have asked about the bride's sister, if she was there. In a word no. She had every intention of being there, she booked her trip, and later rearranged and rebooked her trip, but in the end she was unable to travel due to restrictions and complications on re-entry into S. Korea upon return. So that's that. Nobody needed the added stress of worrying about her coming to the states and getting stuck here while her boys were in S.Korea. We had many people praying specifically for clarity and the door was shut for her. It doesn't get much clearer than that. 

And you know what? There were some tears shed over this, BUT! they did not rule the day. If I were to make a list of my favorite moments of the entire weekend the video daughter1 made for her sister would be near the very top. She recorded herself giving her matron of honor speech and I have never in all my life heard a more perfect speech than this one. We played it as a surprise at the rehearsal dinner and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It felt like she was there and that was important. 

Our wedding planner (Beckon Events if you're in my part of the country-they are the absolute best!!) helped us set up a Facebook live feed so she could watch the ceremony, and we had other family members who were unable to travel view it there too, so that was something. Not the same as being there in person, but we are all doing our best in this season of uncertainty. 

And that's all I'm going to say about that, because it was not the main thing and I want to keep my eyes on the main thing. 

The adorable newlyweds. 

Who charmed their guests, danced every dance, and who know with God all things are possible. 

Hodgepodge Bells Are Gonna Chime

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Bet you can't guess what's filling my time, thoughts, and calendar right now-ha! If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post then leave a comment for your neighbor. Here we go-

1. When were you last a guest at an event or in someone's home? Tell us about it. Do you enjoy having guests in your own home? 

We made a weekend visit to see friends  back in September, and I think that was the last time I was a guest in someone's home. We laughed til our sides hurt, had a spontaneous dance party, and were so grateful to be together in person. 

Hubs and I gave everyone a hat that matched something about their personality...here's ours-

Accurate. 

I think my daughter's bridal shower in October was the last event I attended. It was a lovely, special day which I wrote about here. Both of these 'events' were a lot of fun, and felt as safe as anything can feel with a virus still lurking. 

We love having guests in our home and look forward to doing that again. Normally my house is a revolving door, at least in the summer months, and I'm hoping we have at least a few houseguests this year. 

2. What has you 'tied up in knots' currently or recently? Are you any good at tying actual knots? 

Planning a wedding during a pandemic opens the door to a whole lot of knot tying if you let it. We have worked hard to keep that door shut. I've had many people praying about some very specific requests, and I take great comfort in that support. I will not say there haven't been any disappointments because we've had some of those on a fairly grand scale, but I am trusting God for a day that is beautiful in every way. 

As far as real knots go...I feel like I do more untangling than I do tying. 

3. What's something you've been wanting to do and have decided 2021 will be the year you 'take the plunge'? 

Re-do my office. I don't just mean in terms of organization either. I want to put some shiplap on the walls, get rid of my big desk and add a small table instead, have a murphy bed made for the corner, and purchase a new computer. 

4. Something in your home that's old? Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue?

old-me? nope...we do have an old classic car here so let's go with that. 

new-I have a dress just waiting to be worn. Soon. eek! 

borrowed-a portable crib a friend loaned me when the mancub was born. We're still using it from time to time and she'll let me know when she needs it back. 

blue-I have quite a few navy blue accents in my home, and my bedroom has a comfy chair and ottoman in a seaglass shade that I love. That particular shade of blue is in the rug and window treatments too. It's restful. 

5. Share a favorite quote, a verse of scripture, and/or a bit of wisdom for couples getting married in this challenging and seemingly unpredictable season we're currently/still experiencing. 

I wrote a whole series of posts on marriage when my oldest was engaged. It was the theme of my April A-Z challenge that year (2014) and you'll find the first one linked here. Times change, but my feelings about marriage remain pretty much the same...

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 

"Great marriages don't happen by luck or by accident. They are the result of a consistent investment of time, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, affection, prayer, mutual respect, and a rock-solid commitment between a husband and a wife." Dave Willis

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Here comes the bride...

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 403

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then jump back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there!

1. When were you last a guest at an event or in someone's home? Tell us about it. Do you enjoy having guests in your own home? 

2. What has you 'tied up in knots' currently or recently? Are you any good at tying actual knots? 

3. What's something you've been wanting to do and have decided 2021 will be the year you 'take the plunge'? 

4. Something in your home that's old? Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue? 

5. Share a favorite quote, a verse of scripture, and/or a bit of wisdom for couples getting married in this challenging and seemingly unpredictable season we're currently/still experiencing. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The Good Samaritan

Our Sunday School class has been studying the parables of Jesus and today we discussed the well known tale of The Good Samaritan. I think even most non-church goers are at least a little bit familiar with this one as it has been absorbed into our culture and our vocabulary. Love your neighbor. Put words into action. Do good without judgement or expectation of reward.

