Susanne Scheppmann - Author--Speaker--Traveler

A Tasty Treat for Parties or a Gift

2010-11-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

As I write this I am sitting in Minnesota. The roads have been closed due to ice. It's a good day to prepare some goodies for the upcoming holidays. I always wonder what to bring as a small gift for the hostess. Do you? The thing that I have found most popular is a bucket full of homemade carmel corn. I usually find a few decorative plastic containers at my local supermarket for around a

In Honor of the Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

My father enlisted in the Marine Corp as a teen. He ended up fighting in World War II. He was a hero--Ray Shurtliff Jr. Sadly, for most of my own teen years I did not understand the commitment of our military. However, as I became an adult I realized the freedoms that I enjoyed were the direct result of the men and women who served our country in our American military. I thank God for them

Joy in the Journey

2010-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I shared the celebration of The Crossing's 10-year anniversary. As the Women's Ministries launched the Lord brought precious cohorts to help me. One of the first and sweetest was my friend, Joy. We met shortly before the first Sunday service at a women's Bible study. Joy volunteered to help in anyway I needed, but she wanted to always be behind the scenes. Ha! Jesus so had

The Journey Began

2010-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago, I began a new journey. Mark and I were part of a church plant called The Crossing here in Las Vegas. It's hard to believe that it was 10-years ago, but this past Sunday we celebrated our 10-year anniversary. (I guess we can't even be called a "church plant" any longer.) I was on staff for several years as the Women's Ministries director. I have fond memories of launching

And God Shows Up

2010-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

God cares about His girls. This past weekend God showed up for His 400 girls in Williams, Arizona. The retreat was held at the Young Life Camp. The facility is absolutely amazing. Lots of girls means lots of laughter. The shrieks that issued from the zipline and the swinging chair made me crack-up. (I have to admit I wasn't brave enough to attempt either.) Then the music...how do I even

If I Had Nine Lives

2010-09-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies scenes comes from Little Women (1994) The scene evolves as Jo March sits with her romantic interest, the professor, and his friends. The men debate whether or not women should have the right to vote. Jo enters the debate with a stinging logical retort. The dialogue proceeds, Mr. Mayer: You should have been a lawyer, Miss March. Jo March: I should have been a

Geek Envy and my Writer's Heart

2010-09-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe my eyes. There sitting next to me at the small town rodeo was a girl, around 8 years old, working on an iPad. What? My first thought was, "No fair! I don't have an iPad, why should she?" My love for electronic gadgets has been unfolding since the first electronic word processors were launched during the 1980s. They were so popular that my husband had to stalk Montgomery

Horse of a Different Color--Pink

2010-09-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week I have rambled about helmet hair and roadway hassles, but the truth is these shouldn't even be considered minor inconveniences. Not when there is still not a cure for cancer. October is national breast cancer awareness month. In the fight against breast cancer, this past weekend at the local rodeo in St. George, Utah they painted the wall of the arena pink and everyone was asked to

A Zigzag Through Zion

2010-09-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Surprise -- the road was impassable. My husband and I along with another couple rode motorcycles to Zion National Park this past weekend. We were a pack of two -- two bikes and four riders. (The two girls, me and my friend, are not "experienced" riders.) We paid our $24 per motorcycle to ride in Zion National Park, and began to wind our way up the incline only to discover the entire road

Oh Helmet Hair!

2010-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I rode behind my man on his Harley Davidson. Our friends, Harlan and Carol joined us as we toured southern Utah. We saw beautiful country and had some great meals. This picture was taken at Oscar's just outside Zion National Park. Now because I always wear my helmet, state law or not, my hair is a wreck. There is no way around it--helmets create hair disasters. As you can

Runza Recipe

2010-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

As promised here is a tasty treat. A runza recipe. Let me know what you think! Runza Recipe 2 pound ground beef 1 large onion , chopped Salt Pepper 1 Medium Cabbage, chopped 2 batches of bread dough Saute onion in a bit of oil until just translucent. Add hamburger and saute until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Drain away the grease, and return to the pan. Cover the mixture

Nebraska Revisited

2010-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Nebraska happens to be one of my favorite States. The primary reason is because one of my daughter-in-loves is from Nebraska. I adore her and and her family--especially her mama. So, that happens to influence me a bit. I usually drive across the entire state of Nebraska at least once a year on my way to Minnesota to visit family. I travel I-80 which is like drving on a washboard, but other

Book Review--Angry Conversations with God

2010-09-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite Christian books of all time. Susan Isaacs' clever idea to bring God into couple counseling and allow us to "listen" was hilarious. I loved this book. It's witty. It's inspiring with the ache of truth about our doubts of God's love for us. After reading it, I listened to it on my ipod. Both versions were good. If you are looking for a fresh look at your relationship

