Don’t Spill the Fish!!

Last week, my son adopted two goldfish from his preschool teacher.

Being a family with allergies and asthma, we have accumulated a tank of goldfish over the years as our pets. Until this recent adoption, we had three fish affectionately known as – Goldie, Rainbow, and Henry. (which we won’t go into their predecessors. I think we’re actually on Henry V these days).

When I dropped off my son at preschool, his teacher had stuck the two new goldfish in a bucket for me to take home and transition into our tank.

I stuck the bucket of fish in the family van with my two and half-year old daughter keeping an eye on it from her car seat. You can imagine as I’m driving home, the bumps and curves we took down the road.

“Don’t spill the fish, mommy” I heard from the back seat along with the swoosh and swish of fish and water behind my seat.

“Don’t spill the fish,” she kept saying, never for a moment taking her attention off those delicate passengers in our van.

Immediately claimed, “Those are my fish, mommy” I’m proud to say the fish arrived through our front door safety.

It reminds me of that old saying of “don’t spill the beans” meaning not to talk or tell someone else’s secret.

I’m often trying to teach my children not to become tattle tales as I find myself informed of each of my children’s actions, naughty or not, by another child who is displeased by their siblings interference in our home. We only tattle if someone is going to get hurt, hurt someone else, or do something that is against the rules and wrong. Because, whether they tell me or not, God knows the actions we persist.

I suppose in time, we give these two new members of the Lower household a name. Perhaps “Tattle” and “Tail” would be appropriate, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

From the words of my two year-old, she simply calls them “fish”.

No matter what they are called, a fish is still a fish, and a friend is still a friend.

So today as you go about your day, remember… don’t spill the fish. :)

Published in: on March 29, 2010 at 3:28 pm  Leave a Comment  
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2010 Golden Heart and a Piece of Cake

Today, Romance Writer’s of America announced their 2010 Golden Heart Finalists.

For the past four years, I have yearned to enter this contest. More so, after attending the 2009 Romance Writer’s of America Conference and Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.  This year, I finally felt my manuscript was worthy of entry. After all, I’d been tweaking it for four years. :)

If anyone thinks  he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.  (Galatians 6 3:5)

Today, I headed out to my son’s preschool for his “spring party” knowing I’d be far from my phone should I get “the call” or any call for that matter. I spent a fun-filled morning of making bonnets, painting eggs, and listening to stories about easter bunnies.

I told myself I wasn’t going to go home, for the last thing I wanted to be doing was staring at the phone. I couldn’t resist stopping in at the house and checking the answering machine. My husband called, and if he were the only person to call me today, it was the most important phone call of all, as I listened to it twice, just letting his words and his loving voice lift me up and renew my spirits.

Then I headed out to find the biggest chocolate cake one could buy at the grocery store.  They say chocolate has a way of lifting you up too, and what is better to either celebrate with or give you a little cheering up than a big piece of chocolate cake for dessert right?

Well, I can honestly say I didn’t get “the call”.  As a matter of fact, my husband was my only phone call today, in which I’ll savor his message on our answering machine for a very long time. His message was basically this:  whether or not that I’d be selected as a 2010 Golden Heart finalist – I’m still a good writer.  And in the words of a good friend whom I spoke with today, “It’s just not my time.”

God still has a plan for me, and I may never be a Golden Heart finalist. That doesn’t mean I won’t ever be published. There’s still next year, and who knows maybe next year I’ll be published and no longer eligible to the Golden Heart contest. That’s okay too. (There’s always the RITA’s)

For now, however, I’ve got my chocolate cake and I intend to eat it too! 

Oh fudge… I guess this means I’ve got to get my revisions underway on my current work in progress. Ah, the life of romance writer…sweet and fulfilling.

Congratulations to all the 2010 Golden Heart Finalist!

Published in: on March 25, 2010 at 8:56 pm  Comments (2)  
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Identity Crisis

Lately, I have been transitioning through an identity crisis. As you may have noticed the blog has changed themes again from its once baby blue and tea-cup heart background to this simple and classic burgundy layout.

For the past week, I have been struggling, like so many of you, to discover who I am as a writer and make it into a marketable brand that is easily recognized reflecting of who I am – Susan Lower. (Often referred to as one’s “niche”)

Thanks to the amazing talents of a friend, I can say that I now have a simple but  brand. 

 

The business cards have been designed and ordered in anticipation of this years writer’s conferences I’m planning on attending. (which I’ll share in another post in the upcoming weeks.)

It’s amazing, from the time we are born, we are immediately headed on a journey of self discovery. Our parents have named us, but really don’t know who we are – until we begin to experience life and experiment with what there is to see and serve in this lifetime.

We begin in the early years by recognizing our own names. It has always been a precious moment to me when my children can repeat their names and tell others who they are – on the outside. On the inside, they’re still on their journey of self-discovery.

Some of us discover God’s gifts of talent to us early on, like writing, singing, painting, building, calculating, caring, and so many other wonderful gifts available to those of us who choose to seek them and use them.  My talent and gift comes in the form of creativity and writing. When I’m not writing – I’m crafting. Just check out my site at MRsCHADT and you can see that side of me.

There is never just one side of us, like a coin we can be flipped and discover a whole new side that we haven’t seen before. As individuals, there’s always the inside and the outside to be exposed.  Everyday we see the outside of those around us, the one side they choose to reveal, but on the inside (flip side) they may be completely different and hiding who they truly are afraid of the outside world’s reaction.

The journey to self-discovery continues through the early years of our lives and begins to get bumpy at the launch of our teenage years. Teenagers, more than most, struggle with tough decisions. Many bulk against the wisdom of their parents, trying to find their own place and talents. This struggle can go on beyond being a teenager, they say that women come into that discovery at 30.

