Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm here with Joyce again today for the weekly hodgepodge...this is a post that I dearly love; thank you, Joyce, for your inspiring and thought provoking questions each and every week! I'll jump right in!
1. April 22nd is Earth Day...what's the most "out of this world" place that you've ever visited? Tell us something about it. Without a doubt, the most beautiful place I've ever seen was Iceland. I went on a mission trip there years ago when my sons were little, and I remember having to pinch myself as I looked around at my surroundings. I can't find a picture of it to share, but you can imagine the splendor that I saw with all the natural geysers and bodies of water, including the Blue Lagoon. I got to float around in that! It was incredible.
But honestly? You don't have travel outside of the United States to see such beauty. I remember being equally as awestruck last fall when my sisters and me went to Kennebunkport, Maine last fall. And before that, it was the gulf in Destin that had me awestruck. Sometimes it's just a brilliant sunset.
It doesn't take a far away trip to make me happy; I just love to travel in general, and I am always in awe of God's creation.
2. A favorite quote, verse, song, or lyric with the word earth in it? There's a beautiful song that we sang in church on Sunday that I love called Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord) that talks about the Earth being created by our loving God. I can't get the video to embed to save my life, but here's a link to YouTube if you want to give it a listen. It's beautiful! I love it when songs are taken straight from Scripture.
3. What's the most trivial thing about which you have a strong opinion? I kind of think that I feel strongly about lots of things. The most trivial of them is probably something regarding organization. I am a strong believer in putting things away pretty quickly. I'm a believer in making your bed everyday. I'm a believer in utilizing the dishwasher space for the smaller things and handwashing the larger items like mixing bowls, pots, and pans. I believe strongly that one should decorate for Christmas whenever her little heart desires, and not wait for a certain time or date to pass. I'm a believer in using words that encourage others, and not tear them down.
4. What's your most commonly used kitchen utensil or tool? What's the last thing you made using that tool? Two came to mind: my coffeepot and my air fryer. I use them both daily, it seems! I use the air fryer as a microwave a lot, and I even toast bread in it. I always wonder what I ever did before owning one, because it gets used daily. And the coffeepot is a given; I just about wear mine out with all the cups/pots of coffee I brew on a weekly basis!
5. Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me a great book with 3,000 questions, and I'm going to use on in the Hodgepodge every week. Here's is today's:
What is your greatest extravagance? My greatest extravagance in life is that both my time and my life are my own. I love the freedom that I have as an unmarried woman. I don't have to consider anyone else for the first time in my life, and I have to say...it feels pretty amazing. I love getting to just pick and choose what I want to do (or not do), and knowing that it only affects me.
If I want to eat pizza on the couch at ten o'clock on a Friday night with my boyfriend, guess what? I can do that. I don't have to worry about young kids wanting a bite or making a mess or anything. If I want to leave the kitchen a mess before I go to bed, then so be it. These are things I never really felt the freedom to do, and I am here for all the parts of my new life. I keep saying "new" like it's a new thing, and it's not. It just makes me wonder if the newness will ever wear off; I am not sure if it will, honestly!
6. Insert your own random thought here. My random thought for this week is how much I love doing little things that bring me joy. This could be getting my nails done with a new color (I'm talking to you, Monday night!) or playing Bunco with ladies from my church. It could be knowing what's for lunch for me tomorrow at work, or knowing that I have a trip to look forward to this weekend. It could be as simple as sitting and talking to my sons, or knowing that when I lay my head down on the pillow tonight, Chris's voice will be in my ear, almost talking me to sleep. (We talk on the phone every night.) I have said it before, and I'll keep saying it: I'm a huge fan of romanticizing my life. Are you like this?
I can't wait to read your posts today! Thanks for being here to read mine. Love to all!
Jenn
Ha! I am a believer that anything of any size can and does fit in the dishwasher. LOL It drives my family nuts because I'll happily do 2 or 3 loads before I'd wash nearly anything by hand (other than things like my cast iron pant that literally can't be washed).
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh! I think it's always interesting to see or know how people operate in their own kitchens. With all the kids in the house when they were little (plus their friends), dishwasher space was a hot commodity, and I hated clutter on the counters.
DeleteGreat answers! I can just see Fiona Ferris smiling ear to ear while reading your responses. I love that your answer to extravagance was freedom. That is better than any material item.
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks! That made me smile thinking that my answers did sound a little like something she would write in one of her books. You are so right about it being the best thing ever!
DeleteYour Friday night sounds like HEAVEN- so glad you have that JOY! I agree on trips too- there is so much beauty in the U.S and even in our own backyards!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, friend! You are so right.
DeleteIceland sounds like such a wonderful place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI found myself nodding along to your opinions about trivial things. One day my family will come around to my way of thinking about putting things away quickly.
I love my air fryer and use it for everything too. I can't imagine not having one now.
Your life sounds wonderful, it makes me so happy that you have that freedom. All the little things that bring you joy did make me smile.
I hope your family comes around to your way of thinking someday soon. Ha! Thanks for the sweet words, my friend.
DeleteYes to the air fryer! Also, I have made my bed 3 days in a row :).
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of you!
DeleteHow did I forget about my coffee maker?! I use that 365 days a year! Haha
ReplyDeleteRight? It was literally the very thing that came to my mind. I couldn't live without mine!
DeleteMy hubs likes to try to force big pots into the dishwasher. I don't think they're designed for these larger items anymore. I completely forgot about my coffee pot, but that for sure is number one. I am a huge believer in making the bed every single day. It is a mental thing for me and if nothing else is done all day at least there's that. Plus I hate climbing in to a bed that wasn't made.
ReplyDeleteThat is a true statement about today's modern dishwasher. I have noticed that when I load someone else's. I agree about the bed making routine!
DeleteI didn't even think about the Keurig as being something I always use but for sure it is.
ReplyDeleteI know, right?!
DeleteI almost put a picture from Iceland in as "out of my world." And yes, my coffeemaker definitely gets used multiple times every day!!!
ReplyDeleteHow funny! It really is something to behold, right?
Delete