How's your day going?

Hi all,

Happy Hump Day!  How's your day going, thus far?  I hope all is well.  My day, so far, went well.  I did a load of sheets, remade the beds, worked on my manuscript for about an hour and a half, cut some more white cotton pieces (for my bedspread I'm embroidering) and sang some hymns of praise.  That's a good day for me.  How about you?  Did you do anything creative today?  I hope so, no matter what it was.  Being creative makes one feel good about yourself.

I was asked when I started writing.  Well, that would have been around twenty five years ago.  But, I've always enjoyed writing.  I remember that when I was still in school (which was many, many, many years ago) I loved writing book reports.  I just never tried writing as  career, after graduating from high school.  I just wanted to get married and be a Mom.  That had always been my goal.  Then I was told that I would never be able to have a child of my own.  Fortunately, for me, God had other plans.  I gave birth three times, to three lovely daughters.  I also had  miscarriage in between the fist an second one.  I was truly blessed!

My current manuscript is coming along very well.  I'm now on page 171.  I figure I'll have maybe another 30 to 50 pages to go until it comes to an end.  I did take a bit of time today to hand make a graduation card for one of our Grandsons, who will soon be graduating from high school.  That will only leave me with one Grandson in high school.  And, he'll be graduating next year.  Man oh day, where does the time go?  I can remember when each one of them was born

I've had this itch lately, to get back into drawing, using either pencils or chalks. But, I don't see that happening until after I complete my novel.  I'm always ready to do anything that's creative.  Do you realize that to be a great boss, you have to be creative.  How else would you be able to adjust your staff's schedules to their liking, you need to be fair and honest with them, you need to divide the work equally between all of them and you need to see the human side of them, as well.  Think about it!  It's true..

I do hope the remainder of your week goes well for all of you.  Stay well and may God bless each of you.
Susan

Happy Saturday!

Hi everyone,

First of all, let me wish each of you a wonderful Saturday.  Whatever you're doing today, I ask God to keep you all safe and to return you safely to your homes at the end of the day.

What I'd like to speak about today is the subject of:  Giving Back!  Some folks call it different names, such as:  giving back, playing it forward, passing it on, or paying it forward.  No matter what term you use, they all mean the same thing. 

Each and every one of us has been blessed by God in many ways.  Now it's our turn to pass those blessings on to another person who's in need.  When I say "in need" it could mean many different things.  Such as:  a person who is suffering from a chronic illness or a terminal one; a person who is out of work and finding it extrememly hard to pay his/her bills; a person who has recently lost a loved one and is having trouble moving on with their lives; a single mom or dad who is unable to control their teens; and many other circumstances! 

I can attest to you, that no matter what your current situation may be, you still can "play it forward".  All you have to do is find out a little bit about the other persons situation and do whatever you can to help them; be it with a small donation of money or food, offering to spend time with their child, praying for them every day, or simply smiling at them to let them know someone does care. 

I know for many people the very first thing they'll say is, "I don't have time for that" or "I have problems of my own."  Those, in my opinion, are just simply excuses!  There is always five minutes in everyones day to say 'hello' to someone, or one hour to help them out.  How long does it take to sit down and mail a small check or some cash to a person?  Not long at all.  Please don't use that excuse because it's not true.

How many times have you been in a store and a young Mom is having trouble controlling her children.  She may seem very stressed to you.  Have you ever stopped and smiled at her, or asked if she needs any help.  So what if she tells you to mind your own business!  It's what you do that really matters, not what she does.  Keep on trying and you'll see how much your kindness means to other people.

Share with them Jesus' Divine Mercy.  Let them know that they are never alone, for God will always be with them.  They just need to do their very best and turn to God for the rest.

I hope you all have a productive day and may Christ bless you with His Divine Mercy, always.
Susan

What a change a few days make

Hi all,

Wow, over the weekend the temperatures here were in the mid seventies.  Today our highs were around 65 and for the rest of the week and through this weekend, it's only to be in the fifties.  I know that's more normal temperatures for April than the seventies.  And, I prefer the normal temps at this time of the year.  But, why the great difference in the temperatures? 

