If it's Tuesday, it must be the Hodgepodge.

Thanks again Joyce for some thought-provoking questions - and happy birthday to your daughter!

1.  What's the best thing about growing older? 

The best thing is finding my place in the world, and being content with it.  Don't get me wrong. Not that I am always content, but I know who I am more now than when I was younger and I know what I can/can not do.  With understanding my place (and my reason for being) comes contentment  - which can then bring happiness more often.

2. When did you first feel like a grown-up? 

As soon as I graduated from college, I had my first "real" job that paid enough for me to move out of my parents' home and into an apartment with a girlfriend.   I was able to pay my own bills.  I worked full-time and supported myself.   I made my own choices on everything at that point.  So, I became a grown-up at 22 years old.

3.  Chocolate cake with white icing or white cake with chocolate icing? 

Easy answer!  Definitely chocolate cake with white icing!

4.  What's the nicest thing a stranger has done for you? 

I am going to tell you about what a stranger recently did for my husband.  About 2 months ago hubby took his truck to the car wash.  He uses the truck for taking our dog & neighbor's dog to the beach often, so they can romp with other doggies.  Therefore the truck gets really, really sandy.  So, hubby took out all the stuff in his truck at the car wash to vacuum it out really well.  I'm going to say hubby was "distracted" and forgot to put everything back in to the clean truck.   About an hour later a stranger came to our neighborhood gate with hubby's laptop computer!!!  He had left it sitting by the vacuum... and this wonderful stranger found our address in it, then used his GPS and drove the laptop to us.   He was a vacationer here for the week - from Tennessee.  We tried to look him up to thank him but was unsuccessful.  ) :  Thank you Mr. Stranger!!

5.  What's something you learned from your grandparents? 

My mother's father, my grandpa Fogt, gave me a love of crossword puzzles.  He used to do them out of the newspaper, and he would sit at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and work on them.  When I visited I would sit with him and he would involve me in it.  I continue to work crosswords almost every single day.

6.  Wednesday marks a sad day on planet earth - 9/11...  what's something you do (or can do) to bring peace to your little corner of the world? 

hmmm.  I do not do enough.   But, I suppose I try to live my life as a peaceful person, and share God's love.  Many of you know I am a follower of the Moms group that wants better gun safety...and I truly believe we need to tighten the laws on gun availability, on gun use, and illegal gun punishment.   So, I suppose that's one thing.  But, I think we all should become better activists for peace.   The president is givng a speech tonight about Syria (on the eve of 9/11) and I am concerned about what he will say.   One thing I do: I PRAY for peace every single day.

7.  Share a favorite quote, scripture, or song containing the word peace. 

I think I have shared this before, but when my daughter was in second grade the end of the school year program showcased their new knowledge of geography: the children made flags from all the countries, sang songs about different lands, etc.  The final song was "Let there be Peace on Earth - and Let it Begin with Me".  There was not a dry-eyed parent in the auditorium!  Out of the mouth of babes!! It was the most beautiful thing to hear those sweet, young voices sing so innocently about peace in the world!    I have downloaded a version of it on my Ipod: Vince Gill singing it with children.  It gives me goosebumps every time I listen.

8.  My random thought. 

I lived in northern New Jersey on 9/11/01 and was leading a "Sparta Friends & Neighbors" meeting when cellphones started going off that morning shortly after the meeting began.  We quickly learned of the first plane going into the World Trade Center.  I think I tried to keep the meeting going for a couple of minutes but then realized it was impossible.  Our town was only an hour's drive into Manhattan and we all knew people who lived and worked in the city.  We ended the meeting...most ladies went off to their homes to turn on their TV's - and I was still cleaning up from it when the 2nd plane hit.   In the days that followed we learned that one of the planes actually flew right over Sparta on it's way towards the towers...and we learned of many, many connections to those lost in such a horrible way.  I remember the NJ newspaper running the obituaries of hundreds...  with pictures, and individual stories of who these lost people were.  It was very, very sad.    I sometimes wonder if we read the obituaries of all those lost in other parts of the world from war if we would rethink what our nations do to each other.  Each one a special individual -  a family member, loved, leading a full life. Each one counts as much as every other individual.  They are not just a statistic.