Wait! Don't Cancel Christmas!

 

We're not having Christmas this year. 

No Christmas? 

Don't come home. We're not getting together. We're not celebrating this year. 

Okay...

You live too far away to travel and might bring the virus with you. Our sister works around people with the virus every day, and our brother went to a place where a large group of people gathered last week. You all could bring it home, give it to mom and dad. We can't have Christmas. 

So, what are we doing instead? 

Nothing. 

As I read the last text message on my phone, I contemplated my next reply. I wanted to scream at the phone, yell at my older sibling that canceling Christmas wasn't an option. You can't celebrate canceling joy in the world, especially at a time when so many of us need it. Sure, we can forget about the gifts, because that was never really what Christmas has or really be about. 

There are babies born every day, someone forgot to tell them they were entering a world in a season of a pandemic. We can't stop babies coming into the world no more than we can stop celebrating Christmas. 

Jesus came. He was born, and His life mattered. 

How we choose to celebrate the birth of God's son may appear different from what it has in the past. It's not the same as celebrating the birth of our own children or someone close to us. But nor can we cancel something that simply requires us to acknowledge the presence of HOPE in our lives. 

The party may be canceled this year, but the HOPE we can bring each other has no bounds. 

You can't cancel HOPE. 

He who came was a gift to us by God. 

You might not have wanted that gift, or asked for that gift, or even acknowledged that gift, but don't cancel something that is freely given. 

Christmas is a time of giving hope. You can do that in more ways than gathering around a table, fighting over the last cookie your sister-in-law baked because she makes the best ones. 

There are ways to give others HOPE in this season of turbulation.  

It's different this year, going against our usual traditions. For some, this is more difficult than others. I get that. I really do. As a person of habit, routine, and planning, there is a certain comfort that comes from holding onto what we know when our world feels upside down. 

The tree is still going up, some old ornament, and some new will grace its branches. Less gifts may reside beneath it, but not with less meaning. Less is more. Cookies will still be baked, and stockings hung. Cards and family letters will still go out to family and friends. Homemade hot chocolate and Hallmark Christmas movies on Christmas Eve won't go interrupted. Calling parents, siblings, and friends on Christmas day is expected. This year we might even Zoom, or Skype, or see each other's ugly faces on Google Hangouts. 

No worries. No stress of packing up the family and trekking to another town and sleep on couches or worry about flying and hotels. The money saved there, alone, can be added back in the family budget, shared in other ways. There are advantages to staying home this year. 

But staying home doesn't mean we cancel Christmas. 

It only means we embrace this season in a new way. 

It means we adapt and find grace for situations we can't control, and we sigh a relief in not having to deal with those hard to be around relatives. Next Christmas is still on. Next year, you regroup, add a little of the new from now, and mix back in the tradition. It might mean attending church services online, mailing gifts, or sending no gifts at all. It might mean digital Christmas cards or ones made by hand. It might mean being alone and taking in a shelter pet for company to help get through the day. 

HOPE comes in many forms. 

Hold on to it. 

Hold onto Christmas. 

Don't let anyone tell you that the reminder of Jesus coming into our lives has been canceled this year. The way we choose to celebrate His birth is entirely up to us. 

So I encourage you in this season, to go forth, continue to spread HOPE, and keep celebrating Christmas.  

 

Counting Down Our Blessing

 It's almost over, 45 days until 2020 comes to an end, but just because the year digits are changing doesn't mean our troubles are at an end. 

I plan on spending the rest of this year counting my blessings. 

It never gets old. Whenever you think life has you at your worse, there is always someone out there struggling more. It's not about struggles, and I don't plan on remembering 2020 as just that year the pandemic hit and ruined the world as I knew it. 

Instead, I'm making a list, each day of the good things because this is the year my oldest became an adult, this is the year my youngest became a teenager. This is the year we grew closer as a family and got a new family car. 

We can't control life, but we can control the way we remember it. 

This past weekend, I took off on a retreat with best friend, we'd both have seen each other at our lows and been there to see ourselves rise. That's what 2020 is. A valley. And these next 45 days, or however many days it takes, I'm climbing to the top. 