The Brouhaha on Anne Rice's Statement

2010-09-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

Now that the brouhaha of Anne Rice's statement that she wasn't going to being a Christian any longer has died down. I thought I would chime in with my two cents on the topic. Its sounds to me like she's not tired of Jesus, but of the people. Here's what she said,“For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but

Home Sweet Home

2010-09-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

After being 30 days on the road I am glad to be home. We traveled through Utah, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado. Whew! That makes me tired even writing it down. We had a great trip, saw some beautiful country and visited with family along the way.Now the summer is at a close and it's time to get back into the routine of life. As far as ministry goes, my

Top Ten Favorites of Minnesota

2010-08-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Although I live in Las Vegas, I spend a lot of time in Minnesota. Since, I write so often about it, I decided I would list the my top 10 favorite things. 10. Wonderful libraries. 9. The four distinct seasons 8. Uptown--eclectic shopping/dining/living area in Minneapolis 7. The community attitude of Minnesota--Go Twins! 6. Minnesota State Fair 5. The trees and all the the lakes and rivers 4. Dunn

Vanishing Bookstores--Disappearing Books

2010-08-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

My favorite Christian bookstore vanished. I am in Minnesota and went to my favorite Christian bookstore--Northwestern Christian Bookstore. Poof! No longer there. It is now a Lifeway bookstore. Now I adore Lifeway stores, but the Northwestern store had a certain eclectic charm to it. Sigh.Then today I read on Chip Macgregor's blog that non-fiction books are struggling due to the Internet and the

The Writer's Porch

2010-08-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Why is it that we writers are such procrastinators? I can have a whole day set aside to write--but then the laundry calls, my friends call, or I call my friends. Or the dogs need to be walked or the bills need to be paid--immediately. Before I know it the day has whittled away to 10 minutes of writing time.Honestly, many writers need to leave their homes to write. Do I understand it? Absolutely.

Internet Interrupted

2010-08-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I had withdrawal symptoms. There were no internet connections and I am addicted to wireless communications. I have been on a road trip with my husband where we ventured through much of Montana including the glorious Glacier National Park. It was beautiful, but for the most part, we had no wireless communication. Even cell phone reception was sketchy. I developed a new syndrome—Internet

On the Road Again!

2010-08-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

Every year my husband and I like to go to the Minnesota State Fair. (Best cheese curds on the planet!) Problem is we live in Nevada--my oldest son lives in Minnesota. So the past two years we have planned a huge road trip to make our way to Minnesota to be there for the fair. So we load up our small RV and head out to see the world. My husband loves to eat at Guy Fieri's Diners',Drive In's and

I'm Back!

2010-08-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

After taking a sabbatical from my blog--I am back. After finishing and releasing my newest book Embraced by the Father and speaking at six weekend retreats this spring, I needed to take some time away from writing and speaking.Here's a snapshot of my summer. I brought my granddaughter, Emily, for a week's stay in Las Vegas. She's 4 and said, "Vegas sure is hot." I went to Brianna's 3rd birthday

Embraced by the Father--Book Trailer

2010-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Check out my newest book, Embraced by the Father: Finding Grace in the Names of God.

She Speaks! Scholarship

2010-04-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

We have a winner!Cindy Haux is the winner of the full She Speaks scholarship that we gave away during our tour of blogs last week.WOW! Thank you for your huge responses. All of us at Proverbs 31 Ministries hope that each one of you will find a way to make to She Speaks! Please read below for some information on how to create your own scholarship fund for She Speaks."We try very hard to keep the

Before the Throne with Mandie

2010-04-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

For myself, music draws me nearer to the heart of God than anything else. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege to work with an ASTOUNDING worship leader--Mandie Pinto. The Lord has arranged for us to be together at several retreats, and honestly, when she opens her mouth to sing I feel myself float right to the throne room of God.Mandie is gifted--she can sing rock and then roll into

When God Shows Up

2010-04-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

There have been a few times when God shows up in my life and I stand speechless. I have been attending the Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks conference for several years. Without fail, God shows up at She Speaks! and I am without words. I remember one time, I was at the airport and ready to fly home. I called my husband and he asked, "How was the conference?" I stood in the middle of the

Land the Plane

2010-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like laughing with girlfriends. One Saturday night, I sat at a table with eight women. We laughed until our sides ached. Here's the coolest part, we had all only met that weekend. It happened during one of the recent retreats at Forest Home. I am sure staying in the mountains, celebrating God's goodness and being served gourmet meals helped to induce our merriment. However,

My Life in Repeat

2010-04-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

The last few weekends have been like the movie Groundhog Day. The past five weekends I have spoken at retreats in the San Bernadino mountains in California. I would pack, drive, speak 4 sessions, pack, drive home and then begin the whole process again--5 times. It was a wonderful time each weekend, but I have to admit it's nice to know that I don't have to leave tomorrow morning. Although I will

Lord Almighty--God of the Mountains

2010-03-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I was up at Forest Home Ministries and the glory of God showed up in friendships and a glorious one day snow storm. I will be speaking up there the next three weekends. I wonder what our Lord Almighty has up His holy sleeve. Can't wait to find out.

