SISTERS ARE SPECIAL June ALT Magazine Blog

 

My mom and dad were only children growing up and said they were lonely. The closest neighbors were several miles away, and they had no one to play with. I think that’s one reason they had nine children!

I was a dreamer and lived in my own little imaginary world. My two sisters were a few years older than me. I’m sure as the little sister, I was a “nuisance”!

My dad was drafted into the Army when I was just a few months old, and the family felt sorry for me not having my dad around and gave into my every whim. When he came home from Germany, he did the same.

I remember moving a block away from Grim Street to Jackson Street on College Hill. Walking across the vacant lot with my two sisters, I took my life’s possessions ... a doll and a china tea set! I was only five years old, but my memory etched it vividly in my mind, and I treasure those childhood memories with them!

My older sister, Nona, played the clarinet for the Arkansas High School Band. In 1950, she and several other girlfriends in the band practiced their routine in front of our house for majorette tryouts.

I marched with them to an imaginary drummer up and down Jackson Street and pretended to be a drum major. I used a long stick for my baton and a green cap my mother knitted for my headpiece. I took a flower from a crepe myrtle tree in the front yard for my plume. 

    Those were the “good ole days” when we played outside and were creative.

My sister and nephew lived in Texarkana when my brother-in-law was in Greenland, serving with the Air Force. She had a 1949 standard shift Buick and taught me how to drive when I was 13. She would let me use her car to pick up her needed item.

My sisters and mom were excellent seamstresses and taught me how to sew. I entered a 4-H competition in 5^th grade and won first place. They showed me how to combine several patterns and create a unique design. In my next life, I want to be a fashion designer.

My sister Racine’s husband, James, worked at the Texarkana Gazette after they married and loved to tease me. I’m sure he would have many stories to tell, but I’m glad he brought Odis home for supper and introduced us.

My five brothers were special too, but that is for another blog!

 

*Clips are from Growing Up In The Fifties, a short story by Suzie Tyler, available on Amazon.

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The Writing of Beau Max

 As a thirty-year-old, I married my husband and inherited his three boys. The court had awarded him full custody, and I loved him enough to accept raising his three sons with my daughter! I had little knowledge of a boy's behavior and did not know what I was letting myself in for, but I was willing to take on that responsibility to have him in my life! 

While researching information for my autobiography, AGAINST ALL ODDS, We Found A Perfect Love, I interviewed several older residents in the area who knew Odis as a lad growing up in the small community of Lonsdale! 

I combined their stories with the ones I heard from his parents and created Beau Max! I based this fictional character on how I perceived Odis as a young boy growing up in a small town in the 50s, learning about life in a family that taught Christian values, and added my personal adventures of raising boys!

If you want a wholesome read with a positive message about a young lad's character, integrity, and mischievousness, consider the book collection series Beau Max, available on Amazon as an ebook and print! 

There are stories of happiness, fear, and fun times that will inspire and intrigue you.

The series is a collection of fiction short stories and gives a good positive message with clean language!  

Memorial Day (ALT Blog for May)

 What is Memorial Day?

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, began in 1868. It is a day of solemn remembrance for everyone who has died serving in the American armed forces from the Civil War until now.

The flag covering the casket of a veteran is folded at the graveside and has a special meaning with each fold. I love that it has 13 folds.

The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.
The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.
The 3rd fold honors and remembers veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives to defend their country to attain peace throughout the world.
The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn to in times of peace and war for His divine guidance.
The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, ‘Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.’
The 6th fold is for where people’s hearts lie. It is with their heart that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and flag against all her enemies, whether foreign or domestic.
The 8th fold is a tribute to the ones who entered the valley of the shadow of death that we might see the light of day.
The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, love, loyalty, and devotion that molded the character of the men and women who made this country great.
The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for our country’s defense.
The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews’ eyes the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit in the Christian’s eyes.
With the completion of the 13th fold, the stars are uppermost, reminding the soldier of the Nations’ motto, ‘In God We Trust.’

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today. It is a symbol of ‘Liberty and Freedom.’

