Take a Trip on the Hodgepodge Rail

It's Wednesday and that can only mean one thing.  Well, okay, maybe not the ONLY thing, but it's on my Wednesday mind. (Do you have a mind for every day of the week, too? My Wednesday mind has a Hodgepodge on it.) Thanks, Joyce, for jotting down a broad mix of questions that have sort of "corraled" us Hodgepodgers for "two hunnert and some odd" weeks, as they say around here.

1.  I recently read here about four secrets to happiness from around the world. They were-

Overcome your fears by facing them head on, allow yourself to relax and reset, work to live versus living to work, and find the good in life. Not sure if these are the actual secret to happiness, but which of the four do you struggle with most? Which one comes most easily to you?

I struggle most with my fears.  Anxiety is something I didn't struggle with or even understand, until about 10 years ago, and it is a kissing cousin to fear, so I have to really remind myself of scripture and God's great power over all things (real and imagined) and dwell on His love which "casts out all fear."   

Once I do that, finding the good in life comes easily!

2. How would you spend a found $20 bill today?

Call me boring, but I'd get a new kitchen gel mat to stand on when doing dishes.  

3. Ego trip, power trip, guilt trip, round trip, trip the light fantastic, or trip over your own two feet...which 'trip' have you experienced or dealt with most recently? Explain.

Ego trip, just a couple hours ago.  We had our friendly Comcast rep stop by again for a problem with our installation, and while she was standing in my foyer, she noticed a painting I had done a few years ago. It was my first "big" acrylic sample for a class I was teaching on painting cylinders and spheres. The rep loved the colors, the composition and said it would look great in her new place that she wants to do in a modern style .She said, "Seriously, if you were to say you'd sell it, I'd buy it!" 

I laughed. "You've got to be kidding!"   

"No, I'm serious. It reminds me of my mom who is a painter, and she's going through some health issues, but the painting itself is just great!"

"Well, thank you! Sure I'll sell it!"  (I was so flattered.)

"Seriously?  You would?" (I was nodding.)  "Then think about a price and when I come back on the seventh, you let me know what you want for it." 

"How about 25 bucks?"

"Deal!" 

It was so funny because just this week I was wondering if my paintings would ever grab someone's eye enough for them to pay for one. I'm still kind of "high" from her offer to buy it!

4. If you could master any physical skill in the world what would it be, and how would you use that skill?

Walking down a flight of steps without holding onto a railing for fear of falling.  I'm not joking.   (See question and answer 1.)  I would use that skill every day, several times a day ,to get from here to there as needed--much faster and more smoothly.

5. As July draws to a close, let's take inventory of our summer fun. Since the official first day of (North American) summer (June 20th) have you...been swimming? enjoyed an ice cream cone? seen a summer blockbuster? camped? eaten corn on the cob? gardened? deliberately unplugged? watched a ballgame? picked fruit off the vine? taken a road trip? read a book?  Are any of these activities on your must-do-before-summer-ends list?

Yes to swimming, ice cream cone, corn on the cob, gardening (though it's not fun in my inventory), deliberately unplugged, taken a road trip, and read part of a book. 

The ones on the "have not done yet this summer" list can stay there and I wouldn't be disappointed. 

6. The Republican Presidential candidates will debate on August 6th. What's your question?

What will you do to regain America's trust in the power of government against her enemies?

7. What's your most listened to song so far this summer?

I can't think of one. But I  can tell you that we were all ready to be out of country music land by the time vacation ended, though.   What's really creepy is knowing how OLD some of these guys are who are singing about the girl in shorts up to there and and gettin him all hot and bothered till daddy comes looking for him in the Chevy truck with a loaded 22. 

(Maybe I should write a country music parody and call it "Twang Ain't my Thang.")

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

As I write this, my husband's cousin is having emergency surgery for a brain aneurysm. She's in her 40s.  Please pray for her.