***Note from Susan * Hi People!! So between getting ready for my mission trip to NY and my day job I've been REALLY busy lately! So my wonderful Mother agreed to help me out by doing a book review. Hope you guys enjoy and I'll see y'all in my next NY update!** A Ladies of Harper Station Novel She Trusts Him for the Job, But Can She Trust Him With Her Heart? Men are optional. That was the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts taught her and why she established Harper's Station, a women's colony that offers a fresh start to females in need. But when a dangerous and shadowy assailant tries repeatedly to drive the women out, Emma is forced to admit they might need a man after all. One who can fight. And there is only one man she trusts enough to ask. Malachi Shaw has finally earned the respect he's always craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's telegram arrives, he rushes back to Texas to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve. As the danger intensifies, Emma, Mal, and the ladies of Harper's Station must choose safety or whether to risk everything to fight for their future. I (Susan's mother) should probably start this review by stating that just prior to reading this novel, I read two other stories over the last week or so. One was a mystery-historical romance so that was a little different from the norm and the other was an extremely well written story that ended up having the romance as a backdrop to the setting instead of vice-versa and was very refreshing to read.
I've read my fair share of fiction. In fact, I LOVE to read. When my children were little I had to be careful with my reading. Once I opened a novel I became so absorbed in it that everything else around me just faded away. "Just one more chapter" was often heard coming from my lips as my children ran around me doing pretty much what they pleased because I was so distracted. I still am this way; the children are just older now so it's not such a big deal. As I said, I've read my fair share of fiction, much of that Historical Romance. I've even read some of Ms. Witemeyer's work before. And it is not that she is a bad writer; in fact, I prefer her work to some others. It is just that there was very little "uniqueness" to this story. I pretty much could tell you everything that was going to happen before the third chapter was finished. I will say that I did not know "why" the town was in danger until she revealed it, but it really didn't matter to me because I could predict so many other parts of the story. Even little "hints" were so obvious. Emma Chandler thinks that men are optional. Unfortunately for us, as is with sooooo many Historical Romance novels today, a unique storyline is optional as well. Don't get me wrong. It's not that this story is bad but it is predictable. The first line on the back of the book hints that this is to be a series of novels: A Ladies of Harper Station Novel There were several other characters in the story that I wouldn't mind reading more about IF they could be more original. However, I would probably never find myself re-reading this novel. It just didn't have enough to draw me back to it again and again. As I mentioned before, Ms Witemeyer isn't a bad author, she just needs something new and refreshing. Much like many other authors of today. Overall, I would give this 2 stars out of 5 (see side bar for review scale). I wavered between 2 and 3 but honestly, I know I would not keep it to re-read and really could have used my time more wisely so the 2 stars fit better. **NOTE* A word to the discerning parent of pre-teen or teen readers, even though most of the "physical romance" is limited, it is a little more detailed than I would prefer my unmarried daughter to read. Unmarried girls don't need any help in the romance-fantasy department in my opinion and the less they read about the tingling on their arms, flipping in the stomach, husky breaths on their neck, and intense kissing the better. Just my opinion though.** P.S. I was given No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion
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If you were to ask me how many brothers I have I would tell you I had three. But the more you talked to me the more you would discover that I actually have seven, but only three share the same DNA as me. My family is real good friends with this other family that consist of only boys (not counting the mother). These guys are practically family to us and half of them all but live in our basement. They have all the family privileges; eating our food, getting to see us dirty and stinky, staying over 'til midnight etc... and the wonderful privilege of Mom and I telling them what to do at times Like dressing up as dwarfs so I can be Snow White. Because I didn't want to spend much money on this costume I scoured the house and used some supplies and patterns I already had on hand. The only things I actually ended buying was the fabric for my bodice (which was a marked down remnant piece), the bodice trim, fabric for my skirt waist band, ribbon for my hair, shoes, and my make up. I'm really proud of how much I saved on this costume! (These are the patterns I based my design on) Here is the Disney version of Snow White And here's mine I made the skirt out of an elastic waisted one we used as an extra costume in BOO! by ripping out the elastic and cutting the skirt into more of an a-line. Then I drafted a waist band and added a hook-and-eye closer. I got my shoes for a dollar (as in $1.00) at a thrift store and after I cleaned them up really good painted them a darker shade of red to match my trim. The original bodice pattern called for a zipper in the back, but I added a modesty panel and lacing instead. I ended up drafting the sleeves myself using the sleeve pattern from Simplicity 1771 as a guide. The neckerchief is detachable from the bodice and was made out of some lace given to me by I don't remember who (but who ever you are thank you!) Every good princess needs an animal to play with, don't ya think?