There has been a lot of talk of unity in recent days, or perhaps the lack thereof would be a more accurate statement, and I was thinking about that word as we talked this morning about loving our neighbor and what that means. Caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, practically helping those in need seems far easier right now than getting along with someone from an opposing political party who shouts, judges, and lectures you via their social media feed, doesn't it? 

In the same way we can't make someone volunteer in a food bank, donate to charity, or build houses for the homeless, we cannot demand unity simply by declaring that it must be. Unity cannot be dictated, and it's not something that magically happens because of a shift in political power.  

Unity is an action word. It requires intent. It means listening to people who say you're wrong and they're right and why can't you just see that you're wrong??? and that is hard. So hard. 

Of course we want to respond when we feel verbally attacked or belittled. We feel an almost primal urge to counter their words with words of our own. Tell them why they're wrong and we're right and we can prove it this very second with an article, meme or post of our own. 

In 2021 we seem unable to not engage. 

We can't put the genie back in the bottle so how do we get there? How do we cross the seemingly uncrossable chasm that's ruptured life in America? 

Maybe we can brainstorm here because I feel certain the answer doesn't lie with a committee, a body of elected officials, or the President of the United States. I think it's going to come from ordinary citizens who don't compromise their faith or their strongly held beliefs but who don't argue them to death either. 

It might even look like having coffee with a neighbor, from six feet away if you must, but still you have that coffee. 

It's definitely less words, which may seem hypocritical coming from someone with a blog, but I'm referring to angry, self-righteous words spewed carelessly across Facebook pages and twitter rants or sadly in some cases around holiday dinner tables. 

I think it will involve quiet examination of our own souls (no need to announce it to the world) and a whole lot less public dissection of the souls of others. Everybody's got a log in their eye that needs removing so maybe we start with our own?

It could mean deleting apps from our phones and demonstrating good old-fashioned restraint, something that used to be common but has most definitely fallen by the wayside in the last decade or so. 

It probably means making the hard but conscious decision to keep some of our opinions to ourselves, and for the love of all things holy to quit sharing every but!, but! but!...we want to share. 

I think it means we talk about the weather. I'm serious. The weather is rarely confrontational and we could do with less confrontation right about now. 

It's grabbing some tennis shoes or hiking boots, a swim suit or a pair of skis, and getting outside. Removing ourselves from the noise and everything else that distracts from the beauty of this earth. It's choosing to see, experience, and share the good more than we share our opinions about the bad. Call that naive, call it wearing rose colored glasses if you want, but getting along is going to involve letting go of some things we've held in our tightly clenched fists for a long time now. 

I know for certain an essential part of the way forward is prayer. For the ones you love and the ones you 'hate'. Maybe you don't pray and perhaps that sounds trite or cliche to you, but prayer changes hearts and minds, our own most of all. 

How about we try being verbal good samaritans and let's see if we can make that go viral. 

A Post For The New Year

Hello 2021. We're all so glad to see you. We think? 

Do you make resolutions? Set goals? Create a list of things to do in the year that lies ahead? Does that exercise feel a little riskier than in year's past? We all want to peek around the corner, but we want someone else to go first and tell us it's going to be okay. 

Alrighty then. 

Me first.

It's going to be okay.

While this past year has felt different, harder, and more exhausting than most, the truth is we've never known what a brand new year would bring. We've never been able to see what's lurking beyond the bend or on the other side of a calendar page.

We make assumptions that the good in any particular year will far outweigh the bad and that sure, problems will arise but we know how to solve problems. No need to think too long or too hard about things we can't control because we can control things, right? 

Except last year. Whew. She was something, wasn't she? 

The hits just kept coming and the word 2020 became a synonym for anything awful, unexpected, or just plain ridiculous that occurred. And collectively I think we were a little bit shocked to discover we don't have a better handle on all the things. That we humans really don't know what might happen next, and it's possible for something to come out of left field and leave us reeling. 

Is the takeaway from 2020 that nothing can be known for sure? Counted on full stop? Be absolutely true?  

I'm going to say no. 
Let's not make that our takeaway. 

While the world, and our country in particular, continues to be in turmoil, while the virus continues to rage,  and while so much of what we've always counted on still feels just a little out of reach, this much I know is true-

God is still on His throne. 

There is never a day He is not in charge of the world He created. 

He has not changed or moved or lost His extraordinary interest in our lives, our heartaches, our disappointments, and our grief. 

He has not been surprised by one single solitary thing that transpired in the year 2020, and 2021 will bring Him no surprises either. 

He makes a way where we cannot see a way. 

And brings beauty to every season of our lives.  

I think we've given 2020 too much credit. Let's accept the gift of a brand new year with eyes wide open and hope in our hearts. Let's keep looking for the good and learning from the hard because never is a year just one or the other...

...not even 2020. 

'Teach us to number our days so we may have a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12