Suzanne Schaffer

  My husband and son visited my parents this week while I spent time organizing and cleaning the house. They came home with this little Bible that I didn't remember but had my name and scribbles all over it. Apparently I'd given it to my neighbor when we were younger because he didn't have a Bible. His mom saved it all these years and recently returned it to my mother. It made my heart happy.   I used to write my name anywhere I could and writing on the edges of the pages of a book was fascinating to me. I still remember how fun it was.    I had a fantastic sticker collection in the early 80s. It was the best. I decorated this Bible with some, but sadly none of my scratch 'n sniff ones made it in there.   Apparently I decided that the end of Genesis needed an extra verse so I added #29 "Thou shalt not lie."    Not sure if I thought that adding a verse would keep me out of heaven, but I guess I tried to remind Jesus that I thought He was #...

I've been wanting to capture all of this in writing for a long time but never got around to it. Recent events have given me pause and affirmed that I needed to get this down once and for all. So here we go! Our journey to healthy living started back in the fall of 2000. We'd recently moved to the Pittsburgh area to pastor a church. Our son had completed kindergarten and was just a sweet little active (very active) boy. His kindergarten teacher was sad to see him leave because she'd adored him. We moved in late August. Too late to get him enrolled in the school closest to us but able to get him into the district. The school down the road (literally 1/2 mile down the road) filled up fast and he had to be bussed instead to a school that kept him on the bus for forty-five minutes one way.  We sent our little active guy out with hugs and prayers. Our happiness was short lived when we went for a parent's night meeting and the teacher looked me in the eye and told m...

  When I say I'm particular about my chocolate and only like good chocolate this is the kind of stuff I'm talking about. I found these treasures in Lititz, PA. I mean Cinnamon Horchata in milk chocolate? Yes, please. I adore milk chocolate. I know dark chocolate is better for you, but milk chocolate is better for me. I've tried to like the dark but I can't. It's just not good. Please, eat up all the dark chocolate but save the milk chocolate for me. Thankyouverymuch. I bought these dark chocolate bars for my people who like that kind of thing. The cinnamon horchata is for me.   Mexican Hot Chocolate flavored coconut milk caramels? What? Yes, these are made from coconut milk. And they are Mexican hot chocolate flavor. That means they have cayenne pepper in them for a little heat. So. Incredibly. Yum. I think when this container is empty I will be buying more on Amazon because my people love them.   Not only do I love milk chocolate but I am crazy about white ...

1. The people in your life now will most likely be in your life later. Remember this. You may not like them now but they may turn out to be a good friend later. 2. You don't know it all and you're not as smart as you think you are. I see this in so many young people. Wisdom comes with experience and experience comes with age. It just works that way.  3. Watch out for that curb at Kohl's when you start your job as a merchandiser. If you remember this tidbit it will save you the embarrassment of being laid out on the sidewalk with a torn pair of pants, cut knee, skinned palm, and the contents of your purse scattered. The cars won't have to stop and people won't have to rush to your side asking if you're okay.  4. Journal more. I know time gets away from you but you've got to write this stuff down because truth is stranger than fiction. 5. In opposition to the first one we talked about, some people are not your friend. They just want information. Be...