Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson's Blog, page 16

It's Been a Rough Week: Let's Share Some Love

Martin Richard will forever remain in our hearts.







I wonder if the men who did this ever stopped to consider the terrible toll their actions would have on the lives they took and the families left behind.  




We know that they will soon feel the full weight of justice.




~




We know that God comforts the brokenhearted.




I pray an outpouring of God's Love will surround every family dealing with the aftermath of this act of terror. 




Love has always triumphed over evil. It will again today. 





















Our hearts also go out to the families hurt by the unspeakable destruction in West, Texas.




Just as in Boston, we watched First Responders rush in, while fires still raged.




Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to those brave men and women who risk everything to save others.





























It's been a rough couple of weeks here at home, as well.




Mom went into the hospital on March 31st with a subderal hematoma. 




On April 7th, she was transferred to a rehab facility to recover and receive therapy.




I'm happy to report that she's doing better and I hope she will be coming home in a few weeks. I sure do miss her. 




I'm posting this earlier video in hopes that she will soon be back in the kitchen enjoying life.














It snowed for most of this week, which meant grey skies and fires in the wood-stove.




But it was also a blessing, as it brought much needed moisture and will hopefully restore our water-tables up to 90% of where they need to be to break this drought.




I hope we'll have more snow between now and May.




~




It's easy to become overwhelmed at times like these, when each day seems to bring another tragedy or another challenge.




But I also believe that these moments also reveal our greatest love for one another, our ability to rally together to lift one another up, to give comfort.




It's been a rough week. 




But we know that we can go forward and we will experience joy again.




Let's take a moment to hug a loved one, call a friend, and recount the things we are thankful for.

The Evolution of a Book Cover Design - Playing with Placement and Tint

We begin here....











Then move the title to top.











Or we can move the name to the top.











Then we can deepen the tint















And switch the placement of name and title again.




~




I can spend hours doing this. 




And I haven't even completely decided if this is the cover illustration I'm going to use.




I'm not sure if this qualifies as obsessive compulsive behavior, but it's close.

UPDATED WITH NEW CHOICES! Mrs. Tuesday's New Cover - Which is Your Favorite?

Here's the Current Mrs. Tuesday Cover




I still haven't settled on a new cover.




So, today I came up with these.




Which one do you like best?




UPDATED: HERE'S SOME NEW CHOICES:









NEW 1







NEW 2







NEW 3









NEW 4





NEW 5










AND HERE ARE THE ORIGINAL CHOICES:











COVER 1
















COVER 2











COVER 3









COVER 4









COVER5











COVER 6






















COVER 7














COVER 8












COVER 9

















  




So, any of them shouting 'pick me' ?!

Mrs. Tuesday's New Cover - Which is Your Favorite?

Here's the Current Mrs. Tuesday Cover




I still haven't settled on a new cover.




So, today I came up with these.




Which one do you like best?














COVER 1
















COVER 2











COVER 3









COVER 4









COVER5











COVER 6




























COVER 7












COVER 8





COVER 9





COVER 10





COVER 11





COVER 12





COVER 13





COVER 14
















So, any of them shouting 'pick me' ?!

Mrs. Tuesday's Book Cover Facelift

This is the current cover for Mrs. Tuesday's Departure.




Yes, I'm going change it again.




I change book covers the way some re-arrange furniture in the living room.




For the same reason, actually.




It just feels wonderful to use a cover design to bring-out a new aspect of the story.




Here's a synopsis of the story and the new cover candidates follow...








A heart-wrenching historical novel spanning fifty-years, two continents, and a an imagined story that holds the power to create a safe future for a young girl. This page-turning family
saga soars to a breathtaking ending that redefines the meaning of love. 

When Natalie and Anna, sisters and life-long rivals, hide an abandoned child from the Nazis,
their struggle re-opens a star-crossed love triangle, threatening their safety and testing the bonds of their loyalty.

Hungary's fragile alliance with Germany insured that Natalie, a best selling children's book author, and her family would be safe as World War Two raged through Europe. The Holocaust that has only been whispered about until now becomes a terrible reality for every Jewish family or those who hide Jews.  



Beautiful but troubled Anna, a poet and university professor is losing her tenuous hold on reality, re-igniting a dangerous sibling rivalry that began in childhood.

