Wednesday HodgePodge

Answer the questions and link up -- 

Have you ever had to wear a uniform? If yes, tell us more. Did you love it or hate it?
Let’s see . . .we ordered Trinity shirts a few years ago and we were going to wear those to work . . . didn’t really catch on.  The last time that I remember wearing a uniform was in middle and high school PE – Lord, have mercy – that sure does date me.  I hated those uniforms.  Of course, I DO NOT have a picture of me in one of those uniforms but I found a picture of one online for your enjoyment!! 

April 22nd is Earth Day. What is one thing you do personally to be a good steward of planet Earth.
I don’t litter!  We have a Parkway that runs beside/into/out of our neighborhood.  There are hiking trails all around and every weekend, people just throw out their bottles and paper all over the parkway.  Why, oh why, would you litter?  I just don’t get it.  I should do a lot more to be a good steward of our earth.

Brown rice, quinoa, or couscous...your healthy grain of choice? How often are one of the three on your menu at home? Given a choice between white rice, brown rice, wild rice, and fried rice which would you go for?
I normally LOVE couscous but several months ago, I made my favorite concoction – box of couscous cooked in chicken broth, add a can of rotel and a can of drained and rinsed black beans – heat through and top with grated cheese.   I had some weird stomach thing during the night and threw up (I HATE to throw up!!!!!!).  I haven’t wanted couscous since then!!!  I like brown rice.  I want to try quinoa but haven’t yet.  I love fried rice from the local Chinese restaurant!  I also like white, brown and wild.  My favorite way to cook rice is to melt a little butter in a skillet.  Add the correct amount of long cooking rice and some chopped onion.  Stir continuously and let the onion and rice brown (it will BURN in a hurry – do not walk away – can you tell I’ve done this???)  Add beef broth or chicken broth (depending on the main course) instead of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for the allotted time.  When you brown the rice, it brings out this wonderful nutty flavor!!

In your opinion, who has the best job ever?
That is a very interesting question.  I almost typed, “I do!”  Maybe that is my answer.  I get to work in a wonderful environment with mostly great folks.  I get to laugh a lot and I get to help people know Jesus.  I know you might wonder how I could do that in my role as “just” an assistant . . .but I talk to all sorts of people every day.

What's a situation in your life currently requiring patience?
see #4 . . .I talk to all sorts of people every day.  Need I say more?

Do you live your life around the days of the week?
pretty much!  We host a large group of young professionals in our house on Tuesday night and I teach/facilitate a large adult Sunday School class.  I keep a running list of things to do.  Saturday mornings are final prep on the Sunday School lesson.  I usually spend several hours on the lesson.  Saturday afternoons are for grocery buying.  Sunday mornings belong to Trinity UMC.  Sunday afternoons, I prep food for Tuesday nights and I preview the DVD for Tuesday night study and prepare the questions and agenda.  Monday night and Tuesday afternoon – cook, etc. for Tuesday nights.  Wednesday, I work at the office and then crash when I get home.  Starting on Thursday, I start gearing up again for Sunday.

In a nod to the A to Z challenge happening around town this month, what 'R word' best describes your April?

Restorative?  Reflective? Hearing Jen Hatmaker was wonderful and I am still pondering her words.  Brian and Nathan’s sermon series on Taboo topics has been excellent.  I started to type RAINY because it seems like the old saying, “April showers bring May flowers” has been spot on.  I must admit that I googled adjectives that begin with R.  There is a website with the name adjectivesstarting.com.  I just found it.  Can you believe it?  How about rascally? Or rapturous? Or how about repulsive?  Hahahahaha.  There is a lady that attends our church and she always had a saying for every month – like audaciously awesome April.  She would breeze through the office (now I’m laughing about the breeze part – she always wore so much perfume that we could smell her when she entered the building on another floor – I AM NOT KIDDING) and take care of her business and as she was leaving, she would turn around and say, “have an . . . insert words that begin with an A – admirable, perhaps? Or adorable. . .April.”

Insert your own random thought here. 

My oldest sister, Glenine, has experienced a great loss in the last week.  Her husband of 51 years died.  He had been suffering from dementia and other illnesses and had been living in a nursing home for over a year.  They’ve decided to wait several weeks before having a memorial service.  She lives about an hour away and I’ve mailed things and ordered food from Honeybakedham.com.  I haven’t been to see her yet and I’m going to go right after Sunday School on Sunday.  Our study last night was a continuation of ASK IT by Andy Stanley.  He talked about our time and about how small deposits of time add up over the years.  I’m going to ask her on Sunday if she would like to meet for lunch once a month.  We can spend a couple of hours together once a month and make those small deposits of time add up.  I hope she will agree.  We haven’t lived in the same city in many years and there is a 13 year difference in our ages.  She was already married and out of the house by the time I was 5 so we haven’t spent much time together over the years.  I work full time now and she is retired.  I was raising twins while she was working full time. (her two children and I are closer in age than she and I are – she has a granddaughter who is only 6 months older than my children).  Andy Stanley’s words last night hit many of us squarely between the eyes.  How are we spending our time?  Are we spending it wisely?  His question is “In light of your past experiences, your current circumstances, and your future hopes and dreams, what is the WISE thing for you to do – with your time?”  There have been times in the past where I just couldn’t spend my time with her, my current circumstances include a full time job and many other responsibilities . . .my future hopes and dreams include no regrets.  The WISE thing to do would be to try to schedule a time together each month.