Category: A Letterful Life

A Note of Encouragement for Every Girl Heading Back to School 2016

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Dear School-Bound Girl,

Here we are again. You’re heading back to school….Can you believe it? Neither can I! 

You said you’re super-excited and stepping-on-egg-shells nervous all mixed together. I’ve got some good news: most heroines of adventures have the same mix of emotions as they start on their journeys!

Ok, so maybe you aren’t thinking of another school year as a book-worthy adventure. But the truth is, there are similarities. Like all adventures, this year is going to have its own calms, highs and lows. After all, it wouldn’t be much of an adventure if you just sailed through on glassy seas, would it? I mean, who would want to read a book like this: “It all started when Molly went to school. From the first day, everything went perfectly swell for her.” Not much thrill in that is there? But if it begins with, “It all started when Molly went to school. From the first day, everything went perfectly swell for her. Everything, that is, except…” Now you’re left wondering, aren’t you?

Don’t misunderstand; I want you to have those calm seas where you can take a deep breath, feel the gentle breezes and just draw in your journal because words aren’t needed. I also want you to have those mountaintop moments that put a smile on your face and a spring in your step and that you scribble about in your journal because you want to savor each sweet second forever! I pray you’ll have the very best of both tranquil and terrific times. May they be sprinkled over your school year like sprinkles on a sundae. 

But you’re going to come across those low moments, too, dear girl. Those moments that make you reach for the Kleenex box, leave salty spots on your journal pages and that you might even want to erase from your life. As hard as it is to understand, you are given those moments just like a heroine in a book. Perhaps God will use them to grow you, to move your story forward or to give you a heart prepared to comfort other hurting hearts. While knowing that may not help when you’re swamped in a school-year-sadness, hang in there. Maybe it really will help to know that I’ve prayed that God will be closest to you in those tear-stained times. King David lived through dozens of dark days that drew him closer to God. Those days gave us the Psalms. Not a bad outcome of that story, right?

You mentioned that you’re dreading having to study again. First of all, I don’t blame you one little bit. This sure has been a lovely summer! I may seem old now, but I still remember my own school days pretty clearly. While it’s true that I usually loved to learn new things – writers are always having to be curious! – I did have my fair share of dread-bound days when the last thing I wanted to do was crack the cover of a school book. How should a girl handle severe summer-induced study-itis? A snippet from Anne Shirley of Green Gables comes to mind. After deciding to study to become a teacher,  Anne tells Marilla, 

“I shall take more interest than ever in my studies now…because I have a purpose in life. Mr. Allan [the minister at Anne’s church whose wife is a good friend of Anne’s} says that everybody should have a purpose in life and pursue it faithfully. Only he says we must first make sure that it is a worthy purpose….” [1]

I think Anne’s really on to something here. A well-grounded purpose gives us an extra push in the right direction. Perhaps you could consider a purpose for your studies this year. Not just “to get to the next grade”, but something that goes beyond yourself.  Need an idea? You know I love to give ideas!

This year I’m going to really learn so that I can…

  1. Be on my way to becoming a (teacher, doctor, business owner, etc.)
  2. Help my parents someday when they are old.
  3. Give my younger siblings a hand in getting a good education. (That’s what Grandma Alice’s older siblings did.)
  4. Invent ______________. 
  5. Teach my children someday. 
  6. Be ready for whatever adventures God has ahead of me and listen to Proverbs 3:13-14 (ESV), “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.” 

Of course, don’t forget Mr. Allan’s advice; make sure your purpose is a worthy one. Check in with God about it. Then, if you’re like me, coming up with a purpose isn’t enough because it’s so easy to forget good resolutions. Why not write down your purpose and post it in different places where you’ll see it often like by your desk or on your computer? Hmmm. I’m thinking I need to do this with a few of my goals. Practicing what I preach would be good, wouldn’t it?

So there you go, dear friend. I hope that’s an encouragement. Let me know how it goes, won’t you? The picture-worthy days, the smile-wearing days, the tear-wiping days…You know I’m always up for listening to a story. And as you sail into this new installment in the adventure series Of Your Life, don’t forget that somebody (yours truly!) has prayed for you.