This the overlook near World's End in Pennsylvania.  As the last night of our retreat ended, we stood and watched the sunset. Looking up at the stars, we told God what we needed - not what we wanted- and thanked him for the one best thing he did for us in 2020. 

If you know God, you know you can't put a time limit on making something happen. It's His timing, not ours.

So count your blessings, not the days, and find comfort in this time.

How to Be A Good Neighbor in a Pandemic

We are going through this odd time in our lives. We don't know what tomorrow will bring and how long this season is going to last. We've had to make adjustments to our daily routines, and parents are figuring out how to home school kids and balance working at home with family.

Which is why we all need to be there for one another. Supporting each other. Connecting with each other.

Social distancing is a careless word for what we are supposed to do to stay healthy during a pandemic. Physically, yes. We need to stay at least six feet apart. No physical contact, but in distancing that doesn't mean we are to avoid helping others.

Social media is all about connecting with others. So saying 'social distancing' is misleading.

We need to be socially connecting and physically distancing.

Some areas are worse than others.

I call my mom once a week. That hasn't changed.
I haven't seen my parents since Christmas. I thought I would see the farm for Easter. They don't video chat, but I pray when this ends I can go home to spend more time with them. In the meantime, I've been reaching out and helping others, and I want to encourage you to do the same.

You can be six feet or six states away from someone and still be there for them.

It's a hard time for everyone. Be kind.
We're all handling this in different ways. If your online in different groups and chats, be respectful of other people's feelings.

If your neighbors are in need, share with them. You can drop food off on the porch or mow the grass for the elderly and disabled.  You can share recipes and ideas for managing at home.

Make new traditions. Start game nights. Try new things.
It's okay to ask if you don't know who to do something. Really.
It'll be okay.

We're all in this together.

I've never been a fan of hugs.
but I'm happy to send as many virtual ones as you need.

Tips For Working At Home With Kids

Many of us have had to shift our daily lives to establish a new norm of getting work done at home while caring for our kids. This can be especially rough for the parents who have depended on daycares and other caregivers to care for their children while they have gone to work.

But how do you get any work done when daycare isn't an option or you have other children at home who aren't in school?

While in the past, you might have gone into your workplace to do your job. Now, you may have been given the opportunity to do what you can in your profession from home. The hardest part is trying to get any work done while ensuring the care of your family.

They are home. You are at home.

How do you get anything done?

I've been working from home off and on for almost two decades. Raising my kids was my first priority, and so I've stayed at home and only worked outside of the house during times of necessity. Not everyone has that luxury, and by doing so, our family has had to make some sacrifices--most of them the cost of convenience or choosing between wants and needs.

Depending on the work you do, these following tips might be helpful:

1.      Work when the kids are sleeping. They told me when I had my first child to sleep when my baby slept. And if you have a newborn that cries all night, they'd be right. However, when my second baby came, I learned to get things done ins shifts. The kind where the babies slept and mom went to business. Growing up on a farm gave me the advantage of being a morning person. I get up two hours before my kids, it's my time to prepare for the day, and get something things done. And at night, the same thing happens. Kids in bed, mom goes to work for a few hours. Afternoon nap times? Take a siesta, too. A small one, then get up and take care of a few things. If your job is flexible, this might help you make some progress.

2.      Establish a routine at home just as you would in your office at work. Know you have a certain task that needs to be done each day or by the end of the week? Assign days for a certain task, just like you might already for your housework or taking out the trash. Have set times during the day where you go back and forth between focusing on work-related tasks and kid-related activities. It will take a little time to establish this new routine, but the key is to be consistent in getting everyone in the house on board.

3.      Trade off with your partner. Being at home 24/7 and taking care of kids, along with other responsibilities, can get overwhelming. Now is the best time to have each other's back and work as a unit to care for the family you've created. Compromises will have to be made, and one partner may have to take on tasks they usually haven't done before to balance the load of adjusting to working from home. Make a schedule of trading off who will care for the kids while the other works. Who will make supper or take turns with house chores? It's okay to assign a few new age-appropriate duties to your kids. They are part of your family, assigning tasks helps establish that you all are in this together, working together, and strengthens your family.

