Wednesday Hodge Podge

join us with these fun questions from over at "From this side of the pond"

1. Is your home air conditioned? If it's not air conditioned, is that by choice? Did you grow up with air conditioning? If not how did you cope with the heat? Share about a time or place you remember as being too hot-the temperature kind of hot, lest anyone be confused. 

I actually laughed at this question.  I live in Alabama.  Our highs have been in the upper 90’s with a heat index of 107.  We have HIGH humidity – really HIGH!  Yes, we have air conditioning and it runs probably about 9 months of the year.  We need heat in December, January and February – sometimes we run our heat for a few mornings in November and March.  The rest of the year, we usually have on the air conditioner.  There might be a couple of weeks in the year, where we run nothing.  There are pictures of me as a newborn and there is a giant fan on a stand in the background of the picture.  I’m assuming that means that there was no air conditioner BUT I don’t remember that.  We had the old timey window units in the house where I grew up.  We are so spoiled that when our air conditioners break, we think we are going to die.

2. What's something in your life right now that falls under the heading 'up in the air'? I facilitate a young adult group on Tuesday nights and an adult (my age) class on Sunday mornings in our church.  I have no idea what material we will be using next . . .so that is “up in the air!”  On Sunday mornings, we are studying Revival by Adam Hamilton right now and it is great! On Tuesday nights, one of our ministers is leading a study on the Seven Deadly Sins. Any suggestions for new material?

3. Your favorite light and airy dessert? I started to type cheesecake but it is not light and airy!  Sherbet?  Actually, there is a sheet cheesecake that they used to serve at Camp Sumatanga that was light and fluffy.  I need to find a recipe for that!!

4. When did you last feel like you were 'floating on air'?
Are you familiar with the Walk to Emmaus? (or Cursillo? Or Tres Dias?) When you give one of the talks on an Emmaus weekend, you go to the prayer chapel about 40 minutes before the talk and there is a group of people there who lay hands on you and pray for you while you kneel.  The room where the talks are given is down a flight of steps.  I always call that “being prayed up.” As you walk down those steps, it is as if your feet never touch the steps – you are floating on air. (if you don’t know me, you probably think I have lost my mind but I promise I haven’t!)

5. Airport, airmail, airtight, airhead...which have you most recently encountered? Explain. I haven’t flown anywhere lately. I haven’t mailed anything via airmail lately. Airtight? Heck, I don’t know! I’m sure I have encountered an airhead (judgemental!!) – maybe I have been an airhead sometime recently!!  I’m sure I have.

6.  Have you ever been to the Alps? If so where did you go? If not, is this a destination on your must-see list? If you were headed that direction this summer, which of the following would be your preferred activity...a gentle walk, a serious walk, a bike ride, a boat ride around one of the lakes, or summer snow skiing? I’ve never been to the Alps.  It is not a destination on my must-see list but goodness gracious, I’m sure it would be a great trip.  One of the young men in our office went there with his wife earlier this year and I enjoyed seeing the pictures they posted on facebook.  I would enjoy walking, a bike ride and a boat ride. I’ve never been snow skiing and I might be too old to learn.

7. What is one saying or phrase that was considered 'cool' when you were growing up?  My mind must be going!  I actually googled “slang from the late 60’s and early 70’s” since I graduated from high school in 1976.  I don’t remember saying anything cool and I think I actually still use some of the phrases (sad!).  I did see Chinese Fire Drill on the list and I do remember doing that!  You pull up to a stop light and yell, “Chinese Fire Drill” and everyone bailed out of the car and ran around it and got back in.  Lord – thank you for protecting this fool!!

8. Insert your own random thought here. I’ve been reading a lot about John Wesley lately – founder of Methodism – and I have found it (and John!) very interesting.  Good grief – I can’t believe I just typed that.  What a nerd! (ah – we said that in the 70’s, didn’t we??) 

Our son and his wife have a new kitten. Her name is Piper and she is a cutie pie.

  

Laura has her cat, Charlie.

