“In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took,
but how many moments took your breath away.”
– shing xiong
In Closing
2012: My Year in Review
Things I learned in 2012.
- Great is good. Hire a graphic designer who captures your book idea and makes it real. Thankful to Angie Hughes of Angie’s Creative, for her ability to design the inside and the outside of my book and a new website.
- Hire a friend who is a great photographer. Thankful for Scott Knutson of InsideOut Studios for his incredible talent.
- Keep your friends: Thankful to the 88th Street Pussycats, Sue and Kris, Randy and Peggy, Greg and Mary.
- Make new friends: Thank you Florence, Lynn J, Barbara, Matt, the John 3:16 Network, the U.K.’s Sue R.
- The importance of the steadfast. Thank you, Joy, Barb, Lynn R., Sheri, Gloria, Florence, Tim, Ron., Carol, Mark and Jenny, Rick, Sam, Joe and Jake, Hallie, Jenny, Diane, Debbie, Katie, McKenzie, Emma, Jenny, Mike T., the Leachs, Mary H., Barbara, Beth F., Matt, the John 3:16 Network, Kristen, Sues R and S. and Toby W.
- Remember those teachers and preachers who changed your life and tell them. Forever grateful to Pat Fatchett and Jim and Karen Schwartz, Gary D, Greg H., Milo E, David L, Bruce H. Judie R. and brother Steve Trewartha.
- Say “Yes.” Thanks, Kim Laufenburger for asking. Thanks to table leaders for saying “yes” too and for some great Spring Fling tables.
- Look for what’s going up and enjoy. Thanks, tulips and daisies for your hidden beauty.
- Go out on a limb, as Mark Twain said, “it’s where the fruit it.” Thanks to Lynn and Elizabeth Rhinevault and the theater department at Burnsville High School. So fun to write a short skit and the opportunity to be a fork and plate too.
- “Shower” the people you love with kindness. Love to Janelle and Katie for getting married. Thanks to Kathryn Paradise for your creativity. Thanks Schalinskes for getting married under a covered bridge in Spencerville, Indiana. Thanks, Chicago, for Navy Pier, Millenium Park, and the eye.
- The key to my life is the Keys. Thanks, Marathon, Key West, Priscilla Lane and God’s sunset for an out-of-this-world at the end-of-the-world experience.
- Learn. Thanks to the Minnesota Nice group of writers for putting together a great writer’s conference in Duluth. Thanks, Canal Park Lodge, for splendid sunrises and carriage rides, a lighthouse and the aerial lift bridge.
- Beauty is breath-taking. Thanks Mr. Sandhill Crane and to the bluebirds who finally found our birdhouses, to the stunning ups and downs, Mr. Sun, and to all the pests that work so hard to give us flowers.
- Do it afraid. Dreams are made to make into a reality. Thank you, Lynn Johnson, Mike Hanks, the editors of the Flandreau newspaper and Faulk County Record, for believing my book had something worth writing about.
- Custodians matter. Thank you, Harry Driste, for living the BlessBack Life and being an example of kindness that made the world a better place. Rest in peace, my friend. Thank you, Milo and John and Justin for all you do! Thanks to Keith and Reed, too, for beautifying with umbrellas.
- Say “Yes” to the stress. I made a promise to God at the beginning of 2012 that whatever He brought across my path that I would say “yes” to. A book, a book launch, a spring women’s event, family reunions, talking to seniors, business women, writing a Bible Study on gratitude and speaking at the church in which I was raised all changed my life. Stressful, yes, but wow, the words written, the lessons learned, the learning curve.
- Say “No” for balance. No, you can’t do it all. You can’t write and speak at the same time. You need the silent times to free your talking points from your mind to paper. Thank you, UST professors Hildebrandt and Cragan for teaching me to speak to time and write to space and how to do it. Special thanks to Joy for giving up a Sunday in November to help me.
- Firsts are fun. Thanks to Barb Scrimgeour for hosting a book club party about BlessBack. Thanks too, to the new friends who came and participated. Thanks, Mary Blazinin for inviting me to Nine Mile. Thank you, Teri Johnson, for The Refine Conference. Thanks Carey Scott for the fun day on Moms Together. Thanks, Sandy Zeisler for the opportunity to speak at Business Book Connections and thanks Kim and the Women’s Ministry team at Hope for taking a chance on me. Thanks to Kathy Casperson, and to all those who came on a snowstorm day for the opportunity to revisit my past and remember my Creator in the days of my youth at Christ the King in Bloomington. Special thanks to Dan for his IT savvy.
- Family and friendship make life. Thank you, every one of you, for the treasure you are in my life. Thanks for your support, for your being there, for your encouragement. My life is rich and full of content and happiness because of you.
- Give thanks for all. Thanks for the guest invitations to blog, the buyers, the readers, and the followers of my blog. It is for you I write. It is because of you that I can.
- Make time each day to give thanks to the Original Giver. Thank you, God, for enlarging the tent pegs. I am me because of You. Thank you, Anne Graham Lotz, for your monthly Bible studies. I am different, in a good way, because of your saying “yes,” too.
BlessBack. Change your life. Change the world.
Buy the paperback version of BlessBack at Amazon.
Buy the Kindle version of BlessBack at Amazon’s Kindle Store.
About Julie Saffrin
Julie Saffrin is the author of numerous published articles and essays. Her latest book, BlessBack: Thank Those Who Shaped Your Life, explores the power of gratitude and offers 120 creative ways to journey toward positive, lasting change.
Great post, Julie! Love it!
I love this post, Julie – thank YOU for all you do for all of us!
Jules you are amazing and i’m grateful to have met you and that we can work together…i’m grateful for you and all my strong women clients that inspire me to slow down, open my eyes, and embrace the beauty in the day. Here’s to an amazing 2013 to come 🙂 Let’s do lunch