Wednesday, January 24, 2018

January 24 Hodgepodge


Another Wednesday!  Where does the time go?  Regardless, Wednesday means it's time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond.  Head on over to get the questions; answer them on your own blog.  Then head back over to Joyce's to link up!   Here are this week's questions:

1. January 24th is National Compliment Day. Is it easy or not so easy for you to accept a compliment? Share a recent compliment you've given or received.

I don't find it difficult to accept a compliment, because I do understand that anything I'm likely to be complimented for is only by the grace of God.  Depending on the nature of the compliment I can usually say "thank you" with a smile, or simply say, "praise the Lord" or other words that deflect the praise to Him.

A recent compliment I've received: we had guests over for supper Monday evening and they said the meal was awesome.  It was simple: chicken pot pie, buttercup squash, and cranberry sauce, but was planned and prepared with them and their young children in mind.  An easy way to respond: "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

2. Ten little things you are loving right now.

* little white lights on a dreary day
* a warm cozy house
* seeing ice form on twigs, leaves and evergreen needles -- so pretty
* butternut squash soup
* simple winter decorating
* finding time to do a little work on a cross stitch UFO almost every evening
* seeing the daylight extend a little bit each afternoon
* browsing through a 1953 New Hampshire Profiles magazine and enjoying the vintage ads
* the occasional nap
* days when I can't go out due to snow or ice

3. Would people describe you as a positive person? Do you see yourself that way? I read here  a list/description of eight things positive people do differently-

Positive people find something to look forward to every day, they celebrate the small stuff, they're kind, they stay busy, accept responsibility for their actions, forgive themselves, know when to move on, and resist comparisons

Which action on the list would you say you do regularly? Which action could you add to your life to give you a more positive outlook? If you're a positive person, what's something you do regularly that's not on the list?


I think in general I'm a positive person and I think most people who know me would describe me that way, although of course I have negative moments like anyone else.  I regularly do most of the actions on that list.  I can only see two that I don't do as well with.  I'm not always as kind as I could be.  And occasionally I do find myself making comparisons.  No doubt making changes in those two areas would be helpful.

4. Homemade chicken soup, beef stew, or a bowl of chili...what's your pleasure on a cold winter's day?

Good question.  We like a lot of different soups.  Of the three listed, I would pick homemade chicken soup, I guess.
The photo above, though, is the Best-of-the-Best White Chili I recently took to a get-together.  It's pretty comforting on a cold winter day, too.

And if you like soup or crave it on a cold day, do click on the "soups" link in the label cloud at right.  There are loads of good soup recipes here.

5. The best part of my day is....

That's a hard choice.  I think I really have two best parts to my days.  First of all, my quiet time in God's Word and in prayer is the important part, the part the sets the tone for the day and gets me off to the best possible start.  And then of course there is the time of day when my hubby gets home from work (he is usually gone 12-13 hours) and we get to reconnect over a meal and catch up with one another.

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 
I'm just starting to realize how tiring the past few days have been.  Lots of cleaning (at both home and church), cooking, and ministry left me far more drained than I had thought.  Two naps (I was writing this on Tuesday) didn't begin to touch the tiredness.  A good night's rest Tuesday night and a somewhat low-key day on Wednesday should help.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

20 comments:

  1. Hope you catch up on your rest. That white chili looks delish. Have a great week.

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    1. Hope you may try the chili recipe, Katie! We love it. You have a great week, too!

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  2. I enjoyed your Hodgepodge answers today. I have never made white chili myself but have had it at a restaurant. There is nothing quite as satisfying as soups on a cold winter day! Have a blessed week!

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    1. You should try this white chili recipe, Debby. It's very, very easy! You have a blessed week too!

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  3. I'm loving the slightly longer daylight each evening too. Your chili looks delish! I made white chicken chili recently and froze half so there's that to look forward to one evening. Have a great day!