Hugs & Blessings,  

~Kristi

1 L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1995), 313-314. An Everyman’s Library children’s classic edition.

Dear Caregiver

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Dear Caregiver,

I’m thinking of you this morning. Maybe you’re repeating yourself for the thirteenth time, heading out to a doctor’s appointment, answering yet another urgent phone call, preparing a meal, cleaning up, or catching a few rare moments of quiet. You might be a daughter, a son, a mother, a father, a wife, a husband, a nurse, a hospice worker, or an aid. Maybe you’re caring for someone in your own family, or perhaps you never knew this person existed until you were given their name. It’s possible you’re loving what you do. On the other hand, maybe you’re feeling like any joy has been zapped from your to-do’s.

However your story reads at this moment, I want to tell you something: Thank you. Thank you for caring enough to go the extra mile, to do the dirty work when necessary, to simply be there. I’ve seen some of you in action, and I know you have a big job. I know that to do it well takes patience, selflessness and self-control. I also know what a blessing it is to families like mine to have another set of capable hands ready to help and another kind heart to care. 

You live in a world that tempts everyone to value production over people, but your work stands in contrast to that. Those you serve may not be able to produce much of monetary value, but you value them anyway. Thus, you invest every day in something that lasts for eternity – living souls. For all of this and so much more, I’m grateful for you. Whether you feel like you deserve it or not, thank you.

I’m also praying for you this morning. From my experience, I’ve seen that your days can be filled with sad pictures. I’m praying that God will give you sunny blessings in the midst of grey skies. Your work may be wearing on your heart and your health. I’m praying that God will guard your heart, strengthen your hands, and give you refreshing sleep. And for those nights when you’re awakened yet again, I’m praying that His joy will be your strength to get you through another day. On the days when you feel like you have a thankless, unnoticed job, I’m praying that you’ll remember that not everyone whom Jesus helped thanked Him either and that – no matter where you are – He sees what you’re doing right now. If your cup is empty, I’m praying that God will make it overflow. When you’re the one who needs comfort but you have to give it instead, I’m praying that you’ll remember that the God of all comfort values your tears (Ps. 56:8) and is right there with you. I’m praying that when you need it most, He will give you the tender words you need, whether for yourself or someone else.

And maybe it will help a little to know that today someone is thinking of, thankful for and praying for you.

Hugs&Blessings,

Kristen

P.S. Yes, I really did pray for you this morning!

I have been blessed to share some thoughts on A Little Bit Older, a website dedicated to encouraging Christ-like love for and life with the elderly. About a year ago, I posted this letter to caregivers. It touched enough hearts that I thought there might be more caregivers who could use the same encouragement today.

A Little Lift: The Gift of Shared Comfort for a Snail-Mail Saturday

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The other day, I received this darling card from a friend. The little yellow house is sailing through the cloud-cluttered sky thanks to the mountain of  colorful balloons. Who wouldn’t have their spirits lifted by a card like that? But what makes me smile even more is on the inside…

This particular friend knew about a recent, potentially challenging event in my life – something that she herself has experienced. Because of sharing this reality, she was ready with empathy and encouragement for me. What were her words? Here is a portion of the verse that she shared with me: 

“…steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.” (Psalm 32:10, ESV)

Ah, Isn’t there something especially special about knowing that (even in a small way) someone understands what you’re going through? Doesn’t it often seem like someone who has been through whatever you’re facing is best equipped to help you? 

Maybe one of the reasons God gives us the tough stuff in our lives is so we will be equipped to comfort others. Like 2 Corinthians 1 says, as we go through hard times, God  comforts us (like through that verse!) so that we can offer that same gift to others. I find it soul strengthening to know that God has a redemptive plan that goes beyond ourselves. While suffering can draw us closer to Him, He can also use it to help us draw others to Him. It takes a great God to do something like that. 

