by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 28, 2025 | About Summer, Opinions
This time of year is always hard on me. Most recently, this is the time of year I got my cancer diagnosis and had my last fight with my father when I told him that I had cancer, instead of letting him hear it through the grapevine. This is the anniversary of when I knew I had to make the break permanent with him. I know one of my siblings will make sure that certain people will see this blog. That is what they do. They enjoy the chaos and competition of our father’s house. And I am glad to let them have it. I think part of my problem is that I haven’t found a name I want to call them. I don’t know if I want to refer to my father by his full name or more casual and I am Mrs. Clemenson now. His second wife can’t have my name. The only person I share that name with is my wife; my one and only wife. I guess my father’s second wife can be Ms. Colvin.
I still have lots of feelings about having to let some of my family go, especially my father. I am his first born. He chose his second wife over me so many times. That last fight, I am sure, was instigated by her. It was an old topic. It was stupid. But it made me choose me, because I finally knew he was never going to.
For the first time, my choice was completely about me knowing I had to choose peace over the chaos that comes with his house. I have spent a lot of my life scared because of his house. The constant competition was something that was confusing at least. It is something I am newly mourning because I am realizing that the voice of my father’s second wife and my own mother have been confused in my mind throughout my life and I am sad because I know, now, that I have held my mother accountable for things she didn’t do.
Without the chaos of them, without the constant pressure of competition that one sibling brought back to our home, with our mom, my mom and I are finding an ability to communicate like we never had before. I remember watching my mother with her friends and even telling one of her friends that I wish I knew that Joanne, and her friend understood me. But now I am getting to know her and she is my mom, and I know she likes me. I never felt that before. She was too busy and stressed out before.
She keeps saying she was a bad mom. I don’t respond because I can’t change the tape in her head; I have tried. But I know she was the best mom she could be. She needed help. There is a reason why it takes two people to make a baby. Children need lots of support and they aren’t supposed to be raised by one person alone. I know my father left her with 3 kids. I know he had quit paying the mortgage months before he left. I know he controlled all the money and he put my mom down all the time, I heard the fights on the other side of my bedroom wall. I know he was unfaithful to his marriage to my mom and to our family. I know we were on public assistance while he was taking his second wife to Disneyland every year and complaining about $600 a month for child support. I know his second wife hated my Grandpa Bill and Nana because they saved us from her abuse.
I know Ms. Colvin continued to abuse my mother when she got the chance. Because she is a bad person. There are things I have done, throughout the time I was 9 through 39, when I allowed her in my life, she didn’t understand and when she asked me why I did those things, my answer was because my mom would have done this, or my nana would have done this. Because my mom was taught to be a good mom, by her mom, my nana.
The last time I communicated with my father was in a letter. I apologized to him for my response to him, bringing up a topic that was outdated and none of his business, when I had called to tell him I had cancer. My anger was not wrong, but my words were and I felt he deserved an apology for my disrespect. I also told him I no longer wanted to be his daughter. I didn’t want to be in his will. I want nothing from him. I want no contact from him. Because he and I communicate in similar language, I expected him to respect my wishes.
A week or so after my Grandpa Bill died, I got a letter from Ms. Colvin. I didn’t read the entire letter. It was terrible. I tore it up. I did not respond.
I spent so many years trying to be a friend to Ms. Colvin. I don’t need to list any of her sins. If you know her, you know her. I do believe she encourages the worst in my father and her narcissism has attached itself accordingly.
In this part of my life, I am grateful to know what is important to me more than ever. My peace and health are paramount. Understanding that I get to choose, even when I am depressed, I get to choose, is an important tool. I get to choose people that want the best for me, people that help me choose positivity, health and joy are important. Major Depressive Disorder isn’t a death sentence or a punishment, for some of us, it is just a state of being, that we have to work through. My father used to emotionally abuse me for the entire trip from Longview to Yakima and then be angry at me because I was depressed during our visit. What a creep. Of course I don’t want to be around him. No wonder I have PTSD.
There was a trip where I had had enough and when he pulled over to get gas, I told him I was done. I wanted to call my mom and have her come get me. I wasn’t going to be abused for the whole trip again. Things changed a bit. Between my father and I, things got better but it got worse between Ms. Colvin and I. Maybe things got better because he didn’t have to pay child support for me anymore…Because money is very important to him. They must have known this day would come. They must have known that I would find my voice and I would tell the truth.
By the way, to all the people that have been told otherwise, I have paid back every loan I have ever got from my father. The last one I even paid interest on, which he didn’t ask for. When he offered to give it back to me, I told him to never talk to me about it again, because Ms. Colvin had made sure to abuse me and my nephew at the same time via text message and it was a terrible experience. They are the reason for my phone phobia.
Truth is important. Some things are harder to heal than others and I am honest with God.
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” – Ephesians 5:8
I have forgiven a lot. But I have not forgotten. I still hate Ms. Colvin. My mom told me she likes the term “severe resentment.” That made me giggle a little because I know she was trying to help me feel better, when it means the same thing. I appreciate that she was not critical of me; that she understood that I talk with God about this a lot. That she knows that I am having trouble giving God my pain and not taking it back.
I’m telling my story not just for me, but for anyone else who needs to see what it looks like to learn how to choose life. It doesn’t look the same all the time. I have changed. My views and memories have changed, my hopes and aspirations and opinions have changed. There are things I have let go of and will let go of, as soon as I am able to because they don’t serve me. I am always changing. I don’t miss my father, his second wife and my two older sisters because in all their anger, nothing changes because nothing is forgiven.
I do ache for my nieces and nephews but maybe one day they will choose to remember their Auntie Summer. Not the quiet one that sat in the corner at family functions, but the one that played with them in their bedrooms and took them on adventures because that was the real me. The woman that is a good writer, a good speaker, a lover of people, even broken ones because I can empathize with people that hurt and have been left alone or hurt too much.
The people I left behind can’t possibly understand that I still love them and pray for them. That just because I don’t like them and know they are unhealthy for me, doesn’t mean I don’t want them to be happy and healthy. Mom and I were talking about that. I told her, I trust them all with God. He made them. He knows what they need and want. He can love them best because I can’t trust them…Especially you, Shannon.
