Once Upon a Time, There was a Mouse named Suzie…
.
Suzie Mouse was born at bathtime, bathtime for my kids that is. I have four girls, and at times we had three in the tub at a time. Washing all that hair took a while. Amidst the blue-topped plastic boat and the suction cup marble tracks, story time was just as important as getting clean.
I had the pleasure of leading my girls on wandering adventures where we really didn’t know what would happen next until it came out of my mouth. The main characters were generally cats, cows, chickens, mice, dogs, birds, you name it. Eventually, my youngest daughter, Talia, really liked a story I told about a mouse named Suzie, and she asked for another one about her during the next bathtime. Suzie became the star and for years, bedtime routines were often accompanied by a Suzie Mouse story. This lasted well past when they were all bathing themselves.
In 2021, I felt God calling me to do something with these stories and characters. After significant prayer, I decided that rather than just write fun adventurous stories, as were most of the bathtime stories, I would write something with a little more meaning. The Fruit of the Spirit is something that we talked with our kids about a lot, and it seemed appropriate and helpful to give parents a fun way to engage with their children on this topic. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, these fruits come out, but there’s also an element of us participating in the growth of that fruit-even if it’s just asking for God’s help.
Knot Fast
When rain delays their picnic, Suzie and Lucy are forced to make a new plan.
Being patient and pressing on, however, is more difficult than they expected. Join Suzie and Lucy as they attempt to prepare for the new and improved picnic. Will it all come together? Will Sneaky Snake ruin it all anyway?
In this story, Suzie must be persistent in her practicing of the bowline knot, if she’s going to be able to put up a swing at their favorite picnic spot. Also, making a cheese souffle proves to be harder than initially thought. Suzie struggles to stay focused and follow all the directions to create the perfect souffle. Lucy has a task of her own, to create the perfect fruit dish for their picnic. Sometimes being creative slows things down, especially when they don’t go as planned.
Unexpected Gift
Coming Winter 2025!
Suzie stows away on a cargo ship and heads south to Brazil, ready to experience the jungle for herself.
Her jungle journey nearly ends before it starts however, when she realizes that it’s not the safest place for a mouse and is full of surprises. When she meets others on their own journey, she must battle the temptation to be selfish, but new friends abound, including Pablo the monkey, who becomes her personal tour guide and friend. Will she gain all that she’s hoped for, or will she meet the unexpected?
This story demonstrates the power of kindness and choosing others over yourself.
Positive Perspective
Coming Spring 2025!
Lucy deserves the perfect gift, but getting to that point won’t be easy.
Waiting till the last minute never seems to work out for Suzie. What’s worse, is that their favorite store just went out of business and Lucy’s birthday is tomorrow! What will Suzie do?
This story explores the benefit of staying positive in the face of trials and having an anchor of Joy.
About the Author…
Dan McCaffrey lives with his family in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. His four daughters are now in various stages of the launching phase of life, with one graduated from college, two in the midst thereof, and the youngest wrapping up high school. Leah, his wife, is a teacher at a university-model classical Christian school. Dan works full time as a structural engineer and has designed and repaired major bridges over the last 24 years. If he finds a spare moment, he can be found making music or being outside. Playing drums is his first creative language, having done so since 1987. Guitar, flute and handpan have also been added to the list.
Interestingly, when he was young, reading and writing were not at the top of his list of fun activities (he did become an engineer after all). In fact, for a 3rd grade poetry assignment, he even wrote a poem about how he hated writing. God has a sense of humor, doesn’t He? It is amazing how oftentimes, the very thing that we are called to do, is the thing we struggle with most.
Dan has often said that he was a pastor that was wired as an engineer. Over the years, out of their strong love for people and a desire to see them grow, Dan and Leah have hosted various small groups, home churches, parenting classes, and have lead worship and prayer ministries. They have invested in the lives of many young people. The journey continues with these Suzie Mouse stories. The hope is that families and children will be blessed and will grow in their fruitfulness in the Lord.
