"Is it I?"

Good afternoon everyone,

I do hope you all are well and safe.  I am okay and that's a blessing from God, and I'm so thankful for the gift of life He gives me everyday.

If you're wondering what my title refers to today, it applies to a Christian hymn that I sing often.  It's entitled, "Here I am Lord."  In that hymn, the words are:  "Here I am, Lord.  Is it I, Lord.  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my hands."  These words mean so much to me.  Have you ever just sat down and listened to the words of this hymn?  If you haven't, please do. 

I have placed myself into God's hands.  He guides me to do whatever small things I am capable of doing, for other people.  I wish I could go out and administer the gift of God's love to all those who suffer from illness or loneliness, but health wise, I simply can not.  I ask God to guide and lead me to do whatever I can, however small that may be.  Even a smile can brighten up another persons day. 

Each week, as I visit with my friend, who's in a nursing home, I try to smile and say "hello' to all the patients I pass as I walk down the hall to her room.  Some smile back and others will answer "hello" back to me.  It's such a simple little thing to do, yet we have no idea what it means to another person.

There are many older folks who live alone, or just a husband and wife.  If one of the couple is ill, it changes the dynamics for both of them.  Feeling you are alone, soon turns into depression and despair.  From there, it only gets worse.  Loneliness and despair are so hard to overcome.  And, it's not just older folks who suffer from this malady, it happens to people of all ages. 

We can help them, if we truly care about other people.  If you love God, then the best thing you can do to love Him, is to help spread His mercy everywhere, from one person to another.  You don't always have to go to that person to spread Jesus' Mercy.  You can do that through prayer also. Jesus promised each and every one of us His Divine Mercy, if we sing or pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet during the three o'clock hour, each day.  It can also be done at another time of the day. 

There's no excuse that's acceptable from anyone.  There isn't anyone who can't spare ten minutes to say the Chaplet or twenty minutes to sing it.  It's so beautiful and so sad at the same time.  Jesus promised that the person who prays His Divine Mercy Chaplet each day, will go directly into heaven upon their death bed.  I want that, how about you?  The thought of where else we may go is frightening to me and I hope it is to you, also. 

We are all sinners, with no exceptions.  We try hard to be good people, but then we find ourselves judging someone else, lying about something, or some other some thing that we know isn't right.  We say to ourselves, "Well, it's the truth!" or "Well, it was just a little lie!" or "I didn't mean any harm."  These things come from the devil.  He loves it when we do things like this.  God does not! 

I want to please the Lord every second of my life, however long or short that may be.  How about you?  Just a few things to think about on this Friday afternoon.  It's now almost three o'clock and I'm going to sing the chaplet.  Have a great day.
Susan

Well, it's over!

Hi friends,

What my title refers to is your first day of work for the week.  Of course, since I no longer can work, Monday is one of my wash days.  So, that's over for me until later on in the week. 

The temperature reached up into the high 70's here in South Central Pa. today, but I sat here this afternoon with a long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt on top of that.  It stays cool on our first floor at this time of the year.  By the time we have to turn on the air conditioner, the first floor will be kind of warm.  But, I'm not at all anxious to turn the air on!  It used to be we didn't have to do that until some time in June, but the last few years, we've had to use the air much sooner.

I worked on my writing project today for a little while.  I'm entering a writing contest soon and I need to finish the short story so I can do that.  I have about one thousand more words that I can use, so it won't take me long to finish.  I'll have to do rewrites then and editing, but that shouldn't take too long either.  It feels good to be writing once again. 

I've decided to write another novel when I'm finished this contest entry.  I'm pretty sure it will be another cold case novel.  I so enjoyed writing the last one.  If you are interested in reading  it electronically, you can go to www.amazon.com and enter the title into the search block.  It's called "Prolonged Uncertainties."  You can also check it out here, on my blog.  Just go to the titles on the top of my blog, and click on the title of the book.

Have you done anything creative lately?  I hope so.  Did you know that we all have some creative abilities inside of us.  Most folks just don't develop them or else they don't see that what they do is creative.  Woman who have to prepare meals on a limited budget often get very creative with their cooking.  Men, also, sometimes do creative things:  yard work and flower beds.