I put a lot of thought into that last sentiment. I keep thinking of that time at the mall with Nana and Mom, when I was about 8 and you were about 4-years-old and you kept putting your head under that dressing doors to watch me change and no matter how I complained you kept tormenting me, until I stood on your head…You have always required me to go to extreme measures to get you to leave me alone.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
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by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 25, 2025 | Letters to My Representatives, Opinions, Politics
Dear Representative,
I am sitting in one of the richest countries in the world and yet people I know are being told they won’t get their SNAP benefits on November 1, 2025. I am trying to stay calm and think logically. $8 billion dollars cannot be found to feed people, families, children, disabled people and elderly in the United States of America and also support all the retailers that supply the grocery stores, but $20 billion was sent to Argentina. I don’t understand this. I thought Trump was all for America first. I thought he meant the United States.
Republican’s Big Beautiful Bill cut $186 billion from the SNAP program and then the USDA decided to not report on food insecurity anymore. Is that so that no one can see how big the need is, except for those who are starving? $300 million can be raised to build a ballroom in the White House, where we already had one, but we can’t feed families. The government can stay closed and you still get your pay checks while many other families are forced to work without pay. Why are you so special?
Honestly, I don’t know where to start. As a Washington State resident, I am shocked at the huge tax increases created by Governor Ferguson, especially during a time where we are also seeing huge tariffs, aka taxes, by Trump. These taxes on gasoline, businesses, sales tax, etc.. are making life very hard to afford. I voted for this man because I was afraid of what republicans were going to do and I see that democrats are hurting us too.
Every day there is something else that is happening that makes me wonder if you are working for me or against me and the people I care about, the people that might have voted for you. I need to see some change. I need to see that “We the People” are important.
By the way, when are you going to impeach Trump? Before or after he sells us to another country?
Sincerely,
Summer D Clemenson
by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 21, 2025 | Opinions, Poetry, Politics
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I am made in my Creator’s image
I am white
I am female
I am a United States Citizen
I am just like you
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Jesus turned over tables
where they sold offerings
for money
But He gave Himself on the cross
for free
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You are just like me
I am black
I am queer
I am houseless & I can read
But the freedom of my Spirit
does not match my Constitution
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Some say the government
should only provide the laws & foundation
That citizens must create
the opportunities they desire
But when taxes are so high we can’t dream
How do we free those that can’t breathe
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We are the same
I am disabled
I am a veteran
I am a tree-hugging peace-lover
I can’t do this without You
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Photo Credit: Aesthetic Aristocracy on Tumblr
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by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 16, 2025 | Letters to My Representatives, Opinions
Dear Representative,
This government shutdown has been exhausting. Thank you for fighting for healthcare for all United States citizens. In a country as wealthy as we are, it baffles me why we can’t offer universal healthcare so that everyone is cared for and premiums are not affected by people that can’t pay their bills. Please keep fighting. Let’s talk about money.
As a related item, I hear that SNAP benefits are on the chopping block. If the government stays closed through November 1, SNAP will be held back. Please do what you can to open the government, but if that can’t happen, please protect the families that depend on these benefits. My family doesn’t meet the standard for these, but my best friend does, and we help where we can, but we can’t replace what SNAP gives her.
Another reason for this letter, is that I saw Representatives Melanie Stansbury and Angie Craig, in a video they posted on Facebook, explaining that Trump had promised $40 billion to Argentina. Regardless of the reasons they gave for this, doesn’t Congress have control over the purse strings? I personally don’t want to bail out Argentina. I would like my portion of the tax dollars to pay for our national debt.
In fact, I think it is more important to pay down our national debt than to add a ball room to the White House, built an Air Force base in Iowa for the use of training Qatar troops, or to federalize our military to use our military against our own people. I don’t know everything, but I remember being told the republicans were the party of the balanced budget, this is not that.
I want to share something personal with you. I am chronically ill and disabled. I rely on social security and my wife works 3 jobs to pay our bills. We are not fancy people. We have one car. It doesn’t run right now, and we can’t afford to replace it, but we are blessed because we have a friend who has an extra car that my wife has made a deal with to drive for the time being. We don’t drink alcohol, use drugs or smoke cigarettes. We don’t travel. We don’t go to the theater but we might splurge 1-2 times a year to see a movie. I buy almost all our clothes second hand. I cook most of our food from scratch because I have a lot of food sensitivities. We have a very short list of restaurants (based on whether I have gotten sick or not after eating there) that we might visit once a week. Did I mention we live in a hotel? It is impossible to save money to move when all your money goes to your rent. I know my story is slightly unique but not impossible.
Since June I have had a radiation treatment, 2 surgeries, many appointments with all my specialists, and lost at least 30 lbs. I did not have bariatric surgery. I have also continued to watch Trump and his cabinet and MAGAs that have done everything to make sure Trump is comfortable. Yet my anxiety is high. Even while I don’t read the news as often as I like and I leave the tv off until my wife gets home late at night.
I think it’s normal that I am having trouble finding my motivation since I have had so medical episodes back to back. But maybe this works as a metaphor for The United States. I have 14 diagnosed illnesses. Only one can be cured. But untreated, the one that can be cured, can kill me. The 13 diagnosis that can’t be cured, can be managed and with the right lifestyle choices, I can have decent quality of life.
I think lobbyist, manipulation, and anything that is not honest and black and white and pitting republicans against democrats or visa versa is like my cancer. We’ve had it a long time, but if we don’t get rid of it, we are doomed to die. Most of everything else is chronic and we have to learn to manage it efficiently, which means we have to very honest with ourselves, we must stop fighting, we must stop hating, and we must return to respecting our Constitution.
Sincerely,
Summer D Clemenson
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by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 7, 2025 | Opinions, Politics, Prayers & Thanksgiving
In my life I have walked with Jesus for almost 45 years. In the first half of my relationship with Him, I did not have as much control over where I learned about Him or what that meant, however, He saved me so many times. In much more conservative surroundings, my viewpoint on abortion was very set in stone. As I have learned more about humanity and a very compassionate Jesus, my views on laws have changed a lot. But today I woke and thought: Is Abortion Wrong?
I have always thought I knew what the bible said about abortion, however, today it occurred to me that I have not researched what the bible said with an open mind on this topic, or even in this decade, and probably not in the last 20 years. Today I did a search online about what the bible actually says about abortion and found several sites that were interesting and offered many scriptures and a couple viewpoints. I have shared a couple of the sites below if you are interested in reading them. I made sure to find more than one viewpoint.