11/15/2015 The Sword and The Song: a novel Book review**Note from Susan: Hey guys! I hope everyone is staying warm this winter. There is nothing like getting all nice and cozy inside with a great book and a warm cup of tea (or hot chocolate, or coffee, whatever your taste may be :). This review doubles as guest post because it is actually written by my brother Jonathan. Jonathan is an aspiring author who, you will find out quickly, has a beautiful way with words! I asked him to write this review for me to see if book reviewing is something he might be interested in. I hope you guys enjoy his review and I'll catch y'all later in another post! P.S. Also, be a dear and write Jonathan a nice little comment telling him how he did :)** The Shadow of War. A Clash of Brothers. A Terrible Sacrifice. In the Face of Powerful Darkness, Who Will Prevail? The island of Seare is at war. The Red Druid is gathering strength and power to stand against Conor, Eoghan, and the brotherhood. But there is strife within the brotherhood as well. Eoghan still refuses to claim his rightful rule, and the resulting conflict creates an uncomfortable distance between him and Conor. When Conor leaves to find the key to defeating the Red Druid, Eoghan and Aine worry he will succumb to the danger, and they attempt their own mission to defeat the Red Druid through Aine's magical gifts. But Nothing--And No One--Is As It Seems. I'm always fascinated to see a book which belongs to a series that boasts "a novel" proudly on the front cover (I say "proudly" though it is usually typed in teeny print below an eloquent title such as The Sword and The Song). My thinking goes along the lines of: "Oh boy! A series comprised of novels that can stand by themselves but united are even better!" And the fact that the declaration is so small makes me feel like I am in on a privileged secret that possibly no one else knows about. What could be better? Needless to say, I have been let down more than once, and I realize it is largely based on slightly unreasonable expectations. Such was my approach to The Sword and The Song. I was expectant and slightly wary. Naturally, I was not prepared to be wary about everything, though, so the first line smacked me in the face (metaphorically, like a limp fish). The author, C. E. Laureano, started the book off with no reserves. The first sentence states that our hero has just dodged a swinging sword by a mere couple of inches (a mere couple of inches more than I am able to dodge limp fish). Engaging right? Well, it might be. To me it would have been fine if not for the fact that The Sword and The Song makes the third (Third!) book I can give you the title of that starts off in that way, and the second to use almost the exact same sentence to do so. The other two (which were both from separate series) didn't go over with me quickly either. I'm fine when an author goes all in in the first chapter. I think it's great. But certain ways that authors try to go all in make me feel like maybe I've just experienced the best that they had to offer. Ernest Hemingway and Baby Shoes aside, if an author can contain the best they have to offer in a single sentence I find it, well, small. Not a good start, I'll admit. But other than a few of my own misgivings (mostly concerning fish and my slow reflexes) the story was well rounded and fascinating to a point. It does take a minute to get up to speed. Politics rein for a few short chapters, and confusion abounded as I learned a million new words. It took a while but soon I was reading "Hm-hmm" and "Ahrrd-dard-dard-hmmm" and "Fi-fu-hmm" like a pro (and proudly doing so, though I'm glad I wasn't reading out loud). Magic/Spirituality: The author throws magic in a lot (At times I felt like I was reading a video game). Largely she used the idea that magic was the infestation of power from the character she used to represent GOD. But unlike C. S. Lewis' Narnia she didn't seem to capture the theological aspects of that. She only got the wow factor. In an interview with the author she says: "...Of course, the addition of magic changes things, so I got to imagine how the existence of supernatural gifts and blood magic might have affected their culture. I also re-envisioned the faerie mythology from a neutral, mischievous role into something more malevolent." Characters and Such: As the book progressed I learned to respect the main character, Conor (In my opinion he is the best part of the book). He is discerning and relatively knowledgable. And, according to an interview with the author, Conor is also her favorite character: "...He’s definitely the one I find most personally relatable. He knows he was created for something greater, but he doesn’t always make the right decisions—he lets his emotions sway his thinking and he lets down the people who depend on him—but he always comes through in the end. In that way, he’s something of a Biblical hero than a superhero...David was described as a man after God’s own heart, but he still did some seriously stupid things. " Conor struggles in meaningful ways that feel far less half hearted and half developed than they could have easily been, and I can only imagine how much more meaningful they would be if I had read the other two books