I'm not looking forward to a hot and humid summer.  It will mean that I will be inside all most all summer in the air conditioning.  I'm not complaining about that.  I'm just grateful that we have central air conditioning and that I love being home.  How about you?  Maybe you enjoy the heat and humidity.  I used to when I was much younger, but since becoming ill, I can't breathe when I'm out in it.  But, I'm thankful that I'm still living.

I hope your week goes well for you.  God bless you and keep you all safe.
Susan

Spring may really be here!

Hi everyone,

Well, do you agree with me about spring being here now?  Of course, I would not be at all surprised, if next week, the temperatures drop down once again.  The temps. have been so irregular during the past couple of months.  Well actually, since the later part of last year.  But, I do hope that spring really is here to stay.

What have you been up to lately?  Anything creative?  I'm sure that if you follow my blog, you already know that I'm always crafting, in one way or another.  I'm in the process of writing a story for a contest, which will be judged from a publishing company in Rehoboth Beach.  It feels so good to get back into the groove of writing again. 

Actually, I was considering taking the above story, after it's finished, and turning it into a novel.  I will probably change the story line, as it will be a short story for the contest.  The idea of starting another novel excites me.  I so enjoyed writing "Prolonged Uncertainties," even though I stepped out of my box on that one.  I'm now considering writing another cold case novel.  What do you think?  Should I?

I'm still embroidering.  I took time out to do some crocheting.  I was making Christmas gifts for my Grandson's girlfriends.  Now I'm back embroidering designs on towels.  I've started choosing more complex designs, so it takes me longer to finish them.  I'm also doing one on each end of the towel.  Maybe later on, I'll embroider some designs on table runners.

I'm excited because soon I will be able to put my hand embroidered bedspread on my bed.  Before I do, I need to know that it's not going to get cold once again.  It's not very thick, so I will only use it in the summer months.  I know I posted this photo before, but I thought I'd re-post it, in case you didn't see it before.

I do hope you all have been doing something creative.  We all have creative abilities inside of us.  We just need to find a way to let that creativity out.  Try it, you may just surprise yourself and create something wonderful.

Take care and God bless each of you.
Susan

Hello, Friday!

Hi folks,

How's everyone doing today?  I'm good.  It's a nice day here in South Central Pennsylvania.  The high today is to be in the mid sixties.  That's good in my book.  If it wasn't, there's nothing I can do about it anyways.

What's been going on in your lives?  Anything interesting?  Anything creative?  As for me, I've been in a bit of a "slump" you might say.  What I mean is that I can't decide what creative project I want to start on next.  I'd like to write, but what? 

A few days ago I asked God to help me to choose a writing project or something creative to do.  Well, God does work in mysterious way, you know!  I got a message from my oldest daughter to check out a writing contest, which comes from a Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, publishing company.  So, I did look into it, and I am going to enter the contest.  I may not win any of the top awards, but at least I'll be writing once again.  Perhaps I'll use this short story line for my next new full length novel. 

I really enjoyed writing my last manuscript.  I suppose that's because I stepped "out of the box" on that one.  I was a little uneasy, at first, but I soon got over that.  So, I'm thinking that this summer will be the start of another novel for me.  So, thank you, Lord, for giving me that little nudge.

I visited with my friend, who's in a nursing home, this morning.  She's doing a little bit better.  At least she's not just laying in bed, feeling sorry for herself.  That makes me very happy.  We spent about two hours just talking and I took my booklet, "My Soothing Poems from the Heart" along with me, and read some of them to her.  She seemed to enjoy them.  I just want her to know that she has a friend who cares about her.  She's not alone!

(If you want to check out the booklet of my poems, you can do so by clicking on the title her on my blog.  All 18 of my novels, (both for adults and children) plus my booklets, are available at www.amazon.com.)

What's on your schedule for this weekend?  Anything interesting or creative?  This is the time of year when folks start working on their flower beds and gardens, and you can be very creative with them.  It seems like the weekend weather is to be fairly nice, so do something out of doors.  This time of year, it's warmer outside many times, than inside.  Whatever you do, have a great weekend and may God keep you and your family safe, always.

