Dear Loved Ones,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries this week!
This summer I have spotted 3 Indigo Buntings and the only other time I ever spotted one was 30 years ago at Mackinaw Island. I am amazed!
So often I am saddened by the news of climate change and the decrease in the number of butterflies I spot. It is heartening to observe some joyful news!
I love God's creation with all of my heart!
I want to do everything I can to restore and preserve it.
Love, Suzie
Monday, August 8, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Goodbye Kitty
Dear Loved Ones,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries this week!
We said goodbye to our beloved kitty the other day. He is pushing daisies in the backyard, but I believe that his spirit is with God in heaven. I know that some churches don't believe that animals have souls, but I see it differently.
In the Book of Genesis it talks about God forming animals and breathing his breath into them the same as he did with human beings.
Also animals can love. God is love. The whole reason for being alive is to love.
Our cat purred up to the moment he died. He was all about loving and showing affection. I hope that I can "purr" up to the moment I die as well. I never want to outlive my ability to love and feel joy.
Much love, Suzie
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries this week!
We said goodbye to our beloved kitty the other day. He is pushing daisies in the backyard, but I believe that his spirit is with God in heaven. I know that some churches don't believe that animals have souls, but I see it differently.
In the Book of Genesis it talks about God forming animals and breathing his breath into them the same as he did with human beings.
Also animals can love. God is love. The whole reason for being alive is to love.
Our cat purred up to the moment he died. He was all about loving and showing affection. I hope that I can "purr" up to the moment I die as well. I never want to outlive my ability to love and feel joy.
Much love, Suzie
Monday, July 18, 2011
Changing Focus
Dear Loved Ones,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries this week!
My boss offered me more hours at work and I took them. My vocational focus has changed from creating art most of the time to providing activities in an Alzheimer's home.
Of course I reserve time for God, my family, friends, church and myself.
I paint one day a week now which is enough to keep me happy and healthy.
I love my job! I love seeing the older people smile when they have completed an art project or catch a ball, etc.. There is nothing like having busy hands to make a person happy.
Love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries this week!
My boss offered me more hours at work and I took them. My vocational focus has changed from creating art most of the time to providing activities in an Alzheimer's home.
Of course I reserve time for God, my family, friends, church and myself.
I paint one day a week now which is enough to keep me happy and healthy.
I love my job! I love seeing the older people smile when they have completed an art project or catch a ball, etc.. There is nothing like having busy hands to make a person happy.
Love, Sue
Monday, July 11, 2011
Vacation at the Lake
Dear Loved Ones,
God bless you, yours and your ministries today!
There is nothing like diving into the chilly waters of Lake Michigan to wash away all of one's stress. It works like magic. After diving in about 20 times there was no way that stress could even think of coming near me. My stress level was far into the negative numbers!
Later when I felt the tug toward allowing negativity into my psyche a thought crossed my mind. I started calling myself "Stressfree Susie savory summer." It worked so I kept using it every time I felt my shoulders muscles tighten.
It takes practice, but I can do it more easily each day with larger triggers. I believe that I will be able to continue this practice until it becomes second nature and I can escape my historical weakness with stress management. What a liberation this is for me!
Since joining Weight Watchers last summer, I have been practicing the concept of being kind to myself and treating myself as I would treat my good friends. This stressfree thinking is one of the kindest things I ever did for myself!
Needless to say I had an awesome vacation and so did my family!
Love, Sue
God bless you, yours and your ministries today!
There is nothing like diving into the chilly waters of Lake Michigan to wash away all of one's stress. It works like magic. After diving in about 20 times there was no way that stress could even think of coming near me. My stress level was far into the negative numbers!
Later when I felt the tug toward allowing negativity into my psyche a thought crossed my mind. I started calling myself "Stressfree Susie savory summer." It worked so I kept using it every time I felt my shoulders muscles tighten.
It takes practice, but I can do it more easily each day with larger triggers. I believe that I will be able to continue this practice until it becomes second nature and I can escape my historical weakness with stress management. What a liberation this is for me!
Since joining Weight Watchers last summer, I have been practicing the concept of being kind to myself and treating myself as I would treat my good friends. This stressfree thinking is one of the kindest things I ever did for myself!
Needless to say I had an awesome vacation and so did my family!