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There were plenty of scriptures:
We can know that God planned our lives before He created us and He created us in His image. We know that God always knows us and He is always with us.
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Moses wrote in Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said,” Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
also see Genesis 9:6
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King David wrote Psalm 139:13-16
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
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The prophet Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
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Regarding violence Moses writes in Exodus 21:22-25
If men fight, and hurt a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
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But it should be known that the bible isn’t specific about who’s life they are replacing and in one article, it says the bible is not concerned with the life of the baby, but the mother.
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Moses writes in both Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 say: You shall not murder.
I have no argument with this scripture. It is pretty cut and dry, however is it murder to have an abortion? There is no clear scripture about this in the bible. We know that there were abortion procedures in the days of the bible times, not anything like what we have now, but it was known how to end a pregnancy. Genesis 9:6 says whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood will be shed, however, who’s blood are you shedding by committing an abortion? The mother’s or fetus?
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It is important to stand up for those that can’t stand up for themselves. This could be unborn children, but there is no reason to believe that the bible is talking about this in the following scripture, but talking about civil rights for the people that are poor and not heard.
King Lemuel writes in Proverbs 31:8-9
Open your mouth for the speechless, in the case of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
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Paul writes in Galatians 6:1-5
Brethren, if a man is ever taken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall hear his own load.
So we know we are to carry each other. We are to love each other. We are to be mindful of our weaknesses so that we are not tempted to do wrong. But in the end, we are only responsible for our own life choices.
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Differences Between Christians and Nonbelievers
Nonbelievers are not to be held to the same expectations as Jesus Followers. Why should they be? Why should we have the same laws?
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Freedom of Choice
God gave us freedom of choice because He wants to be chosen and He respects our right to make choices and supports them.
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In Exhaustion
I walked away from the bible and the computer. I needed a break. As I peeled a sweet potato for dinner, I suddenly knew I wasn’t alone. God asked me if my choice regarding my opinion on abortion was based in love or the law. When I am trying to persuade someone to my side, am I considering their circumstances, their health, their ability to live with what happened to cause the pregnancy, the chance of their survival, if they were to give birth or do I just want to be right? When I am interrogating a medical professional, am I being professional, or am I being hateful, or murderous even? Can I only hear myself or am I stuck on being right?
Is my being right more important than Christ’s law of love (see the words in red above), because if that is the case, than that is what Jesus had against the Pharisees. Jesus was not intimidated by sinners. He knew He would forgive them.
In Mark 5:24-34 the bible tells of a woman with a gynecological issue. She had seen many doctors and spent all her money and been suffering for years, only to get worse. The word tells us that by Jewish law, her touching Jesus would make him unclean. But she believed in her heart that if she only touched His garment, that she would be made well. Because Jesus was here to love, He commended her for her faith. She had been healed.
I still believe that abortion is very personal choice. I still think that we have no right to make laws about another person’s body because I should not be able to make decisions about your body. That should be between you and your doctor. Do I think God is for or against abortion? I think God is for people. I think God is for healing people. I think God does things that we don’t always understand, for His good pleasure. I think He cares more about us loving each other, than our laws that we impose on each other. I don’t think God wants us to let women die because they couldn’t choose a life saving medical treatment. I think He doesn’t want us to treat medical professionals and women that need to make a choice about their own life, treated with hate.
Furthermore, I think that when you don’t know what to do with your life, you should ask God. He knows you better than anyone else. When you are concerned about someone else, I also think, instead of judging or criticizing someone else, you should pray for them. Again, God knows you and them, better than you do.
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James, the brother of Jesus, wrote in James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
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If you have had an abortion and you feel guilty you can always go to Jesus. He has already died for your sin. He has already forgiven you. He will show you how to forgive yourself. He will heal your wounds. Jesus came to show us the way to live a life free of law and sin. He came to show us how to love each other and ourselves.
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Paul wrote in Romans 8:1-2
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
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Our job on this earth is to learn to love. Not just that but to stop being afraid because perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). To sum up I will let Paul’s words finish up this article. His words seem to say it all:
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Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 13:1-13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice is iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. When I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.
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Read More:
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
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by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 30, 2025 | Book & Product Reviews, Opinions
Hi Everyone. September has been one intense month and I think it was about time to read some children’s books. These books were stellar and I am glad I had them to fall into. I imagine I will need to find more children’s books to disappear into as we wrap up 2025. I hope you find some time for the therapy of books and the peace that these colorful and simple books that we buy for our kiddos but can really benefit ourselves with as well.
Now without further ado 5 Books for September 2025:
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The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt is very creative. The story begins with a pile of letters to Duncan from each crayon in his box. Each letter is from a different crayon. They describe the types of characters and items that the crayons might be used for. I love that the layout is in a correct letter format, as letter writing seems to be a lost art form. In the end, Duncan responds in kind, by creating a beautiful and very colorful drawing for his teacher at school. I think this picture book teaches colors, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. The illustrations by Oliver Jeffers are fun.
I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt on Amazon.
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It’s Ok to Be Different by Todd Parr
It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s Ok to Be Different by Todd Parr is a super cute story time book. The illustrations are elementary and fun and full of great colors. The simple message of being different is ok, makes it so easy to talk about so many things, if for no other reason that to build confidence, vocabulary, emotional intelligence or many basic ideas around family and friends and even LBGTQIA relationships. I think this is such a great book.
I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of It’s Ok to Be Different by Todd ParrIt’s Ok to Be Different by Todd Parr on Amazon.
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Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty
Iggy Peck, Architect: A Picture Book by Andrea Beaty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty is such a fun fiction read. It has a poetry-like timing to the writing that makes it fun to read. The creative vibe of Iggy is so inspiring. I love that Beaty encourages children to consider following their dreams even when their teacher doesn’t see it, until Iggy proves his passion for architecture. The illustrations by David Roberts makes the story come alive. The story is a great collaboration for art and humor.
I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty on Amazon.
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The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn by Audrey Penn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is the most loving story. I have loved this story for years. Children often have trouble starting new things but The Kissing Hand gives them a way to leave home with a happy thought to carry the love they have with them while they are away. The illustrations by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak are precious and endearing and sure to open wonderful conversations about emotions, animals and fantasy. This is a sweet story to share with your favorite little one.
I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn on Amazon.
