Wednesday Hodge Podge

1. When did you last 'swim against the tide'? Explain. Wow – that is a hard question.  As I read it to myself, I thought, “I’m a go with the flow” person. Do I ever swim against the tide?  I need someone who knows me well to tell me if I swim against the tide.  It may be one of those things that I can’t recognize in myself. I used to take a lot of water aerobics classes (before full time employment was needed) and it would be funny if someone (possibly me?) got turned around and headed into the group rather than with the group! (literally swimming against . . .)

2. What's the last self-help or self-improvement book you read? The Bible? Does that count?  I don’t read many self-help books.  By the time, I read and prepare a Sunday School lesson each week . . . and read a few pages of a mystery novel, there is not much time left for reading self-help.  Maybe I should start!

3. "Tolerance is a tremendous virtue, but the immediate neighbors of tolerance are apathy and weakness." (Sir James Goldsmith)

Agree or disagree? Discuss. With civility please, because I think we have a good thing going in our very diverse (in geography, age, religion, political persuasion, ethnicity, marital status, upbringing, and cooking abilities) neighborhood here on This Side of the Pond.                                       

We are doing a revival series by Adam Hamilton in our adult Sunday School class.  These quotes are from John Wesley – “though we can’t think alike, may we not love alike?” – the body of Christ is made up not only of people who are in my denomination or tribe but of all who call upon the name of Christ, even if they disagree on this or that point of doctrine.  Adam Hamilton writes, “I’ve found that, after listening to another person’s point of view, some ideas I was sure of were not nearly so convincing.  I’ve learned that it’s easy to be adamantly opposed to a viewpoint or position – be it theological, ethical, or political – when no one I deeply care about holds such views.  But as I get to know those with views different from my own and come to care about them and consider them my friends, it is hard to be adamantly opposed to their views.”  I’ve used the words of others but they pretty much sum up how I feel – I think tolerance is a good thing – God made us all (even those of us who don’t believe in God – shhhhh)  We ought to spend more time learning about each other and loving each other than arguing about things.  (not sure I answered the question but those are the thoughts in my head today!)

4. What is one of your most vivid memories of the kitchen from your childhood? Great question – why do I have to think so hard about the answers!!  Let’s see – I can remember washing and drying dishes with my sister and with my momma.  I remember sitting around the table eating.  I actually remember sitting there and refusing to eat something . . .and I remember being told that was my only option.  I didn’t eat it. (salmon patties – still hate them – still don’t plan to eat them).  I also remember my granny making homemade biscuits – why, oh why, didn’t I learn how to make them???

5. How did/do your own children's summers compare with your summers as a child? If you're not a parent, answer as it relates to what you've observed about the current generation of children vs. your own childhood. When I was a kid, we played outside.  We went to Vacation Bible School for a week.  We walked to the local pool (it closed when I was very young).  We built Barbie houses using books for walls and washcloths for carpet and steps for multi-level homes.  We played kickball in the street (I was a champion kickball player – no – really!).  We would swing in the swing and sing “This land is your land, this land is my land, from California to the New York Islands” at the top of our lungs!!  We rode our bicycles all over town. We caught lightening bugs in a jar. Today, kids “go to” activities – they go to art lessons. They go to art camp. They go to basketball camp. They go to this and go to that.  I wonder when kids get to be kids?  When do kids play in the yard and get all sweaty and smell like puppies (that is what my mother always said)?  When do kids use their imaginations?

6. Tell us what body of water you would most like to be on or near today, and why?  I would be happy to be in the pool at the Four Seasons in Orange Beach, AL or I would be happy to be floating on a noodle at Lake Tuscaloosa.  I would even be happy to be floating around in the pool in our neighborhood.  I miss summer - here are a couple of pictures from Four Seasons in Orange Beach

7.  Share a favorite song about water, or a favorite song with the word water in it's title, or a favorite song to listen to as you sit beside the water. The first one that comes to mind is “Toes” by the Zac Brown Band – I’ve got my toes in the water, ass in the sand. Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand. Life is good today.  Life is good today. 

From one extreme to another – I also love the song our church sings in the contemporary service when someone is baptized – “Down to the River to Pray” – As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good ol’ way and who shall wear the starry crown? Good Lord show me the way. O sisters let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down. O sisters let’s go down, down in the river to pray.

Just one more – I promise – I really really love “Oceans” by Hillsong, too. You call me out upon the waters – The great unknown where feet may fail – and there I find you in the mystery – In oceans deep – May faith will stand . . .

8. Insert your own random thought here. I guess my first random thought would be that it would help if I would answer the questions correctly!!  My real random thought is that our grandpup is home safe and sound.  She got out of the house and climbed an 8 foot wooden privacy fence on the fourth of July.  We have all been sick over this.  We have tromped through woods and over golf courses and called her name.  We have cried – all of us including the men.  We have even prayed about it.  Last night, someone called our daughter-in-law and she had been found.  She is home safe and sound with her family.  An email just popped into my inbox (literally right now) from a church member (remember I work on a church staff).  It simply says, “I feel a very special blog coming- Lost children.”  Maybe so . . .maybe so!!