The streets of Budapest echo with the pounding boots of Nazi soldiers. Danger creeps to the doorstep where the sisters' disintegrating relationship threatens to expose the child they are trying to protect. In one night, Anna's rash behavior destroys their carefully made plans of escape, and Natalie is presented with a desperate choice.

Interwoven with Natalie and Anna's story, is Mila's. The abandoned child whose future Natalie lovingly imagines in a story about an old woman named Mrs. Tuesday.

Mrs. Tuesday's Departure is an inspirational historical novel spanning two generations, exploring the un-breakable bonds of sisters, and the power of love to create new futures.




~







Here are the new contenders (feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts!):












Cover # 1











Cover # 2











Cover # 3










I welcome your feedback!

Good Friday: LOVE Manifested

Love is expressed in a myriad of ways each day, through acts of kindness or a gentle word.



But sometimes, Love is expressed through incredible sacrifice.



When we review of the life of Jesus, His teachings were all about reaching out to one another in love, treating each other with the same generosity of spirit that we would want to treated with.



And then today...



We acknowledge the Love that Jesus made manifest in His sacrifice on our behalf.
















1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.










Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/20-inspirational-bible-verses-about-gods-love/#ixzz2OxidR4sU

Maundy Thursday: The LOVE Command

EVER WONDERED WHAT 'MAUNDY' THURSDAY MEANT? 'Maundy' means commandment. At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us an important commandment:




"Love one another. 

As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, 

if you love one another.” 

John 13:34-35 





If you were to ask me what draws me most to a relationship with Jesus Christ, it would be this message. 




It is my belief that the central message of Jesus was LOVE. In fact, He said it himself:









28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. 

Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, 

“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: 

‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 

31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] 

There is no commandment greater than these.”

 Matthew 12:28-32






If you speak with an atheist, they will point to all of the horrible crimes against humanity that have been committed in the name of God. 



That certainly is true.



However, they were not committed by the command of God.



The most important lesson I've learned in the past year of reading the Bible: There's a great difference between when others have used God's words for their own political or monetary gain, versus what God was actually trying to teach us.



Go to the source. Focus on what God says.




"Love one another."







Incredible that Jesus was able to say this, even as He knew that within days He would be led to the cross to willingly bear the burden for our sins. 




But rise in triumph three days later.




That is love.













Here's the link to the artwork, and a blog with beautiful historical Christian artwork:

http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bffb053ef01156f9acc40

Birthdays Have Different Meanings at 51

Today I'm reading, The Time Keeper, by Mitch Albom, which seems like a perfectly appropriate pick for my 51st birthday since it's a novel about our obsession with time and at times trying to lengthen our days.



And I must admit, turning 51 feels old. I personally don't feel old. But the concept of "51 years old" sounds old, as I roll it around in my brain.



So today I'm enjoying the day: reading, and later going for a massage at a lovely nearby spa. I think a road trip over the mountains might also be in order sometime this week, just a day out to enjoy lunch somewhere scenic.



It seems that the days are flowing so quickly and there's so much I am trying to accomplish this year. I've just launched Waiting with God, and have sent The Night of the Great Polar Bear to the book designer and will come out in May. A Map of Heaven is scheduled for June/July. And Brownie Comes Home will launch in August/September. Then I will begin work on a romance trilogy, definitely not in the vein of 50 Shades, more like the Cooking Network.



I'm pushing hard because this is a make-or-break year, so it's a race against time to see how much I can publish, to see if this can be a viable career, or whether I need to return to the world of cubicles.



Amongst all this writing is caring for Mom. She fell last month and knocked her head and got a concussion. She's up and about now, but still weak and tires easily. So there are lots of doctor visits and  trying this and that to help her get better. It's stressful and brings up lots of emotions and fears. I worry what I will do without her, as we've lived together since my father's passing 15 years ago.



So, this also feels like a race against time.



It means that my emotions on most days run from happy to sad and back again. Or on the verge of tears.



Since I tend to look for the meaning in things, I'll postulate that the lesson in this birthday is learn to savor each day, live in the present moment, while working on the future. To try my best to accomplish all that I can, but wear my worry and fears more lightly, enjoy each day with Mom, and trust that God has the unknown taken care of.








"It is too late."

The old man shook his head. 