in the series first. Which may bring us to the problem. I have not read the first two books in the series. Which may have brought us to the other problem. I find myself able to pass on the other two. While I don't regret reading the book exactly, it was not my style. The character development, while not as outstanding as J.R.R. Tolkien or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was, in fact, developed well. Certain characters really stood out to me in their own way. The problem is their own way just wasn't to my taste. What I'm saying here is this: Too many things got in the way of me enjoying The Sword and The Song. It has themes of sacrifice in it, but it also has random threads of selfishness. It has people strongly devoted to their moral code and to their religion, but it also has awkward acts against that same religion and code (I am referring to things that I found too common to just be explained away as "contrast"). Between that and a couple of sexual references, though they were relatively tastefully handled, I find it hard to recommend. Going by the rating system on the side bar, I would give it a 2 (and three quarters) out of 5. Here are some additional insights into the author from the above mentioned interview: What do you hope readers will take away from your books? "I didn’t want to write a “safe” story where you know that everything is going to be okay and everyone will come out unharmed—because real life isn’t like that. It can be scary and messy and unpredictable. But through it all, if you look hard enough, is the ever-present thread of God’s grace and provision. My greatest wish is that readers come away with the understanding that they have a purpose, that they matter, that God cares for them as individuals and not just as a face in the crowd. I’ll consider my job done if readers walk away with hope." P.S. I was given The Sword and The Song by: C. E. Laureano_ by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion. 8/24/2014 0 Comments Meet The Crew of LiteralYou've already met some of the characters from Literal but now I would like to introduce you to some of the crew members. Because without them Literal could never become a reality. Several of the cast members are also crew members. Whenever they need to be on camera someone has to be behind camera doing their job. Some of the crew members have been with us all the way on this and some were with us temporarily helping with only a few episodes. Each person has made a lasting impression on not only Literal but our lives as well. They are important and even though you might not get to "see" them on camera, the works of their hands are clearly visible. Director of Photography, Camera Man #1 Robert Peak Robert, age 21, in real life is the older brother to Dawson Peak (see below) and to the actor for Mr. News. We met their family back in 2006 at a homeschool 4-H meeting and have been friends ever since. In our first film, Beyond Under, Robert served as Assistant Director along with playing the part of Older Marcus. In 2011 Robert graduated from high school and spent the next 2 years getting his associate's degree at a local college. During this time Robert and his friend, David Hannah, formed their own film company, Peak Hannah Digital (Phd). He currently works with local TV station WTNB filming commercials and high school football games. Robert is the reason why we have a set for the old WWBTV station where Doug Hoop, Mr. News and Typical Christian work. As we were trying to figure out how we could access a TV station I thought of asking Robert if we might could borrow space where he works. Robert talked with his boss and they gladly granted access to the station during off hours. For free! Robert also donated his camera so Literal could be filmed in a higher quality than the camera we own. Along with being our "face of WTNB" Robert serves as camera man. Robert has a keen eye for angles and a good sense of direction. He gladly offers his services and has even stayed late helping us get final shots, never once complaining. Make sure you check out his company, Peak Hannah Digital, and view more of his work by visiting his YouTube Page here. Assistant Boom Operator #1 Dawson Peak If any of you have watched our first film, Beyond Under, you will recognize Dawson as the bumbling Peasant of Untar. Even though he played one of the loudest characters in Beyond Under, Dawson has a very quite nature. Dawson has filled in for Jonathan (who is in charge of sound) on the boom many times throughout our filming career. Jonathan really trusts Dawson with the boom and he does a great job with it! Whenever the two of them are doing sound we tend to forget they're around because they're so quiet and focused (and I think they like it that way :). During the episodes where Jonathan is acting as Mr. Media Jr. Dawson has been the one doing the sound. He's the reason Jonathan sounds as good as he looks (hey isn't that what friends are for?). Camera Man #2 Cameron Malott Cameron is a 20 year old homeschooled graduate from Houston, TX. He is studying for his degree online and hopes to one day make his own films professionally. Cameron made his first project, Filmodus Operandi, in 2012 along with members from his church