Blessings

Anita Mellott writes to encourage others on their journey of life. With a background in journalism and mass communications, she has worked for more than ten years as a writer/editor in the nonprofit world. She balances homeschooling and the call to write, and blogs at From the Mango Tree (http://amellott.wordpress.com/).


I stood at the kitchen counter sorting through the mail. My heart beat a little faster as I saw the return address on one of the envelopes. As I skimmed its contents, my heart sank. I opened two more envelopes to rejections.

I had hit the jackpot that week with a total of four rejection letters. In the few months since I had lost my job of 13 years, my stack of rejection letters was growing. Sure that God had called me to write, I decided I would take time to pursue my writing dreams. But was I really supposed to be writing?

“It’s a tough market out there,” my husband said.

“Writing isn’t for the faint-hearted,” a critique partner comforted. “You need to get up and keep going.” I preferred to lick my wounds. I was tired of knocking on doors only to have them slammed in my face. So I continued to enjoy my pity party.

Several weeks later, in my morning quiet time I read, “The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).

“What are your blessings?” I felt a soft whisper in my heart.

“None,” was my immediate, grumpy reaction.

And then, it seemed like an invisible hand began to etch on my heart: health. The joy of being home with my kids. Time with my children. Homeschooling. My toddler scrambling up on my lap and nestling against my chest. My tween sharing her e-mails and IM conversations with me. A job for my husband. Being able to pursue my writing dream. A supportive family. Caring critique partners...

I bowed my head, tears pricking the back of my eyes. “Lord, forgive me, please. Truly there is no sorrow with your blessings.”