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Tag: mess

Hodgepodge

Hodgepodge

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Hodgepodge--flowers, old tree, small lakeInternational students have joined us for dinner many times. One of their favorite dishes includes a hodgepodge of ingredients.

  • Chicken
  • Mild cheddar cheese
  • Rice
  • Onion
  • Milk
  • Broccoli
  • Cream of mushroom soup

The mixture looks messy but tastes great.

Hodgepodge refers to a jumbled mess of ingredients.

According to The Phrase Finder, hodgepodge “is a stew made with meat and a variety of vegetables.” It also refers to “any mixture of ingredients or … a mess.”

The expression can be traced to 14th century France. The French made a dish called hotchpot. It was similar to our casserole or hotpot.

Hodgepodge describes more than food.

Notice the example in the above Magnolia Plantation scene. Neat flower rows can’t compare to several varieties mixed together like this.

Hodgepodge also includes:

  • Ideas
  • Clothes
  • Toys
  • Art
  • Pictures
  • Junk
  • Clutter of any kind

If we must clutter, I pray our clutter makes us burst with joy.

May we also spread that joy with friends from a hodgepodge of backgrounds.

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! (Psalm 47:1 NIV).

Thanks to Ginny Merritt for the suggestion.

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Can of Worms

Can of Worms

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Can of Worms--a box of baitWhen we open a can of worms, we find a tangled mess.

Worms wrap around one another. They look and feel gross.

Many in my family enjoy fishing. They use worms as their bait. However, before they can fish, they must untangle the worms.

A can of worms means a problem.

We begin a difficult process. Often complicated, it may cause:

  • Hard times for the people involved
  • Unexpected or bad results
  • Trouble we cannot correct

It can become a real mess.

Often, we prefer to ignore the situation than to deal with it. We want to turn a blind eye.

Some situations are better left alone.

To talk about them or act on them may:

  • Hurt people for no good reason
  • Cause worse problems than before

Other situations need to be solved.

We want to nip them in the bud. However, making a wrong situation right is often hard. We may:

  • Feel uncomfortable with a new way of life
  • Lose power we enjoy
  • Have to change hurtful or abusive behavior
  • Deal with other related problems

At times, we may feel in over our heads. Yet, the sooner we tackle a problem, the sooner we solve it.

Will we do what needs to be done, even if it makes life hard?

“I cling to your commands and follow them as closely as I can. Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things” (Psalm 119: 31 TLB).

Thanks to Janna Babak for the suggestion.

Do you have an expression you want explained? If so, please comment below.

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