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    1. Yes, that daylight lengthening is slight, but it's very real and I do appreciate it. We love white chicken chili. My husband's boss ate it at our house and named it "the blond chili"!

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  4. Hmmm...that chili looks so good...I’ll be heading for your recipe box next. Speaking of bone tired...prolly all of us in the northern tier need some Vitamin D. I had a two-hour nap yesterday that helped some. Now I need Isaiah 40:31!

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    1. We like this chili very much, Vee. I hope you enjoy it if you try it.

      Yes, Vitamin D is probably a very good idea. I take D-3 daily but know it is not the same as actually getting out in the sunshine. Today is a corker of a day as far as sun and blue skies, but still VERY cold and my driveway is too icy for me to even venture to the mailbox on foot. (We have ashes spread around the garage, walkway and steps, but our driveway is very long.) I'll pick up the mail when I go out later with the car. Maybe I can soak up some sunshine near my dad's place.

      I'm declaring this a low-key day. Isaiah 40:31 is a good idea too!

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  5. Now I am hungry Mrs T!! And I just ate lunch.lol I am trying to be more positive. I had coffee with some ladies this morning and we were talking about how the devil works to make us fretful and worried. I have a friend who is dying of breast cancer and it has really gotten me down. Please remember the W family in prayer. Her children are coming home today as it does not seem that she can last much longer.

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    1. So sorry about your friend, Arlene. It is such a difficult thing to see and to understand sometimes that God has a plan and His plan is always good. In our finite minds we just have trouble seeing the good in situations like this. I will pray for the W family.

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  6. I would say you are a positive person. You have been a encourage on the blog for sure. I would think the white lights would be nice in a cold snowy winter. I think nowadays a nice home cooked meal is a winner for anyone. We rush and then to have someone else cook and serve is a positive thing for sure.

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    1. Thank you, Sandy. Yes, I love the glow of white lights in the winter. They are pretty in any season, but I need that glow in the dark days of winter. Today is bright and sunny but very cold -- it's 23º as I write this at noon, but with the wind chill it feels like 12º.

      Yes, we had missionaries speak at our church last Sunday and they stayed with friends of ours for a week. (They have 6 children.) Mr. T and I had them over for supper twice during their time here. You're right -- to cook for and serve someone else is definitely a ministry. We were thankful to be able to encourage them in this way.

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  7. We haven't been connected here long, but you are a very positive and inspiring person! I enjoyed your Hodgepodge today!

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    1. Thank you so much, Terri! That was very kind!

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  8. Anonymous9:14 PM

    I think I take a nap every two or three days. I could not function without them!

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    1. That makes me feel better! I think I am quite a bit older than you, so if you need naps, I surely must also.

      Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful weekend!

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  9. I knew you were a positive person. :-) I mentioned to Terri also that it seems that many of the Hodgepodgers are positive/morning people. And I'm complimenting you on that chicken pot pie. That does not sound simple. Actually, I do love making a pie crust, but never think of making a chicken pot pie. I'm inspired to do it now! The whole meal sounded wonderful. I also love little white lights and a pretty fire in the stove. I say I hate winter, but it really has been a pleasant one so far. God is gracious!

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    1. Judy, I started the chicken pot pie several days before by cooking a roasting chicken in the crockpot. The meat is then easily removed and torn into pieces while warm, and the broth is strained and refrigerated. When ready to make the pot pie, I took the fat off the broth and proceeded with the gravy. You can find my recipe here:Chicken Pot Pie if you are interested in trying it.

      Yes indeed, it's easy to tire of winter, but really it hasn't been that bad yet. We've had some serious cold, some ice, some snow -- but, as you said, in general it has actually been quite pleasant. And God is indeed gracious!

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  10. I hope you're all rested up! I didn't make it back in time for this hodgepodge...maybe next week. Good to be here to read your answers though.

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    1. Good to see you here, Julie! Will look forward to reading your Hodgepodge next time you are able to join in!

      As for rested up ... not yet, but I'm hoping today will be more low-key.

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