The Writer's Porch -- Celebration

2010-02-20T08:43:00.001-08:00

I remember when I just couldn't wait to be published--to see my name in print. When my first book came out I shrieked, cried and celebrated. Now, four books later, the thrill is still there. However, it is a bit different. I read a blog written by Kathi Lipp on Rants & Ramblings. It made me laugh because it is so true as a published writer.Basically, this is what she said, "Your first book,

A Different Daddy

2010-02-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

The antiseptic smell of the intensive care unit assaulted my nose as I sat next to my father’s bed. Machines whirred and beeped with each labored breath he took. One collapsed lung and the other full of pneumonia predicted the outcome for him.“So this is how it ends,” I pondered. For years, a love-hate relationship with this man influenced many of my decisions. Some good, some bad. I always

WOW! What a Giveaway Time!

2010-02-17T06:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's Carnival Giveaway was a blast! I loved reading all the posts about our beloved furry friends. (And Kimberly, I do remember Bam-Bam). The winner for Birds in My Mustard Tree and an i-tunes gift card is Amy! Congratulations, Amy! Now, how about another giveaway! My newest book is now ready for release. Its title is Embraced by the Father--Finding Grace in the Names of God. Here's what I

2010-02-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Pet shenanigans are a part of pet ownerships. My husband bought me two puppies in 2009. They are darling. (Identical shih-tzu sisters, Tiki and Tulip) I enjoy them more than I can say. However, we've had a few "issues". I have a third older shih-tzu named Taffy. So, it's Tiki, Tulip, and Taffy. The three T's. Am I nuts or what? To begin with, shih-tzus tend to be a bit prissy. They don't like hot

Conversation Hearts

2010-02-14T06:20:00.001-08:00

Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.” ( Isaiah 28:23 NIV) Devotion: Conversation Hearts Candies top my list of favorite things during the month of February. I remember all the way through elementary and high school attempting to converse with my friends through passing the tiny sugary messages underneath our desks. Short, sweet, fun. But you must pay

The Writer's Porch

2010-02-12T15:48:00.001-08:00

A writer's life may seem to be boring to some. I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch the Olympic Winter or Summer sport of writing. However, the writer's life does take twists and turns. The craft carries its own mysterious personality. Suddenly the writer can become the craft, and that is not a good thing. Let me explain.Recently, I tried to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie

Lent Decisions

2010-02-11T09:33:00.001-08:00

I am such a pathetic Christian at times. I wrote on my last post about sacrificial worship which brought me to the point of deciding what I wanted to sacrifice for Lent this year. I know, Lent sounds a bit old fashioned in our modern culture. But I believe that Lent still holds value, so I have practiced Lent for about the past five years. So today as I was trying to decide what I should

Sacrificial Worship

2010-02-09T05:59:00.001-08:00

God has created us to worship Him. He allows us to do this in many ways. Some women find that being in nature brings them closer to Him. Others are brought to the heart of the Father through prayer and meditation. Some worship by giving their time and talents to our hurting world by doing community service. I read this quote today as I was working on research for my new manuscript. It's

Check out She Seeks!

2010-02-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

One of the many things I love about being a part of Proverbs 31 Ministries that it reaches in so many areas. One of our newer branches is She Seeks. Take a look at the She Seeks sight. They are issuing a challenge. Will you accept? www.sheseeks.org/find-truth

Giveaways Galore!

2010-02-04T14:41:00.000-08:00

This week I went to Kingman, Arizona for a 2 day writer/friendship retreat with my friend Glynnis Whitwer. (She's the editor for our Proverbs 31 magazine.) We were so excited just to be together and to work. I arrived at the hotel around 3:00 pm and then about 4:30 just didn't feel so good. Long story short, I was sick most of the time I was there. However, still had a great time and did get

Sheep Thoughts

2010-02-03T18:54:00.001-08:00

“I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord." Ezekiel 34:15 Our car came to a complete stop on the winding mountain road. The herd of sheep meandered across the highway. They sashayed their way across the road to munch on a few mouthfuls of grass. The shepherd tried to hurry them across the asphalt, but to no avail. Although several cars were

Is That Your Wild Child?