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Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett
Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett is a fun story about a young armadillo named Bo that gets separated from his mom and brothers. He spends the summer day following a pair of red cowboy boots that he thinks is a red armadillo, because armadillos have poor eye sight, at a western rodeo. Bo ends up having a day full of fun until it is time to go home and luckily his mom and brothers find him just in time. This story was a great adventure and the art is outstanding.
View all my reviews
I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett on Amazon.
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I hope to hear from you. These books are great but I would love to hear from you about your favorite books. Maybe I can read your favorites too. Happy October.
Be blessed.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 28, 2025 | Book & Product Reviews, Opinions
I have spent a lot of my time in the last 11 years mourning. This is the time that I have been dealing with my chronic physical and mental illnesses. I have 14 diagnoses and only one can be cured, so grief is part of my life as I have dealt with a lot of loss. Loss my physical abilities and loss of relationships that were not healthy and had to be removed from my life. Rising Strong by Bréne Brown is a nonfiction self help book about learning how to grieve loss in order to be better. It is a good book about psychology, personal development, leadership, mental health and grieving. Much of it was review for me, but there were several helpful elements too.
The Rising Strong Process
- Recognize emotions have been triggered and connect those emotions to thoughts or behaviors.
- Revisit, challenge and reality check our stories to learn who we are and how we engage with others.
- Fundamentally change our thoughts and beliefs to more courageous endings.
No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. — CS Lewis
Elements of Grief
- Feelings of Loss – Grief makes us reorient ourself physically, emotionally and socially
- Longing – Involuntary desire for wholeness since grief comes in waves, we cane be surprised by what can trigger or what can matter to us.
- Loss – Loss of normalcy. What we thought we knew about something or someone.
We can’t rise strong when we’re on the run. — Bréne Brown
To truly forgive we must be willing to grieve. We must bury expectations of relationship or dreams. We must give up on being right. We must give up on support and approval of others.
Shame, judgement, privilege, connection, need, fear and self-worth can all be part of the same coin. If you can look at another human in the eye, can it be our own fear of need? Can it be our own privilege not allowing us to see our similarities? We have not been taught to give, but to receive our really see who we are giving to as our equal. In a moments notice, our circumstance could change and make us equals, not just as we actually are, but as society measures us.
Blame kills relationships and organizational cultures because it is toxic.
Authenticity is required for healthy relationship because with it comes action, courage, honesty and the ability to make amends. When you feel like getting even, maybe you should get curious as to what feelings you are feeling. Why are you needing to get revenge? What has caused you shame?
To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. — Aristotle
Find a list of memoirs that are encouraging on https://brenebrown.com/library/.
Books mentioned:
- The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
- The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu
- The Places the Scare You by Pema Chodron
- The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap by Stephanie Coontz
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I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Rising Strong by Bréne Brown on Amazon.
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Read My Review on GoodReads:
Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution by Brené Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book by Bréne Brown I have ever read. Rising Strong was easy to read and understand. It was helpful and resourceful. I recommend it to anyone that needs help to find their own path through the hard parts of life.
View all my reviews
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 25, 2025 | Letters to My Representatives, Opinions
Dear Representatives,
I am writing in regards to Trump’s H-1B Policy. I am very concerned to hear that he has decided to add a $100,000 fee to this non-immigrant visa program which already costs business owners about $10,000 per specialized worker to take advantage of. There are already strict time limits, education guidelines and lottery to get through. There are government, attorney and processing fees, on top of promise to pay progressive wages to these employees while they are in the United States.
The benefits of these employers cannot be ignored. The United States does not have enough of these highly trained people to fill the kinds of jobs these people can help us to maintain our ability to be competitive with the rest of the world. These people pay taxes, buy houses and cars while they are here for up to 6 years. If we allow Trump to add a $100,000 price tag to this program, businesses will be priced out. New start ups that might see huge success will not be able to afford to hire the expertise they need. The United States will not be successful. Jobs will be lost.
Please stop this policy. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Summer D Clemenson
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 25, 2025 | Letters to My Representatives, Opinions
Dear Representative,
I am very upset that Trump and Hegseth have illegally changed the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. I recognize not only is this actually a problem because now they can use money set aside for the Department of Defense for other things than it was originally meant for and find other money for the Department of War. But I also know the power of words and I am afraid for what this literally means for our country, which has been able to keep war from our shores since 1942. I am upset that the Department of Peace has been gutted and de-funded.
I would like to see Congress sue the Trump Administration for violating the Appropriations Clause. I would like to see the Government Appropriations Office to issue a binding decision that spending under the name “Department of War” is unlawful. I would like to see the encouragement of contractors, states, or others directly affected by misallocated funds so they could challenge the legality in federal court, by our representatives.
Thank you for your time. Please do what is right.
Sincerely,
Summer D Clemenson
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 23, 2025 | About Summer, Opinions
I have been triggered. I have made blanket statement about people without asking any questions to clarify. I have been unfair to people that were mourning someone I never knew and will never understand.
I know it is my responsibility to manage myself but sometimes it is hard for me to recognize that PTSD is in play. The trauma I experienced as a child at the hands of specific people was and is real. I say is, because they are still telling people lies about me to people that have never met me. They are still abusing other people that are connected to me. I still hear about it. Even though I have removed them from my life, other people have not made that choice so there is still an inlet for their abuse unless I choose to cut off the entire Clemenson family.
Although I have my own beliefs about the message of Charlie Kirk, I do not want anyone to be murdered. I have been more vocal than I think I should have been or would have been, if his message did not remind me of how I was raised: speak hate in one room but live pretty in public. I am sorry. In a normal situation I think I would have been quieter. This is not an excuse. This is an explanation.
Right now, I’m fighting to remind myself who I am and what my strengths are while dealing with the nightmares. I oftentimes choose the side of the underdog because that is who I relate to. I empathize with the people who are misunderstood and have had things stolen from them. I have always hated a double standard because there was always that kind of presence in my family, before I was able to have my own.
I am truly ashamed if I have pushed you too far. I am trying to talk to God, deal with myself and will be able to talk with my therapist on Monday. Your prayers and good thoughts are appreciated. Thank you.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 22, 2025 | Opinions, Politics
TO MY WHITE PEOPLE
I want to share something with you. I can talk about racism and white supremacy and privilege but my wife lives it. Quietly and with a smile. But sometimes the fear is real and I have seen it and was glad I was there to be white.
I would have never known that if I hadn’t married her. You can’t know until the rest of your heart is not just like you.