We have our cat, Harvey. Mark says he has a pirate eye.  He is a rescue and at some point in his prior life, he evidently had an eye infection and proper care was not administered.  He sees just fine and is not in pain, etc.

Glenn and Lauren have their dog, Riley; older cat – Sam (short for Samantha . . .she doesn’t like me so I have no pictures of her - she is shy!); Piper – new baby kitty.  I promise that my life is more exciting than these random thoughts but everything I’ve started to type has either been too controversial or just plain boring!  

Wednesday Hodge Podge - once again on Thursday . . .

1.July 15th is National Give Something Away Day.  What can you give away? Will you? I am sure that I can clean out a closet and find plenty to give away.  Will I remember to do that on July 15^th?  Probably not!  Last year, we cleaned out tons and tons of stuff when we moved.  I already need to start cleaning out closets again.  I cleaned out my make shift pantry last weekend and re-organized the laundry room.

2. Do you have a mantra? Please share with the class if you feel comfortable doing so.  I cracked up – please share with the class.  Yes, I have one right now that is very private so I don’t want to share it.  I have another one that I use often and share often – breathe in Holy spirit – breathe out self.  I’ve used that one several times this week.

3. Who does the grocery shopping in your house? How many times a week do you shop? Do you make a list or pray for inspiration in the produce aisle? I do the grocery shopping.  I go for one giant grocery run every week and I purchase all the supplies for Tuesday night young adult dinner and as many other things that I can remember we need. Yes, I have a list.  I always buy a few things not on the list and I sometimes have to go to another store to buy something on the list.  I usually make at least one other small run to the store each week to pick up a few things that I’ve forgotten, etc.

4. Is there a TV show you're embarrassed to say you watch? You're going to tell us what it is, right? I used to watch Desperate Housewives and I loved it.  We had a young minister and he and I were great friends.  He told me I was going to hell for watching it (he was kidding – I think!).  I don’t watch a lot of TV.  I love Modern Family and Big Bang Theory and enjoy a few HGTV shows – that is about it.

5. A recent article listed fifteen words we should eliminate from our (written) vocabulary in order to sound smarter-

that, went, honestly, absolutely, very, really, amazing, always, never, literally, just, maybe, stuff, things, and irregardless

Of the fifteen, which word is your most overused? Please eliminate irregardless!!  I think I use amazing and very the most.  Reading over the list again, I also use just and maybe – even together!

6. So apparently dying your hair gray (in your youth!) is a thing right now. It's called 'The Granny Hair' trend. Your thoughts?   I’ve been paying someone to get rid of my gray for 20+ years.  I go every five weeks.  No No No No No – I do not want gray hair!

7. A while back Buzz Feed asked members to share the most beautiful sentence they've read in a piece of literature. A hard thing to narrow down, at least for me, but let's try. What's one of the most beautiful sentences you've ever read in a piece of literature? This is not going to be an answer like most.  Some might not even consider this to be literature . . .but I love these sentences:

“I heard that when white folks go fishin they do somethin called 'catch and release.'
Catch and release? I nodded solemnly, suddenly nervous and curious at the same time.
'That really bothers me', Denver went on. 'I just can't figure it out. 'Cause when colored folks go fishin, we really proud of what we catch, and we take it and show it off to everybody that'll look. Then we eat what we catch...in other words, we use it to SUSTAIN us. So it really bothers me that white folks would go to all the trouble to catch a fish, when when they done caught it, just throw it back in the water.'
He paused again, and the silence between us stretched a full minute. Then: 'Did you hear what I said?'
I nodded, afraid to speak, afraid to offend.
Denver looked away, searching the blue autumn sky, then locked onto me again with that drill-bit start. 'So, Mr. Ron, it occurred to me: If you is fishin for a friend you just gon' catch and release, then I ain't got no desire to be your friend.'
I returned Denver's gaze with what I hoped was a receptive expression and hung on.
Suddenly his eyes gentled and he spoke more softly than before: 'But if you is lookin for a REAL friend, then I'll be one. Forever.”
― Ron Hall, Same Kind of Different as Me

8. Insert your own random thought here. I don’t have any random thoughts today.  Really.  Not really.  I’ve been talking to a friend today via text messages.  It sure is hard to be the mother to adult children.  No one told me that.  I assume I didn’t know because my mother died before I became an adult and my daddy died when I was JUST a young adult.  I try to keep my mouth shut.  I’m learning.

