The Letters – Sunday Sunshine 02.22.09 (a little early)

I’ve been doing a little spring cleaning as of late, and today that included going through a folder of old letters and cards. Those pieces of paper are such treasures to me, and it is hard to part with something when you know the memories of that person and that time will fade with its disappearance.

I held in my hands fragments of the last ten years—encouragement from scripture, tender words of appreciation, daily happenings, birthday and anniversary wishes—blessing upon blessing heaped on my heart. A quick note scratched by a friend from high school on a magazine page reminded me of an inside joke. A fat envelope spilled forth artwork and trinkets of expressed love from a 3rd grader whom I counseled at summer camp. A love note from Husband (pre-marriage) praised my beauty inside and out. Shaky, scrawling letters on lined paper from my grandpa reassured me of God’s love during his battle with cancer. Note after note from my closest and dearest of college friends thanked me for friendship, encouragement and sharpening (Oh the grace of God to have them in my daily life! I wish it could be so again!). All these sang from their pages, “You are blessed! You have been influenced by many and had influence on many!”

Sometimes I talk myself into thinking that my life has no meaning, that God has never used me, that I could die and no one would be worse off. But these letters, these graces, have cheered me. Even if I feel un-useable or rather, un-used, I know that in some small way in someone’s life, I am a part of God’s sovereign plan. Or I wouldn’t be here.

So take heart! If you are feeling low, take your eyes off yourself for the moment and cherish the opportunity to bless someone else with a hand-written letter. It could be that God uses is to cheer them now and then again years down the road.