So Many Blessings
I know that it is not Thanksgiving, but some things just have to be said.
Y'all I have been blessed! Through work and volunteer time I have seen so much pain, sorrow, and loneliness that as a kid I never would have dreamed existed. Was I sheltered? Sure, I was the first born in a Christian home, so I was definitely sheltered to an extent. Mostly though, I couldn't fathom all that I've seen, because I was simply so blessed.
I've seen people who have maybe moved to a new place where they have no family. They have no friends there, and they are virtually alone. I've seen people whose families don't care or they are on drugs. They are not alone but surrounded by hate and pain, and it's the same thing for children who were just never wanted.
Growing up, I couldn't see any of this. So, why not? The answer is simple, and no I'm not talking about church, although I am sure it played a part. I am talking about family. It is heart breaking now seeing so many who don't have that strong family structure when I had so much. I have amazing parents and siblings who I can always count on. My parents were always there for me to guide, encourage, and love, and they still are. That didn't end just because I grew up. You take that immediate family for granted until you see so many without, and yet, that wasn't where my blessings stopped.
I was also surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who freely gave love and encouragement. I'm not talking about a random phone call every once in a blue moon either. Thanks to time restrictions, we don't get together as much as we would all like, but that doesn't mean we can't love and encourage each other. Here I am in my mid-thirties and decide to start publishing. Do you know who some of my biggest fans are, after my mother of course? Aunts, uncles, and cousins. I was already blessed with an amazing immediate family, but I was also blessed with an amazing extended family too. So many have so little, yet the blessings keep pouring on me.
Several of my family have gone way above and beyond anything I ever would have asked for. My cousin, Christina, has pushed to get our books and our names out there in the public. In addition to telling people about the books by word of mouth, she even got us a chance to go to Clay Elementary a couple years ago to read and talk about our books. My Aunt Margaret and Uncle Richard have done so much! The last time they were up in Alabama, they sat down with me, Sandy, and Mama to talk strategy and business in general. Because of their expertise in this field, that was big. They had some really great ideas, and I was so touched that they took the time to help us out. They didn't stop there though. They made plans to buy books from us to give out at one of their trainings they're hosting in January, and we're not talking about a few books. We're talking about 75-125 depending on how many they have register for the training. They shared their expertise. They shared their business, but they still weren't done.
We had looked at getting a LLC for Yarbrough House Publishing at one time, but it wasn't something we could do at the time. There was a chunk of money involved and process that we weren't familiar with. This was something that worried Mama, and to be honest, me too. Aunt Margaret and Uncle Richard put up the money and did the filing process for us. That was huge! They've done so, so much, yet they still turned around and bought us a table to take with us to craft fairs. Mama mentioned that we were having trouble figuring out a way to raise the table we had. Aunt Margaret ordered us a table with adjustable height that will fold in half to make it easier to haul around to and from craft fairs.
I want to send out a special thank you to Aunt Margaret and Uncle Richard! You really are incredible, and we are truly blessed to have you!
Would you believe that I am still not done? Well, I'm not. Who could possibly be left, you ask. You've talked about your immediate family and extended family. There's no one left. For me, the blessings weren't done. My best friend, Jennifer, and I have been friends since third grade when our brothers played t-ball together. After one amazing family, I was adopted by another amazing family. Her parents are my parents too. Her brother, my brother, aunts, uncles, and cousins, I was adopted by her entire family both immediate and extended. I can call on any of them at anytime and vise versa. I hope they know how priceless they are to me. They have encouraged every step of the way with our venture in publishing, and they tell me all the time that we are going to make it big time. They protect, encourage, and guide, because they are family. Jennifer has been adopted into my family in the same way, and I can't imagine it any other way. Jennifer and I have been best friends for about 28 years now. That alone is a blessing, but to get another family too, is more than I deserve.
This blog is specifically about family. I haven't even gotten into all the blessings I have received from friends. I haven't done anything to deserve all of the blessings that God has given me, but I am grateful.
Thank you to all my family!!