4.      Acknowledge limitations.  Some jobs just can't be done at home; adjustments and modifications may need to be made. That's okay. You were trying to think of a better, more productive way to accomplish it anyway, weren't you? Focus on what you can do when you can do it. And how to achieve it another way that will meet others' needs in the time they need it. It's not easy, I know, but you can do it. Brainstorm, talk to your boss, your friends in similar situations and collaboration.  Which leads to…

5.      Don't try to do too much all at one time. There is this theory of threes. Pick the main three things you need to get done for the day, both work-wise and home-wise, and focus on those. Take each day one at a time. You can fill out what the next day needs but try not to go over three. You don't want your list to run rapid on you and drown you in the little things that pop in your head that aren't as important as fulfilling your work's expectations and caring for your kids.

6.      Have a designated workspace. I don't know about you, but I work best when I work in a controlled environment. When the kids were in school I could work at a desk in the corner of our family room. It was quiet. More so, it' was like switching shoes and going from mom mode to work mode. Now that the kids are home more often, I have moved into a separate, closed-off space in our home. I share it with husband, and we take turns using it as needed. Without this space, I get too distracted by what is going on inside my home with my kids than focusing on the project on hand. Some people can work anywhere and block out everything around them. I am not one of them. I have learned over the years I need a desk; I need a space, and I need to be away from the temptation of watching other people and having the chances of someone interrupting me. Multitasking isn't always best in specific jobs.  

You can see my old workspace here. 

I hope it will help inspire you when setting up your own space.

It is possible to work at home and get things done with the kids around you. I've been doing it for almost two decades. Everyone is different, and you just have to find what works best for you and your family.

I hope these tips have helped or at least brought you the encouragement you needed to keep up morale in your home.

You can do this!

I'd love to hear some ways you've been able to balance your day between work and kids. Please post them below in the comments. 

2019 In Review

This year I wrote 372,542 words.

Not all of them have been published yet, but don’t worry they’re coming.

In 2019 I published 4 books and 1 novella. 2 under my clean YA fantasy pen name Eliza Chambers, and two cowboy romances along with 1 western historical novella.

Susan Lower Books

·        2/ 2019 The Postage Stamp Bride (Brides of Anne’s Creek) Book 3

·        4/ 2019 Salvaged Hearts (Hearts of Hidden Hills)

·        11/ 2019 Silver Stirrups (Silver Wind Equine Rescue Romance) Book 3

I went back and edited and added my solo book RESIDENCE OF HER HEART to the Hearts of Hidden Hills Series. It got an upgrade both inside and outside with a new cover.

Eliza Chambers Books

·        6/ 2019 Shards of the Moon (YA Speculative Fiction with a twist of folklore and mythology)

·        9/ 2019 Troll Hunter’s Apprentice (MG suspenseful fantasy)

I didn’t have a plan for 2019, other than to write. Life as a mom with almost three teens is unpredictable and at times downright hard. Life and parenting has its seasons, and I’m right there with the other parents as every child is different and every mom’s parenting experience isn’t the same.

This is why I’m looking forward to 2020 and while I have goals, they’re not about numbers. They’re about you.

In 2020, I pray for your year to be filled with hope. I want you to feel inspired and have strength for the days that get hard. I want you to know you’re not alone through the various trails in the various stages you are currently in or entering.

Someone once told me we are better together. The right people in our lives are worth the value of the greatest treasure.

A few weeks ago I wrote a different list consisting of numbers. A former accountant, I like numbers. For 2020 I wanted to write 500,000 words. I wanted to write 12-15 books, and so on. But really, when I thought about it, you can’t rush putting heart and hope into a story. So my goal for 2020 is to write more stories to give hope, that you’re never alone in life, and no challenge is never too big for God’s grace.

Through the chaos of middle-grade chaos and high schoolers determining their paths, 2020 is going to be an adventure. If you want to join it with me, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter.

Let’s do this together.