 

Honor our Veterans

An Electronic Generation (ALT Blog for April)

My age group became the first to be "entertained" by electronics. We became mesmerized by the development of the black-and-white TV, but were not yet addicted! We still used natural means for fun activities, played outside, and created ways to have a good time!

Today, that is unheard of! Cell phones dominate our family life, our conversations, and our entertainment! Even our bill paying and banking can be accomplished on a phone app.

When you walk into a restaurant, you think… Oh, good. People are praying before their meal.

No! They are looking at text messages, playing games, or searching google.

I recently wrote a book on growing up in the fifties. It made me reflect on the life I left behind. Neighbors trusted each other, and no one locked their doors at night. Mothers in the community looked out for the neighborhood children. I knew if I acted up away from my mom, someone would report it to her before arriving home, and I did not want to feel her wrath!!

In our 60s and beyond, we older folks have entered a social media world unknown during our growing-up years. Some of us have adapted to some extent, while others have refused to learn. I am just now getting technically savvy about Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram but lost with TikTok. Now I'm being introduced to words like Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence, Holograms, and Crypto Coins.

When I was young, I tended to think, 'ignore it, and it will go away.' Sadly, that does not work. At some point, you must face facts and deal with reality. Unfortunately, some of these changes are not for the betterment of our children.

A Metaverse World, simply put, is a 3D virtual reality world focused on the social connection where users can interact and experience things they would in the real world but with no accountability.

I really can't blame them. The world as we know it gets more complicated and unstable every day, and I'm ready to be transported to a place where I can experience peace and tranquility.

No matter how you slice it, a make-believe virtual world with Artificial Intelligence and no consequences will not be authentic life.

There is a spirit of selfishness in the real world today, and people no longer have a compassionate heart! We don't love others or God more than we love ourselves.

Guilty! I'm the first to raise my hand! There's an old saying: charity begins at home, and so changes! If we don't like our current society's behavior, we only need to look at numero uno! I can't change you, but I can change myself. We need a life values overhaul.

When was the last time you did a good deed anonymously?… Well, that's too long! 

Message of Love

If you love somebody, what you long for more than anything else is being near them, holding each other, and spending time together as you express your love and adoration in person. 

After losing contact for fifteen years, Odis and I reestablished our relationship but had to spend the next four months 450 miles apart. 

His letters were a joy, and having photos of each other was heartwarming and a comfort, but nothing compared to the few hours we spent in each other’s presence.

In 1973, there were no emails, text messages, FaceTime, or Zoom calls, so letters or long-distance phone calls were our only way to communicate. 

While they were nice, they were expensive, and we made our conversation quality time! 

Still, nothing compared to actually being together, holding and loving each other in person, and we treasured those moments. 

Genuine love is not boastful, self-seeking, does not think too highly of themselves, but loves with an attitude of being a servant. 

That’s how God loves us. 

As we celebrate the resurrection day of our Savior Jesus Christ, cultivate a Jesus Love your mate, family, and friends!

Spend time in the Presence of God.

Happy Resurrection Day! 

God is Love!

Blog on Grief

 What is Grief? (ALT Magazine Blog for March)

 

Grief has no map.

It is a journey of love, searching for a place to go.

There is no table of contents or path to follow. Only you can walk it, but you’re not alone, and God’s Love gives Grace.

Each person reacts differently, and your response follows your personality. It’s personalized, and no one can direct you. You walk it with your faith in a God who loves you.

Tears may come at the most inopportune time, but they are healing, so I coined the phrase, “Liquid Love.”

Whether you have time to say goodbye or your loved one’s departure from this life was without warning, you are never prepared to handle life without your spouse, child, or loved one.

Knowing they are now with God is comforting, but it doesn’t fill your empty arms or the pain of a broken earthly heart while living a life without them.

Even though they try, your friends have no words that bring comfort because nothing makes sense of the situation.

No words can describe the emptiness, but the love that remains is the sustaining force to deal with the pain of the absence.

I often say a loss thru death and divorce are similar. One departure has wonderful memories, and the other has bad ones, but the important thing is to keep moving forward with God and trust His plan.

I encourage those who experience grief to write down their thoughts. Even for your eyes only, recalling your feelings helps ease the pain and allows the memories to begin.