I’m thankful for this sister in Christ who acted out that truth for me this week. What about you? When was a time a friend spread a little knowing comfort over you? Or on whom could you lavish a little of the comfort you’ve been given? If you’re the crafty type like my friend, you may even be able to make a sure-to-bring-a-smile card to pop in the mailbox. Whether we make this a Snail-Mail Saturday or write a text, make a call, or stop by to give a heart-to-heart hug, let’s keep our eyes open for opportunities to share the comfort we’ve been given and to give others a lift. Maybe you feel that all the comfort you can give is one balloon’s worth of boost. Never mind. After all, most people probably don’t really want their houses to take off…But you never know! You might end up giving someone a boost into a fanciful adventure that sweeps you right along, too, up, up and away! I think I saw a movie kind of like that once…

Dear School-Bound Girl…

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Dear School-Bound Girl,

Here we are again. You’re heading back to school….Can you believe it? Neither can I! 

You said you’re super-excited and stepping-on-egg-shells nervous all mixed together. I’ve got some good news: most heroines of adventures have the same mix of emotions as they start on their journeys!

Ok, so maybe you aren’t thinking of another school year as a book-worthy adventure. But the truth is, there are similarities. Like all adventures, this year is going to have its own calms, highs and lows. After all, it wouldn’t be much of an adventure if you just sailed through on glassy seas, would it? I mean, who would want to read a book like this: “It all started when Molly went to school. From the first day, everything went perfectly swell for her.” Not much thrill in that is there? But if it begins with, “It all started when Molly went to school. From the first day, everything went perfectly swell for her. Everything, that is, except…” Now you’re left wondering, aren’t you?

Don’t misunderstand; I want you to have those calm seas where you can take a deep breath, feel the gentle breezes and just draw in your journal because words aren’t needed. I also want you to have those mountaintop moments that put a smile on your face and a spring in your step and that you scribble about in your journal because you want to savor each sweet second forever! I pray you’ll have the very best of both tranquil and terrific times. May they be sprinkled over your school year like sprinkles on a sundae. 

But you’re going to come across those low moments, too, dear girl. Those moments that make you reach for the Kleenex box, leave salty spots on your journal pages and that you might even want to erase from your life. As hard as it is to understand, you are given those moments just like a heroine in a book. Perhaps God will use them to grow you, to move your story forward or to give you a heart prepared to comfort other hurting hearts. While knowing that may not help when you’re swamped in a school-year-sadness, hang in there. Maybe it really will help to know that I’ve prayed that God will be closest to you in those tear-stained times. King David lived through dozens of dark days that drew him closer to God. Those days gave us the Psalms. Not a bad outcome of that story, right?

You mentioned that you’re dreading having to study again. First of all, I don’t blame you one little bit. This sure has been a lovely summer! I may seem old now, but I still remember my own school days pretty clearly. While it’s true that I usually loved to learn new things – writers are always having to be curious! – I did have my fair share of dread-bound days when the last thing I wanted to do was crack the cover of a school book. How should a girl handle severe summer-induced study-itis? A snippet from Anne Shirley of Green Gables comes to mind. After deciding to study to become a teacher,  Anne tells Marilla,

“I shall take more interest than ever in my studies now…because I have a purpose in life. Mr. Allan [the minister at Anne’s church whose wife is a good friend of Anne’s} says that everybody should have a purpose in life and pursue it faithfully. Only he says we must first make sure that it is a worthy purpose….” [1]

I think Anne’s really on to something here. A well-grounded purpose gives us an extra push in the right direction. Perhaps you could consider a purpose for your studies this year. Not just “to get to the next grade”, but something that goes beyond yourself.  Need an idea? You know I love to give ideas!

This year I’m going to really learn so that I can…

  1. Be on my way to becoming a (teacher, doctor, business owner, etc.)
  2. Help my parents someday when they are old.
  3. Give my younger siblings a hand in getting a good education. (That’s what Grandma Alice’s older siblings did.)
  4. Invent ______________. 
  5. Teach my children someday. 
  6. Be ready for whatever adventures God has ahead of me and listen to Proverbs 3:13-14 (ESV), “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.” 