"It is never too late or too soon. It is when it is supposed to be."

He smiled. "There is a plan, Dor." 




- The Time Keeper

Mitch Albom



I am hopeful these words will be true.




Happy birthday and God bless,



- Suzanne





P.S. the three wise men pictured above are my source of joy in every circumstance

Happy Birthday, Me!

Today I'm reading, The Time Keeper, by Mitch Albom, which seems like a perfectly appropriate pick for my 51st birthday since it's a novel about our obsession with time and at times trying to lengthen our days.



And I must admit, turning 51 feels old. I personally don't feel old. But the concept of "51 years old" sounds old, as I roll it around in my brain.



So today I'm enjoying the day: reading, and later going for a massage at a lovely nearby spa. I think a road trip over the mountains might also be in order sometime this week, just a day out to enjoy lunch somewhere scenic.



It seems that the days are flowing so quickly and there's so much I am trying to accomplish this year. I've just launched Waiting with God, and have sent The Night of the Great Polar Bear to the book designer and will come out in May. A Map of Heaven is scheduled for June/July. And Brownie Comes Home will launch in August/September. Then I will begin work on a romance trilogy, definitely not in the vein of 50 Shades, more like the Cooking Network.



I'm pushing hard because this is a make-or-break year, so it's a race against time to see how much I can publish, to see if this can be a viable career, or whether I need to return to the world of cubicles.



Amongst all this writing is caring for Mom. She fell last month and knocked her head and got a concussion. She's up and about now, but still weak and tires easily. So there are lots of doctor visits and  trying this and that to help her get better. It's stressful and brings up lots of emotions and fears. I worry what I will do without her, as we've lived together since my father's passing 15 years ago.



So, this also feels like a race against time.



It means that my emotions on most days run from happy to sad and back again. Or on the verge of tears.



Since I tend to look for the meaning in things, I'll postulate that the lesson in this birthday is learn to savor each day, live in the present moment, while working on the future. To try my best to accomplish all that I can, but wear my worry and fears more lightly, enjoy each day with Mom, and trust that God has the unknown taken care of.








"It is too late."

The old man shook his head. 

"It is never too late or too soon. It is when it is supposed to be."

He smiled. "There is a plan, Dor." 




- The Time Keeper

Mitch Albom



I am hopeful these words will be true.




Happy birthday and God bless,



- Suzanne





P.S. the three wise men pictured above are my source of joy in every circumstance

Let Go. Let God #459

link: http://www.keepcalmandposters.com/pos...





(I've decided to consolidate a couple of my blogs, and moved my other blog: One Woman's Walk Through the Bible over here, so if you're new to Suzanne Anderson.net, welcome! I hope you'll look around and stay awhile!)





Today's Verses:



Luke 1: 38 "Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true."



47: "You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said."





Reflection: 



I read somewhere today that God will keep bringing you back to a lesson until you master it.



For me, the issue is trust.



I have a great challenge trusting the unseen, the unknown, believing that I can truly trust God's plan  for my life, when my own plans don't always work out.



Even today...after I've written a 31-day devotional on drawing closer to God while waiting for an answer to prayer, I still find it difficult to completely trust that God is directing my steps, has a plan for my life, is working everything out for good.



Which I suppose makes me human.



I suppose the only thing to do in these situations is to keep trying to trust God. Keep trying to find ways to understand the unknowable, trust that even though I can't see the future, God can and has a better handle on it than I would, if I could.



This whole issue of learning to trust God reminds me of what it's like to learn how to swim. You hold onto the side of the pool with a death grip that turns your knuckles white, while you look longingly over your shoulder at the other people having a blast swimming and floating and playing in the middle of the pool.



You know that the only way you can join them is to let go.



But you can't because you're afraid that if you do, you'll surely drown.



In instances like this, our fear is more tangible than the possibility that we might actually be able to swim, or at least float, or at least discover that our feet can touch the bottom of the pool and we can stand..and at the very least, we're not going to drown. But we can't discover any of these things because our fear has paralyzed us into being glued to the side of the pool by our own death grip.



Maybe this si what God is trying to tell me (us). Let Go. Trust that you'll be okay, one way or another. Trust. Let Go. Let God.



Let Go. Let God.



I guess I'll probably keep running into these not so subtle signs from God, until I finally let go.



Amen.