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!!

What Would We Do Without Them? No, Really!!

At Trinity, we have the most amazing ministry (we actually have a lot of amazing things but this one affects my job a lot!!)  We have a group that we lovingly call, "The Joseph Ministers."  I went to Wikipedia for a short description so you  might understand.

"According to Mark 15:43, he was an "honorable counselor (bouleutēs), meaning a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, who was waiting for the kingdom of God". Matthew 27:57 described this Joseph as a rich man and disciple of Jesus. According to John 19:38, upon hearing of Jesus' death, this secret disciple of Jesus, "went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus". Pilate, after a centurion confirmed the death, allowed Joseph's request. Joseph immediately purchased fine linen (Mark 15:46) and proceeded to Golgotha to take the body of Jesus down from the cross. There, according to John 19:39, Joseph and Nicodemus took the body, wrapped it in the fine linen, and applied the myrrh and aloes Nicodemus had brought. The disciples then conveyed the prepared corpse to the place previously bought for Joseph's own tomb, a man-made cave hewn from rock in a garden of his house nearby. This was done speedily, "for the Sabbath was drawing on". Luke 23:50–56 also mentions the event."

There are about 15 folks in this group and when a church member dies, an email is sent to Ann, the head of the group.  You need to know that all of these folks have a servant's heart -- they do this -- not because they are getting paid - they don't get paid!  They do this because they love God, they love His church, and they want to serve where they are gifted.

This group has worked faithfully over the past 12 months (since I've been in the new job role -- Mary, my predecessor created this group).  We have had so many deaths this year.  In a church the size of ours, there can definitely be a lot of deaths in one year.  This group arrives at the church before the family.  They put out Kleenexes and make sure there is water and/or coffee for the family.  They put out the funeral paraments.  They "host" as guests arrive for the visitation.  They do WHATEVER is needed for each funeral/memorial service. They do it all - in soft soothing voices - with smiles on their faces - with no complaints.  They are an amazing group of folks!!  They even have plans to expand and they are trying to recruit some volunteer pall bearers.  DID YOU KNOW that if you are and older person and you don't have friends or family who can be pall bearers, you can RENT pall bearers?  I want you to know that I just googled "rent pall bearers" in every way that I could rephrase it and I can't find anything on line but I KNOW that the funeral home will help you rent some - I think it is $50 per person.  If our Joseph Ministers could include pall bearers, it would help a lot of folks.

A couple of months ago, after our umpteenth funeral, I asked the ministers if we could host a lunch for these wonderful folks.  The preachers readily agreed and so the process began.  We picked a date, put it on the calendars of all the ministers, mailed an invitation to each Joseph minister, booked a caterer, made some decorations and gathered some favors (Mark even helped with the favors!!).

Thank you banner (I've been a banner making machine over the last few months).

The favors were boxes of tea bags with a star tag - on the tag were these words, "You are TEArrific."  We also had mugs (to be used for tea later) filled with a bright and colorful bedding plants (Mark helped cram those plants into the cups!)

I bought the mugs at the dollar tree and it was graduation week and the colors for the local highschool are black and ORANGE so I was able to pick up 12 of those cute star balloons on sticks. I love that stiff floral type ribbon for this kind of project.  I think I found it at Walmart and it just ties up into such a nice bow.

We ordered the food from Char House Catering and it was quite yummy and very reasonable.  I would highly recommend them.  There was only one problem with the order - I had ordered coconut pie and some other pie and they sent carrot cake instead.  I imagine someone else was enjoying our pies as we enjoyed the cake.

