Last Wednesday of Freedom Hodge Podge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! One item of business...Joyce has declared next week summer vacation here so no Hodgepodge on Wednesday August 3rd. She is going to  have out of town visitors and will be coming and going so not sure how much she'll be online. I start back to school so I am glad I have a few days to catch my breath.  Thanks for understanding! The Hodgepodge will be back in action the following week-August 10th. Also, we're here today so let's get to it- Oh and yes...click here to link up with Joyce and don't forget to spread some bloggy loving.

1.  On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your summer so far? Why? 

(1=eh and 10=best summer ever).  I is going to have to be a 5 or 6.  It definitely was not the best summer ever....but it was not the worst either.  It was a strange summer.  The heat kept you indoors....I guess you could call it the "Summer of my Discontent."  Can't put my finger on it....but it just was not grand and glorious.

 

2. July 26th is National Aunts and Uncles Day. Did you have many aunts and uncles growing up? Were you especially close to any one or maybe all of them? Are you an aunt? (or uncle for the men who join here on Wednesdays) Share a favorite memory relating to one of your own aunts or uncles or relating to a niece or nephew who call you Aunt (or Uncle).To start my answer off...my grandfather was one of 15.  I had 12 on my dad's side and 18 on my moms so yeah....I had a good many aunts and uncles.  I need to mention I have 96 first cousins too.  We lived 700 miles away from all but one uncle and aunt. I was close to most of them....especially the ones on my mom's side of the family.  I am only an aunt by marriage, but I love my nieces and nephews.  I have enough stories to write a book, but I don't want to share just one and hurt another's feelings.  They all read my blog.  So, let's just say....my life growing up involved a lot of awesome aunt and uncle memories.

3. What's your favorite food dipped in chocolate? What's your favorite food dipped in cheese?
I have to agree with Joyce on this one and say a Dairy Queen soft serve vanilla cone would be my favorite food dipped in chocolate, or a big juicy strawberry.  I am not a food dipped in cheese lover.  I love foods with cheese....I just don' t want any extra.

4. When were you last astonished by something? Explain.I'm going with the current election season and social media's response to it.
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5. Surf board, paddle board, ironing board, Pinterest board, score board, clip board, bulletin board...which board have you most recently encountered? Bulletin boards....at both schools.... because Frank and I have been readying my rooms for the school year.  He painted my RCHS room and it is gorgeous.  There are three America's cup navy walls and one classic gold wall.  I will post some pictures when I get it all put back together.  While he painted I worked on bulletin boards.

6. What's your favorite story from scripture? Why that story? That is easy.....I love them all...but one of my favorites is found in Luke 10:38-42.  It is the story of Martha and Mary³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”  ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  I so want to be a Mary....but many times I get caught up on the Martha side and this story reminds me to stop and listen to Jesus.

7. If you were to travel from the east coast to the west coast in your own country, which five cities would you most want to see?

I wish this question asked which 50 cities I'd most want to see. Five is too hard! I've spent a lot of time traveling on the East Coast and have lived near NYC, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. I've been to Boston and points north and have also seen a good chunk of the Southeastern section of America. I've also spent time in portions of the Southwest, so for my imaginary trek I'm going with five places new to me. 

Here are five I'd like to see(again perhaps), but they're not the only five! 
1.  Anchorage, AL
2.  Oahu, HI
3.  Seattle, WA
4.  Portland, ME
5.  Portland, Oregan
 

8. Insert your own random thought here.  We have been in Revival all week.  It started Monday night and will finish up tonight.  Does your church have revival services?  How long do they last?  Have you ever been to a tent revival?  I love Neil Diamond and I thought I would share this song first.....

And to end on a humorous note....I have never been to a revival as good as the one Ray Steven's tells of.  Have you?