2010-02-02T07:38:00.001-08:00

Do you want to scream every time your daughter arrives sporting a new facial piercing? Or does it hit a nerve when see you see the newest florescent color of your son’s hair? How do you feel about the skull and crossbones tattoo on your son’s muscular arm? Do you flinch when your child, dressed in torn, ripped jeans, saunters into a room full of conservative friends? “Is that your wild

Stressful Times--Stressful Parenting

2010-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Times are stressful--especially for parents. Within the last 2 months I have had 4 dear, dear friends ask me for prayer for their sons. I am not talking about the everyday teenage drama of being mouthy or obnoxious manners. I write of heart-wrenching issues that range the gamut of out of control behavior, drugs, gender issues, and mental illness. Families are battling the ecomomy, job struggles,

She Reads

2010-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

If you haven't checked out She Reads at the Proverbs 31 Ministries website, then you are missing a treat, especially if you like to read Christian fiction. She Reads is one of Proverbs 31's newest branches of ministry. It helps point fiction readers to the best Christian fiction out there. Now I will be the first to admit that a lot of Christian fiction doesn't live up to my "novel" expectations.

A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh

2010-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Life can be so terrible. As we watch the disaster in Haiti we see the pain and sorrow portrayed on the victims' faces. Even the American newscasters look worn down and helpless. There are many ministries and agencies helping in the relief effort. Give monetarily as you are able and pray hard for Haiti. If you would like to give, please check our website http://www.proverbs31.org/ for information

Susanne's Books

2010-01-15T20:05:00.000-08:00

Embraced by the Father by Susanne Scheppmann God wants you to dance through life in His everlasting arms. He wants you to feel loved and protected by Someone who cares. Whether you are married, widowed, divorced, or single, Embraced by the Father will help you recognize the grace, strength, and security available to you. Join Susanne Scheppmann as she explores the names of God through the

About Susanne

2010-01-15T11:16:00.000-08:00

With a compassionate heart and a deep passion for Jesus, Susanne Scheppmann offers relevant hope to her audiences across the country. She speaks with humility, warmth and humor. Susanne’s engaging storytelling and creative parable teachings help relate biblical principles to the everyday circumstances of today’s women. She is a down-to-earth woman with a contagious faith in Jesus and an

The Writer's Porch -- The Editor's Abyss

2010-01-15T08:48:00.001-08:00

The Editor's Abyss is alive and well! I experienced it last week. Three years ago, I sent in a proposal for a Bible study to a publisher. Last week, I received a rejection letter for it. (Rejection is all part of being a writer-- at least if you submit.) I guess the proposal had fallen into the Editor's Abyss. Three years seems like a long time to me--I'm just saying.Of course, I had sent out

Find Your Family--Part 2

2010-01-14T10:14:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I told the true story of my biological brother locating me. Surprise to me! After the initial phone call, my father said he couldn't remember. Really! But let's just say my dad fought in World War II and perhaps his mind was a bit foggy and groggy on a few matters. Anyway, my brother discovered a mother who had died decades before, a father who refused to remember, and a sister (me)

Find Your Family?

2010-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

There's a new reality series on TV titled Find Your Family. It's about a parent or child or siblings that are trying to locate someone who they have a connection to by adoption. So far I have seen about 4 episodes. They all end happily every after. But I wonder how often this happens in life.I have a personal story about "find your family" that didn't turn out as happily as everyone would have

Family Likeness?

2010-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today I was searching for old photos of my father. I found this one that was taken in circa 1923. (I know the haircut looks like a girl, but it's my dad.)Now, look at the resemblance to my 3 year old granddaughter Emily. The time frame between the two pictures is almost 90 years.Now do you think that we'll look like Jesus in 90 years or so? As stated in 2 Corinthians 3:18, ". . .are being

The Writers' Porch--Friday

2010-01-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

I need advice. I feel like I have about a million words to write. Here's a breakdown.Contracted for a new Bible study--due June 1st.Speaking notes for 6 weekend retreats for this spring2 Proverbs 31 devotionals due the 15th of each monthAbout 10 various magazine articles3 book proposals that are cooking in my thoughtsMy daily blog--obviously, this is one of the writing projects that

Decision Making

2010-01-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

Don't we all want to do the Lord's will in our lives? I know I do, but much of the time I can't figure out exactly what direction to go. Here's the problem. There are so many great opportunites to serve in His Kingdom. And hey, I am a purpose driven girl--so everything sounds like it's something I maybe should do.For example, yesterday one of my favorite pastors from my home church called and