Go at your own pace, and no matter how weird it may seem, do it your way.

 

What Is Love?

 What Is Love? (February ALT Magazine Blog)

When I was twelve years old, my grandmother and I visited her sisters, Georgia and Susie, in Louisiana. As my cousin Mildred and I discussed boys, they gave us their dating advice. Aunt Susie said they never would let a guy court them unless he had a good-looking horse and buggy. We tried not to laugh because she was serious.

I had never heard the word courting before, and being the curious one, I asked what that meant. Aunt Susie said it was being involved with someone romantically for the purpose of marriage. She further explained, “A boy doesn’t treat a girl he wants to court for marriage like he does someone he only wants to date. He makes her feel special with worshipful, devoted Love and a desire to protect her!”

Since then, I’ve learned there are two kinds of Love, Surface Love and Unconditional Love!

Surface Love is a relationship without commitment, with no strings attached. This person is self-seeking, will only love as long as things go their way, and will leave at the drop of a hat.

Unconditional Love is a relationship of devotion and compassion, with a yearning to protect someone you love. It is a lifetime commitment with a person who loves you more than they love themselves.

Everyone wants to feel unique and adored. True Love allows that to happen. This type of Love is the same for each individual, but they experience it differently.

If you have found someone who loves you with that passion, hug them a little tighter, and kiss them a little longer.

February 14 is Valentine’s day and a time to show Love to your sweetheart, which is an endearing term to call someone you care for deeply.

If you are still single, look for a godly person and pray about your choice! Recognize the real thing and when you find true Love, make sure it is reciprocated. This Valentine’s Day, I want to encourage you to trust God to bring that special sweetheart into your life. You don’t have to settle for second best, or those dreams of Love may become a nightmare! If you have not found them yet, use this day to love YOU.

Have a happy day of Love!

Heart Blog

 A few days ago, I had a new experience, and at first, it was a little overwhelming. 

There is a backstory to this blog. Several years ago, after Odis had a carotid sonogram, I began thinking about it and asked my doctor if I should have one. She said it was covered by my insurance and scheduled an appointment at the imaging center. It was a crazy experience. After completing the test, the technician asked me if I had any problems and why I wanted to have the test done. I explained it to her, and she kept going outside the room and coming back. She finally told me she could not give me much information, but I had a blockage, and I could not be released until she talked with my doctor. It was 5:00 pm on a Friday afternoon, and my doctor had left for the weekend. After reaching the doctor on call, he told her to have me go home and take 320 MG of chewable aspirin and contact my doctor first thing on Monday morning. The bottom line was I had 95% blockage in my left carotid that required immediate bypass surgery. I realized testing was important, so when my regular cardiologist decided to semi-retire and was no longer doing procedures, I checked out Arkansas Heart Hospital Clinic in Little Rock. I decided on Dr. Ribeiro, one of their cardiologists. 

I had no swelling or pain except in the muscle of my right and left upper arm. I take high blood pressure and high cholesterol medication, but I had a gut feeling that I needed to get my heart checked out if they could find one.

My first visit was at their clinic in Hope. His tests showed an abnormality in my EKG,  PET scans, and echogram, and he scheduled an angiogram in the Little Rock Clinic. That test showed a major blockage in the major artery to the back of my heart, the one they call a widow maker, and immediately scheduled me for surgery to put in a stent! They are done all the time successfully, just not on me!! It took some time to process the news, and it was a little overwhelming. No, a lot!

They did find a heart, and it is strong and pumping at 68%, which is good. However, the heart cannot pump blood through the primary artery that is severely blocked. 

I knew it was serious when the nurse told me to take off my jewelry, contacts, and false eyelashes! I tried to back out, but Diane wouldn't let me! Since she is my legal, decision-making, medical person, she was not ready to pull my plug,  so I've got to stay around a little longer to drive her and Karmyn crazy. 

I knew I was in good hands when Dr. Riberio came in and said, "I will do my best and let God do the rest." I remind God every day that my doctor did his best, and now it is up to Him.

I was awake and watched all of it on the monitor, and it was very educational!  

Afterward the procedure, the doctor told Diane that it was severely blocked, and it was good he got to it when he did.