I don’t know the words for it. She doesn’t know the words for it. It is a carnal deep feeling. It is fear but it has a flavor all its own.
You can tell me you have struggled, you can tell me you have been abused, you can tell me that no one has helped you. Those statements can be true. But if you were white, they aren’t completely true. Because if you can put on the right clothes, say the right words and move in the right direction, you can get what you need or want, if you are white. In some situations, no matter what you do, the color of your skin has affected every part of your situation if you are brown or black.
I thought it was just part of history. I thought it was in books. I thought people were overreacting. But my wife doesn’t overreact. She is full of love, even when I can feel her fear.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 21, 2025 | About Summer, Opinions
To whomever is passing information onto my father’s second wife about things I post on Facebook:
I have blocked her and anyone who might be connected to her, that I know of, in order to block her abuse. If you are helping her by sharing anything about me, you are abusing me.
I have told my father I no longer want to be his daughter and I want nothing from him. This is a huge and complete statement to make. His second wife needs to leave me alone. They have abused and neglected me emotionally for most of my life and I have the right to say: Here and no further.
If they feel defensive, they should have dealt with their demons and become better parents and treated their children better. I didn’t get the worst of it. Luckily, I didn’t live in their house.
I have given up many relationships by cutting them off. This was not easy.
Three things you may share with them:
- It is a moot point to tell people that have never met me to not listen to my posts; you have stabbed so many family members in the back, we have already warned the newbies about you before you walked through their door. And they are surprised at our correctness.
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- Most real Clemensons are not perfect but always are trying to be better. They don’t tell people how to live because we know our imperfections and we appreciate hard work and honesty. My father and second wife have chosen to live with their demons and make everyone around them pay for them instead of seeking help. That is their choice but I must admit, I believe many times, they have been found guilty of behavior unbecoming of a Clemenson. See #1.
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- I still pray for my father and his second wife. I want them to be happy and healthy and receive their heart’s desires; just without me.
If you choose to be in relationship with my father or his second wife, that is your choice. Please keep them to yourself, and if they bring me up, please ask them to keep their stories to themselves because I have removed myself from their life. I do not visit, call or write to them ever. I have paid any money I owed them, with interest. I am done.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 20, 2025 | Opinions, Politics
I live in a metropolis with at least 99 churches and 30 Christian nonprofits, per a quick search online. Longview, Washington has been where I have lived for most of my life. We are large enough to be interesting, but small enough that you don’t sit in traffic to get anywhere. Yet I don’t talk politics outside of my house too often, I fear for my queer friends that were born male, and being a woman has never been my strong suit. Did I mention that apart from paint colors, we don’t like change much around here.
When I did an AI search I got this quick answer about our demographics:
In 2020, Longview, Washington had a population of 37,818, with a majority being White (76.0%). The city has an older population than the state and a growing population of those with Hispanic/Latino origin, which made up 11.8% in 2020. In 2023, the median age was 39.1, and the cost of living was lower than the national and state averages.
So I wasn’t too surprised that our community would have a candle light vigil for Charlie Kirk, once I had done a search for him and watched some of his videos. He is the kind of conservative that the conservatives that live here, would be drawn to. Even though we are mostly a blue county and state, there are many conservatives here too and the ones that tend to be in Longview are truly red.
What did surprise me is that my people, who don’t like to part with their money very often, wanted to rename a street. Did you know it can cost $50,000 to change the name of a street? I support our tax dollars going to real needs, not frivolous spending.
After a few days of learning who Kirk was and what he stood for, if you weren’t just like him, I was not for his message. My message to people that wanted to have our tax dollars go to a ridiculous idea of changing a perfectly good street name. One that had served us just fine, for years was: If you want a memorial for Charlie Kirk, please start a GoFundMe and get something put together by people that want to pay for it.
I have been disgusted by the way I have heard people complain about the homeless people around here. This community refuses to be realistic about the need for a low barrier shelter and it is hateful and unable to be patient towards people with real needs and even organizations that try to meet them. Yet they want to put up a memorial to a man that never even came to Longview. I don’t get it.
Our community has no medical specialists, yet we have a hospital, so if you are chronically ill, you are forced to drive to Vancouver or Portland. If you are disabled, do you think that is easy to afford? Yet we don’t cater to doctors who might be interested in staying here, so they won’t. If you read the demographics above, this especially doesn’t make any sense. We are getting older people!
There are many real needs in this community. Changing a damn street name is not and should not be a priority. We need real change.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 17, 2025 | Opinions, Politics, Prayers & Thanksgiving
He made me afraid and I am sorry. My failure to love scared me. My lack of empathy for the death of Charlie Kirk scared me. Even as I wrote strong words to explain my fears, I didn’t understand what I was doing, and that is the truth.
I took a break from media for a few days so I could let myself rest and control my input better. I was overwhelmed and tired. But as the end drew near, the very mention of his name, made me angry and so I asked God why I was so angry. Why did this one person bother me so much?
So I made myself listen to the news, listen to what was being said and not being said and later to what God had to say. The news called Kirk a Political Activists and Debater. I have seen myself as these things at times. But my need for and my greatest gift, is my empathy; something Kirk did not believe in — I heard him say this with his own mouth. There are many people groups that he did not value as I do and this hurt me too. I felt that because he believed that a few gun deaths each year, justified our 2nd amendment and this flippant comment may have warranted his demise. I was so afraid of his platform, I stopped loving; I lost my empathy.
This is where I failed. I let my fear make me small. No matter how we justify our opinions, if we are functioning out of fear, we are small and we make God small. But God is not small. God is infinite. The words of a person cannot take root in us if we are not open to them. If we are aware of who our Creator is and what our job is, we can walk tall and love big. But when we fail we can always bring our failures to God and He will help us to see what slowed us down or what stopped us from doing what He created us for. I did this. I brought my tears to Him and I confessed that I let my fears stop me from loving and He understood and He forgave me and helped me forgive myself. He is still working with me because this is no small thing and it has several layers.
I decided to find out what I had in common with Kirk, to help me know him better. We both co-founded and held the position of executive directors of our non-profit organizations. He wrote books and I have a blog and write for a number of websites. He was a host for a TV show and radio show and I produced my wife’s TV show and radio show. He and I both had conservative religious and political influences, growing up. We also have beautiful wives that are talented and capable. From there, we have much that is different about us.
