You've Got Mail

I relish in taking the daily walk to my mailbox. Not my emailbox, my real old school mailbox. Most days it is bills, flyers and more bills, but once in awhile, I see it...The slightly more square envelope, the personal handwriting and a familiar return address in the corner...The paper is thicker, maybe colored and did I mention personal handwriting? I smile, do a little happy dance and skip back to my house (okay...maybe I don't exactly skip, but there is a definite pep in my step) and carefully open the envelope. Often times there are ahhhhhs, laughter or tears...

Then I start having a conversation in my head about how this kind of mail better NEVER be obsolete while I am still alive and how thankful I am for the progress like the Pony Express way back when and how I just want to hug the little white mail trucks nowadays. I don't care what anybody says about email, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger (and I adore them all, I do), NOTHING and I mean NOTHING will ever replace a hand written card sent to you by friend or family. Some are funny. Some you swear were written just for you. Some are so timely that it is what gets you through the day. But most of all I think what makes my heart melt into a million pieces is that one person thought of me...

Because of this little love of cards in a real mailbox, I assume that many of my family and friends share my affections. So I LOVE to write out cards. Not the usual birthday and anniversary cards (mainly because remembering these continues to be something I can't get a grasp on even with all the website reminders)...but the thinking of you, saw this card and it was written for you or even thank yous. I love taking that moment in time to share with that person how much they mean to me, why I love them and how thankful I am for the role they play in my life. How often do we REALLY sit down and do that? Words have a lot of power especially when they are written, stamped and sent. This day in age, that process is considered archaic and take a lot of time. Who do you want to take time for today?

Now I don't say this to solicit cards sent my way (although I won't return to sender if you do), but I say it because today is National Day of Encouragement (how days like this come to be was once highlighted in a West Wing episode, but I can't remember). I jumped all over an opportunity to receive free DaySpring cards to send out for this special day. I had a list immediately in my mind of people in my life that could use some encouragement this month:

-a friend with a 1 month old baby-you know the honeymoon starts wearing off, you are getting no sleep and you wonder what the heck did I get myself into 1 month mark?

-a friend that is being tested by God in her obedience and trust by uprooting her family and a life of 10+ years to start all over in a city 400 miles away in a new job

-a friend that is struggling to make sense of her job

-a friend that needed new bras...HELLO?!?!? Encouragement or at least a good laugh!

-a friend is letting go of her oldest to Kindergarten

-a friend returning to work after 7 months of bed rest and maternity leave

So my encouragement (or STRONG URGE...like right now, not later because if you wait you won't do it) to you today is to make a list. Make a list of people in your life that could use a pick me up between the bills and flyers. That you can't go another second without saying how much he/she means to you. Take the time to write in your own handwriting, get a stamp and mail it.