Random Thoughts--2010

2010-01-03T10:42:00.001-08:00

A few random thoughts concerning 2010. This will be the year I get serious about staying healthy. (Unfortunately, I say that every year, but this year I mean it.) After seeing Blindside, It's Complicated and Julie and Julia in 2009, I might go to more movies this year. It had been 4 years since I had gone to a movie theater. And I actually enjoyed the plots and characters. Will I find a

Schedule

2010-01-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

2011 April 16, 2011 St. Paul's Episcopal Church Sparks, NV 2010 February 26-28, 2010 Forest Home Ministries Women's Retreat Forest Home, California http://www.foresthome.org/ March 5-7, 2010 Forest Home Ministries Women's Retreat Forest Home, California http://www.foresthome.org/ March 12-14, 2010 Forest Home Ministries Women's Retreat Forest Home, California http://www.foresthome.org/

Speaking Topics

2010-01-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

Susanne’s topics are designed to be approximately 45 minutes in length. Each topic is flexible. The topics may be presented individually or blended together to adapt to the theme and needs of your group. For more information about scheduling Susanne for your next event, click here. Women’s Retreat/Conference Topics Faith Alive! Conference Live an Influential Life of Faith Do you wonder about

Post Christmas Minutiae

2009-12-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Swoosh! Christmas has come and gone for 2009. My family was all together. It was a jammed packed week of food and activities.We:Went to the Magical forest to see the Christmas displays and twinkling lights. Rode the carousel.Went to church at The Crossing. It was a wonderful service.Opened splendid presents. My favorite was a sign that says READ in bright colors. Thank you, Karen. Baked Jesus a

Babbling about Birthdays

2009-12-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday. So, I have been pondering birthday thoughts. I have always loved having a Christmas time birthday. I never minded having birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper. I love Christmas, so my birthday was just more merry.I think my favorite birthday present was a Chatty Cathy doll when I was 10. Can you figure out how old I am by that bit of information?I have never

Marley's Chains

2009-12-20T11:54:00.001-08:00

Marley's Chains But God’s word is not chained. (2 Timothy 2:9b) Without a vocal greeting, the rattle of chains announces my son’s return from work. His metal links jangle from his wrists, his pants, and his eyebrow. They display the appropriate symbol of the emotional and spiritual chains that imprison him. My son wears his chains as a badge of honor to his rebellion.

Would You Tell?---Hot Topic Tuesday

2009-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Would you tell if you knew your girlfriend's husband was cheating? After the scandal of Tiger Woods (of which I am very tired) I have wondered if any of Elin's friends knew. Did they allow her to stay in the dark or did they tell? What would you do?Many years ago, I needed to make this decision. Sadly not once, but twice, I was put in this position. The first time, it seemed everyone and their

Head Over Heels About Christmas

2009-12-14T05:40:00.000-08:00

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I get head over heels about it. Mark and I have made 8 batches of carmel corn and 4 batches of fudge to take to Christmas parties and to give as gifts. On Thursday night he was scooping out the remaining carmel in the pan to eat and suddenly the funniest look crossed his face. He said, "Oh no!" He pulled it out of his mouth along with a gold filling and a

The Writer's Porch--Friday

2009-12-11T05:56:00.000-08:00

How many words a day do you write? Yesterday, I babbled about Stephen King’s On Writing. His opinion is if you are serious about writing, you will write 2000 words a day. (That’s 10 pages). He writes, “I like to get ten pages a day, which amounts to 2,000 words. That’s 180,000 words over a three month span, a goodish length for a book—something in which the reader can get happily lost, if the

Babbling about Books--Thursday

2009-12-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

On WritingBy Stephen KingI just finished On Writing by Stephen King. Warning! If you decide to read this book, the language is atrocious. However, I found it an interesting read. Stephen King is a different type of guy. Years and years ago, I read a couple of his books. The Stand was one I definitely recall. I think I quit after I began Cujo and it scared me too much to continue.Anyway, I

A Once in a Decade Christmas

2009-12-06T19:18:00.000-08:00

It's officially December and the holidays are in full swing around the Scheppmann household. We've made carmel corn, shopped, wrapped presents and listened to the new Christmas CD by Andre Bocelli. This will be a special Christmas at my home. I'll have all my kids and grandkids home. Jeremy, Steph, Emily and Brianna will be coming in on my birthday --December 22nd -- for a week. Then Erin, my