I am old enough to be Charlie Kirk’s aunt, because he is the same age as my oldest nephew. This tells me that although he has an impressive resume, maybe Kirk didn’t have time to grow fully into himself. He was raised with wealth, he had opportunities for education, even if he didn’t take them, that I didn’t have. He was physically healthy. He and his wife are white and straight, he is from Chicago and she is from Arizona. My wife is mulatto and we are queer, she is from North Carolina and I am from Washington. He was raised in a Pentecostal church and chose to change to a Christian Nationalist religion. I was raised in a Southern Baptist Church and then was part of a Non-denominational church and now study and praise the Lord at home and with friends because I haven’t found a church I fit in. I have never said that Kirk was not a Christian, but the fact that there are foundational differences between us, I do think I would have asked different questions of Jesus. My relationship is probably different.
My friend Joshua Simila sent me a message that really made a good point to me. He said:
He held up a mirror for parents. We have an entire generation of kids that are overstimulated, too much technology, having extreme melt downs and can’t debate properly. No matter what side of politics you are on, I hope my kid is prepared to go to college without having a full blown tantrum during a debate. Americans have become extremely spoiled.
I work in the school system. I have nothing against our nation’s kids, many of them are full of kindness and good qualities. I have seen some of the greatest examples of compassion and responsibility from this generation coming up.
However Summer, we are seeing some of the most unregulated emotionally charged destructive behavior I have ever witnessed. I am a parent within the millennial age group. I know this first hand. Charlie is causing division that we unfortunately need. Your generation knows how to debate properly. This one doesn’t. I’m being completely honest in this. They aren’t getting consequences and having to learn. We are failing them (parentally). They deserve so much better.
I saw Mary Steenburgen and her husband, Ted Danson, on TV Sunday night, receive the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. In her acceptance speech she said there are two main emotions that all others come from: Love and Fear. She said that we are at a time where we are out of balance. This is the reason for the work that her family does to bring more love into balance. I really respect her statement.
Robert Pape from the University of Chicago was on Face the Nation on the same night. He does research and critical surveys. He has found that although politicians want to blame all political hate, that has become so prevalent, on the media and specifically social media, he is emphatic that it is the fact that there is something to hate, that is causing the rise of political violence.
I don’t think that Charlie Kirk and I would have been friends. There were enough differences between us that I am not sure we could have enjoyed our time together. Some of our beliefs may have even made us peaceful enemies. Meaning, we would have:
- Chosen to agree to disagree
- Pray for each other because the bible says to pray for our enemies
- Do what we can to live in peace with everyone
- Let God deal with those that hurt us
- Conquer evil by doing good
- Bless those who hurt us by doing good
It is never okay to use physical violence to make your voice heard, but if you don’t feel that your representatives are not working for you, I can understand your angst. However, that means you must make time to make phone calls, write emails, hold signs and make your voice heard in peaceful ways. All violence does is make it necessary for legal action to be brought against you and people to live with the pain you caused.
We are in a time where it is easy to become tired, angry or just not ourselves. It is good to unplug and regroup. That is what the Sabbath is for. God knew we needed time to have quiet and rest and time with Him to restore us so we can have a fresh face to tackle the next week. So we can love better.
I am sad for the loved ones of Charlie Kirk. I know they are mourning a great loss and I pray they find comfort with God and each other and that they grow in their mourning in a peaceful and loving way. I am sure he is with his Savior.
I am confirming that I do not agree with any political party. I believe our government is corrupt and run, much of the time, by self-serving individuals. But I am praying that God help me to love all of them with His love because He made them too, in His image.
I am sorry where I failed you. Please forgive me. Be blessed.
Image Credit: Glazonoid
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 12, 2025 | About Summer, Opinions, Politics
I stand before you with my words in honesty. I am a human. I am not perfect and I have confessed that to you. I confess my humanity before man and my Creator daily and as often as necessary. I have not lied.
I have had a certain amount of push back on my writing as of late. I appreciate this. How can I not? I am a Jesus Follower, but I am also a United States citizen, a woman, a fat woman, a disabled woman, a queer woman, an artist and I should know my place. But I am telling you as a true Jesus Follower, I know my place as a person that is one with Christ, who has been given many gifts and it my duty to use them. I am grateful and responsible to Christ first. Not you or your man made ideas or idols. Believe me, I want there to be only love in my words, but sometimes there is just truth.
I am praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and I am praying for children that go to schools that have and will suffer shootings. I am praying for immigrants that need asylum, for nations at war and ones that will be at war. I’m praying for mercy for us all because we don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve it. I’m not perfect but God knows I will bring my burdens and failures before Him and we will sort them out and He will show me how to grow and let go of what is useless. I hope you can be this blessed.
For you that have made a man, that is not your Creator, your idol, or politics, or money, or your rights, or your power, or your beliefs, or anything bigger than your higher power, your idol, please consider repentance. Anything that comes between you and God is an idol and will be your downfall, our downfall. Because we are all connected.
So many people set this one man on a pedestal. Saying he was opening up communication, yet while he spoke many beautiful words, he also slid in many hateful words. Maybe not quite openly. These people forgave him quickly, saying, we all have a right to our opinions, but what he really was doing was sowing seeds of hate into soil that was ready made by years of oppression within our government and churches. Did he ever confess his sins to you, as I have?
Yet every person who has questioned me, was not willing to say I have a right to my opinion. Is it because as a christian woman, I should know my place?
I tell you, as a Jesus Follower, I know my place.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 11, 2025 | Opinions, Politics, Prayers & Thanksgiving
I am neither sad nor mad about the end of Charlie Kirk, other than to question why he was so profoundly important to others and I need help. Some of his words were small, they lacked empathy and were not from the Jesus I know. He called himself a christian, yet he did not love all his neighbors in a way that I can understand, the second most important law, according to Jesus. He would spit out the 10 commandments but he didn’t show that Jesus was the new covenant. That loving God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and all our neighbors is the entire purpose of being a Jesus Follower. Nothing else matters. Jesus told us to be a humble, peaceful, generous, merciful servants. This was not this man’s message as I heard it.
We should be upset that on the same day Kirk was killed, a woman who came to the United States from Ukraine for protection was murdered by a mentally ill man, with a huge history of violence. Even his mother had asked for him to be committed, and yet, he was still on the streets of North Carolina; a walking time bomb.
Why do we not have better legislation is place for dangerous people?