The Ark Heart Hospital staff is outstanding! I told them I was a VIP, and they believed me and gave me excellent care!

The blockage occurred because of all my bad eating habits through the years, so I am being a good girl now and following a heart-healthy diet. That means no sweet tea or Dr. Peppers, my go-to drink. I'm changing it to a glass of red wine every night before bedtime.

PS I already lost 8 pounds. Maybe I can again model a swimsuit. lol

 

What is True Holiness

When I was growing up, I thought holiness was a woman who wore long dresses and had her hair put in a ball on the top of her head. While this is not a criticism of that type of attire, it is not salvation and certainly not holiness. I just read a good definition of what true holiness is:

True 'holiness' is when you leave every person more alive than when you found them.

We are beginning a new year and turning over a new leaf. Your slate is clean, so write positive, uplifting things and make God proud.

I pray that everything I do is pleasing to God. It's time to separate ourselves from sin and get in right fellowship with God. We need to catch the vision Jacob saw at Bethel and return there.

Have a wonderful year!!

Happy New Year 2022

 What can we expect in the new year of 2022?

Will a cure be found for Covid and the variants or will we have more of the same during this new year? Will mandates, vaccine requirements, and masks continue to be the rule of the day?

Only God knows the answer to that!!

If, as some have believed, this is political, then it will end in mid-April or May and by July or August, just before the mid-term elections, we will have another stimulus, probably $600.00.

If it is purely a process of life and the virus just appeared, it will probably continue. It sure is making the Pharmaceutical companies, mainly Pfizer and Moderna, wealthier.

Now, it seems more and more people who have been vaccinated are coming down with the virus and some have died, so it makes you wonder?? What's up with that?? Both sides have their own opinion, but that is for another day of discussion.

Regardless, I will probably always wear a mask to Wal-Mart from now until eternity. It just seems like a safer way to exist if I want to shop there. I will continue to take Vitamins D3, C, Zinc, and Quercetin or some good immunity enhancer since I don't eat correctly and even if I did, the vitamins and minerals aren't in food like it was when my parents raised their own.

Stay safe and enjoy the new year of 2022!

Who Am I

 ALT Magazine Blog for December

 

If you were to ask someone, “Who is Suzie Tyler?” Their first thought would be bling and shoes! But… There is another side of me… the music side!

I learned to play a musical instrument when I was ten and played an accordion or piano in a church service at age 12. I heard tones in my head and matched them to the sounds coming from the keyboard. I had no idea where B flat was on a piece of music or the keyboard, but I knew the three chords used to play a hymn in the key of B flat.

If you hummed it, I would play it! My parents didn’t realize the importance of lessons because I could play anything I heard!

I also was a curious child. It was not enough to hear and play it. I wanted to know the structure of what I was playing! I didn’t realize it was the theory of music!

I’m sure I made a nuisance of myself asking questions of every good pianist I heard! I watched and asked why and how they knew what to play!

Probably the turning point was when our choir director in Conroe wanted the choir to do a cantata for Easter! But, I couldn’t read music, so I went to my daughter’s piano teacher and thought she could teach me in a few weeks!

Wrong!

After telling me she didn’t teach adults, especially those who played by ear, she reluctantly agreed to teach me the basics, and I would have to apply myself to learn the rest!

I was determined and literally said Every Good Boy Does Fine and wrote out above the notes for each vocal part and memorized the music.

The accompaniment was written in chords, so I figured out the name of each one and wrote it above the cluster of notes then memorized them!

I had an LP recording of the cantata and played it repeatedly and matched the sounds with the notes and chords, and I was home free!

At the end of the presentation night, I felt accomplished, but the knowledge I gained was priceless! Sometimes I still hear John Peterson’s No Greater Love playing in my head!

With determination and perseverance, you can conquer anything!

Check out my blog post online. I will give you an inside look at my travels in the Houston area and my experiences playing for various groups and soloists in Texarkana!

No snake stories, but some were pretty amazing!

suzietksnippets.blogspot.com

 

Are Musicians Temperamental?

I hear this all the time: “Musicians are moody and hard to get along with!”

No, we are creative, and that makes us special!

