Today, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. And it’s more than today; I’ve been musing on my blessings all week, all month, and honestly, all year. And my appreciation for my blessings is different than you might guess: this year, I feel truly grateful for challenges.
It’s funny that when life gets hard, because of family concerns, health problems, economic uncertainty, or whatever hardship presents itself, that we often fall to our knees and beg the Lord to make things easier. Instead, he gives us strength. Purpose. Stamina. He gives us greater capacity to move forward and to become the person He needs us to be. I’m reminded of the saying, “Calm seas never a seasoned sailor make.”
As I look back on 2013, it has has been a year of wonderful growth: Close To My Heart has expanded into Australia and New Zealand and those new markets are thriving; our upcoming Idea Book has some really daring and fresh product expansions; in my personal life, my children continue to pursue their dreams—I had one graduate from college this year, and my youngest graduated from high school—and I am making sure progress in my journey to take care of myself. (Thank you so much for the prayers and kind wishes on my behalf. I feel your love and concern and it motivates me and gives me peace as well!) And of course, I’m excited about heading into 2014, when I will be celebrating an amazing 30 years in business! It’s awesome!
But behind the progress there is often struggle—long hours and exhausting workloads. Patience with others and patience with myself when progress is slow or takes a detour. Taking risks and making investments. Creating, then revising, and reworking and reworking something, even when the deadlines look impossible. This year has definitely had some big challenges, and today I feel so grateful for them all—for each one yields a blessing. An attribute. A possibility the Lord sees in me that never would be manifest if I were to have been given “the easy way out.”
So today, as you celebrate, I hope you take time to enumerate ALL your blessings—your loving family, your true friends, the land you live in, the beliefs that define you, and yes, even your hardships. Because they can bring the greatest blessings of all. That’s what I will be doing!
Today, I wish you peace and joy, and above all, gratitude for this wonderful, beautiful life.
I hope you have a happy blessed day, Thank You for creating CTMH and all that it has brought into my life. Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully said. Thank you for expressing what I also feel. It has been a challenging year for us also, but we are the better because we have gotten through it and continue to see the silver linings in our trials. I love the "calm seas," quote. . . perhaps we can see that on an upcoming stamp :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Jeanette! You are such an inspiration. One of my many blessings is Close To My Heart!
ReplyDeleteAs always, Jeanette, you are inspiring!! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteJeanette, you are ALWAYS such an inspiration in my life! I am just now having a moment to catch up on your blog and THIS message speaks right to my heart. I love you dearly and wish you a WONDERFUL Holiday Season and a Merry Christmas FILLED with many Blessings!
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