I have been blessed throughout my life. God gave me lots of talents to use.
God gave me the talent of working with my hands. I have tried several different things but I kept praying and trying to listen to God’s plan of me. I truly believe that my calling to help others however I can and to be a wreath maker. I have been totally blessed with such powerful support from my family, friends and community loving and purchasing my wreaths. I believe that you have a hidden talent that you will find if you listen and obey God’s plan for you.
I have special person in my life that I totally think is the one I got my talents from, my Aunt Annie. Growing up I watched her make beautiful decorations for her home and church. My Uncle Bunk was a Methodist minister and they entertained a lot of church members and families for as long as I can remember. Their house was always gorgeous. She taught me to cross stitch and to candle wicking (a type of hand embroidery. She always was making wreaths and centerpieces to take to someone, she would give you anything. She lives in Virginia so I don’t get to see her much. Last year, I felt good enough to travel so my mom and I went to see her and the rest of our family in Virginia. I decided before we left that she had lead the way for me and I was taking her one of my wreaths. She lives in a beautiful assisted living home. I made her the wreath in the picture so she could have an everyday wreath to hang on her door. That wreath is still hanging exactly where I hung it, on her room door. She was so happy to have one of my wreaths. I am really excited because we are going back in July and I will make her a fall wreath to hang on her door. I know she will be excited to have another wreath.
All of this was in God’s plan for me. He knew I would need something to do after the last two years. He started the plan while I was a child and put the people in my life to show me how to do things.
We lived in Savannah, Ga for many years and I had the pleasure to work with a florist, Vern Criner, who taught me a lot also. While working with him, his florist was hired to assist, Martha Stewart, who had been hired to do all the flowers for a wedding in Savannah. That was a great experience, I will never forget. All of these experiences were teaching tools as part of God’s plan for me.
I decided I wanted to be an innkeeper, I had an opportunity to do an internship in Nantucket, a very quaint little island off the coast of Hyannis, MA. I lived there for a year and I loved it. I was asked to do florals for the restaurant we had in the inn, right up my alley. Once my internship was up, I made a hard decision and went back to work for the airlines. I moved to West Virginia and that is where I met Donnie who also worked for the airlines. We were married and moved to GA. After I had Michael, I became a stay at home home, due to major medical issues with him. Still part of the plan. I had Gracie two years later. Once the kids started school, I got very involved and helped out until they graduated doing all kinds of different things. I told the kids, I graduated also when Gracie walked across that stage.
I went to WV for 5 months to help Donnie’s mom, while she was going through some health issues. Donnie’s two aunts were there also and I got to learn quilting from both of them, just another part of the plan.
I have had a rough two years being diagnosed with Stage 3c, colorectal cancer. After two years of fighting, I am cancer free. I thank God everyday for that gift. I have a few issues that are not allowing me to work outside of the home that the doctors are trying to get corrected. Radiation and colon cancer surgery really did a number on my body. I will get better over time. I did make wreaths to help with expenses of the cancer and traveling frequently to Florida for treatment. . Once I had the surgery I had to stop everything. No more wreaths, quilts, or anything. It absolutely drove me crazy. After two years the doctor decided, my body still is not ready for a job. I really felt is was time for me to be able to help out financially but not yet.
I prayed everyday asking God what am I suppose to do, he kept telling me to use my talents. I asked what talents and he kept sending wreath designs for me to do. So I did some wreaths and they sold immediately. So I did more and they sold quickly also. I have to say that God is good. You have to obey his word and he will guide you where you are suppose to be and with what you are suppose to be doing.
So I will be a wreath maker, a wreath maker that does custom wreaths, ready to ship wreaths, seasonal wreaths and we will be adding wreath sashes soon. I have a couple of customer who have brought a sentimental grapevine, and asked me to repurpose it and she also brought a door hanger and wanted a new bow and fix some paint. I had another customer bring me a sign she had and asked me to put it in a wreath. So there lots of options for me to do with wreaths.
So if you don’t know what your talents are, ask God to show you because he has a plan for you to use your God given talents.
I am blessed,
Cindy