and homeschool group. The story of how we first got in contact with Cameron is pretty amazing! He and Christopher met online through an online christian filmmakers community. Filmodus Operandi and BOO! Do Something both came out around the same time so the two of them swapped movies and email addresses. They never really talked much after that until Cameron's email address got stolen and he sent an email out with his new address. Fast-forward to spring of this year. S.C. TreeHouse had released its IndiGoGo campain for Literal and Cameron had been following us. One day we got an email from Cameron saying that if we needed another crew member he was willing to drive up and help us film for a week. As it turned out we had just realize that we had no one to film episode 5 because Christopher had to act and Robert, our normal camera man, was working during the day. We couldn't move the filming schedule because our cousins (who play Master SmoothLips and Typical Christian) were coming for one week only. So, did we really invite a total stranger into our house for 4 days to help us film? Yes we did! And I'm so glad! Cameron was a great addition to the team and brought lots of great advice and talent into the project. He even let us borrow his camera and lighting equipment to help make the scenes look the way we wanted them to look. To be honest I was a little leery about Cameron coming up here. I was worried about inviting someone we never met before into our house and that all of us might not get along. But we got along great! He and his brother, Taylor (see below), fit into our family so well that we felt like they were some long lost cousins or something! To learn more about Cameron and his work visit his Vimeo page here and to view the trailer for Filmodus Operandi click here. Assistant Boom Operator #2 Taylor Malott Taylor, age 17, is the younger brother to Cameron. Also homeschooled, Taylor is currently working on finishing up his Junior and Senior year of high school. He plans on pursuing a degree in engineering once he graduates. Taylor drove up with Cameron to keep him company (and awake!) and to offer his services in any way needed. Taylor was our boom operator during the week whenever Jonathan was filming as well as doing the clapper board as needed. Thankfully, Taylor also took over creating Master SmoothLips' mustache so Christopher could focus on some of his other duties. Taylor did a wonderful job making everyone sound great, but the bad part was that since he had a powerful mic on the end of a long pole he did what anyone else with a powerful mic on the end of a long pole would do: listen to other people's conversations. Taylor also ran around with Gideon trying on all the costumes to entertain us with his goofy portrayals of our characters. Taylor definitely made those dull moments of filming a lot more enjoyable by providing us with lots of laughs when we needed them the most! Taylor and Cameron have both made such a lasting impression on Literal and on our lives. We pray that one day we might be able to work together again!
Mom and Dad both have bent over backwards throughout our entire childhood to help direct us kids to follow our dreams. They've taken days off from work, arranged school work around filming schedules, and even given us money that was needed in other areas of our lives. We are soooooooooo blessed to have parents who believe in us and our vision. I really don't know where any of our pervious films would be without their wisdom and guidance. S.C. Treehouse's video for last week was an exclusive behind the scenes look at the making of Literal featuring some of the people mentioned here. Be sure to check it out here and look for a new behind the scenes video coming every third Tuesday of the month. Also, please visit some of the pages of our friends' companies. They're really good at what they do so help us show our appreciation by checking them out! And to all of our crew members who have helped us: thank you, thank you, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! You guys mean so much to us and have been such a blessing! " Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm." 2 Corinthians 1:24 Susan "You're the only Jesus some will ever see" Kathleen Harris I think you'll agree that we've saved the best for last. Or at least, after you meet her in Literal you will! This character quickly became the cast and crew's favorite and the girl who played her, (my wonderfully talented cousin) fit her character to a T! There's not much to say about Typical Christian's (or Tippy) character. She's a typical christian! As I was planning her costume I wanted to base her off of the average church-going teenager and what else does the average teenage that's on fire for G-D wear but a Christian graphic t-shirt? (Come on, you know you had one at one point. We all did, er, do :) I can take no credit here. Christopher designed the t-shirt and a local screening shop printed it for us along with several others for crew members and donors from our Literal Indiegogo campaign. I wish I could explain why we chose the phrasing we did but that would spoil it for you. Oh well, guess you'll just have to watch the entire series on YouTube (starting August 5th) to find