December Reading #TBR

Between Hallmark movies and all Holiday preparations, I usually take December off from writing and indulge in a few good reads of my own. If you’ve been getting my newsletter you’ll see recommendations there, too. (You can sign up here if you’re not receiving it.)

Here is my line up of books to read in December:

Have you read any of these? No spoilers, please! But I’d love to hear what you thought of them or recommend a Christmas story you read recently and enjoyed!

Tis the season for a great read! Click to tweet and share

Have Courage and Be Kind

A few weeks ago, the kids and I were watching Cinderella. As we’re entering the holiday season, I’ve had this one scene in the back of my mind. It’s the one where Cinderella’s mother tells her to have courage and be kind.

I believe we all need a little courage when times get tough and in those moments it’s easy for us to forget to be kind to one another. There is always a little piece of backstory you’ll never know about someone else’s lives.

Be kind.

Treat one another the way you’d want someone to treat you, even when you’re not feeling it.

I like to believe we are all like the Whos living in Whoville, singing and joyous for this coming of Christmas. I’d like to believe everyone has a giving heart and looks out for their fellow man. When you grow up in a small town, you develop this sense of always finding the good in people. As well as you should!

But what I really want to share today is there are people this holiday season who are not feeling the joy vibe like you are. There are those who are estranged from family, alone and grieving for the loss of someone dear. There are those struggling financially and struggling to hold hope when what they really feel is desperate and despair. There are those who are depressed and struggle with the ups and downs of holding onto hope and joy; to all of you, I say, “Have Courage and Be Kind.”

Kindness doesn’t take much time to share. It doesn’t cost much in comparison to the other gifts you’ll give and receive this year. It’s the price of a smile or a simple word. Tell the clerk at the shop “thank you” even if they’re just doing their job, everyone needs to feel appreciated.

Have courage.

Be Kind.

Click to Tweet: Have courage and Be Kind

Silver Wind Equine Rescue Romance Book 3 - Silver Stirrups Releasing soon

For those of you in my newsletter list, the chapter excerpt went out in last month’s newsletter and I know some of you are as excited as I am to see this book coming out.

Silver Stirrups is the 3rd book in the Silver Wind Equine Rescue Romance Series. Originally the Silver Wind Trilogy it wouldn’t be a trilogy without a third book, but I’ve since renamed it and thanks to finding my old written notes in notebooks from our move a few years ago and the flooding of our home a few years ago, I’ve been able to bring Josh and Alison’s story to you.

Can a little faith, a whole lot of trust, and a second chance help Josh and Alison find what they’re both missing?

After a streak of bad luck hits Windy Knoll farms, Alison finds herself without a horse, and the Silver Stirrups Riding Club is without a trail master. While Alison expects foul play where the disappearance of her horse is concerned, she can’t prove her ex had anything to do with it.

Josh vowed he’d stay out of trouble after a few bad decisions put him in debt to his brother-in-law, but he owes a bigger debt to Alison for walking away from their relationship years ago without an explanation. Josh volunteers as the new trail master while using his connections through the Silver Wind Horse Rescue to help find Alison’s horse.

All the evidence leads to Josh’s guilt, but can Alison trust him enough to let a horse lead them down the right trail?

Silver Stirrups will be available on November 26, 2019. 

 You can ensure your copy on release by clicking here.

As a special treat for the release, book 1, Forgotten Reins is FREE this weekend and Book 2, Unbridled is only 99 cents!

Make Time to be Thankful

Sometimes in life, it is easy to take many things for granted. We do it every day without thinking about it. We come to expect things from people and places that have always done what they do for us without ever considering that those things are not a given. They don’t have to be there or do what they do.

There are so many times we exhaust ourselves trying to do for others until we get burnt out. The fuel to keeping us going isn’t always rest or monetary value. It can be as simple as words of appreciation and gratitude.

The other day, I had too many places to be and things to do. One of my children stepped up and took care of preparing supper. They didn’t ask if I wanted help, they asked where to find what they needed and did what was needed to make a meal. That child told me that I go out of my way so much to make sure they get where they need to go and they wanted to show their appreciation by helping me out. Otherwise, supper would have been late and rushed and I appreciated that extra hand of help immensely.

