Then End of the Beginning

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ETSY
I could literally spend all day just looking at the handmade things on this website- check out these snowflake earrings.
The end of January can be tough for me. Where I live everything is grey and wet. No sparkling white snow to take the edge off. By this time I am beginning to see that this year will probably be just like most and every resolution will take hard work.
But I also noticed something this month- really upbeat people often have harder lives than me. Watch an episode or two of Undercover Boss. Most of the time the most amazing employees, who are just glowing at work, have personal tragedy in their lives. They seem so aware and appreciative of the small things. I see it everywhere- happy people who don't on the surface have much to be happy about. The secret to Joy seems to be having a source of Joy independent of your circumstance. A sure thing in your life that is the rock when, as it always does, sorrow comes.
Count your blessings today- take note of every thing in your life that you know another person somewhere does not have. It could rock your end of January.
My Dad's birthday was yesterday. He is 65. I count him as one of my best blessings. He has Parkinson's disease, triple bypass with heart damage, lupus and a mild form of skin cancer. He has been a peaceful, gentle man his whole life and showed me what a real and abiding relationship with God looked like. He never wavered in his joy or trust in Jesus. From day to day, for real, he made me want what he had. Thanks Dad.