The Thanksgiving season upon us, I’d like to give thanks for the success and steady growth of our company, Watchfire Music.  In the beginning, the idea of creating a new genre, Inspirational Music, and a new record company in the worst financial crash of the past half-century and the downfall of the record business in general was viewed as a pretty strange idea.

But we thought it might be just the thing that was needed to lift the world’s thought.  After all, music is one of our most inspirational human and spiritual mediums and if there was anything the world needs now, it’s to be inspired – inspired with a set of values that lift thought to a higher integrity and not depress.

It ain’t been easy.  Growth during this strange time has sometimes slowed to a snail’s pace, but it hasn’t stopped and we’ve stayed nimble enough to move with the times, listen to the needs of our growing customer base, re-evaluate our approaches, change our ways of doing things and get through.

I’m happy to report that this month of November, 2010 will break the all-time record for sales for Watchfire Music.  With two selling days left, number one is sure to become number two.  We don’t base success on sales, mind you; we prefer to look at our success in terms of how many people we inspire.  We try to put money second and inspiration first.

So I’m most happy to report that we’ve also never had such an infusion of emails, feedback and comments from all of you out there in reaction to our ideas and our products.  With Digital Sheet Music we’re fulfilling a need for soloists, musical directors, organists, and music committees to provide them with quality music week after week for their church services.

Led by the success of Julia Wade’s best-selling CD, Every Day, our record sales are also at an all-time high.  Music today does not have to be free and people are willing to pay for quality lyrics and inspiring music.

The success of the music business depends on the worth and value of the music.  It’s quality that shapes demand and we’re committed to providing that quality inspiration to our customers.  Essentially we’re trying to live that quality every day.  We’re grateful for the opportunity.

I read something the other day that struck me very strongly.  It was from one of our Internet gurus, Seth Godin, a blogger whose posts I read daily.  I added a line or two and created a reminder sign for my desk.  It looks like this:

Wise words to lead us into 2011.

OK, enough pattin’ ourselves on the back for now.  I just thought y’all out there might be interested.  After all, you’re a major part of this company and have played a huge part in its steady growth.

This Thanksgiving I’m grateful for you, for our marvelous, dedicated and hardworking staff and for God’s graceful and ever-present direction through the mountains and valleys.

Thank you all.