How many times have you told someone thank you for doing what they do every day? How many times have you done something that needs to be done on your spouse’s or family or friend’s list to be a blessing in their day? Could they have done it, of course, but doing it would give them one less thing on their list or an extra five minutes to be still.

We try to teach our kids grace and appreciation at the same time as teaching them not to allow someone to take advantage of them or vise versa. In our busy world, it is easy to go along our day without noticing others or the little details that are combined for the bigger picture.

This time of year we get plenty of reminders to counting our blessings. We start gratitude journals, and like New Year’s resolutions, they get put to the wayside as other things overtake the priority of our mindfulness.

Taking the time to be thankful shouldn’t go to the wayside after November. What if we all try to be mindful of the little things and take the time to be thankful every day rather than just for the holiday? I’m cutting down on my schedule to take it slower and notice more things around my world.

How about you? How will you make time to be thankful for this day forward?

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Don’t forget to tell someone Thank You today. @susanlower (Click to Tweet)

Making a space for your creativity

It’s always neat to look to see what other people’s offices and studios

look like. It gives one ideas and a new perspective into other creative processes and where that happens. Or at least for me, it does. Or maybe I’ve been watching too many shows on HGTV.

What does your creative space look like?

We all have different spaces and different forms of creativity. My writing space isn’t always a coffee shop or a quiet corner in the library. It’s my laptop on my lap in the car waiting for kids or sitting on bleachers for a sports event. But when I am home I like to have a place that’s just mine. It’s where I go that I know I won’t be disturbed, okay mostly not disturbed.

I can honestly say, I miss our last house. I had a small room with a door that I could go in and focus on writing and it was my space. In our new home, that space is the far corner of the ‘Lower Dungeon’ or downstairs family room.

Who knows in the future there might be a ‘she shed’ in the future for me. Until then, this is where I retreat to work on my stories.

My creative space has evolved several times to meet the needs of the season of my creativity. Like a blank canvas or an unwritten page you can see I’m still personalizing and updating my little corner I claim as my own. When I’m not writing or chasing after my family, I enjoy paper crafts and bookbinding.

The bookcase and desk came from Walmart.com while the pendant light came from Amazon.com as well as my ergonomic keyboard.

When you are creating a space for creativity it needs to work for you. Nor does it have to be fancy or top of the line in the latest trends. It should be a place of joy that you want to go to often.

To make a space that is yours, choose and put things in there that help inspire your creativity while giving you the tools and functionality you need to create.

I have wall hangings with words on my bookcase. I’m a lover of words and those positive quotes help spur my creativity. I have books, that I love to read and ones that I use for resources.

What kind of things inspire you?

I ‘ve been collecting old books to make a wall art above my desk and eventually I’ll replace the kitchen chair with a desk chair… or not. I also trade-off and sit on an exercise ball some days. And there are days when I like to stand while I create.

This is my old space on the other side of the room, I had to give it up for my kids doing homework and online education. When they aren’t using it, my husband uses this space for working. One half of the family room has become a ‘office’ space for our family in constant need of using a computer.

While back to back in the same room, these two different spaces in the house are used for similar purposes, only one belongs to me and the other is for the rest of the house. Needless to say, when you create a space to inspire your creativity it doesn’t need to look like either of the ones I’ve shown you.

Your creative space should be set up in a way that works for you. The things my space includes are things that inspire me, bring me joy, and help me to express my creativity.

Not everything to build your creative space needs to be brand new. That writing desk is a treasure I found at a yard sale years ago. It’s my favorite. And the countertop was given to me as is the shelf with paper on top. Creative and repurposing things can be fun and another way to make your creative space unique to you.

What does your creative space look like? CLICK TO TWEET

Make Time for Traditions

Did you know Fruitcake was initially a wedding cake? Yep, that holiday dreaded sweet we think of now was once part of a different kind of tradition.

What was once popular and valued hundreds of years ago, has been either forgotten or considered ‘too old fashioned’ for today’s modern society.

