Let's Talk About Words

    So many people won't start running or join a health club until they lose weight or get in better shape. Just like people feel they have to be a better person before they come to church or even to pray to God. For years, I felt the same way; that I didn't deserve God's love or forgiveness. I thought that I needed to get my act together first, but it is the opposite. God welcomes us all into a relationship with him, just as we are. 

NONE of the steps to true and lasting improvement is pointing fingers or placing blame. Change begins by acknowledging the positives while taking steps to adjust what needs to  change together, as a team.

    My faith journey started out the same as anyone else being raised Catholic. I was baptized; I had my reconciliation, my first communion and my confirmation. My spiritual  foundation consisted of attending CCD, which was what religious education was called back in the 70's, and memorizing prayers and the Ten Commandments. I attended Church on the main holidays and sometimes in between, and I prayed to God at holiday meals and sometimes before bed. I felt that I was doing my part to check off  the box, religion expectation, of living a good life. I believed at the time that what I was doing was enough, but then the hard times started coming. At times the rain fell so hard, I could no longer see a blue sky in my future.    In the late 1980's, a friend and co-worker at a Girls Group Home we worked at invited me to attend Willow Creek Community Church with her. I think that she invited me because we had seen some horrible ex...

 I hope my words touched you in some way. Follow me on this blog or on my Facebook Author page for more thoughts about life and for the release date of  Suppression and Growing Flowers. Susan Marie Schulhof is the proud mother of three adult daughters and lives in the Chicago area. Riding Waves is her first novel, and she is currently writing two books called Suppression and  Growing Flowers . She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and has worked for Bright Horizons Family Solutions since 2001. She published the non-fiction book Fun4Babies in 2013 , writes an inspirational blog ( http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com ) and is on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. She is an active presence at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois.   

   After we get our ice cream, we push a couple of tables together. I get coffee flavor with chunks of chocolate, and Ashley gets bubblegum ice cream. Everyone in my family just talks over each other. Most people just sit and wait for a pause to talk, but Ashley has been around my family long enough that she just jumps into the conversation.    “The valedictorian’s speech was so boring,” Ashley says.    “No it wasn’t,” says my mom with a chuckle, “So University of Evansville this fall Ashley?”    “Yes, but it doesn’t seem real yet.”    “When is orientation?” my dad chimes in.    “Sometime in July when we get back from our family reunion in Georgia.”    “Is your whole family going?”    “Yes. My mom said that we all must go, no if, ands or buts about it!” Ashley says with a laugh, imitating her mom’s voice.    “That will be nice.”     “Can I go with them?” I as...

    The e-book is for sale at iBook, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and more! http://www.amazon.com/Riding-Waves-Susan-Marie-Schulhof-ebook/dp/B00LQABJLW/ref=la_B00IBPFHV8_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409801829&sr=1-1 https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/riding-waves/id898142854?mt=11 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/riding-waves-susan-marie-schulhof/1119940881?ean=9781483531601 As I sit back in my seat and watch the rest of my classmates receive their diplomas, I reflect on my past as well as on my future. Should I have tried out for the play without Ashley? Will I enjoy being on the tech crew? How can I help and inspire others? Do I want to become a teacher? Would I be happy as a teacher? What would I want to teach? What age group? Since I didn’t love high school, would I want to teach that? Will I have kids of my own? Who will I marry? When will I fall in love? And what will he be like?      My life is not perfect, but I am happy most ...