Procrastination--The Writers' Bane

2009-12-03T19:22:00.001-08:00

The Writer's Porch--Friday Procrastination is a writer's bane. For whatever reason, writers love to find reasons not to write. The laundry calls, the phone rings, the cluttery closets coax to be straightened. So what's a writer to do? For myself I like to create an atmosphere in which I like to write. I like to listen to music--anything from Daughtry to Susan Boyle. I wear things that make me

The Dog Ate My Homework

2009-12-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

Actually, my dog didn't eat my homework, but she did chew through my laptop power cord. I walked into the living room to discover a grisly, wiry severed computer cord. Fortunately for the dog it wasn't plugged in to the outlet. "All right," I think, "No big deal." I'll just hop on the Internet and order another one. Oops! It's Cyber Monday and Dell.com is completely overloaded and I can't place

Christmas Monday Minutiae

2009-11-30T09:11:00.001-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the Scheppmann house. This weekend was a wonderful time with family and lots of turkey. I am actually sick of turkey and that is amazing for me. My husband and I decided we couldn't stand one more bite and ordered chicken wings and pizza last night as we decorated the Christmas tree. I only broke one glass ornament which my dogs wanted to eat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T03:00:00.000-08:00

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. Helps me and my heart is filled with joy! I burst out with songs of thanksgiving!Here is what I am most thankful for today--my family.

Don't Diet on Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T03:00:00.000-08:00

Life is too short to diet on Thanksgiving. I used to try to watch what I ate on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, but not after what I experienced a few years ago. I was a dutiful Weight Watcher, and I attended my weekly meeting on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I listened as our leader Tammy instructed us on how to be “good eaters” on Thanksgiving Day. She explained the points of every

Sweet Potato Times

2009-11-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiates 3:1) Another Thanksgiving spent with my husband’s family. I did not want to go, again. I begrudged the yearly expectation to show up with a smile and a hot dish. My list of complaints grew each year as to why we shouldn’t go. For example:The turkey stuffing included raisins.The rolls were store bought.The

Is the Internet a Blessing or Curse? - Hot Topic Tuesday

2009-11-17T03:00:00.000-08:00

Blessing or Curse—The Internet: What has the Internet changed in your life? The other day my husband Mark and I had a heated discussion over phonebooks. I believe that phonebooks are a thing of the past, but my husband is still a believer in the Yellow Pages. He thinks that people use the Yellow Pages as much as

Monday Minutiae

2009-11-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

We are ten days or so away from Thanksgiving. Turkey with dressing and mashed potatoes is a favorite dinner for many of us. Can't wait!But until then I thought I would consider some of the little things I am thankful for, just some little minutiae of life that make my days brighter, more fun and more fulfilling.1. I-pod -- It's the best for my music and audible books.2. Garmin -- My inexpensive

Blogs: Life, Learning and Laughter

2009-11-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

I listened to a couple of friends chat the other day; they were talking about blogs. Why do we read blogs? Why do we care? Should we spend our lives reading about other people's lives? Or should we live our own life to the fullest instead? Good questions! Since I write a blog and am a follower of several blogs, I definitely have an opinion on the issue. I personally prefer blogs that make me

Minnesota Nice

2009-11-10T08:24:00.000-08:00

Most of you know that I have been in Minnesota for the past couple of weeks visiting my kids and grandkids. It's fun stuff up here--even the cold weather.But here is the thing about Minnesota--the people here are nice--extremely nice. It must be something in the water, because I hardly ever run into someone cranky. Everyone goes out of their way to be helpful and friendly. The phrase "Minnesota

The Writer's Porch--NaNoWriMo

2009-11-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

NaNoWriMo is here. Yup, it's National Novel Writing Month. The challenge is to write a 50,000 word or more novel during the month of November. Check out the site! http://www.nanowrimo.org/ There is not a lot that I find is unique out there in the writing world, but this thrilled me. Maybe because I have wanted to write fiction for years, but just could not seem to get motivated to do it with all

The Flu, The Fever and The Blahs

2009-11-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

One of the symptoms of H1N1 is the blahs. No one actually lists the blahs as a symptom, but it is and it lasts for days. Almost two weeks ago, I had fever, a headache, a cough and fatigue. I slept for days, it seemed. After about a week I slowly began to feel better except for the cough and the blahs.Today I finally decided I needed to get out for a long walk and clear the cobwebs from my brain.

