Southern California writers! The OCCWC (Orange County Christian Writer's Conference) is coming April 29 & 30. Go to http://www.occwf.org/ for details & take advantage of the early-bird registration. Keynote speakers are Simon Tolkien & Vinita Hampton Wright! Hone your craft as you glean from speakers, workshop presenters, and fellowship with established authors. The conference is a great opportunity for the novice as well as the seasoned. See you there!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
When was the last time you made yourself something?
When was the last time you made yourself something?
Susan
Thursday, September 30, 2010
FORGIVENESS
This year is my 30th high school reunion. For the first time in as many years I am connecting with my former classmates. I didn't enjoy high school. It was filled with too many dramas and hurts, even within my closest circle of friends. Both inside and outside that circle, I felt an enormous pressure to be a certain way. Debilitating judgments were made basically against everyone, and by everyone. We labeled each other based on those judgments. This overall lack of acceptance amongst us wreaked havoc with my self-esteem. As I now reconnect with those class mates I'm discovering that many had a similar perception of our high school years.
Of course as I trip down memory lane, and I think about the offenses against me, I realize that I still own hurts, grudges, and judgments from those years. Yet, in the midst of these memories, a freeing thought suddenly blazes through my mind. As I begin to realize what's lurking in my heart, as I take stock of the sins that were committed against me, I become acutely aware that these are the very sins I've committed against others. This is wildly liberating as all the monsters of my past melt into kids who where as hurting, immature, and defensive as me. Their judgments against me were not about my value, but about their perception of their own value.
And if this isn't enough, another realization zooms in and makes my heart giddy: The enemy of my soul wants to use my past to destroy my present by keeping offenses alive that no longer exist, except in my unforgiveness. Without forgiveness, I live in the chains of yesterday's resentments, judgments, and hurts today. The Father knows forgiveness is terribly difficult, so Jesus meets me in my hurts and resentments, and takes me through the process of forgiveness: realization, acknowledgement, surrender, apology, release, and freedom. Sometimes this process happens in lightning speed, as in this case. Other times I find myself walking through a long process of pealing the onion, layer by layer, in order to get to the sweet core. Either way, true and honest forgiveness is His door to my freedom.
Of course as I trip down memory lane, and I think about the offenses against me, I realize that I still own hurts, grudges, and judgments from those years. Yet, in the midst of these memories, a freeing thought suddenly blazes through my mind. As I begin to realize what's lurking in my heart, as I take stock of the sins that were committed against me, I become acutely aware that these are the very sins I've committed against others. This is wildly liberating as all the monsters of my past melt into kids who where as hurting, immature, and defensive as me. Their judgments against me were not about my value, but about their perception of their own value.
And if this isn't enough, another realization zooms in and makes my heart giddy: The enemy of my soul wants to use my past to destroy my present by keeping offenses alive that no longer exist, except in my unforgiveness. Without forgiveness, I live in the chains of yesterday's resentments, judgments, and hurts today. The Father knows forgiveness is terribly difficult, so Jesus meets me in my hurts and resentments, and takes me through the process of forgiveness: realization, acknowledgement, surrender, apology, release, and freedom. Sometimes this process happens in lightning speed, as in this case. Other times I find myself walking through a long process of pealing the onion, layer by layer, in order to get to the sweet core. Either way, true and honest forgiveness is His door to my freedom.
Friday, July 23, 2010
ODE TO DIVORCE
ODE TO DIVORCE
by Susan Skommesa
1980
Marriage
Is an old bridge
Swaying ruthlessly
Between two weather eroded
Cuts of land
Old rope handles
Bitten into by the elements
Boards
Missing at intervals
Swallowed by the churning river below
Each bank
Wearing away
Loosening its grip on the bridge
Till finally
The bridge plunges to the rocks below
Leaving behind
Two broken cuts of land
THE SURFACE
THE SURFACE
by Susan Skommesa
by Susan Skommesa
4/17/09
The mirror welcomes
The world sees
The stranger knows...
The surface
The cheeks brushed
The eyes colored
The lips painted
the surface
The PC words
The polite air
The sweet smile
The surface
As long as I look good
And you think I am good...
I am good
The surface
THE TEXTURE OF RELAXATION
THE TEXTURE OF RELAXATION
by Susan Skommesa
10/11/09
The absence of the rat-race startles me
Stillness infiltrates every fiber of my being
Surprisingly, the stillness is teaming with life:
Trees whisper their dance across my attention
A tender cool breeze tickles my skin
Vibrant air pulls up deep releasing breaths from my core
A symphony of birds siphons off my tension
The majestic rise of mountains refires my creativity
Delightful creatures all around hold my curiosity
And by the end of the day...
As a swash of brilliant stars consumes the night sky
The chains of the city release their hold
Saturday, June 19, 2010
I'm Back!
I've taken several months off from blogging during our move to the mountains. This picture of our new home is from this past March... yes, March. In future blogs I'll tell you more about this gorgeous and somewhat wild place we now call home.
Now that we are fairly settled in to our new home and the creative energy is returning, I'm Back! Wahoo. Feels good to be back.
I had difficult writing while unpacking boxes, painting, and cleaning. I felt cut off from my creative well of inspiration. I often experience a thrill when I write in partnership with my creative energy. Forcing a piece to the surface when I am drained is actually quite tedious. But writing when my creative energy is strong is both exciting and further energizing. Working from a position of strength rather than pulling myself up by my bootstraps reminds me of how Paul tells us in Philippians 4:13 that "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." In partnership with Christ's Holy Spirit we can do so much more than by our own sheer grit. In the kitchen it's the difference between using sharp knives or dull ones. In yard work it's the difference between using a push-mower and a gas mower.
Here's something my fellow bloggers may consider valuable. I've been hunting around the Internet and networking with those who've mastered blogging. I've found a very interesting article http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/08/19/amazon-associates-tips/ from Darren Rowse of Problogger http://www.problogger.net/. Darren makes his living blogging professionally, and in a series of 3 articles he shares what he's learned over the years. If you're into blogging, you may find these articles fascinating.
I'll talk to you soon...for sure!
Susan
Copyright 2010 Susan Skommesa. All Rights Reserved.
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