We should care that also on the same day Kirk was murdered, when someone brought a gun to a school in Colorado, we should be thankful that a student would be willing to throw himself on that gun so that there were only 3 people hurt. We need to be celebrating this 18 year old man!
There were two school shootings on the same day but we are only talking about one, over and over…I can’t see why Kirk is more important than these children.
I do not know that Charlie Kirk would have thrown his body on a gun to protect others because I don’t know him. I don’t know if he was that selfless. If he did know how big God is, I didn’t see a God as big as mine in his messages. But maybe I wasn’t listening well.
Maybe this incident where Kirk was silenced, was just God pruning an unfruitful branch, as it mentions in John 15. Or maybe I am broken somewhere.
I don’t mean to be cruel. I know a wife lost a husband and 2 children lost a father. I don’t know why I can’t feel genuine empathy for them. It is usually abundantly available for me to offer for people in prayer, which I did pray for his family and loved ones, but it was not as natural as it usually is and for that I need to talk with God about. My humanity is getting in the way and I don’t know why.
I am afraid because I am not recognizing myself. Why does the mention of his name or vision of his face make me feel so angry?
His words hurt me. They sliced into me because some of his words were unloving, dis-inclusive, violent at times, and arrogant. Sometimes they were perfectly programmed “christian” words, and I am sure he did believe them, but Jesus came to teach us to love, He said He came to bring division, but that was because He knew humanity so well. Jesus’ words could get into our egos and without the pure soul, where love can grow, it can become foul, and then some of us would care about things that we have no business thinking about. That is evil, and I am afraid that sometimes, that was where Kirk spoke out of, even if it was unintentional. That is very sad.
Am I speaking from there too?
People hide behind the phrase, “We have a right to have our own opinion.” This is true. But words are important. God tells us that we have the power of life or death from our mouth. He told us to be careful. I am not rectifying the murderer’s actions. Murder is not ever acceptable. But what if Kirk’s words hurt someone so badly, they felt like they had no other choice? We may never know.
Or what if this murder is also meant by another evil, to bring even more division in a church that is already divided, on the eve of an event that at one time brought us all together for at least a moment?
Twenty four years ago, I know where I was when I heard about the Twin Towers. I remember that day more clearly than most days in my life. It started with a dream about it, before it happened. It ended with me being at a church worship service dancing and praising Jesus. But soon after some United States citizens began to hate Muslims and do terrible things to them, even though, they too were United States citizens, and they were in pain also by the loss of almost 3,000 people, and they had nothing to do with the plans of evil men from al-Qaeda.
I invite you to take a breath. Bring yourself to your center. Don’t try to blame anyone right now. The facts will come as they are supposed to. Today is a day of remembering. 9-11 brought our country together like no other day in a long time. We were quieter, more appreciative and we had been given a different perspective that helped some of us. Death is not always just an end, but also a door to a newness because as we mourn, we begin to live differently.
God loves you. No matter what name you call Him/Her/They. For a moment let that be enough to empower you to love others. That is the purpose of this life, there is no other reason we are here.
I will get the answers to my questions when I am ready for them. But if you want to pray for me, I appreciate that. Be blessed.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 9, 2025 | About Summer, Chronic Illness, Opinions
My mother and I are getting to know each other again and she sent me a message, last night, that said she was hoping I would get free of my symptoms so we could go out again. Yesterday I was hit with a flare in the middle of the day, while out living life and had reached home, where I was trying to relax. I was also feeling a bit snarky. So I became very honest:
“You’re so funny. I never will get better. I live this way. I will be on steroids for the next week so it’s a little different because they make me sleep much more, I didn’t know that because I have tried to stay away from them. My doctor seemed surprised that they make me sleepy but everyone I have mentioned it to, that have taken them, has had the same experience.
I do what I want, regardless of how I feel, unless it is just a really bad day. You have to keep going. Chronic people are strong because we have to be. Many of us have seen death a few times and we know how valuable life is. Pain is just something to get over. Suffering is part of a life well lived. ❤️”
She didn’t respond. I’m sure she didn’t say anything because she doesn’t know what to say. It must be hard to hear her child, even though I am an adult, say these things.
It reminded me of a moment with one of my friends. She had stopped by to give me something. We were chatting in the parking lot and I was hurting. I wasn’t even thinking about it, but while we were talking, I was stretching certain parts of me. She finally mentioned that I was obviously in a lot of pain and she seemed surprised that I wasn’t even trying to hide it. It had never occurred to me hide it. I was talking to my friend and I live in chronic pain. These are two things I don’t have to hide. Myself from my friend or my pain from the world.
There is no shame in being in chronic pain or being chronically ill. God made me this way. I deal with it the best way I can but there is no reason to hide it and stretching is part of how I stay flexible and increase blood flow to joints and nerves that are screaming at me.
This is part of being honest. Something society has taught us to suppress. Our humanity is not wrong. How we choose to use it might be, but choosing healthy ways to handle pain, whether it is physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually is never wrong. It might be a shock to someone who has never seen it before, but I am ok with that. I am not here to try to change anyone but if I show you something that awakens something honest in you, I hope it helps you.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 8, 2025 | About Summer, Opinions, Prayers & Thanksgiving
I have never felt more confident in God or connected to Him in my life than I do now. Being brave is almost like breathing. Being who I am has never been less complicated than now. I don’t know what changed but I don’t feel like competing with anyone anymore, even myself. I do what I can with the effort I have energy for and I am grateful.
I have always known I was put on this earth for something special. I have known that I have been here before and I have a special task which is why I can ask God to teach me how to do something and I will have a dream about it and wake up with new knowledge. It has never occurred to me to not ask Him for the simplest of things, even in picking out a melon at the grocery store.
I will never forget a time I was at the store, right after church. I had just asked God which cantaloupe to buy and one had glowed so I put it in my cart. Someone from church saw me and asked me how to pick a good melon. I told her my method and she gave me the oddest look and walked away. I could not comprehend her response. We had both just left church.
But a few years later, when I was 20 years old, I finally heard God’s voice. He told me it was time to leave. He told me they had taught me all they could teach me. So I left. 10 or so years later, I visited. I had grown far beyond where I had been spiritually, but they were giving the same sermon I had heard back then. This church didn’t really encourage spiritual growth, they encouraged spiritual dependence, but not on God, on human dogma. Just like we see in our society and politics.