While I don’t suggest going out and baking a fruitcake unless you like fruitcake or love baking and try to put your own twist on it, I do want to encourage you to find one old tradition in your family’s history and keep it alive.

Can you imagine the sight and scents of white roses and lavender instead of gingerbread and evergreens? Colonial Virginians preserved their roses for this very occasion. Christmas with roses? I’m in! Although I prefer mine raspberry tipped, and the image of roses in these unpredictable seasons, thanks to global warming has my mind spinning with the possibilities.

Do you invite people over for a party for holidays and celebrations? Too busy with your day job and everyday life to stress about getting it all coordinated this year? Well, friend. When in Roman, do what the Romans do, right? In which, I refer to ‘Saturnalia,’ a Roman tradition where a child plans the party. Give your pre-teen or teen a little extra responsibility this year and promote them to party planner—with your final approval of course.

Craving a little Humble Pie, unlike the fruitcake, the humble pie started as a stable at Christmas in the 1600s. It was filled with a deer’s ‘humbles,’ you know heart, liver, brains, and other neglected organs, which is where it got its name. Whereas nowadays, serving up a little humble pie is much sweeter and has a much different meaning. I think I’ll pass on the humble pie and stick with rose petals and fruitcake.

And let us not forget the giving of gifts. It’s a tradition linked to so many occasions and puts us back to the Roman’s ‘Saturnalia’ and another tradition that most writers and lovers of words can appreciate it. The Romans wrote poetry on their gift tags. It makes you think of love and Valentine’s traditions, which also include roses, sweet words, and possibly cake. Preferably chocolate.

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Old or new, our traditions blend and evolve, but the ones we keep and the ones we make are what our families come to value and remember in the next generations to come.

What old or new traditions do you make time for?

Preparing For The Fall Season

Goodbye daisies. Hello, sunflowers!

Sunflowers are my favorite. If I could I’d plant an entire field of them behind my house. Maybe someday when I’ve got my own farm. I haven’t been able to convince my family the advantage of growing sunflowers and harvesting the seeds.

Usually this time of year, my family is finishing up with the corn crops and preparing for the onset of cold weather. It means making sure the grain bins are filled, the hayloft is full, and the last pickings of the garden have been canned.

It’s a time for gathering.

It also means raking up the leaves and putting out the autumn welcome signs.

It’s baking zucchini bread to freeze for a rainy day and pumpkin rolls for Sunday morning tea in the house my dad built. It’s hanging at the grange fair to catch up with extended family and high school classmates.

It’s swapping, sharing, and connecting our resources, time, and fellowship because this time of year calls for us to start slowing down and preparing for the long dark days ahead as the season changes.

We always have so much to do, I for one am always trying to get ahead for those moments when I can step back and just breath, admire and be appreciative of a time that can never be taken back.

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How do you prepare for the season ahead? (Click to Tweet)

Share your thoughts below.

Book Inspired Treats for Young Readers

Halloween is a big deal in our house. It’s more than a pagan holiday, it’s a chance to dress up and pretend. (It’s Mr. Lower’s birthday so we like to party on that day, too.)

Plus, I love having trick or treaters come to the house. Last year, I had a unicorn come to the door. Unicorns are awesome. And boo me for being one of those moms who isn’t a big fan of sugared-up kids.

Candy is the bomb, but each year I’m always looking for cool other treats to give out to the kids in our neighborhood. 

And where do I go for cool ideas? Pinterest, of course! 

Check out these spooky ideas for bookmarks and book treats I found for all the little ghost, goblins, and mythical creatures that might be showing up at your door. 

Book Treat Bags by Alyssabeth

Halloween Book Treat Boxes by Anniebwills

Halloween Corner Bookmarks by It’s Always Autumn

You can’t ever have enough bookmarks, so I’ll definitely be making up a stash of those and adding a bit of candy to our treat bags this year.

What kind of Halloween treats are you giving out this year? I love sharing ideas and I can’t wait to read your response.

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You can’t ever have enough bookmarks. (Click here to share)