How your week going thus far?  Mine is going well.  Yesterday I spent a good hour and a half on my manuscript and today I worked on it for about two hours.  It's moving along nicely and I'm getting excited because I'm now on page 152. 

I was very excited when I had my last three adult fiction novels published, but this one is different and I can't wait to see it in print.  The first three were just fun stories about a group of close friends and all the trouble they'd get into, but this one is of a more serious nature.  It's the story of a twenty year old cold case, involving the disappearance of an eight year old little girl.  I really am enjoying writing this one.  I guess you could say that I'm stepping 'out of the box' on this one.

I'll let you all know when it is available for electronic purchase, through Amazon.com. I'm not sure at this time, whether or not I'm going to have it marketed in hard copy, or not.  I will have a few copies printed up for family and close friends. 

I want to thank all of you who prayed for my friends, whom I mentioned in my last blog.  I know how powerful prayer can be, so please remember them in your daily prayers.  Sometimes I just wonder why things happen the way they do.  Sometimes things go so well for us and at other times, our lives are filled with sadness and pain.  I suppose that everything we go through, both the good times and the painful ones, serve to make us stronger human beings; as well as more thankful humans.  At least I hope so. 

What have you all been up to lately?  Have you started working in your gardens yet?  You know it's about time for you to get out there and possibly design a new layout for your flower beds.  Just think how creative that would be and how beautiful it will look when your plants are blooming.  I'm sure you'll get lots of good compliments on your creativity.  Go for it, what do you have to loose?

I'm still doing my embroidery work.  I'm currently working on a summer bedspread for my bed.  The base of the spread will be a light green queen sized sheet with lace around the edges.  The top of it will have square blocks which will be hand embroidered with different designs and saying.  I'm using all pastel colors of  floss to do the embroidery work.  I will be needing approximately 24 to 26 blocks total.  So, that being said, I may not have it finished until next summer, but that's okay with me.  All good things take time!  Have you ever heard that old saying?

What have you all been up to lately; well, besides working that is?  I encourage you to try something creative.  There are so many different things encompassed in the term:  creativity.  It's not just drawing, painting, writing, etc.  Please let me know what you choose to do, to be creative.  I'd really like to know.

Just a reminder for all you working people out there:  Tomorrow is Wednesday and it's Hump Day.  You all know what that means, so cheer up! 

Well, I'm going to close for now.  Stay healthy and safe always.
Susan

Here's one of my squares.  Sorry but the picture isn't very good.

Do You Ever Wonder Why?

Hi all,
 
I hope your Wednesday is going well.  Mine has been pretty productive.  I worked for over two hours this morning on my manuscript.  It's moving along really well and I am very pleased with it thus far.
For all you folks working Monday through Fridays, today's Hump Day, so cheer up, tomorrow you're on the down side of the week.

Have you ever wondered why certain people come into your life?  Or what your part in that relationship is to be?  Or perhaps, how you've gotten so lucky to have these people in your life?  I've always believed that God puts human angels into all of our lives, to lend us support exactly when we need it.  I do know this is true, because I've experienced human angels in my life many times.  But I am wondering if I have ever been a human angel for anyone else.  I truly do pray that I have been, but I suppose it's really not important for me to know whether I have been, or not.  It's far more important that the other person feels I was their human angel, even just for a short time.

About a year ago, a wonderful family came into my husband's and my life.  They are young enough to be our children and their child, our grandchild.  We've become very close with them and we both love their little family very much.  We are good friends with the three of them.  Now for the sad part, the husband is dying from numerous cancers throughout his body.  He was recently told that there wasn't much more they can do for him and it's breaking both their hearts.  I can't even imagine what they both are going through.  He just wants to keep living to spend as much time with his wife and son as possible; while she wants the very same things.  She is extremely anxious about everything.  She's worried about how she's to take care of their son on her own, after her husband passes. 

