Tenacious "J"

Webster's defines the word 'tenacious' as Stubbornly unyielding; doggedly persistent; "dour determination". I just call it "Joey"!

My husband's 'sticktoitivness' (that's the Arkansas definition) simply amazes me. There's just not much he can't do once he puts his mind to it. I could give you example after example, but for the sake of time let's just talk about the universal remote.

First of all, let me just say that the 'quality control' people who manufacture these things obviously do NOT add children into their equations! We have family night every Friday, and my remotes have a smorgasbord of food stains to prove it! I'm sure if a crack C.S.I. team checked it out, they'd find everything from ketchup to egg drop soup on those buttons.

exhibit "A": Luau night

Anyway, our remote quit. I trotted off to Wally-World and picked up another that promised to work with any brand we might have. Now here's where that stubborn nature comes in handy. You have to program these things with number codes so they will send the right signal. Sounds easy enough. Yeah.

Push this button until those lights blink twice then stay on. Push that button for the control you want. The lights blink once then enter your brand code. Then push this other button to see if it works. Pat your head, rub your tummy. Right foot in, left foot out. Didn't work? Start over! Blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda.

OK, so after an hour of trying, I finally got it. Sort of. I could change the channels if I pushed the fast-forward button. The channel button controlled the volume. The volume button would fast forward your movie. Not perfect I know. But you know me! Look for the silver lining!
"Mom! How do I change the channels? My show is coming on."
"What's it worth to you, kiddo? I've got dishes that could use washing!"

Voila! Silver lining!

Enter the hero! As you know from my previous post, we were all pretty much out of it when Joey got home. But that man of mine is awesome! He recovered in record time, and my two month 'Honey-do' list was finished in a day - including the remote (which took him about five minutes by the way)! It now correctly controls the T.V., satellite, DVD, surround sound, and I think he threw the toaster in there just to prove he could!

Joey has fixed cars, computers, bicycles, dishwashers, even changed a light bulb or two! He can work eight hours straight on a project with no success and still not give up. Now all this determination should not be confused with patience, but I digress.

Just want to shout out a big 'Thank You' today to my hubby, and to the loving God who gave him to me! You improve my life just by being in it. The remote is just a bonus:)

Love you Tenacious "J"!

Trite but Right!

"Oh well, at least I've got my health!"

How many times have I heard this said with a little smirk or a knowing wink? I've even used it a few times myself - with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek! Or how about "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."? Well, friends, last week my health was gone and I definitely knew it!

Last Saturday afternoon, I took the girls to a play date at one of their favorite meet and greet restaurants. Chicken was eaten, shoes were abandoned, and a climbing, jumping and swinging good time was had by all!

Then came the night. . .

Apparently, one of the dozens of kids there shared more than just a hug with everyone. A fiendishly aggressive little virus had come along for the ride! It first reared it's ugly little head with my oldest, Shelby. Less than two hours later Madison had it too. I fought it off for a few days, but it finally beat me.

Now let me just throw in here, my hubby had been gone for two months on a training mission. We had missed him terribly and he was finally coming home! Of course, with all three of us lying in bed, barely able to move, the welcome home party we had planned was a no-go.

Oh, well. At least he had his health!

Yeah, right! "Scoot over, girls! Make room for Daddy!"

We've had temperatures from 99 to 104. We've slept fourteen hours in a single day. We've . . . well, let's just say there's a Jonas Brothers popcorn bucket that will never again see the light of day!

I know in the grand scheme of things, this could have been a lot worse. At least we knew what we were up against, and that stayed the fear. We are not always given a 'better in seven days' guarantee. We are left with just our prayers, and the faith that God will answer. (Wink and a smile to cousin Amber and sweet Sawyer!)

As we sat in church this morning and listened to our pastor's message, I marvelled at God's amazing grace. You see, our pastor wasn't supposed to be there this morning. He wasn't even supposed to be alive. He was diagnosed with cancer last year and only given a few weeks to live. Yet there he was, spunky as ever, back in the pulpit right where the Lord wanted him to be. Nothing trite about that!

It's been over a week, and the clouds have parted! The air smells fresher and the bird sound sweeter. And, yes! We have our health!

A, B, C, or D - all of the above?

I Love taking quizzes! Not the 'nail biting, cram the night before, pass or fail' quizzes. But the fun quizzes that have absolutely no inherent value at all. The ones I take just for kicks!

Let's be honest, you know you've taken a few! "Is he really the one?", or "Am I a wall-flower or a party animal?", or the ever popular "You could be a red-neck...".