out! :) (Here we are discovering that her jeans had gotten dirty and we were miles away from the nearest washing machine. Oh the joys of being a costumer!) Originally I had planned for the actor who played Typical Christian to just bring her own blue jeans since she was coming in from out of state. But one day as I was talking to the actress's mom on the phone (my aunt) about her costume she suggested colored jeans. What a great idea! So the actress brought all her colored jeans and we finally settled on the green pair which I think looked great with her shirt! Her shoes are converse (shh don't tell!) that she already owned. I love how the orange and the green go together! They really made her outfit pop! Once we figured out how we wanted to do her shirt Typical Christian's costume came together really well. She was definitely the easiest person to costume (even if she did live 12 hours away!)! She also was the cutest actor out of the whole lot. (Sorry guys, you all tried! :)
Custom shirt ~ $10.00 Jeans- actress' own $0 Shoes- actress' own $0 Socks- actress' own $0 Earrings- actress' own $0 TOTAL COST= $10.00 So there you have it. I hope this helped introduce you to some of the people of Literal that I know you'll just fall in love with! Christopher and Jonathan did a great job developing these characters and the actors wonderfully portrayed them. Each of their journeys is totally unique and it's amazing to watch them intertwine with each other. If you've enjoyed this sneak peak into some of the lives in Literal then be sure to go to YouTube on AUGUST 5TH to see the first episode of Literal air! Thanks so much for your support and prayers as we are taking this incredible journey! Blessings, Susan "I am the Law and the Law is not mocked" Inspector Javert I am the Law Les Miserables In the town of Literal, the Chief of Police also serves as the local judge. His name is Chief Law & Justice. He may be the shortest citizen of Literal but his is definitely the most feared. My youngest brother plays Chief Law & Justice and man can this kid play the part! Chief L & J is a Vietnam vet and has that former-military-turned-small-town-police-chief mentality. We wanted him to look tough, sort of like a cross between military and police. So we found a pair of blue camo pants (from Old Navy on clearance) to refer to his past war life, and a light blue polo (from a local consignment sale) that is common to a policeman's uniform. The vest was found online as a child's dart vest. I was so excited to find this! I was worried we weren't going to be able to find anything that would work that we could afford. The only down side is that it's really heavy, but Gideon wears it because he thinks it's cool (and because I make him!) As with the vest, we had some trouble finding a hat. For the longest time we couldn't decide what style we wanted and when we finally did make a decision, we couldn't find one to fit Gideon's head. Once again, my amazing Google master mommy found this hat on ebay. Sometimes I don't know where we'd be without her! A lady we know who owns her own sewing business (like me) graciously custom made us two police badges, one for Chief L & J's shirt, and one for his hat, with "Literal Police" across the top. This was the director's idea which goes to show that even someone without any sewing experience can contribute to the costume making process. To complete the look, we added a pair of sunglasses from our local dollar store and a pair of combat boots from a thrift store (They are actually women's shoes but don't tell him that! :). For one of the episodes Chief L & J has to be a judge in a local court case which means we needed a judge's robe. Considering that most judges are over 5 ft I had to end up making Gideon's robe using a pattern for a child's choir robe (Butterick #4542 view A minus trim). The fabric was purchased at Hancock's. He looks soooooo cute in it, I mean, um, so intimidating! :) Shirt- $4.00 Pants- $29.00 Police Vest- $32.95 Judges' Robe~ $13.50 (all together) Hat- $10.95 Combat Boots- $5.00 Sunglasses-$4.00 Custom Made Badges- $0 (donated by our friends at Little Clothes & Bows) TOTAL= $99.40! *EDITOR'S NOTE* Thank you again to the Bath Family for providing the costume for Master SmoothLips' character. All the money we saved there we blew here! So you guys can brag about how you "made" the character of Chief L&J :) So as you can tell, Chief Law & Justice was the most expensive person to costume (and yet he's my favorite character). But, sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do in order to make a character look right. Thankfully, we saved money on several other costumes so this one really didn't break the bank. I've got someone watching over me :). Congratulations Gideon! You take home the award for "Most Expensive Costume"! To find out more about Chief Law & Justice and all the other characters in Literal be sure to be on Youtube on August 5th when the first episode of Literal: What We Believe airs. To hold you off until then follow S.C. TreeHouse Productions on their website, this blog and my brother's google plus page for updates on the production process. Be sure to spread the word and thank you again for all your prayers and support! Romans 6:11 