My First Published Paid Article Ever! Woohoo

Yes, gardening in Chicagoland has arrived at the Cichorski house, even though 4-6” of snow was also arriving as I wrote this.
• My first published paid article ever is in the March/April issue of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine.
• I’ll be introducing the speakers at the Garden Show March 9 – 17. Ok, it’s not the Oscars, but Seth could have some hosting competition next year if I do well. Just sayin’.
• I’m speaking at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show again on March 12th at 2:45. My topic is ‘Creativity in the Garden’. I’ve even started to write the presentation. No pressure here.
• Mike has dahlias growing in the basement.
• We are both speaking to Garden Clubs in March. Mike on Dahlias for the Park Ridge Garden Club. Me on ‘Gardening by the Blog’ for the Darien Garden Club.
• My amaryllis, though behind schedule, will be chiming in with a bloom any day.
• Did I mention that my first published paid article ever is in the March/April issue of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine? Its about our fence.

Growth is really a process, isn’t it? I’m not talking about my yard, I’m talking about people. And growing enough to write for Chicagoland Gardening Magazine has been a goal of mine. As has working for the Chicago Flower and Garden Show. Do you have some goals, latent or in-process?

I think Bill Hybels (Pastor at Willow Creek Church) was right this last weekend when he said we reach our goals by getting them on our calendar. I’ll add that they are just dreams till we start taking action. In Bill’s case, he wanted to be a Great Dad when Shawna and Todd were small. He penciled in 4 nights a week on his calendar for family time. Not a natural for a busy pastor, but it was what he felt he needed to do to meet the goal.

I’m glad that my calendar finally includes a weekly Bible Study. What we give our time to says a lot about who we are, or in this case, who I want to grow to be.

Over the last several years, I’ve also committed to writing this blog, posting 3 – 4 times a month. Hmmm, sounds like a calendar entry, a rather lose one, but an entry none-the less. I don’t know if the collection will ever be the basis for my book ‘Creativity in God’s Garden’, but the book is much more likely to happen thanks to the blog.

Perhaps it’s time for your dreams to become goals. Start with a calendar entry today.

Did I mention that my first published paid article ever is in the March/April issue of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine?