Hodgepodge

It is Wednesday so I'm joining up with Joyce at From This Side of the Pond and friends to answer the Hodgepodge questions! I would love to hear your answers!!

1. What do you think has remained the same about you your whole life? How has your perception of yourself changed over time? My smile has remained the same! My belief in Jesus has strengthened but is still intact. The way I live out my faith is definitely different, and my opinions have changed. I grew up with fairly judgemental Christianity and I now try hard to err on the side of grace. I’ve never had a large amount of self-confidence and that is the same.

2. What was the first thing you learned how to cook? Do you prefer to cook or bake? I learned to cook a lot of red things first! My mom died when I was 15 and I later lived with my sister and her husband for a while since my daddy was working crazy hours. My job was to start supper when I came in from school. I made spaghetti and homemade vegetable soup and other “red” things until my brother-in-law said, “please don’t make anything red tonight!” I remember the first time I made Chicken Divan. I was living in a one-bedroom apartment and had invited a date over for dinner. I prefer to cook, I think, though I do enjoy baking. Does making cheese straws count as cooking or baking? I tend to think of sweets when baking but we bake bread, right? So I guess making cheese straws counts as baking.

3. What are some of your current priorities in this season of life? Elaborate. I’ve always heard that our priorities should be Jesus, Others, Yourself (JOY). I’m trying to keep Jesus first, but I am pretty focused on finishing school and my job so I may have moved myself into second position which is not good. Dang, I hate when these questions make me think!! Hahaha! I do try to put others before myself but I did that for so many years and am not trying to focus a little on myself and my own growth. I am trying to focus on relationships -- like when all the kids and grandkids were going to the pool on Saturday afternoon, I chose pool and then had to scramble when writing my paper.

4. How much time do you spend on your hair each day or, put another way, what's your hair care routine? Do you get it cut regularly or just whenever the mood strikes? Do you go to the same stylist every time? Do you tell your stylist everything? Any other beauty treatments you indulge in throughout the year? I go visit Terrie at Seventh Heaven every 4-5 weeks. I have my hair trimmed slightly and my roots covered up. I wash and condition my hair every day when I shower and then I blow it dry and use a straightener to smooth it out. If I shower and am staying home, I let it air dry. Terrie and I talk about all sorts of things when I’m in her chair. I love to get pedicures and try to get one every three weeks or so at a place near our house. I rarely get a manicure because my hands are in dishwater and cooking, etc. so often that I mess them up. Does a massage count as a beauty treatment? I try to get a massage about 6 or 7 times a year.

5. What is the most awe-inspiring place you've visited? Ireland is beautiful. Driving from Italy to Austria/Germany is gorgeous and we saw amazing scenery. Many of the places in Israel have been commercialized (as in there is a church or mosque built on top) that I didn’t feel as much awe BUT when we sat on some of the original steps of the temple . . .where Jesus and Mary and Joseph had walked . . . that was pretty awe-inspiring.

6. Insert your own random thought here. We like crime, CIA, FBI, and mystery TV shows. We’ve watched Bosch, Bones, Criminal Minds, Chuck, Absentia (that one was tough), Reacher, The Americans, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. We tried Slow Horses and couldn’t get into it. We were so desperate for something to watch that we recently watched Palm Royale. Any suggestions on something new we can watch?? We have Hulu, Prime, and Youtube TV.