Love, Susan 7/2/2014 2 Comments The First Filming Week of Literal (aka the most hectic and AWESOME week of my life!)Filming for Literal has offically begun! That's right! Last week from June 19th thru the 25th my family and I along with several others "literally" fell off the face of the earth while we filmed almost three whole episodes and parts of scenes for several others. Now y'all get to see what exactly went on during our EPIC week of absence! (Late night shootings at "The Mill") (Yes doing hair on set was this intense!) On Thursday we drove to the Chattanooga airport to pick up our cousins from North Carolina. They were going to be the actors for two of our characters, Typical Christian and Master SmoothLips. Because we are who we are, we made signs with their stage names on them and held them up like you see people do at airports. The looks on peoples faces as they passed by were priceless! (Can't touch this!) (Retards) On Sunday we went over to another actor's house to film. We filmed from 8:30 am until 9:30 pm (one hour later than we intended.). As we were getting the last few shots we received a call from two guys who were driving up from Texas to help us film one of the episodes. They were lost in Cleveland so Dad and Nic had to go find them. So they "literally" got to walk on set and right into the middle of things! But they handled it well and even helped with the clean up afterwards. (People kept playing with my costumes namely Taylor and Bud) From Monday thru Wednesday we filmed at the local county courthouse everyday from 8:30 am (when they opened) to 4:30 pm (when they closed.) We ran into a lot of trouble on Monday and Tuesday. First we had to spend most of Monday morning working on lighting and then only got a few shots in before we had to pack up and head to Cleveland for that night's shoot. On Tuesday all of our actors kept messing up their lines and we spent all morning trying to get only ONE on the shots needed for that day. Later that night in Cleveland the crew ran into MORE lighting issues and only got about half of the scenes they needed. To top it all off, several of us had gotten sick (including our director who lost his voice Sunday) and by Tuesday we had to add to that list my cousin, Sarah, whose character plays a critical role in the series' plot line. (We had a wig that one of the actors wore and everyone kept running away with it!) So as you can guess, no one was particularly excited when Wednesday rolled around. Everyone was tired and stressed out. We knew we had to finish because our cousins as well as Cameron and Taylor were leaving the next morning. Have you ever had one of those days when you felt like you have given your all to G-D and there is nothing else left that you can give? That's exactly how I felt Wednesday morning as we started to set up for the day's shoot. I was tired, my body felt like a train wreck and I really just wanted everything to work out so we could all have a break! I knew that day was going to be bad and we were all going to end up snapping at each other. But then something happened. I don't know what or how but somehow we got caught up from the previous days, got all the scenes scheduled for that day, got some extra close up shots, AND FINISHED EARLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no clue what happened but somehow it just worked out! (yeah, we were on cloud 9 throughout the whole day!) All I can tell you is that right before we filmed I just got on my knees and said "Lord, I can't do this anymore. Somehow you've got to work through me because I can't do this anymore. I'm spent and I can't control it. You've got to work a miracle here." and the next thing I knew we were ahead of schedule! (I later learned that several other people had done the same thing that morning.) I think G-D just wanted us to get to the point where we were so weak that WE couldn't make this series happen anymore and HE got control of everything so HIS GLORY was revealed though the project! I'm so thankful that we have a God whose weakness is "...stronger than men." (1 Cor 1:25). I can honestly tell you that if it wasn't for HIM this project would have fallen through. There were SO MANY ways where HE intervened or something happened that we didn't plan that made this project happen. Like providing money for our cousins to not only come down for the week but FLY none the less! Or providing a camera man and assistant boom operator from Texas whom we had never even met before! HE sustained us each day with the food and the strength we needed to worship HIM in a way we NEVER could have done without HIM! My heart overflows with joy when I think about all the blessings HE has given us this past week as well as the weeks and months leading up to it. I know there are many more days like this past Wednesday to come because when you worship THE LORD ALMIGHTY exciting things happen! Some people worship through dancing, some people worship through song, and still others worship through prayer but I worship though film making. Because it is there in film making, when I am at my weakest, that I see HIS GLORY revealed! May all I do go to HIM and HIM ALONE! ("Um, ok, now what do we do now?" "Everyone point at the director!") SOLO DE GLORIA!