Of course, don’t forget Mr. Allan’s advice; make sure your purpose is a worthy one. Check in with God about it. Then, if you’re like me, coming up with a purpose isn’t enough because it’s so easy to forget good resolutions. Why not write down your purpose and post it in different places where you’ll see it often like by your desk or on your computer? Hmmm. I’m thinking I need to do this with a few of my goals. Practicing what I preach would be good, wouldn’t it?

So there you go, dear friend. I hope that’s an encouragement. Let me know how it goes, won’t you? The picture-worthy days, the smile-wearing days, the tear-wiping days…You know I’m always up for listening to a story. And as you sail into this new installment in the adventure series Of Your Life, don’t forget that somebody (yours truly!) has prayed for you.

Hugs & Blessings,  

~Kristen    

1 L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1995), 313-314. An Everyman’s Library children’s classic edition.

“The Consoling Voice of a Friend”: A Snail-Mail Saturday Post Featuring Nathaniel Greene and Henry Knox

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Have you ever made such a weighty mistake or faced such a heavy disappointment that you needed a friend to share the load?

Nathaniel Greene could relate. As I mentioned in last week’s post, the Patriots felt several defeats during the second half of 1776. One of their losses was Fort Washington. On November 17, 1776, Patriot leader Nathaniel Greene, who was somewhat to blame for the defeat, wrote to his fellow-Patriot Henry Knox,

“I feel mad, vexed, sick, and sorry. Never did I need the consoling voice of a friend more than now. Happy should I be to see you. This is a most terrible event…”[1] 

Sometimes it sure helps to have a friend nearby, doesn’t it? Even just their kind words can make such a difference.

Of course, it’s true that sometimes our friends can’t be right with us when we think we need them or we can’t be right there for them. Since it’s a Snail-Mail Saturday, why not take a few minutes to be the kind of there-when-it-counts friend we’d all like to have and jot a note to a friend who could use some cheering up? In this age of texts, messages, and tweets a snail-mail letter could truly be a sweet surprise! And maybe you could include a reminder of Who is the true Always-There Friend and “God of all comfort” (Psalm 139:7-12, Matthew 28:20, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

1 David McCullough, 1776: The Illustrated Edition (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007), pg. 192.  You can see and hold a facsimile (like the one in the featured photo) of Nathaniel Greene’s letter in this book.

For Snail-Mail Saturday: A Letter from Patrick Henry to His Daughter

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I first learned about Patrick Henry's special letter to his daughter Annie in this book by Susan Olasky.

I first learned about Patrick Henry’s special letter to his daughter Annie from this book by Susan Olasky.

On March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry delivered his “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech before the House of Burgesses. His words still echo down the halls of history. With that in mind, he’s the focus of today’s Snail-Mail Saturday post! However, I decided to give you a glimpse of him that you may not be familiar with – just as I wasn’t until several years ago.

Below are excerpts from a letter Patrick Henry penned to his daughter Annie on the occasion of her wedding in 1786. I did my best (with the time I had) to find an accurate copy. (I  found several that differed slightly.) At any rate, the advice Patrick Henry shares seems like a good reminder for all of us, whether married or not. And perhaps this letter will paint you a picture of Patrick Henry as not only a Christian statesman and the “Trumpet of the Revolution” but also as a loving Christian father.