Both my husband and myself are trying to be there for them at every opportunity we can.  But, truly what do you say to someone in this situation.  Of course, we say all the appropriate things, but it's just not enough.  Nothing we say can or will change the situation.  I know that God has put this couple into our lives for a reason.  I've had conversations with the husband regarding his illness many times.  We can talk open and truthful with one another, of which I am so thankful.  I've also had many, many conversations with the wife and I continually try telling her that she is a strong woman and she'll manage just fine with whatever she needs to handle.  But, of course, doing that is far harder than it is for me to say it. 

I do know how hard it is raising children on your own, because after my first husband left me and my daughters, I had to finish raising the three of them on my own.  My oldest was just about grown up, but she still lived at home.  The first two years after he left, were some of the hardest I've ever had to live through.  But, with God's help, I made it and I ended up a very strong, independent middle aged woman.  For that I will always be thankful to God, for without His help I doubt I'd have gotten through everything I did.

What more can we do for this family, except to be there for them when we are needed.  Since we live over an hour away from them, it's not like we can get together often.  Although we do spend a great deal of time with them during the summer months.  The very best thing I can do for them, is to pray for them, to ask God to stay close to them and hold them very tight in His hands. 

It's a sad situation, to say the least, but we are so happy that God put them into our lives when He did.  So, I hope and pray that, in some small way, we can be human angels for the three of them.  With God's help, we will be!  Please remember this family in your prayers today. 

Be safe and give thanks for all you do have!
Susan

Happy First Day of the work week!

Hi all,

How's your Monday going?  Mine has been very tiring, but I did manage to do two loads of laundry and cleaned by living room and hall way.  Now I'm working on our dinner for tonight, steak, potatoes and a vegetable.  Actually the steak was so large, that's we'll have enough for another supper this week. 

I didn't get any time to work on my manuscript, which upsets me, but being ill, I can only do so much each day.  I did cut some white panels, which I'm going to embroider on, for a summer quilt.  It may take me until next summer to be able to use it, but that's all right with me.  Hand embroidery is a very slow process, one which I love doing.  I find it's very relaxing for me to sit down in front of the television and embroider.  Have you ever tried it?  If not, you really should give it a try.  Anything that relaxes me is a great activity.

Well, the weather seems to have turned to spring, which makes me happy.  I just hope the temperatures don't turn high, quickly.  I'd love to really have a Spring Season this year.  My plants have all popped up out of the ground, in my back yard.  We don't have a very big yard, because we turned most of it into two parking pads for our vehicles, but I really don't mind.  I do have two flower beds, so that makes me happy. 

Last year my husband went out and purchased a large potted geranium for our front porch.  At the end of the season, we brought it in and placed it on our sun porch, which is heated.  It did so well during the winter and now, it's just beautiful.  There are no flowers, as of yet, but it's so healthy looking.  Now I'm not sure that I want to put it back outside or not.  Plants get so used to their current environment, that sometimes when you place it somewhere else, it doesn't do well.  I'll have to think on it for awhile.

I hope you had a good Divine Mercy Sunday, yesterday.  I had a wonderful one!  I observed the celebration on EWTN, the Catholic Television Station, for three hours.  It was a beautiful Mass and there were over 15,000 people there, in Stockbridge.  Then my best friend came to visit me and she brought me Holy Communion.  Nothing could have made my day more blessed than that.  Many thanks to her for do that on Divine Mercy Sunday.  I could feel Jesus filling me up with His Divine Mercy.  I hope you did, as well.

Later in the week, I hope to find time to get back onto my manuscript.  It's coming along so nicely and I'm getting very excited about it.  What have you been doing lately?  I hope it's something creative, because it's so full-filling to ones self-worth!

Here's a photograph of my plant.