Perhaps that saying is right, as at this age many women have or have not started a family, have had a chance to test out the waters of various career options, rode out the waves of family situations, and have grounded themselves in their spiritual beliefs.

Those beliefs of faith, love, and hope imprinted into our hearts from birth remain with us,even in the trail periods when we choose to push them aside. God’s love will never leave us, nor forsake us. For some of us, it is enough just to know that we are loved.

Who better to love us, than our heavenly father, right?

At some point in our lives, we’ve all faced an identity crisis. We cannot, and never will be just one person in our lifetime. I have many identities in which many of you can relate. I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife, a mother, and so much more. I’m also a writer.

Identity crisis? I think not. More like identity awareness that forms our own individual brands.

Published in: on March 24, 2010 at 12:35 pm  Comments (3)  
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This Momma Rocks!

House of Heros

House of Heros

skillet

Skillet

  

My Valentine’s day came on Saturday.  For the fourth time since our marriage, my husband and headed out to see Skillet in concert. This was our first time seeing House of Heros and TobyMac.  

TobyMac

TobyMac

Out of all the times we’ve seen Skillet, I have to agree with my husband, that their performance at the Johnstown War Memorial on March 20th, blew us away. It was phenomenal! 

And, after all these years, I finally got my first concert t-shirt. 

Susan Lower's Concert t-shirt 

Before I left for the concert I was told  I was “too old” to go to a rock concert. But as you can see, I wasn’t the only one there! 

 

 

The line was down the street, past opening time, with people waiting to get in and find their seats at the concert. 

 

 

But it was well worth getting in to a crowd like this! 

 

By the time TobyMac made his appearance I had to sit down. I may not be as old as either couple sitting in our row at the concert, but I wasn’t as young as those jumping up and down in the pit in front of us! My legs are still acheing today from standing, jumping, and getting into the groove of some good Christian Rock n Roll! 

If you ever want to skip going to the gym for a week, just go to a rock concert for the night. No kidding, I think I sweat more at the concert than I have working out on my EA Sports Active all year!  

Of course, there is no better way to conclude a fun and exciting evening filled with awesome music, worship, and being together than to end at a local Denny’s for pecan turtle cheesecake and hot chocolate before going home. 

As I curled up in bed, exhausted, my youngest daughter snuggled up against me and latched on to my arm for the rest of the night. There is no better feeling than knowing your loved, both by a spouse and by your children. Now, if I can only hold on to my new t-shirt long enough to wear it before my oldest daughter claims it for a nightshirt – LOL.

If you noticed above my concert t-shirt says “feel like a monster,” check out Skillet’s music video below.  I think you’re agree, this momma rocks!

Even my young children get a “head bang” out of it. :)  

Published in: on March 22, 2010 at 3:57 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Upcoming Writer Workshop

Last summer I had the pleasure to attend a series of workshops given by Zena Dell Lowe at the Saint David’s Christian Writer’s Conference.

Zena’s use of film clips and descriptions of media was very captivating, especially as a writer. She broke down writing scenes and visualized them into how movies are made.

There is no other way to describe  Zena then simply PASSIONATE about what she does and teaching it to others.

So, why as a writer would you want to take a workshop conducted by a film maker? Whether you are writing a novel or writting a script, Zena’s workshop has a little bit of everything to keep your creative juices going and introduceing you to a new concept of writing.

Zena is conducting a writer’s workshop on May 14 and 15, 2010  in Clarksburg, WV. For more information about this workshop you can click on the following link:

http://www.zenawriterworkshop.vpweb.com/

Published in: on March 15, 2010 at 6:37 pm  Leave a Comment  

Unexpected House Guest

Over the past weekend I’ve spent more time on the road than any other weekend this year, but over half of that time was spent in a car full of family and good friends.

After a long and eventful couple of days, it was good to walk back through the doors of the place we call home. Everything seemed as it always did, and we began to settle down for the night.

Exhausted and weary my husband and I crawled into bed only to discover a flitter in our upstairs hallway. Knowing all of our children were tucked into bed, my husband became curious and went out into the hallway. “You’re not going to believe this.” He told me. “I think there’s a black bird in our house.”

“A black bird?” I could hardly believe a bird had gotten into our house. “How did that happen?” I went to the doorway.

“Nope, I lied.” He confessed. “You may want to stay in here and shut the door.”

“Why?”  There was a bird in our house!

“Well,” he admitted after a long moment’s pause. “I don’t think it’s a bird.”

“What do you mean? Then what is it?”  I poked my head from around the bedroom door and looked down the hallway. This is what I saw…

house guest

unexpected house guest

Hanging right over the door frame of my son’s bedroom.  At the sound of the soft shutter of my camera, our unexpected houseguest took flight once more, down the hall, down the stairs, and into our living room. My husband opened our front door and grabbed a box.

“What now?” I asked.

“You can go back inside our room and shut the door, or you can help.”

I grabbed a laundry basket and stood at the top of the stairs cringing that it would fly back my way. For several moments black fluttered through our foyer and I could hear the scramble of wings against a cardboard box as my dear husband attempted to capture it and send it packing.

However, our unexpected houseguest had other ideas and decided to return back up the stairs – right into my laundry basket. I thought my heart would explode and once I realized it had hit the inside of the laundry basket I shuddered. I gave the bat a toss back towards my husband and it flew out our front door.

“Hurry up shut the door.”

As my husband shut the door, I sat on the stairs with a big sigh of relief. Our unexpected houseguest was flying off through the night, hopefully to find more suitable accommodations.

Published in: on March 8, 2010 at 5:10 pm  Leave a Comment  
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