Returning to Raising Faithful Children

2009-11-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hey! A couple weeks ago I drove from Las Vegas to Minneapolis by myself. Well, I did have my three dogs. I know, am I nuts or what? Here's the thing--I had a great time. I listened to teaching tapes, music and watched the peak leaf change all the way through Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. Now I am in Minnesota and it feels, looks and probably is winter. I think we are going to have snow later in

Fall Fun

2009-10-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is daughter-in-law Steph again, showing you what grandma Susanne has been up to the past couple weeks here in Minnesota! We have all been very sick this past week (including grandma), but luckily last weekend before the sickness came, we had time to go to the pumpkin patch. Here is grandma and her chickadee peeps on the hayride! Picking out our pumpkin. . .and now decorating. Speaking

Friday--The Writer's Porch

2009-10-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

The Art of the Article -- Part 5In this final post on "The Art of the Article" we are going to chat about what you do once you’ve sent in your query to a magazine publisher—you start to write your next article or devotion.Do not wait to hear from the editor. It could take anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months before you have a response. In fact, once I heard from an editor three years after sending a

The Help--Caramel Cake

2009-10-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

This post is to my foodie friends. A few weeks ago, I blogged about one of my all-time favorite books--The Help. Throughout the book it referenced a caramel cake that Minnie made, a southern prize-winning cake. (Except that Minnie put the "Terrible Awful" in it.) Now does that make you want to read the book or what? Anyway, I was intrigued by the cake. I had never heard of caramel cake prior to

Friday--The Writer's Porch

2009-10-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

The Art of the Article—Part 4 In the Writer's Porch last Friday, I blogged about how to query an editor for the possible publication of an article. Below is a copy of a query letter that I sent out several years ago to two different magazines in two different years. I sold it both times. The first time I sold First Rights and then I sold Reprint or 2nd Rights.Susanne ScheppmannMy AddressMy

Friday--The Writer's Porch

2009-10-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

The Art of the Article—Part 3Did you write your 500-word article as assigned last week? I hope you did, because today we are going to learn how to query a magazine editor.Now, I am sure many of you are asking, “Query? What is a query?” A query is a letter written to an editor to express your desire to write an article and to pique her interest in your idea. The query letter must be perfectly

Quit Reading?

2009-10-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

Should we quit reading?This post is a guest post by Margaret Traudt. (She's my daughter-in-love's mom and one of my best friends.) She wrote this on her personal blog and she allowed me to "steal" it for mine. (She also reads most of my work as a personal editor. Her editing information is below.)"Last post I mentioned the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She talks about how to bring out

Groovy Grandmas

2009-10-14T03:00:00.000-07:00

I wish I could have had a groovy grandma. Unfortunately, both of my grandmothers were quite crotchety. One I couldn't even call "Grandma". She only allowed me to call her by her first name--Jean. She pretended to be my aunt to everyone, I guess because she didn't want to be a grandma. (Obviously she was biologically, but not emotionally.)So years and years ago, way before I became a grandma, I

Making God Real at Home

2009-10-13T03:00:00.000-07:00

This is a devotion written by Micca Campbell which I thought was appropriate for this blog series. Thanks, Micca, for allowing me to use this today!Making God Real at HomeDeuteronomy 6:7 “You shall talk about them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”Devotion:Discovering God and His ways

Friday--The Writer's Porch

2009-10-09T03:00:00.000-07:00

The Art of the Article—Part 2Last week we considered what makes a good article. Your assignment was to study current magazines and think through a topic that you might write about from a fresh new angle.The steps of writing an article are similar to the skeleton of a devotion. (See Shortbread—How to Write a Great Devotion). Let’s review these sections.Catchy title. Think of a title that will grab

When Your Child Hurts

2009-10-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

When Your Child is Hurting: Helping Your Kids Survive the Ups and Downs of Life By Glynnis WhitwerNon-fictionHarvest House--2009What makes me cry? When my children are hurting, that makes me weep. It is such a helpless feeling. When my children were in elementary school I distinctly remember crying over certain incidents that broke my children’s tiny hearts—teasing, not making the team, bullying,

Serving in Faith with Your Younger Kids

2009-10-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

Serve with your kids! That was one of the comments that was posted yesterday on my blog. I couldn't agree more. As our children see us serving, being the hands and feet of Jesus to others, they will model this behavior.First let's talk about what we can do with younger children. When my kids were young there were several things we did to allow them to see our faith at work. Here's a short list of

Is Youth Ministry Failing our Kids?

2009-10-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

Youth ministry as we know it today is failing our children. Last week I went to Dallas to speak at the D6 Conference and discovered startling statistics on how many of our children leave the faith once they leave home. What is D6? It is an orginazation of several national ministries such as Focus on the Family, Randall House Publishing, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and many more that that have banded

Friday--The Writer's Porch

2009-10-02T03:00:00.001-07:00

The Art of the Article—Part 1Today we are going to start a new series—The Art of Articles. Two weeks ago I posted about writing from your passion. I can’t emphasize this enough. Your articles will sparkle when you care about your topic. However, there are certain topics that will attract readers. Take a trip to your local supermarket and peruse the magazines. What topics seem to keep popping up?

