Pure JOY

I know, I know...it has been over 4 months since I last posted and I only posted one time! I am sure that several of you (all of my dedicated followers) have just given up on me. I never saw myself as a "blogger" and I still don't, but today as I was driving down the road, a huge smile came across my face out of no where! I was thinking about how many things in my life that make me happy. Many of those things I mentioned in my one and only post on "the little things." But there are some things in my life that bring me pure JOY. There is a difference. To me, Joy is something that makes you happy despite your circumstances. As I was driving, and this uncontrollable smile came across my face, 3 things instantly came to my mind that bring me this such JOY. If you know me at all, you can probably guess these 3 in a heartbeat.

                                                       Number 1:  DIET PEPSI 

There are not many things that I get "hooked" on, but Diet Pepsi is one of them. I used to be a little ridiculous on my Diet Pepsi consumption (I'm talking anywhere from 5-8 a day), but those were my young and foolish days. Now I limit it to 1, maybe 2 a day. The first thing I do when I walk into work in the morning is go to the kitchen and grab a nice, cold DP and get to work. It's not as though I cannot function without one, it just tastes SO good and helps make a great start to a workday. It's the little things!

                                          Number 2: OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOGS 

Katherine Elizabeth Kornegay "Lovesalot" (aka. "Kate") was not only the cutest, sweetest, clumsiest, funniest dog, but she was a part of the Kornegay Family. Some of my favorite memories involve Kate, and I remember so well the day my family rode to Jacksonville, NC to pick her up. I can remember being SO excited and grinning from ear to ear on the way home with our new "toy." The first night she was home, Will and I snuck downstairs to get her out of her pin and cuddled with her all night. We couldn't stand to be away from her. I remember teaching her how to run up and down the stairs and soon enough, she could beat me and almost knock me down everytime. If you knew Kate, I am sure you remember how she would run into things, because her hair was almost always long so her eyes were covered. She was famous for swallowing scrunchies, socks, you name it..and as weird as it sounds, Kate was a "humper." I am sure you all know dogs like that and as immature as this seems, it was always so funny and I smile everytime I think about her doing this.

The story behind why we got Kate in the first place is one of my favorites: As a child I HATED going in the ocean. Well, I had been talking about and begging my parents to get a sheepdog (I had been collecting Old English Sheepdog stuffed animals, figurines, posters--call me weird.) I pretty much had a shrine to sheepdogs in my room, but no live, breathing one yet. I was determined to get one. So, one summer day we were out on the boat cruising through the sound, when everyone (other than me) decided to head home via the OCEAN. Oh, believe it, I threw a FIT. The only way they could get me to shut up was to tell me that if I agreed to go in the ocean we could get a sheepdog. I agreed whole-heartedly. Little did I know, my parents had already planned to get us a sheepdog. But that's besides the point. We got Kate and even today, thinking about her, or seeing other sheepdogs brings such JOY to me!  I will get a Kate Jr. one day and I cannot wait!

                                            Number 3: THE ELDERLY         

I absolutely LOVE older people, especially this cutie right here. I could sit on that couch all day long with my Grandmother and just laugh until it hurts. Even if she doesn't know what she ate 5 minutes ago, she is just the most uplifting person I have ever known. Just last month she turned 90, and if you asked her she would tell you she is 25, and that she feels that young too. If you are reading this blog you probably already know about her 90th bday bash, but just for a recap, we all got in the pool at my parent's house with all of our clothes on. And it was HER idea...and she got in first! Pics are posted on my facebook page if you haven't seen them yet. This is the 2nd time she had gotten in with all of her clothes (and might I add, she won't even get in in her bathing suit). I would have to put this on the top 5 favorite events of my entire life. She was sitting on my lap bouncing up and down like a little kid, just laughing and carrying on. We stayed in for a good hour. The next morning, she didn't even remember it, but you know I had already gotten pictures developed to prove to her that she is indeed a 90 year old rebel! She laughed and said, "Was I drunk?!" She hasn't had a drink in years. She is just too cute.  One of my favorite things about she and my grandad (they have just celebrated their 68th, that's right, 68th wedding anniversary), is that if you were to ask either one of them if they are having a good day, they will without fail say, "EVERYDAY IS GOOD!" Now, that is what I call true JOY--being able to say that Every day is GOOD, even if circumstances have proven otherwise.  I love these two cuties with all of my heart. It is a relationship that is hard to even put into words!

The Little Things

Throughout the 24, almost 25 years that I have been on this earth, I have been called by several nicknames--JenJen, Princess, Mouth of the South (Yes, I love to talk), Blondthang, Shorty, etc. etc. But my favorite has been Little Bit. If you know me, this name is quite fitting as I am only 5 ft and 1/2 inch. One reason why I love this name so much is because it is what my dad used to call me growing up, and well-things have changed quite a bit in my family since those days, but that's a whole other post for another day.

All day today I have been thinking about the "little" things in life. Like the sweet letter I got in the mail from my 89 year old Grandparents just saying hi, that they miss & love me, and that I bring so much joy to their life. Anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with me knows that they are my best friends, and this "little" gesture of writing a simple 4 line letter went a long way with this girl. Or the light rain that fell on my face as I jogged all of 2 miles this morning in the already 70 degree, sticky, humid weather at 6:30AM. Or the hug I got from my roomie & the wagging tail of her dog Jack as I was walking out the door to go to work.

I have always been a fan of the simple things in life. I pay very close attention to detail and delight in making others feel loved. I am one of "those" people who still writes letters in the mail, leaves little "I love you" and "Have a good day" notes for my friends and family, even when I know I will see them in just a few hours and probably talk/text/g-chat with within the hour.

Don't get me wrong--I do love the "big" things in life, like weddings and babies and graduations. I am a big dreamer-I do have big hopes and dreams for my future, but lately I have really tried to focus on each day, so that I do not miss what is in store for me in the "here and now." Everyday for the past two years I have read the Jesus Calling devotion book by Sarah Young. If you do not have a copy, you need to get one today. The book reads like a letter from Jesus, as if He is speaking directly to you. Each morning as I sit on my couch (or back patio, depending on the weather) to read this "letter" from Jesus, I get chill bumps. I feel as if Jesus wants to talk directly to me...I picture myself sitting face to face with Him, as He holds out His hand and says, "Jenny, if you start your day off with me and just trust in me, you will be alright." Each morning, I am reminded of the "little" things in life--the sunshine and the flowers, the baby bird living in our birdhouse on the back patio.

Little by little, day by day, I feel like I am "getting" this thing called life. Yes, there are days where I backtrack and I don't quite "get it," but that's okay. I am very Little compared to God and anything is possible with Him.  I want to always be reminded of the little things, afterall it is by enjoying the little things that make the "big" things that much more enjoyable!