Well, maties, it's Sunday afternoon over here in Texas. I look out over my
eastern facing yard, and a lovely blanket of yellow leaves are resting on the cold
soil. My 13 year old daughter is playing outside with her best friend, and our yellow
Labrador Champ is standing there wagging his tail. Four furry little baby Mini Schnauzers
are frolicking in the yard while their mom Annie and Dad, Lincoln watch over their friskiness.
Today I am tired, but very very satisfied. Working hard is something that some people shun.
Some people think it is a waste of time. Some even try to avoid it. But the satisfaction
of a job, well done, and effort put into starting and completing a project produces a joy that is
sort of inexplicable.....
It's December 19 and there are 5 more shopping days until Christmas. To date, I have neither
decorated my house nor trimmed a tree, nor purchased anything more than a woolen pair of handmade socks and an ipod case for someone I love. But it doesn't really matter to me....
I am thankful tonight, and just wanted to share that with you. I have run a marathon in the
past 6 to 8 weeks. No, really, in the past 2 or 3 years, in fact. In the middle, I got sick and that was not fun. It almost ate my lunch figuratively speaking. But help came, at just the right time. Like a cold drink of pure water in the desert, help came and the finish line suddenly felt attainable again.
I have had to simplify my grandiose ideas about what I produced this holiday season. S I M P L I F Y.
But the end result was an attainable offering that was simple to put together and easy to communicate.
There are LOTS of things that I planned but was unable to execute. Some of it was poorly imagined and totally out of reach for me, but I can put that on my list for next year. Some, too diverse and not conceived of in time. Some, I spent too much time in introspection and comparison. But that too, with a plan and sequentially laid out objectives, can be sought again next year.
The GOOD thing, though, is that my TARGET is in sight and becoming more of a reality day by day. Four wholesale accounts opened up to me and I am so excited about this and hopeful for many more. This keeps me on the edge and now the reality is beginning to break upon my understanding that now, more than ever, wise planning and time allocation are necessary to attain fruitfulness and profit. Number one, you are trading volume in sales, for profit in sales and hopefully the trade will still remain profitable. I am not an expert on this, but I am beginning to see the challenge. The exciting thing is......I can see it and am beginning to realize it.....and that is exciting.
I am very pleased with the way my packaging is beginning to take on definition of a brand conceived in my heart long ago. My labels are beginning to look better and the labor of that is starting to pay off.
I also am very pleased with the people I am meeting along the way. I have made friends in the business community who are as I am but was afraid to go oh so long ago. Ladies of steel, Steel Magnolias, if you will, who are not afraid to take risks, spread their wings and fly. Fly solo, fly against the wind, against the fear, against the masses and persevere even in the midst of a barren landscape economically. I am proud to know these ladies and to serve them.
Today, my dear reader, I want to encourage you. Is there a dream in your heart? Can you see it? Does it keep you up at night? Does it make your heart skip a beat; perhaps beat a little faster? What color do YOU dream in? Technicolor, I hope!
Because, if you can SEE it, my friend, then you can HAVE it! This dream will test you, it will try you; there will be days that you doubt if you ever had a dream, and if so, what it was. There will be times you will be misunderstood, maligned, and the taunts of all the unseen fears of your lonesome heart will loom above you on the bench of a court sent to try your very soul. But, if you can Stay the Course, Face the Wind, Stand Strong, and Never Give Up, and work tirelessly as you pour out this vision, and pray for courage and then favor amongst men, then my friend, and only then, you will birth that vision and then rejoice as no other can.
I want to encourage you....spread your wings, put your eyes on the horizon, and then fly. You were born for this! Don't look down, nor back, nor even side to side. Scream with the eagles and align yourself with like minded ones of faith, passion and bravery. Read everything you can get your hands on, and never give up!
I want to give you a picture of something to encourage you heart and was just considering of what that might be...but since I was just mentioning eagles, why in fact, I do have some pictures taken in January of 2009 of a pair of eagles who nested in a pasture down the road from my house in my subdivision.......so there!
Enjoy!
this one is not mine, but it is a good one!
Well, I am waxing poetic and as I do, I realize that it's dinner time and then tonight more work. I love you my friend, dear reader! I hope your Christmas plans are going well and that you may have some time after all the hustle and bustle to reflect on these and other words of wisdom and encouragement!
I will try to post more often......I promise!
Oh, one other thing happened that was cool today.....my Facebook Fan Page now has #100 Fans! What? You didn't know I had a Facebook Fan Page! Well then, hurry on over and like it already! I'm having a sale and if you are my Fan, you can get in on the sale too!
Toodles for now!
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