As I write to you this morning, I am on pins and needles waiting for the Direct TV tech to show up. 

They have scheduled an appointment between 8 and 12 today. They will come when they come and so I enter into each task with heightened anticipation waiting for the door bell to ring. 

It seems we have some glitch in one of the boxes attached to one of the TV’s and I spent about a half hour each on Monday and Wednesday walking through the exact same steps to try and self-correct the issue.

The first phone call was with a guy named Matt and while he was fairly easy to understand, I could detect an accent and when he said the tech he was sending out was a great guy and one of their bests and he knows him personally…I did not believe him at all based on the background noise during our session.

Yesterday I received a call from a woman who wanted to try and trouble shoot the problem one more time in case Matt missed something so they wouldn’t have to send the tech guy today. 

If she said her name, I didn’t understand it. 

I didn’t understand most of what she said except “Miss Laura” which she used several times in each exchange and I found this somewhat irritating. 

I had to ask her nicely if she could repeat herself about every other sentence and we did manage to get all the steps walked through. I think. 

We were not successful and so she said she would make sure the appointment was not canceled. 

But here is the kicker. 

My position is this: I can access channels by going through extra steps on the remote. My point was that I don’t have to do that for other TV’s and haven’t had to in the past so am assuming something is wrong with that box. We pay quite a bit for this service and since I am a customer and something isn’t working properly, I should call and let the company I am paying know. 

Their position was: We understand, Miss Laura, how hard this is for you to go through extra steps so we will send someone out. 

About the third time she said that (Matt had worded it differently stating that he realized it was a “pain in the neck” and he was sorry it was so difficult for me to get to the channel) I spoke very calmly into the phone and said it was not that hard.

I said it was inconvenient, yes. And there is something wrong with their equipment but I would be fine to just continue on until it breaks completely and then they can send the tech. 

For that part, she said no I shouldn’t have to do that and agreed the equipment is faulty and they would need to send someone, but I want to address the feelings that came to me as I sat holding a remote control in front of a TV as a woman who lives in a nice house in a beautiful neighborhood and has three other TV’s she can use. 

I get that I am spoiled. 

I get that having to go through a couple of extra steps on a remote control to watch the news and complain about the weather guy is a luxury.

I understand that “hard” and “difficult” are not associated with such trivial things. 

I wanted to tell her that I know the difference between a minor inconvenience and the stuff that is really hard in life. 

I wanted her to know that I actually wonder what her life is like as she takes the brunt of our frustration that a company that is your best friend when trying to sell you the service will drop you like a hot potato when you actually need service. 

I wanted the tell her that I know fleeing from a government because of your religious beliefs or trying to put food on the table for a family when there are no jobs or having your daughters ripped away from their school and never seeing them again or raising a child with disabilities or being oppressed or trafficked or sitting in dialyses or chemotherapy or the court room in a child custody battle or standing by the grave or your young adult child or husband or best friend…and many other situations of humanity that keep me on my knees these days…those are hard. 

I understand that, as an American, I have a reputation over there in the customer service office halfway around the world of being entitled and selfish and only interested in getting my way. It’s why she thanked me repeatedly and called me “Miss Laura.” 

And it makes me sad and reflective of how much I take for granted because I live in a place where inconveniences are considered hardships. 

So there’s my two cents…and now it’s on to the next thing on my to do list that doesn’t take me out of earshot of the doorbell.

Over the weekend someone commented that I never wore a coat despite the super cold temps.

So this morning I decided to act like an adult and dress properly for the weather.

I donned a mid calf thermal coat complete with fur trimmed attached hood and my gloves and headed out.

Yep.

It’s in the mid to high 50’s.

So much for adulthood.

Here are some randoms for your mid-week perusing and then it’s off to tackle the day…coatless, my friend.

#1 – I did a Facebook live post today for Session 7 of Finding God Faithful and I totally blanked on the other brother that was left to make room for Joseph’s two sons.

I love making a mistake in front of an unknown audience about as much as I love making a mistake in front of one or more live people….or even just make a mistake that only I know about.

So here is the correction…the 12 tribes include Joseph, but the land allotted to the tribe of Joseph was given to his two sons. Joseph was given double and the tribe that was “left out” was the Levites because they did not own land – they were assigned to the duties of maintaining the Temple and the other tribes supported them.

Whew.

Now that we have that clear….

#2 – We are twixt and tween seasons.

Some of our friends are already putting up their Christmas trim.

There are others who will staunchly sport the pumpkins and orange/red and brown fake leaves and flowers until the leftovers from Thanksgiving are tucked in the fridge.

Others, God bless them, are trying to figure out how they didn’t notice the Lily of the Valley stems were still stuck in a vase in the bookcase and made it through summer and this far into fall without being detected.

And some don’t give a hoot about any of it.

And you know what?

It’s ok.

Whatever your style…whatever your timing on doing life…you do you <3

#3 – I made a Butternut Squash and Risotto from Kelly Minter’s book “A Place at the Table” and it was delicious. Easy to prepare, still yummy warmed up…like Autumn soul food.

Her book is so sweet…lots of good reading and lovely pictures plus easy to follow recipes and so far all have been a hit at our house.

https://kellyminter.com/a-place-at-the-table/

#4 – My cousin Betty has written and published a fun Gratitude Journal….

https://www.amazon.com/Intentional-Gratitude-Ways-Celebrate-Blessings/dp/1087496543/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=intentional+gratitude+betty+lochner&qid=1569119003&s=books&sr=1-1

At $12.99 they make a great little Christmas gift or something for you to do for your own quiet time.

52 weeks with prompts gives you a year of growing in this quality of being thankful…and lots of fun and creative spaces for coloring and doodling.

#5 – I’m out of ideas for you…see you tomorrow <3