Susan 6/14/2014 0 Comments Sometimes You Just Need A DaddyThis is a poem I wrote on April the 8th 2013, the day I got my wisdom teeth removed. Sometimes you just need a daddy Who will take a day off from work to take you to your oral surgery even though he needs the work Sometimes you just need a daddy Who brings you a blanket for the ride even thought you already have a jacket Sometimes you just need a daddy To lean on and draw strength from Sometimes you just need a daddy To talk to about the mural on the wall in the waiting room to keep you mind off what is to come Sometimes you just need a daddy Who will hold you purse and jewelry because you can't have them during the surgery and doesn't care one iota about his manly pride Sometimes you just need a daddy To remind you that G-d is in watching over you and taking care of you the whole time Sometimes you just need a daddy To hold your hand until the last moment Sometimes you just need a daddy Who will pray for you fervently during the surgery Sometimes you Just need a daddy To open the car door for you and treat you like a princess Sometimes you just need a daddy Who will play the radio the whole ride back because it soothes you Sometimes you just need a daddy Who will make you laugh and smile despite the pain Sometimes you just need a daddy To care for you until your Mama gets home Sometimes you just need a daddy when only a daddy will do Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who understands why you don't want to talk and loves you anyway Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who causes flowers petals to fall on the truck you're riding in because HE knows just what to do to make you feel like a princess Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who is the only ONE who can give you peace through one of the scariest moments of your life Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who takes your hand into HIS when your earthly father has to let go Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who provides you with a doctor and nurses who know exactly how to take care of you Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who pays for a surgery you didn't want but desperately needed Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who give you sleep quickly and gently Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who takes the pain away Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who shows you how much HE loves you through the wonderful people HE placed in your life to pray for you in your weakest moment Sometimes you just need a Daddy Who just KNOWS We all need a daddy, each and everyone of us. G-d bless the brave men who willingly take up this role and fulfill their duty as daddies. And G-d bless HIMSELF, The ultimate Daddy. Happy Father's Day Deddy! Thank you for always loving, protecting, guiding and being there for me. I am blessed beyond measure because of you!
Love Your Sweetheart, Susan 5/11/2014 2 Comments A Letter To My Best FriendDear Mama, I really don't know how to begin this letter. I know I have some things to talk about but now that I'm actually writing I can't seem to make my thoughts come together. But that's ok, because you're use to that right? You're always the one who gets to listen to me spill out all my problems and feelings and somehow make sense of it all. You're the only one in this family who understands what it's like being a girl (since it's only you and me). Because I am an only daughter, I've be able to have special privileges that most girls with sisters never get. I've been able to have a one-on-one relationship with you that I would have had to share if there was another female living in the house. Since you and I are the only two we look out for each other (you of course more than me!) I don't know what I would do with out you! You've taught me to be a godly lady (mostly through example), helped me sort through issues, prayed for me, incouraged me, laughed and cried with me. You've done so much for me and I have always taken you for granted. I always expected you to be there for me, for there to be a meal on the table three times a day, for my clothes to be clean and for you to slove every problem. Deep down I knew I shouldn't because I knew you job was hard, but I was selfish and just didn't know exactly how hard you worked. When you left to take care of Grandma for a week I thought the whole world was falling apart. You had always been the one who held everything together and now you were gone holding up someone else. I realized very quickly just how hard your life as a mother really is (and that was only being in charge of the cooking). You wake up everyday and serve others with rarely any time left for yourself and, once again, I take you for granted. So I'm writing this to tell you how sorry I am: I'm so sorry for every time you called me to the table and I ignored you. I'm sorry for every time I disrespected you. I'm sorry for every time you asked for my help and I didn't do what you asked. I'm sorry for every time I did help you but secretly thought you were being lazy or grumbled the whole time. Because you deserve better Mom. You deserve much more than you get from me and I'm sorry. I'm not going to say I'll change and from now on I'll be a better daughter for you and that I'll never treat you wrong again. Because if there's one thing I've learned about myself it's that often I promise to do things that I never do. I try to change my ways and it never works. I still remain that selfish girl who only thinks for herself. But.... I do promise to try to make a more contentious effort to see things from your prospective and not weight you down with all