Mundane and Miraculous Blessings in the Hodgepodge

I'm grateful for my bloggy friends who brighten my world with their posts and comments.  It's a strange and wonderful thing to feel connected to people you've never met in real life but share a virtual bond. 

One such bloggy friend is Joyce, who dishes out these slice-of-life Hodgepodge questions every week like sweet apple pie. Join us, won't you? Click on this cute button.

1. What's something you take for granted, that when you stop and think about it you feel truly grateful for?

My husband's job and his work ethic.   

2. The color brown-love it or no? What's your favorite shade of brown? Most loved something in your home or closet in a shade of brown?

I like it a lot. Not gonna say love it, but it's a warm and comfortable color.  My favorite brown thing in the house is our dark cherry sleigh bed.

3. What's something you're looking forward to today?

A mani-pedi. All 20 nails really need some TLC.

4. The word 'feminism' is not new, but it has been generating all kinds of headlines in recent days and months. What do you think/feel when you hear the word? If you're a woman, do you want to be described as a feminist? Why or why not?

When I hear the word feminism, I think of pushy, insecure, know-it-all women who bash men, despise traditional marriage, and poo-poo all things truly feminine.   I encountered too many of that ilk in the early 80's when I was in college.  As an English major, I was required to take certain "women's studies" classes and to read enough feminist literature to choke a yak.    

I have no desire to be described as a feminist.  I want to be a woman who feels no need to prove herself, who knows that she is a precious daughter of the King of the Universe, who treasures her role as wife and mother and sees it as a high calling that demands the greatest sacrifices with the least amount of pay. You can't earn zero dollars and still feel immensely rich unless you are convinced of the nobility of such a calling.

5. What's something you personally can't eat without making a mess?

A juicy, loaded burger.  I'm a total slob, which is why I  won't order a big juicy burger with people who don't love me!  I guess maybe I do reserve a slight need to prove that I am couth in every situation. That's a challenge when you're literally dripping evidence to the contrary--  tomato hanging out of your mouth, mayonnaise running down your wrists, and ketchup on your nose. 

6. When did you last surprise someone with a little gift or when were you last surprised by someone with a little gift? What was it?

Last time I surprised someone with a little gift was about two weeks ago. I sent my friend Laurie (in Kansas) some fresh roasted, whole bean 

Strong Arm coffee--roasted right here in Baltimore by my son's brother-in-law. He keeps me stocked and it's so good I just had to share with my self-professed "coffee snob" of  a friend. 
7. Share a favorite quote, saying, song lyric or scripture relating to gratitude.

A grateful heart is a happy heart. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

One of my Christian friends (not a close one, not Renee' whom I talk a lot about on my blog) has been battling cancer for years. She is one of the most joyful followers of Christ that I know. She shares her love for Him wherever she goes, and has been certain of His love for her in the midst of this terminal illness.F

Four weeks ago Lynn underwent an 8-hour abdominal surgery to remove a 9-inch portion of her bowel that was riddled with disease.  Doctors ran additional tests and told Lynn the lymphoma was throughout her body.   

When she was released from the hospital, she quit her salon job and prepared for the end . She herself was at peace but she begged her facebook friends to pray for her family to accept the reality that her days were short. 

We prayed hard. She is my age and has kids my kids' ages plus a young grandson. I ached for all of them.

A week later Lynn had a follow-up test with her oncologist at Hopkins. He called the next day and said, "I don't understand these results . I wondered if I was looking at the wrong patient's records.  But I'm calling to tell you that there is NO EVIDENCE OF LYMPHOMA here."  She asked if he would put it in writing for her to carry in her Bible. He said, "Did you expect this news?" And she said, "Well, I prayed, and my friends prayed, and we believe God can do all things, so I am not as surprised as you are!"   

And she has been announcing her miracle whenever, wherever, far and wide, telling people that it was God and God alone who healed her from Stage 4 cancer!