Count Your Blessings

Life is so exciting! I have so many great things coming up in my near future that I am too excited to sleep! (Literally.) And every time I think that I am so blessed that life can't get any better, it always does, and more great things appear. This is not a bragging post. I am simply counting my blessings.


For one, I just graduated from Sandhills Community College with an Associate in Arts degree.  Even though I am the fourth child in my family, that technically makes me the first child in my family to graduate with a college degree. (In my oldest brother's defense, he will receive his Bachelor degree at the end of the summer.)


This summer, I have countless job opportunities that really give me an advantage, as far as my resumé and real-life experiences are concerned.  I will be continuing my work as a Marketing Manager, but will be able to take on bigger, more important projects this summer, and potentially begin training for a more permanent position that I can continue with after I transfer colleges.  I have also been given an opportunity to produce the Summer Theatre Camps with the Moore County Arts Council.  I am probably most excited about this opportunity, as it most closely pertains to what I want to do in the future.  Summer for most people means a break.  But for me, it means a chance to get ahead. So I say, "Bring it on."


At the end of the summer, I will transfer either to UNC Chapel Hill, where I will double major in Vocal Performance and Mathematics, OR to the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University, where I will either double major in Vocal Performance and Music Education, or major in Music Industry Studies, with a concentration in Music Business (Marketing and Promotion). I know that sounds a little bit complicated...But trust me when I say that I have performed extensive due diligence on each option and know in great detail what each path entails. Whichever road I end up taking will produce an equally desirable outcome, in my book.


As I have mentioned before, I have a strong, loving family that I absolutely adore.  Not just my (two) immediate families, but my extended family as well.  Everyone is so supportive of everything, and I will never be able to express my appreciation for all of their belief in me.  It is deeply humbling.


On another note, I recently resolved all of my debts, the biggest of which concerned my car.  Having spent six months, and almost 300 times that in dollars, paying for my lemon of a Volkswagen, I was finally set free after making my last payment before the beginning of May. Consequently, I have been able to redirect my earnings to my savings account, carefully following a tight budget I outlined for myself just for fun.  Because I was not keeping any of the money I was making, I was not aware of how successful, financially, I have actually been this past year. But now, seeing it build, I realize that I am actually well off, and, ahead of budget already, I know I will be in a good place when I head off to college in the fall. The most baffling part of the whole situation is that everywhere I turn, another opportunity falls into my lap, and I am continually rewarded.  I don't expect these gifts (as most of my financial rewards are carefully planned and justly earned), and they sort of come out of no where, but I greatly appreciate them, beyond the point of fair expression.


As if all of these practicalities were not enough, God has opened a door for me to something so beautiful. I cannot really explain it, but then...it could not be understood by anyone other than myself anyways. He is sending me in a direction that I am undeserving of, but that I am ready and willing to pursue full on. I will work harder than I ever have before to not fail. If you're confused by what I'm talking about, it ties everything together...I just mean that I am confident that my future is bright.  And what I recognize is that it is brighter than I have ever imagined.


Counting your blessings is truly a beautiful practice. I honestly feel like I am the most blessed person in the entire world.