Hodgepodge 150 on 11.12.13

What a cool date, huh? 11/12/13

and today is a milestone for the Hodgepodge as Joyce brings us Volume 150.

I won't even charge you a "buck fifty'" for reading my answers--although I should--considering they're not exactly brief today.

1. Describe a typical Sunday from your childhood.

-We always went to church, dressed in our "Sunday best."
- When attending a Baptist church, there were services morning and evening, and we went to both.
- My earliest memories, in fact, take place in church. The plump lap of Miss Iney (my preschool Sunday school teacher),  my dad happily handing each of us girls a quarter for the offering basket, my  boldness as a child requesting the same hymn ("The Old Rugged Cross," #93) every time the song leader took requests, and the brown lunch bag of candy that Mr. Krueger shared with kiddoes after the service. (He was Fred Krueger, if you can believe that!)
-Sunday lunches were simple and my parents always took a nap, dare I say "religiously"?
-Their naps were often the times I decided to do things I shouldn't have done. Especially since I was the preacher's kid.

2. How comfortable are you with uncertainty? Explain.

Not very. I like to be "in the know," to be prepped. I don't really like surprises.  I am a planner, even though I can be spontaneous. Many of my worst experiences in life have been when information has been withheld from me and the result was something like:    A. We're moving across the country and you'll have to wear knee-length dresses to school every day.     B.  All the rabbits mysteriously disappeared from their cages, leaving only fur and blood  C. Will I carry this baby to term or lose again?   D.  What leaders can I trust?

3. What have you accomplished recently that might be described as crafty, as in 'arts and crafts' crafty?  If crafty doesn't work for you, how about handy? Or both?

I just finished sewing a really cute quilt top for a doll.   It's   16"x18" in pinks, yellows, greens, and creams.  I plan to finish it and wrap a new dollie in it for a girl who will get a shoebox from us through Operation Christmas Child.  (Pictures by Monday, I hope!)

4. Have you ever worked in a 'food place'? What did you take away from the experience?

I've worked in too many of them.  One summer, I worked at both Hardee's and Burger King. I took away a knowledge of the public (for better or for worse), how to count back change, and how to flex in order to please two different bosses.  Another summer I worked at a restaurant adjacent to a bowling alley, and I took away a fair number of tips in exchange for good service and some well-timed flirting.

Following my freshman year of college, I worked at Rehoboth Beach, getting up at 4:30 am to put frozen croissants on trays at The American Pie (cafe) to thaw for breakfast customers; also at the Candy Kitchen on the boardwalk and a Christian bookstore just off the boardwalk. I worked 18 hours a day that summer and took away a loathing for croissants, fudge, and marijuana  . Later, as a college student, I also worked at a Holiday Inn restaurant. I learned that most large families don't tip well, and most gay guys do.  I also took away some bitterness for being falsely accused of stealing from the cash drawer, and a creepy feeling from a GM who sexually harassed me.

Hmmm, would you conclude that working in food places wasn't altogether healthy for me?

5. Cold turkey, talk turkey, what a turkey...in recent days, which turkey phrase or idiom best applies to you and why? Click on the word turkey if you need to read more about the meaning behind each phrase. 

I need to talk turkey with someone and I keep putting it off. It's eating me up inside, but I hate confrontation, especially because I feel defensive and I am just not sure I will be well received, but this thing won't go away with time, and I've examined my heart to see if it's an offense I can overlook, forgive, and move on from without a conversation. Since it keeps churning, and since I can see it objectively (I think), I need courage to go through with talking turkey.

6. If you could have any one guest join your Thanksgiving dinner table, who would it be?

My Grandma Kathryn, who passed away almost 25 years ago.  I would express my thanks that she cherished me. She came to Maryland from Kansas when I was born and took care of me and my 14 month old sister for  six weeks while my mom was in the hospital. I would thank her for singing "His Eye is on the Sparrow" to me when I was an 8-year old  pianist "accompanying" her.    I'd thank her for playing dollies with me and making a doll bed and doll blanket for me. I'd love to see her joy upon meeting the four  great-grandchildren that came from God through me.    I rejoice that, because she was in Christ, we WILL gather around a thanksgiving table again someday.

7. What is one thing you must accomplish today? 

I must round up 3 empty shoeboxes and get them wrapped and filled before Sunday, which is the last day our church is collecting them for Operation Christmas Child.  I've been picking things up throughout the year,  but I always look forward to kicking off my holiday shopping by doing this shopping with my child(ren).

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

The typhoon in the Philippines has really brought home the reality that I could have lost someone special to me.  One of my students (from last year)  went there with her father and two little brothers in September to do mission work.  They wanted to stay through November 9th, but the visa department denied their request, and forced them to leave on November 6th.   I can't help but believe that this girl and her family have grown in their gratitude for God's "no" as an answer to prayer!!!!!