I failed to take pictures of the actual PEOPLE!!  I put my phone up when I went into "hostess" mode.  I've asked one of the ladies who was there to share some with me.  If and when she does, I'll add them.  These folks are precious Christians . . .and they are living their faith and helping others when they are walking through the valley of the shadow of death.  Pretty cool ministry!  Pretty cool folks! 

The last hurrah . . .almost!

Wanted to document this last event for Andy and Dawn.  Our church hosted a reception for them on a Sunday afternoon.  It is amazing to me that a gym can be transformed into such a lovely space.  I understand it took HOURS of work to hang all that white cloth - surely they were on a Geni lift.  Thank God for young people!!  I thought it was also cool how they hung two chandeliers from the ceiling with chains.  Those chandeliers added a touch of elegance to the church gym!!

Using shutters, they set up a "receiving" area for Andy and Dawn.  I simply hugged their necks and continued to tell them that I was in denial.  I think there were about 500 people who came to the reception.  The committee served cheese straws (the ones made by the man from East Lake UMC - they are delicious!!), petit fours and fruit.  I have no clue if there was other food or not!

Speaking of the food served . . .I love Petit fours.  Have I ever shared that with you?  I LOVE petit fours!!  Since the reception was on Sunday afternoon and our goal was to be the first people in line (Mark's back was killing him and standing in a long line on hard floor is not the best medicine!! - heck - who am I kidding?  Those who know Mark know that we had to hurry up and get there so we could hurry up and leave!  Our life motto :-) ) . . .where was I - I lost my place!  We had just eaten lunch so I wasn't hungry, so I didn't eat anything - not even a petit four - at the reception.  On Monday or Tuesday, some of my co-workers went down to the kitchen and scored a box of petit fours and a bag of cheese straws for the office.  THESE ARE SERIOUSLY the best petit fours ever!!  They were very different - not the same kind of icing as normal petit fours and they had filling in them!! (I think they said the petit fours came from Magic Muffin in Cahaba Heights)

Andy preached his last sermon on June 7.  He came by the office on Monday, the 8th to turn in his keys.  As he sat down in the chair across from me, I immediately started telling him (just like he was still my preacher!!) that I had not expected physical pain.  I imagine many of us in the church - though we are so very excited about the future - are still experiencing some grief.  He was the pastor to us for 18 years.  It is hard to turn that off in a moment.

Now then . . .we are on to the future.  Can't wait to see what God is going to do at Trinity UMC in and through Brian Erickson.  I'm so excited that I get to be a tiny part of this exciting future!!

Hodge Podge Wednesday

1. June is National Great Outdoors Month. Have you spent any time appreciating the great outdoors this month? If so where, and if not do you have any plans to enjoy the great outdoors before the calendar turns?  We have three porches – does that count as “outdoors” – we actually ate watermelon on the front porch on Sunday afternoon!  I plan to spend as much of Saturday as possible floating around the neighborhood pool.

2. What's a current hot button issue for you? well . . .I'm so sad about the church shooting in Charleston.  I know this probably sounds stupid and naive but I just wish we could all get along.  I wish for a world where those who need help can get help.  I wish for a world where "red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight" could be real.

3. What's a food or treat that 'disappears like hotcakes' in your house? Peanut M&M's or Fritos - both are dangerous foods in our house.  I usually only buy them if we are entertaining . . .and then we only have left overs!!

4. How hot is too hot?  Today, perhaps?  It is so hot in Alabama this week.  We also have high humidity so when you walk outside, you immediately begin to sweat.  Our air conditioners are all running as hard as they can run . . .and we find it difficult to cool spaces.  We went in a store around 5:30 p.m. yesterday and the sun was shining directly in their front windows.  INSIDE the store, with their air conditioner running, EVERYONE in the store was sweating.

5. Do you have an artistic outlook on life? What does that mean to you?  I think I might.  I've never thought of my outlook in those terms before but I tend to be a creative person.  I tend to see colors - like the variety of greens - from pale yellow green to deep dark green.  I want to live life to its fullest - not wasting a moment.