 
I do hope you have a great week and are looking forward to next weekend.  Write and let me know what you've been doing creatively.  Be safe and may God bless you always.
Susan

Now on to the next big thing...

Hi all,

I trust you all had a wonderful Easter weekend.  I'm sure it was a bit hectic, but I know you all made it special for your families and friends.  And, the weather was pretty good also. 

Now that Easter is over, what's the next big event in your life?  Perhaps it's a birthday party or an approaching graduation party?  Of course, Memorial Day is right around the corner.  I find it hard to believe that today is already the seventh of April.  Time goes by so fast, doesn't it? 

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday.  I am looking forward to joining in the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday from Mass.  It starts airing at 11:00am and the Mass starts at 12:00 noon.  It's such a beautiful, moving celebration to participate in, even if it is in front of a television set.  One day, I hope to actually visit the Divine Mercy Shrine, buildings and Stations of the Cross that's on display there.  If you have Comcast TV service, it's on channel 15 and it starts aty 11:00am.  You will be truly amazed at all those folks that travel from throughout the US, as well as, from many other countries just for this celebration.  Check your local provider to see if they have the EWTN television station.

I've been busy doing some house work and laundry, but I have tried to make tiime to work on my manuscript, "Prolonged Uncertainty."  It takes place in the state of Maine, as well as on Squirrel Island, which is off the coast of Maine.  The story is about a twenty year old cold case, involving the disappearance of an eight year old girl, whose parents were vacationing on the island. 

This is definately a different approach for me in writing.  I so enjoy writing novels about families and their friends.  There are so many murder mysteries on the market, but I just prefer writing from the heart, about everyday family life and situations.  Life is never boring; many things occur every single day in ones life.  But, I am truly loving writing this new novel.  We'll see how it goes once it's on the market.  For the cover, I am using a photograph of one of my Grandsons, Tucker Ebersole, with his permission, of course.  It was taken by another of my Grandsons, Tanner Albright, who's turned into quite a good photographer.  Here's a rough draft of the cover.

I hope your Tuesday is going well.  Mine has been productive and that's all I can ask for anymore.  Have you been creative recently?  There are so many ways of being creative, so don't just think that it's writing, drawing, painting and the such.  So, that being said, I know that many of you out there, are creative and I'd love to hear from you.  Let me know what you do to show your creative side.

Tomorrow is hump day, so you all know what that means.  Keep good thoughts, be generous and kind to others and pray always.  God bless you all.
Susan

Give thanks for it's Good Friday!

Good afternoon everyone,

                                 
I wanted to do a post on my blog today, mostly because it it Good Friday today.  Today we relive the Crucifixtion and Death of Jesus Christ.  If it weren't for Our Lord allowing His Son to be born as a fellow human being, and eventually permitting His suffering and death on a cross, we'd have nothing!

Jesus Christ has promised to each of us, as much of His Divine Mercy as we can hold in our hearts and souls.  But, we have to be open to it; we have to ask for it; we have to believe that the only way to achieve eternal life with God, is through His Divine Mercy. 

I few years ago,  I accepted the fact that I needed to live every day of my life giving Gratitude and Acceptance to God.  Along with that, I ask God, every single day, to fill me up with His Divine Mercy.  Since then, my life has become very content and happy.  I am thankful for my life, just the way it is, chronic illness and everyting else that happens.  I can't tell you how much this has meant to me. 

I'm not talking about what religious sect, to which you may be a part, but rather to your faith and trust in God.  That being said, I don't care what religion you practice, I believe that God calls each one of us to be a recipient of His Divine Mercy.  Please ask God to pour His Mercy into your hearts and souls.  I promise you, you won't ever be sorry.  Your life will be forever changed; you, like me, will find contentment and joy within your life.

I hope you all have a blessed and safe Good Friday, Holy Saturday and an Easter Sunday filled with joy and love.  Enjoy spending time with your family and loved ones.

Susan