My Dear Daughter

 You have just entered into that state which is replete with happiness or misery. …                              

    You are allied to a man of honor, of talents, and of an open, generous disposition. You have, therefore, in your power all the essential ingredients of happiness: it cannot be marred, if you now reflect upon that system of conduct which you ought invariably to pursue – if you will now see clearly the path from which you will resolve never to deviate. …

    The first maxim which you should impress upon your mind is never to control your husband, by opposition, by displeasure, or any other work of anger. … Little things that in reality are mere trifles in themselves often produce bickering and even quarrels. Never permit them to be a subject of dispute; yield them with pleasure, with a smile of affection. …

    Cultivate your mind by the perusal of those books which instruct while they amuse. Do not devote much of your time to novels. … History, geography, poetry, moral essays, biography, travels, sermons, and other well-written religious productions, will not fail to enlarge your understanding, to render you a more agreeable companion, and to exalt your virtue. A woman devoid of rational ideas of religion, has no security for her virtues; it is sacrificed to her passions, whose voice, not that of God, is her only governing principle. Besides, in those hours of calamity to which families must be exposed, where will she find support, if it be not in the just reflections upon that all-ruling Providence which governs the universe, whether inanimate or animate? 

    Mutual politeness between the most intimate friends is essential to that harmony which should never be broken or interrupted. How important, then, it is between man and wife! … I will only add, that matrimonial happiness does not depend on wealth; no, it is not to be found in wealth; but in minds properly tempered and united to our respective situations. Competency is necessary. All beyond that is ideal. Do not suppose, however, that I would not advise your husband to augment his property by all honest and commendable means. …

    In the management of your domestic concerns, let prudence and wise economy prevail. Let neatness, order and judgment be seen in all your different departments. Unite liberality with a just frugality; always reserve something for the hand of charity; and never let your door be closed to the voice of suffering humanity. Your servants, in particular, will have the strongest claim upon your charity; let them be well fed, well clothed, nursed when in sickness, and let them never be unjustly treated.

Isn’t it interesting to peek into life during America’s early days? I especially like getting to know people of the past through their own words. You can read the letter in its entirety here on GoogleBooks, Patrick Henry: Life, Correspondence and Speeches Vol. 2 by William Wirt Henry, 1891. See Chapter XXXIV, pg. 305-309. Newer republished editions are also available on Amazon.

Sixty-Six Love Letters

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I’m sitting here with a stack of love letters – sixty-six of them in fact. Of the many wonderful things about them, one of the very best is that these letters were written for me!

Some of them are looking worn. I guess I’ve read them over and over for a variety of reasons. Some of them tell stories. Others present powerful poems. Some share great advice. Others offer comfort and encouragement that I’ve gone to again and again. They not only help me understand the world better but also give me a deep look into the heart behind each originally handwritten word. Woven into all of them is this amazing epic of a Groom (who really outdoes Mr. Darcy or Mr. Whoever-Your-Superhero-Is by a long shot) pursuing the Bride even when she’s not so lovable. What girl wouldn’t love that? Yes, these letters were written by quite an awesome Author.

Ok. Whom am I kidding, right? These sixty-six letters that I’m talking about are bound up in a book: the Bible. But everything I’ve said about them is still true.

I got the idea of viewing the books of the Bible as love letters from this quote:

“Read the Scripture, not only as a history, but as a love letter sent to you from God…”

A Puritan pastor named Thomas Watson said that. I wonder what a novel written by him would read like. I know I’d at least like to have heard a sermon by a man who really lived out the above words!

Anyway, as I sit here mulling over God’s love letters to me, I’m pursuing a new adventure. I’m going to try to read all of these love letters by February 14, 2016. I’m not following a specific plan because I want to spend more time on some sections than others, but I have a list to check off.

Anyone want to join me in this venture? I’d love to hear about it if you do! Leave a comment if you like. (See “Leave a comment” to the left! or in the box below depending on your display.)

So far, it hasn’t been as hard as I imagined, but maybe a little accountability and camaraderie would help. Along that line, I’ll probably give glimpses from this journey throughout the coming months, and it would be great to hear what you’re learning from God’s story as well.

IMG_0398Whether we read all sixty-six love letters or just a handful this coming year, I hope we all grow in knowing the width and length and height and depth of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18-19), the only Groom Who can promise us – and deliver – a real Joy-Filled Ever After.

Special thanks to my friend Diana M. for the snail-mail snippet that inspired me to search the Scriptures more seriously this year. 

1 Watson, Thomas: A Body of Divinity, http://thomaswatsonquotes.com/?s=love+letter