SNOW! WICKED COLD! YEP, IT'S WINTER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE!

     Hello to my fellow Hodgepodgers and anyone else who is stopping by for a visit. I hope that you are all well today. Thanks again to our Hodgepodge Mistress, Joyce Daley for another set of thought provoking questions.

     Here in the Granite State we have snow. We also have wickes cold. So, regardless of what the calendar may say, winter has officially arrived. I thank God for our pellet stove and the wood pellet fuel to go with it. I thank God for our furnace and the oil to keep us, and by us I mean SWMBO, warm.

     Now, it's onto the Hodgepodge...

1. Are you more task oriented or people oriented? Elaborate.

     I am task oriented in that I like to get tasks done when I finally get around to doing them. I do tend to procrastinate. People, on the other hand, are more important to me than completing tasks. Tasks will always be there. People may not be. 

2. December 15 is National Wear Your Pearls Day...do you own/wear pearls? If you're a man answering the question, does your sweetheart own or wear pearls? Everyone share a 'pearl of wisdom' with us here today.

     I don't have or wear pearls. I can't remember my beloved having or wearing pearls. My pearl of wisdom is " Use things and cherish people. Do not use people and cherish things."

3. Speaking of pearls...oysters? Are you a fan or not a fan? If you answered yes, tell us your favorite way to eat oysters? If you said no, be honest-have you ever tried one or does just the idea of eating an oyster make you gag a little?

     I am not a fan of oysters. I have tried them before. They look disgusting but they don't taste too bad if you consume them with crackers and hot sauce.

4. Time Magazine has named President-elect Donald Trump Person of the Year. Let's take presidents and presidential candidates out of the mix for a minute. If a political figure had not been chosen who would you name Man or Woman of the Year for 2016?

     I would name the masses of people who compose the silent majority who turned the political world on it's head as the persons of the year. None of the professional political operatives or the professional pollsters got it right. The American people spoke loudly and clearly and shook the world and proving once again that our system is still vibrant and more importantly, still works.

 

5. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 has been announced, and it's a vibrant green aptly named-greenery. Your thoughts? Is this a color currently in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade for the new year? Click here to see the color.

     I am sorry to report that color and fashion have no meaning for me. When it comes to color give me the primary colors and let it go at that.

6. Today I've had too much________________________.

     Self criticism. I tend to be my harshest critic. I'm sure I'm not as bad as the voices and thoughts in my head seem to indicate. I am reminded that we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. We, and by we I mean I,  forget that we are to love ourselves. 

7. Share a favorite lyric from a favorite Christmas carol.

     "Hark! The herald angels sing. Glory to the new born King. Peace on earth and mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled."  The Creator, Almighty God of the universe wants to be reconciled with a sinner like me. Hallelujah! That thought is amazing to me.

 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     There's a saying "You don't know what you have until it's gone." That is often true of some of the things in your life. It is certainly true of the people in your life. This truth was brought home to me again this week.

     Another truth that I was reminded of this week is that as Christians we don't say "Goodbye" to our loved ones when they pass away. We say "Til we meet again in Heaven." 

     This week our church family said "Til we meet again" to a dear man who has shaken off his mortal coil and has graduated to glory. This man has served our Lord and His church for over 50 years. He had a gruff exterior but his heart was extra large and pure gold. He loved people and he loved doing things for them. He lived an exemplary life and he will be sorely missed.  

     So my random thought today is cherish the people in your life while they are still with you. Tell them that you love them and that you appreciate their presence in your life now. Don't wait until they leave your life to express your appreciation. 

     May God bless you this week.