Our Creator made us to be curious, powerful and confident in Him. He empowered us to be successful in every situation. Society has put up walls to make us believe we are smaller than we are. If Jesus lives in us, we are priests and royalty, just like Him. We have to live up to that. He will help us if we are willing to live this way.
Image Credit: Casey Horner
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 5, 2025 | Opinions, Politics
I just saw a video suggesting that our president said that black children were born to become violent criminals. Now I know that the media does edit video the way they want you to experience it, however, I believe that Trump really is a white supremacist. I have always looked in that man’s eyes and known he was self-serving and evil. I thought it was a joke when he ran for president, and then I was proven wrong, that even though many of us have made huge strides in loving better, many of us still hate just as much as ever.
My Beloved is such an amazing person. She has been an inspiration to me for as long as I have known her. Her strength of character and integrity, and her ability to love and forgive is astounding. She is not perfect but she is able to get up and start over, roll with the punches, forgive and move on, show empathy and forgive, like I had never seen before. She doesn’t talk about herself or her past very much. I have learned to stop and listen when she talks about her childhood, stories of her great-grandmother or her other vibrant family members, or the abuse she suffered as a mulatto girl child, born in 1965 in High Point, North Carolina, 3 generations from slavery and all that implies.
Karen G Clemenson was taught to love white people because they are in her. She was taught to love everyone because they are her. She has some very strong and forward thinking ideas regarding civil rights. Some that many black people might disagree with. She has no interest in moving back to the south; there are just too many bad experiences she has had. Before we can even go back for a visit, there will be legal papers, gun licensing and a purchase to be made before she will feel ready to go.
I do study history. I go through phases where I study hard and then I have to stop because I can only take in the level of evil that white people have used against all people of color and even other white people (like Italians, Irish, and Jews) for so long before I need a break…I am Italian and Irish too…Because Karen lives with me she hears the things that hurt me the most.
I caught her as I came out of the bathroom saying, “I am worth more than 1/5 of a person.” She seemed so small. Her voice was not her normal vertebrata.
All I could do was catch her in a huge hug and say: I don’t believe any of it!
She answered with a very small: Thank you.
You see, racism/white supremacy, is still alive and it still is hurting my strong, beautiful, loving, capable 60-year-old wife. How do we allow a president stay in office that keeps it alive and says to our children that he expects them to grow up to be monsters, when he is the monster? He is supposed to be an example to our future and he is literally speaking violence over our children because if what he says manifests, and black children grow into criminals, who will be their victims?
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 1, 2025 | Opinions, Politics
I am not sure how to write this but I will trust the process. I have had many thoughts and videos come my way, recently, to ignite the thought that illegal aliens are the new black people aka slavery system. It is a deplorable thing to think about but as some people compare the Trump campaign to Hitler’s Nazi’s, I have been watching historians tell me stories that have never made it into the books I read in school, but are not far from what I read when I checked them out in the library or bought them myself. Similar stories can be told about how white people treated and treat Native Americans (this term includes humans that live in the entire continent, not just in the United States). These stories were not passed down because sensitive people would never vote to continue the abuse against civil rights that we still allow. I don’t write this to make everyone who looks like me to feel bad. I am not responsible for actions that happened before I was born, but I am responsible for what happens at my hand, during my life.
We have been sold the idea that illegal aliens are a drain on the system. They are a waste of our tax dollars. They are all criminals. That all criminals should be sent somewhere else, anywhere else because The United States of America is better than all other countries and we should be able to live without cares and troubles. But that is not true. All countries are made of humans and all humans are imperfect.
- All humans can keep other gods before our Creator,
- All humans can take our Creators name in vain.
- All humans can forget to keep the Sabbath day holy.
- All humans can dishonor their mother and father and be dishonored by their parents.
- All humans can kill.
- All humans can commit adultery (either with their body or in their mind).
- All humans can steal.
- All humans can tell lies against their neighbor.
- All humans can covet their neighbor’s spouse.
- All humans can covet their neighbor’s belongings.
All sins can be born from these.
If you make a man less than what he is, in the eyes of others, you have sinned because all men are created in the image of God, our Creator. Pulpits were used to indoctrinate ignorant people in how enslaved people were not full humans. In how black people were worth less than the family pet. But the bible does not mention skin color often, except where it says that Jesus‘ skin is the color of copper and His hair is like cotton. This would be likely, since, His mother, Mary, was born in Nazareth which is in Palestine; actually right where Israel is trying to annihilate people in Gaza, right now. So the vision we have been fed that Jesus was blonde haired and blue eyed, is completely false. And pulpits, television and phone screens, computer monitors and magazine and newspapers are being used to educate us whichever way we will sway.
I am in shock when I read the comments of hatred from people that blindly believe that, at all cost, we must remove illegal immigrants. My heart aches because these same people don’t stop for a moment and think about what that term means. Yes, we have many illegal immigrants in The United States. But many people who came here illegally, are no longer here illegally. They came here at all cost because where they were was toxic and unsafe and they wanted better for their family. So they came to America. They found ways to get green cards. They have jobs. They pay taxes. Their children are United States citizens. ICE is not checking IDs before they detain people of color. They are using tax records to find people to deport. They are leaving children without parents, who now are part of the already burdened foster care system. They are leaving jobs that white people don’t want to work, but society relies on to be done. Sometimes people are being sent to countries they have never been to.
All of this is being done with our tax dollars. Billions of tax dollars that could be spent on our national debt but wont be. Do you know that actually makes us weaker and not stronger? While Trump sends troops into cities that have not asked for help, he is spending money that could bring down our national debt, which makes us more reliant on other countries. He talks about deporting United States citizens, which is illegal, however this has not stopped him from breaking the law, as he pleases. This does not make us stronger, this makes us weaker, in every form of the word.
I have seen Trump supporters call people, who try to explain how his actions are wrong, sheep, but I am here to say that sheep follow blindly. Trump has been stroking many and some have been able to see the truth and some are too scared to admit they were wrong, and some are too stubborn to let go of the chants they have held tightly to, But as one white person that has been looking at patterns. I do not see this ending well.
The Trump Administration is blindly spending our money to wipe out one people group. They are making money while they do it. Every step of the way they are getting richer and we are paying the price for it, not just one way but morally and civilly. As we give our rights away quietly so that illegal citizens can be eradicated quickly, what are we going to do when he can turn the laws on us because we are now a burden he doesn’t want to carry?
Unchecked evil only gets hungrier.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
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