Minnesota Fun

2009-09-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Steph and today I am writing on Susanne's behalf, as she is busy at the D6 Conference in Dallas this week (with no internet!) I am Susanne's assistant, but more importantly, her "daughter-in-love!" Today I thought I would give you a glimpse of grandma Susanne.Susanne lives in Las Vegas, but lucky for us she visits often (we live in Minnesota.) Here she is reading a book to her

Fade Revisited

2009-09-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

After writing about things that have started to fade way, I thought of several other things that my grandchildren will probably never experience.VHS to Blu RayMaps to GPS DevicesCamera Film to DigitalAirplane food to Fast foodPaper Ticket--E-ticketsDrive-in Movies--Video on DemandChecks--Debit cardsHandwritten letters--TextingThe list just keeps on growing . . .but as I said yesterday, Jesus is

Fade

2009-09-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

If I asked a twelve-year-old what cursive writing is, she may think it is writing with swear words in it. Now I am the first to admit that the only time I ever use cursive writing is when I sign my signature—a check, loan documents, a birthday card. It is also a good thing that I don’t use cursive writing, because mine is illegible. (I never did get an A for penmanship.) Yet who would have

Friday--The Writer's Porch

2009-09-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Write Your Passion“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” —William WordsworthWrite your passion! Your best writing will flow when your heart is in the work. Writer's block will dissipate. Your scribbles will develop into sentences, then to paragraphs, and eventually into something that you will be proud to see in print.Many times we scramble to follow the market and what we perceive

Babbling about Books--Thursday

2009-09-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

The Same Kind of Different As MeBy Ron Hall & Denver MooreNon-fiction—MemoirThomas Nelson Publisher (2006)Every so often, I find a book that I think to myself, “WOW! My mom needs to read this one.” That is what occurred with The Same Kind of Different as Me. I read this small book while traveling this summer. Once I started it I couldn't put it down. When I finished reading it on my Kindle, I

It Is What It Is?

2009-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of months I have been pondering a statement the beautiful Jennifer Rothschild said. (She is beautiful inside and out.) She spoke the Saturday evening of our 2009 She Speaks conference. During her message she said that in our culture we have “Christian celebrities." Then she said, “It is what it is.” Doesn’t that make you pause? Do we have Christian celebrities? Yes, we do, and

The Writer's Porch--Gotta Read!

2009-09-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

We’ve finished the series of Shortbread: How to Write Great Devotions. So today I want to chat about the most important thing you can do as a writer—READ. Become a voracious reader—read non-fiction, current fiction, newspapers and magazines. Read the classics, too.The one thing that you will hear at writers’ conferences is this—great writers are insatiable readers. I remember being on staff

Babbling about Books--Thursday

2009-09-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

The Forest for the Treesby Betsy LernerNon-fiction(2000)For those of you who would like to be published one day, I would like to babble about The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers. This book should not be considered a how-to-write book, but a peek into the publishing world.Ms. Lerner, an editor herself, discusses the hopes and dreams of writers. She frankly discusses the

Sunflower Summer

2009-09-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

My mother always says, “You know summer is over when the sunflowers line the road.” I have been traveling home from Minnesota the past few days and the sunflowers are everywhere. It’s the strangest thing, we’ve been gone almost five weeks in a motorhome, but as I stepped back through my front door, it feels like I haven’t been gone but a few hours. Time flies.I can’t believe my long awaited

Whispers of Faith--Rat Tales

2009-09-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)My child chooses to live in squalor. The drug-infested community supports my child’s mind-set of illegal substance abuse. The drug dealers and addicts tell tales of delusion. Rats, human-type and rodent-kind, make outlandish roommates for a child raised in a middle-class home. Together they scrounge for

The Writer's Porch--Shortbread--How To Write a Great Devotion Part 6

2009-09-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

Shortbread: How to Write Great Devotionals, Part 6—The ExtrasToday is the final day for our Shortbread: How to Write Great Devotionals. We have covered the primary sections of a devotional writing and what editors are looking for in a devotion. There is one last section that I want to touch on and that is the little extras that a publisher may want included.In the Proverbs 31 Ministries "

Babbling about Books--Thursday

2009-09-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hope in the Midst of DepressionAuthor: Mary SoutherlandNonfictionPublisher: Harvest HouseWhenever I speak at women’s events, I usually talk briefly about the battle of depression. Why? Because so many women face it every morning when they look in the mirror. Depression has been a part of my own life on and off since I was a child. I know how depression feels when it looms overhead like an ominous