 I love these white-puffy clouds.  They're so beautiful.
Susan

Happy Sunday, folks!

Hi everyone,
How's your Sunday going?  Of course you all know that Sunday is God's day and supposed to be a day of rest for us, allowing us plenty of time to give thanks to God today.  As you will remember, one of our Ten Commandments is:  Keep holy the Lord's Day!  I try to do that and I'm sure you do, as well.

Suppose I asked you, "What do you give thanks for?"  What would you're answers be?  I am sure there are a lot of people out there who would answer that question this way, "My life's a wreck.  I don't have anything to be thankful for now."  I hope that would not be your answer.

If you may need a reminder, here are a few:  I have a job, it may not be a great paying job but it is a job;   I have food to eat! Maybe not choice cuts of meat, but it fills me up;  I have enough money to pay my bills.  Maybe not the full amounts, but it keeps the utilities turned on;  I woke up this morning.
Yeah, I have a few aches and pains, but I'm still living;  I have a family who loves me, even if it's only one or two people. Having one person in your life who loves you is a blessing;  God loves me.  Even though I am a sinner, He always forgives me if I am sorry for my sins; I have enough warm clothes to wear to keep me warm.  No, they're not new but I don't care because they are mine.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.  We have all been extremely blessed.  No we don't have everything we want, but most of us have everything we need.  The people who always want more (more money, bigger homes, newer cars, new clothes, etc.) are usually very sad and lonely people.  Happiness doesn't come from exterior things (cars, homes, lots of money, etc.) it comes from inside of you. 

If you truly believe that happiness comes from the inside, then you will find yourself very happy with just what you have.  You will be thankful for everything you do have and for everything you don't have.  Money will not make you a happy person.  Oh, it helps to pay the bills, but you can not purchase true happiness, not in any form. 

I hope you have a great Sunday and remember to take a little time to thank God for all your blessings.  Be safe always.
Susan

What does it say to you?

Hi all,

I suppose you're all wandering what I'm talking about in my title post!  Well, I decided I would share with you,  one or two of my poems from "My Soothing Poems from The Heart" booklet.

If you enjoy them, maybe you'd like to purchase an electronic copy of this booklet.  It's available at www.amazon.com.  All you have to do is put my full name into the search block on amazon and all of my novels and booklets will come up.  Just purchase the one you want.

Just Wonder

What would you do if you were told,

that your life would be over in ten days?

Would you sit and pout and wonder why,

or let yourself be thrown into a daze?

Would you make a bucket list, just for you,

then schedule something exciting every day?

Would you buy that item you have always wanted,

not caring how much you have to pay?

Would you spend tie with your spouse,

and tell your children how much you love them?

Would you call the florist and have them deliver

dozens of roses to friends, all with long stems?

Would you check in with all your friends,

from very long ago and new ones, too?

Would you share the news about yourself,

or simply hide the fact that's making you blue?

You could perhaps fall into a deep depression,

then climb into your bed and hide your face,

hoping to fall into a long and peaceful sleep,

until you open your eyes in your heavenly place.

As for me and what I think I would do,

if this fate was mine to live,

I would pray to God asking for His grace,

which has always truly been His to give!

Just thought I would give you something,

asking you to sit for awhile and ponder,

for we truly never know what our fate will be.

But with faith in God, we'll never have to wonder!

What Will I See In Heaven? 

What will I see in heaven?

I'd truly like to know.

I believe I'll see my Mom and Dad,

Because I honestly miss them so.

What will I find in heaven?

Joy, peace and love between every one.

Be it a grandparent or a parent,

a daughter or a son.

What will I experience in heaven?

A closeness to God, like no other.

A strong embrace from my Father,

and once more the love of my Mother.

What will I feel in heaven?

God's almighty glory will shine upon me.

Like the warm rays of the sun,

He'll warm my soul completely, you see.

What will I know in heaven?

This I promise that I know for sure,

will be God's unfailing tender love.

How could we ever ask for more? 

What will I have in heaven?

True happiness and all consuming joy,

no more pain or suffering ever,

for any man, woman, girl or boy!

Amen!

This is just two of the poems found in my booklet.  I hope you enjoyed them.  Have a great day and may you be safe always.

Susan