My Hodgepodge Plans

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 your neighbor there, because comments make the blog world go round. Here we go-

1. When did you last have cancelled plans? Were you happy about that or disappointed? 

This past weekend actually. You'll find the details here-What To Expect When You're Expecting (not that kind).  I was super disappointed at first, but I got over it and embraced Plan B. 

2. On a scale of 1-10 how much of a planner are you? 

1= I go where the wind takes me  

10=I've got a power point on it, no matter what it is

I'm definitely NOT a 1. And 10 sounds like someone who can't go with the flow when going with the flow is required, so I'm not a 10 either. I am a planner and in general, enjoy planning. I like lists and adding things to the calendar and figuring out what there is to see when we travel, etc. But I can also flex when flexing is necessary and it so often is. I'm calling myself a 7. 

3. Do you have a menu plan for the week? If so tell us one or two things that are on it. If not, what's your plan for not having a plan lol? 

I do. I hold it loosely because if someone suggests a meet up someplace I'm on board. I make a general meal plan at the beginning of the week and adjust as needed. We're out a lot and on the go a lot but since we're home this week, I'm trying to eat on the lighter side. 

I used to love the California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ salad and I'm making a knock off version of that this week. It calls for jicama which I like, but I've never cut into one so that's something new. I'm also making a slow cooker swiss steak on Thursday because I'm out for a good chunk of the day and like not having to think about dinner when I get home. 

4. The Hodgepodge lands on National Bucket List Day. Do you have a bucket list? Is it written down or just in your head? What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don't have a list, what is one thing you'd add to a list if you did? Yes I'm going to make you think about it. 

Not a written one, but I suppose there's one running through my head. I used to keep a list on my sidebar called 101 in 1001 which was a list of 101 things (both large and small) that I wanted to see/do/try/complete in the next 1001 days. I might revisit that now that I remember it's there. 

Okay, true story I went down a rabbit hole reading back over my lists and I'm definitely going to revisit. I might make it a link up if anyone would be interested in trying it too. Here are the links to my first list, and my second. The last one was 'completed' in 2018 so it's been a while. 

101 in 1001-Volume 1

Ready, Set, Goal-Volume 2

Back to today...what's one thing on my bucket list? A trip back to the UK with my hubs. Since moving back to the states in 2009 we've both made trips back, just not together. It's time. And it's on the calendar so whoohoo! 

5. Rain buckets, a drop in the bucket, couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, sweat buckets, cry buckets...which 'bucket' idiom applies to your life in some way currently? 

Nothing stands out, but 'couldn't carry a tune in a bucket' always applies lol. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Many of you who've been around the Hodgepodge a long time used to also read my daughter's blogs. They both more or less set them aside because life is busy and they're trying to be intentional about how much time they spend online while raising young children. 

Both are back, not in daily posting (ain't nobody got time for that!!), but they're figuring out what works in this season of life. Hop over and say hi if you're interested in catching up. Daughter1 shares some exciting news I will definitely be weighing in on, and Daughter2 most recently shared her baby's birth story, which isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoy reading them. I love the details written out to remember and wish I'd recorded more of life's everyday 'stuff' when mine were little. 

Daughter1-Sincerely Shannon

Daughter 2-It's Elementary 

Have a great Wednesday everyone! 

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What's The Plan Stan?

I could waste time here explaining in far too much detail how and why I dropped the blog ball yesterday, but let's just file it under poor planning and move on with the challenge.

Actually I have to add one more thing because if you know me you know I have a hard time simply moving on without explanation. One reason I didn't tackle yesterday's word was because I'd written a five minute post on yesterday's prompt-STORY a few years back. (August 2, 2013 to be exact)

That post lodged itself in my brain, and at the end of a very long Tuesday I lacked the oomph required to come up with something new and fresh. I don't like every blog post I've ever written, but I did like that particular post and have linked it here. Okay, moving on for real now...

Today's one word prompt-PLAN

Well. Isn't that timely? Ha!

What's the plan Stan? We say that a lot here, sometimes in reference to what's on tap for the weekend and sometimes in reference to what's on tap for life. I've always been something of a planner. A list maker-date keeper-goal setter-tell me what's the plan kind of girl. I love party planning, travel planning, wedding planning, meal planning, a week at a glance and dates on the calendar. For the most part this has served me well and I enjoy the sense of accomplishment I feel when a plan comes together.

And then sometimes a plan falls apart.
Completely totally wildly to pieces.

What does a planner do then?

She learns to unwrap her tightly clenched fist, the one holding her notebook or her calendar or her 'picture of the future' and trust God has a better plan. It's hard sometimes because our plans can look good, can even be good and seem like the right and best way forward until kaboom.

Here's what I know. God can make beauty out of the ashes of our blown up hopes and dreams. He  uses the broken pieces of our seemingly good, but ultimately failed plans to teach us, grow us, and give us something better.

We don't want people telling us that in the immediate aftermath of a plan gone awry, but as the dust settles grab hold of that truth and tuck it in tight.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9