Love, Sue
Monday, June 27, 2011
To Everything There Is a Season
Dear Loved Ones,
God bless you, yours and your ministries this week!
Our strawberry patch has been coming on like gangbusters for the past couple of weeks. Roger and I like to go out together to pick and it feels so right. Making freezer jam together for Father's Day is a ritual for us as a couple.
When we were newly weds and I did it for the first time, he remarked, "This jam is even better than my grandmother's!" (Wise words!) The next year when I did it, he sat down at the kitchen table, looked at the rows of jam with admiration and exuded, "I feel like I do on payday!" (Even wiser words!) You can see how it became a tradition.
I love going through the seasons with my loved ones, practicing our seasonal rituals which bring us even closer together. Life is awesome!
Love, Sue
God bless you, yours and your ministries this week!
Our strawberry patch has been coming on like gangbusters for the past couple of weeks. Roger and I like to go out together to pick and it feels so right. Making freezer jam together for Father's Day is a ritual for us as a couple.
When we were newly weds and I did it for the first time, he remarked, "This jam is even better than my grandmother's!" (Wise words!) The next year when I did it, he sat down at the kitchen table, looked at the rows of jam with admiration and exuded, "I feel like I do on payday!" (Even wiser words!) You can see how it became a tradition.
I love going through the seasons with my loved ones, practicing our seasonal rituals which bring us even closer together. Life is awesome!
Love, Sue
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
New Job
Dear Loved Ones,
God bless you, yours and your ministries today!
I'm sorry for neglecting you all lately, but everything I've done lately, I've done lately.
The reason is because I am getting used to a new job after being a full time artist for 6 years. The good news is I have a pay check. The bad news is I have less time to paint.
The job is working at Sensations Memory Care Residence as an Activities Director. The people and the work are wonderful. I can honestly say that I love my job.
My stepson, Rob, owns the business so he is my boss, but really God is my boss. I try to do everything I do to please God. When I am comforting a resident I am comforting Christ.
I live for the smiles that the residents give. I love helping a person make something and then see them smile at it with intense pleasure. There is nothing like it.
Many of the residents are in need of guidance to find their way around the facility. Their non verbal responses to the love I offer to them is very gratifying. They eat up the least little amount of affection and kindness.
Yesterday we constructed birdhouses and decorated them. One woman absolutely fell in love with hers.
This feels right for this time in my life. I still paint at least one day a week and hope for the day when I can easily afford to do it full time again.
Love, Sue
God bless you, yours and your ministries today!
I'm sorry for neglecting you all lately, but everything I've done lately, I've done lately.
The reason is because I am getting used to a new job after being a full time artist for 6 years. The good news is I have a pay check. The bad news is I have less time to paint.
The job is working at Sensations Memory Care Residence as an Activities Director. The people and the work are wonderful. I can honestly say that I love my job.
My stepson, Rob, owns the business so he is my boss, but really God is my boss. I try to do everything I do to please God. When I am comforting a resident I am comforting Christ.
I live for the smiles that the residents give. I love helping a person make something and then see them smile at it with intense pleasure. There is nothing like it.
Many of the residents are in need of guidance to find their way around the facility. Their non verbal responses to the love I offer to them is very gratifying. They eat up the least little amount of affection and kindness.
Yesterday we constructed birdhouses and decorated them. One woman absolutely fell in love with hers.
This feels right for this time in my life. I still paint at least one day a week and hope for the day when I can easily afford to do it full time again.
Love, Sue
Monday, May 23, 2011
Lost in the Woods
Dear Loved Ones,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Once a week I try to do something fun for an hour or so as a favor to myself. This week I went for a walk in the woods with our dog and got lost. I loved being lost because it felt like an adventure and as long as I didn't get tired I knew I would find my way. After about a half an hour of hiking I recognized a land mark and came back to reality.
It was very satisfying to my soul to get lost and then find my way again.
Love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Once a week I try to do something fun for an hour or so as a favor to myself. This week I went for a walk in the woods with our dog and got lost. I loved being lost because it felt like an adventure and as long as I didn't get tired I knew I would find my way. After about a half an hour of hiking I recognized a land mark and came back to reality.
It was very satisfying to my soul to get lost and then find my way again.
Love, Sue
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