6. What's one question you'd like to ask your father, or one you wish you could ask your father? Oh daddy - I would love to ask you all sorts of questions.  What was it like when you were growing up?  What was it like when you were raising us?  What was it like when momma died?  What was it like when you became a pawpaw?  What should I do about multiple things (too many to list)?  My mom died when I was a sophomore in high school and my dad died when I was 25.  I would love to have some adult conversations with them.  I would love to know all sorts of things. (not too long before he died - I'm on the right and Becky is on the left)

7. Something you learned from your father?  Gosh - that is hard.  He has been dead for longer than I knew him.  He taught me how to drive a stick shift!  I bought it and had no clue how to drive it and I jumped it and jerked it over to his house and he taught me how to drive it that very evening.  He also taught me to love.  I always knew that my daddy loved me - even when he was mad at me - even when he told me that my jeans were too tight!  I knew that I was loved.  He also taught me that there are a whole lot of things we do in life because they are the RIGHT thing to do.  Someone had died and I didn't want to go to the funeral home.  Daddy said that he didn't want to go either but that we were going because it was THE RIGHT thing to do.  That is a simple example but that advice has carried over into my adult life.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. So, I had planned to blog every day.  What happened to that?  My sister has been visiting and I've enjoyed spending time with her.  I'm ready for a vacation.  We have a mini trip planned to Savannah and Charleston and I'm looking forward to that!! (sorry - that was several random thoughts!!)

It's almost time for her to come back to work now!

The other day, I loaded a bunch of pictures onto my blog and I'm trying to make myself write a little every day.  Seems like a good summer goal (which will last a couple of weeks!!).  Now if this were back in the day when I could sign up for the summer reading program - heck, I would be all over it.  I wanted the award every summer for reading THE most books.  The beauty was that we had to walk to the library . . .we had to walk every where we went or we had to ride our bikes . . .so if we sat around reading, we were also getting our exercise!  Sorry for the tangent (those of you who know me well aren't surprised at all!!).

So what is this post about?  This post is about my friend, Marie and her baby boy, Oliver!

Let me tell you about Marie.  She is a lot younger than I am.  She took over my last job when I moved into this job.  She and I have so many things in common that it sort of freaked us out when I was training her.  One of would start telling a story about ourselves and the other one would go, "Oh my gosh -- me, too!" (or some words like that!!)  It is fun to work with younger folks who keep me young.  Marie is one of those younger folks!!

So, after working here a few months, Marie had a surprise.  She found out she was pregnant with her second child.  When they found out that it was a little boy, they picked out the name, Oliver.  I think that is such a cute name.

We planned a baby shower for her and I made the banner to hopefully go with the colors she had in the nursery.  I had no idea that she had a little bit of a jungle theme going -- and I used Monkeys!!

I thought it turned out really cute.  The white board cabinet made a great hanging background.

I had hosted a baby boy shower for another friend recently so I had yards and yards of tulle - green and blue so I just brought it on to work.

Ann picked up balloons and they worked perfectly.  I had used puff balls on my mantle and I brought those along - easy decorations to transport.  We had to do something to spruce up the staff conference room.

Everyone brought brunch type food items.  We had some yummy food that day.  Donna made some of the best strawberry bread that I have ever had!!  I made a new breakfast casserole that was so incredibly easy.  One of the ingredients is a bag of seasoned croutons!  We had fruit and sweet rolls and bagels and all sorts of deliciousness.  

Marie, as the guest of honor, got to serve her plate first!!

The office usually buys the parents a gift card to some place and then several others usually buy small gifts so that the mom (or dad) has a few gifts to open.  I think Marie is the last pregnant person (in the office) for a while -- babies seem to run in cycles!  Maybe there really is something to that old saying about "don't drink the water!!"  (I'm way too old :-))  

Marie will be back at work in a week or so - we sure have missed her!!