my little things that really aren't that important. I promise to come to the table immediately after you ask because I know you worked hard to prepare me a meal and coming to the table on time is better than an audible "thank you". I promise to treat you with more respect and love. And with The Holy Spirit's help, I'll keep those promises and (slowly) I will change. And when I miss up, (because I will) I know that you will still forgive me. You've done that my whole life, forgiven me, and shown me through that that I really can be forgiven by a Heavenly Father for so much more than not coming when I'm called. I still remember as a little girl you telling me that GOD loves me more than you love me. It was so hard to imagine and still to this day I have a hard time grasping the concept that someone loves me more than you do. Because, to me, you are the picture of love. Love that is given in abundance every day forgetting what has happened yesterday and focusing instead on today. I love you Mommy, I know I never say it much or enough times but I do. I think I'll add that to my list of improvements: telling you "I love you" every day, and "thank you". Because you deserve that. And I'll start right now. Mommy, Mama, Mum, Mummy, I love you. Thank you for all you've done for me. You'll always be my best friend. Love,
Susan P.S. One more thing. If there are any grammar mistakes or misspelled words I apologize. I wanted this to be a surprise so I didn't have you check it. If it really bothers you you can correct it later. Forgiveness right? :) 4/30/2014 0 Comments Sneak Peek at Costumes for LiteralFor those of you who don't know my family owns its own movie making company called S.C. TreeHouse Productions. We're not very big but our goal is to make GOD honoring films and so far HE has always provided us a way to do just that. This year is our company's 5 year anniversary and to celebrate we are going to produce a web series (working) titled Literal: What We Believe . The goal for this series is once a month we will air an episode explaining one of the core beliefs of S.C. TreeHouse Productions. Pre-production is already underway and filming will hopefully begin this summer! Since I'm the one who does the sewing in the family I got the job of costume director. A very fun and rewarding job if I do say so myself! :) (and yes, it does have its stressful moments as well :P!) So to hold you off until filming is complete I wanted to share with you some of the costume ideas I have for Literal. I'll start with our two main characters: DOUG HOOP: Doug is our main character, he's kind of goofy, silly, and a little on the crazy side. Christopher wants Doug's style to be based on his own personal style which means nothing matches, pants from the 1970's and plaids and stripes, together! He also wants the usual *necessary* accessories such as bow ties (in crazy colors), hats (unusual ones), and maybe suspenders. Here are some examples of Christopher's *ahem* unique fashion sense: (Anybody remember the guy above from their childhood?) ANN: Ann is more quite and reserved than Doug, so I wanted her clothes to express that as well. We're aiming for simple, practical, but at the same time cute. Christopher wants Ann to look like a little girl so I'm trying to find "girlish" clothes that don't look too silly for a 15 year old to wear. (I am planning on making the dress below for sure only knee length with a higher neck.) MR. MEDIA SR: As his name states Mr. M runs the media and TV station Doug Hoop works at. So he will be dressed like a typical business man. Nothing special. Black suit, tie, you get the picture. MR. MEDIA JR.: As the son of Mr. Media Sr., Mr. Media Jr. is the definition of hip and trendy. I want Mr. Media Jr. to look like "the modern teenage boy" and this picture is EXACTLY what I want! The moment I saw it I was like "THAT'S my Media Jr.!" I can't wait to work on this costume! MASTER SMOOTHLIPS: Master Smoothlips is the town lawyer. He "goes through life believing everything with no beliefs". I want him to look professional yet trendy at the same time like a cross between Mr. Media Sr. and Mr. Media Jr. I'll probably end up putting Master Smoothlips in gray or brown just to break things up a bit. That way I won't have two characters (Mr. Media and Master Smoothlips) both in a black suit. TYPICAL CHRISTIAN: She's the one who always wears a christian graphic t-shirt (you know, the one that screams something like I heart Jesus!? or let's go get everyone saved!?) We will be making a one of a kind t-shirt design specifically for Typical Christian's character. Sorry, I can't give anything else away. It's a secret! But basically, she's going to look like the average teenage girl, a typical Christian. I'm so excited to get to work on costumes again! This is something I love doing and is one of my personal ministries. We have just launched our campaign video to raise money for Literal. Film making is not cheap so we'll need all the help we can get! Please head over to Indigogo to check it out and pass the word along! Your support and prayers will be greatly appreciated! I'll try to keep this blog updated on how production is going so you can know how GOD is moving through our ministry. Please pray that HIS will, not ours, will be done through EVERY aspect of this project.
CLICK HERE for our campaign page "For I am not ashamed of the Good News, since it is God's powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting, to the Jew especially, but equally to the Gentile." Romans 1:16 Complete Jewish Bible Love, Susan |
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October 2019
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