My music experience started as a nine-year-old when I would crawl through the window of my church to play my heart out on the piano!

In my fantasy world, I imagined angels taking my amplified sounds and piping the music to nearby hobo jungle to make their hearts happy!

I was tiny. Some would say skinny, so my dad bought me a small 12 base accordion. I was limited to the keys I could play.

He purchased a 72 base white accordion as a surprise. It was not too big and fit my small body frame, but allowed me to play in almost any key.

When I moved to Conroe, I played for a boys trio, and we traveled to churches in the Houston area to sing for special events and revivals. It required many hours of personal practice time to play the music and time with them to learn their parts!

There was a period in the ’60s when the snake-handling movement was popular in some churches! You remember the scripture in Mark 16:18, They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; (KJV)

Well, I informed the guys they best not book us to sing at one of those religious establishments, or they would be singing Church of Christ style!

Their pianist would be finding the nearest exit!

 When Coleman McDuff of the McDuff Trio in Houston, Texas, asked me to play for a revival Wednesday through Sunday in Huntsville, Texas, I said yes.

He talked with me on Friday night and said Connie Smith appeared at the Huntsville rodeo on Sunday and was a friend of his. She had agreed to come on the final night, to sing and give her testimony. He then handed me a probable list of her songs!

I had no idea who she was! When I found out she was a big country music star, I about flipped out, but she was down-to-earth and a sweet Christian lady!

Fast forward to Texarkana! I was playing for a friend who led praise and worship for ladies’ groups, and many of the meetings were in hotels that did not take proper care of their pianos!

During one meeting she scheduled, I walked into the room to check out the instrument. I said, “Marejohn, several black keys are missing on the piano!” We muddled thru, but after that night, we got an electric keyboard to take to the meetings!

Odis knew I loved playing the piano when we married and had previously played for gospel groups.

We had just come in from picking blueberries and were preparing them for the freezer when I got a phone call. The stranger on the other end of the line said they had a gospel men’s group with an engagement for Sunday night, and their pianist had to work. My name had been given to them as a possibility to fill in for them. I looked at Odis, and he said, “Go! I’ll finish these!”

After I accepted, my suspicious mind kicked in, and I said, “What if they attack me and kill me?”

He said, “You’ll be fine! I’ll pray for you!”

I’m so glad I had a praying husband. They liked my style and asked me to play for them permanently.

I’ve had a great time playing and ministering in music! It was never hard work, and I’ve often felt it was a small part compared to the Gideon’s giving out bibles, a teacher of a Sunday School class, or preaching, but Odis reminded me how important the musicians of the Old Testament were!

I pray my music has been a blessing of ministry to the people I’ve played for in revivals, women’s retreats, and meetings!

It has been a great ride for me!

Are you a “Procrastinator?”

ALT Magazine Blog for November

 

In a few short weeks, we will celebrate important events like my birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

THEN the ball will drop in the big apple, and 2022 will come bursting on the scene.

My rule for the new year: ... No discussion of 2021. I, for one, am ready to put this year in the history books, never to be remembered again!!

But, what comes next? Taxes! I don’t think we have had the sweeping tax changes the politicians promised, but then there’s an entire new year to “git it done!”… Maybe

For those procrastinators who just filed their taxes in October, it will be a new opportunity to do it early for a change.

Of course, I’m so old that I remember preparing taxes without an automatic extension giving you an extra six months to complete your 1040.

Back in the “dark ages,” before the internet, TurboTax, and E-file, you prepared your taxes by hand. We then typed the completed numbers on the IRS forms with an IBM Selectric typewriter, but we did have self-correcting tape! There were only requested extensions with a darn good reason, and you worked around the clock for several weeks before April 15th and just got it done or else!!! Oh, how I remember those late rushing trips to the post office to meet the deadline!

In those rare instances when you couldn’t complete it, you requested an extension, and even if IRS turned it down, it gave you a few weeks to fudge!!

How things have changed! Now, with an automatic extension, procrastinators can wait til October 15^th, but,   Who does that??!!

Follow my blog, SuzieTK Snippets, on Facebook and Word Press, OR, google it.

Happy Birthday to me and Happy Turkey Day to you!