A while back, I actually found one that rang true. Apparently there are 20 things that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am indeed a military wife!

20. You have a collection of different size, shape and color window treatments that would rival Wal-mart.

19. You remember years and milestones by duty stations.

18. Even as toddlers, your kids would stop what they were doing and put their hand over their heart when they heard the national anthem.

17. You can sleep through the sound of artillery shells and low flying choppers.

16. You reach for your military I. D. upon entering a civilian store.

15. Your young kids will point to anyone wearing ACUs and boots, regardless of race or gender, and yell "Daddy!".

14. Your use acronyms like ACU, PCS, LES and you know what they mean.

13. You've moved eight times in the last nine years and you're not running from the law.

12. The front hall closet of your home is a designated uniform closet.

11. You know you're husbands social security number better than you know your own.

10. You're neighbors know you, but have never seen your spouse.

9. Your car dies and at least one major appliance goes down just as your husband leaves for temporary duty.

8. You used to enjoy movies, now you count how many mistakes Hollywood made when portraying the military.

7. You find yourself telling the movers the correct way to pack the boxes.

6. Your husband will be gone for two months and you think, "Is that all? No problem!"

5. You aren't surprised to get a four day notice for a four month deployment.

4. You make out all schedules in pencil, because EVERYTHING is subject to change.

3. You know what 'Pogey Bait' is.

2. You start reading the Army Times instead of People.

1. You yell at your kids by saying, "Don't make me e-mail your father!"

This is definitely an 'all of the above' quiz for me. Some points are funny and some not so much. But all in all, I love the life the Lord has given me! He has blessed me in ways I never would have dreamed. The Army may write the orders, but I know who controls my future. And I trust that He knows better than me what is best!

Psalm 139

13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

~ ~ ~

*By the way, the latest quiz informed me that out of the Silver Screen Icons, I'm most like:

Elizabeth Taylor!

Oh, If I had a nickel. . .

Morning Tea

I love a good cup of hot tea in the morning. English tea is my favorite. A little milk and sugar and an open window to hear those sweet Florida birds! Of course this easy start to the day is sometimes hard to come by. I try to finish my ‘tea and devotion’ time before the girls get up, but you know how it is. Seems like I could bang every pot and pan in the house while stomping around their room and they’d just snooze right through. But let me sit down for a quiet moment, and they’re up before my rear hits the cushion! "Mom, where’s my shirt?", "Mom, the dog wants out!", "Mom, can I have breakfast?", " Mom, she promised she’d be in my band if I helped her save up money to buy a horse and now she quit!" (Don’t ask.)

Anyway, God gave me a nice long tea time this morning and I was reminded of an event our church in Georgia hosted.

The Senior Ladies hosted an afternoon tea for us middle-aged women and the teen girls acted as the wait staff. It was a blast! Rediculously large brimmed hats, white linen on the tables, and beautiful floral centerpieces. We were to be served finger sandwiches, scones, and an assortment of dainty pastries. As for the tea cups, they were all different! There were about seventy-five women in attendance, and every tea cup was unique. It became a kind of game to see who at each table had the prettiest cup. Everyone had an opinion, of course. ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ .

After the tea, we had a speaker to give a time of devotion. Turns out, she was quite the traveler. She had collected every tea cup and saucer herself! (I believe my cup was from a small town in Germany. ) When she returned to the states, God spoke to her about a ministry using her extensive collection. She now packs up her tea sets and travels around to churches sharing His word.

"Some tea cups are beautiful, some are plain. Some have outward beauty, some have the most intricate details on the inside. Some tea cups are new, fresh and unscathed. Others have been damaged along the way.

They may have cracks, broken bits, or chipped paint from rough handling. Some are stained from years of use. Some are deep, some are shallow. Some may instantly catch your eye,

while others are simply overlooked.

The thing to remember is this, they were all lovingly designed by their creator. Designed to match His vision of them. They all started as a lump of clay,

but through patient working and molding, their individuality was realized.

They are all useful, no matter the appearance. They can be filled, poured out, and filled again.

They are doing the work they were made to do.

So it is with us. We are all unique. And whether we are plain or fair, whole or

somewhat damaged by the trials of this world, we too can fulfill

the masters purpose for our lives. We are to be filled with his love, poured out for others,

and renewed each day."

It was a comfort this morning to remember, it doesn't matter how I look, feel, or perceive my life to be. God can use me - If I let Him.