Uniquely December: Letter-Writing Day

A few weeks back we had a lesson at church focused on taking care of ourselves as women.  One of the challenges we were given was to go home and write a letter.  Not an email, or a text, or a facebook comment...a genuine later.  The promise was made that taking the time to sit down, form our thoughts, and then express them would bring peace in the midst of our harried every day lives.  And not just our lives, but also the lives of the people to whom we're writing.

Letters are "the keepers."  Don't we all have a box or a file somewhere holding treasured salutations?  Maybe tucked inside a birthday card or folded neatly inside a scented envelope?  We don't read them everyday, but when we come across them our hearts are immediately carried back to the emotions of the day we received it.  A hand-written letter guarantees to bring a smile to mind over and over again.

I had three people come immediately to mind after receiving my letter-writing challenge.  One a friend I've been out of contact with for years but who just reached a goal she'd set way back then.  One a sister-in-law I admire for the life she's lived and the choices she's made.  And one my grandmother.

In my lifetime my grandmother's letters have been a precious gift.  They don't come often.  The thought comes to mind to write her only about once a year, but I always know I'll hear receive a message in return.  Her tiny cramped scrawl is pretty hard to read, but the squinting and transcribing is always worth the work.  Especially because my grandma is of the generation that believes nothing that happened in her life is important enough for people to want to know.  The letters she sends with brief accounting of how she passes her days will add immense depth to the history I'll piece together and share with the generations of my family.

I'm ashamed to admit I've only written one of my three letters, and that envelope is still waiting on my kitchen counter to be mailed.  I'm grateful for the reminder today to put my pen to paper and send a short little ray of happiness to the people in my life.

Can I pass the challenge along to you? 

 Sit down and write a letter to someone you know.  

See if it doesn't make you both feel better!

Why I've Been Missing

I've been away for several weeks visiting family and I want to share it with you...

There are a few things that will always be better in the Midwest than here in Utah.  Thunderstorms and swap meets specifically come to mind.  I didn't have the joy of the first while I was home this time, but we did the second one in style!  I introduce you to the Sparks Flea Market in Sparks, KS...

Basically an abandoned town in the middle of nowhere, for 4 days in spring and fall Sparks is converted into three packed city blocks of campers, vendors, shoppers, and unimaginable bargain finds.  My favorite relics to look at were a toddler ride-on Oscar Meyer weinermobile and an antique child's wooden rocking chair.  What I ended up buying (and subsequently hiding and forgetting when it was time to come home) was an antique wooden circus truck complete with wooden circus animals.  At some point my mom will mail it to me and it'll become my first foray into re-finishing an old item.  My boys will love it and I'm so excited!

My littlest making a discovery

There didn't seem to be a reason for my recent trip when I decided to go, but by the time I was there it became obvious that the hand of providence had been at work in my life.  My grandmother passed away while I was on my 18-hour drive towards my childhood home.  I'm certain that I would not have made it out there for her funeral and to be with my family if I had not already been on the way.

Luella Josephine Dobbs from Greg Young on Vimeo.
Because I was there, I had the opportunity to sing a special song at the funeral with my mom and two of my sisters.  Growing up we sang together in church, school music competitions, and other events.  They laughed when I said I missed that and wished I lived closer, but I do and they'd better just watch out...it's not unthinkable that I'd move back just to torture them in that way.

Every year I get nostalgic for the Pella Tulip Time festival.  For anyone not familiar with Pella, it's the home of Pella Windows and VerMeer Corporation.  It was also a settling point for my ancestors and thousands of other early-20th century Dutch immigrants.  Town zoning laws require all commercial buildings to be adorned with traditional Dutch facade and a trip to Pella demands a stop at Jaarsma bakery for S-shaped, almond-flavored Dutch letters.  This year I got to go to the celebration!

It was a chilly, on-and-off rainy day, but it was so much fun!  We got there in time for the afternoon parade and I was instantly transported back to my high-school marching band days.  All the better that my alma mater (can you say alma mater for a high school?) was by far the best band in the parade.  When the rain started we curled up with fresh hot funnel cakes buried in glaze and powdered sugar and then drooled as we walked past the poffertje (mini pancakes) and stroopwaffle (syruped waffle cookies) stands.  

The rest of the day was filled with more food, an antique tractor rodeo, a kiddie corner, and a night parade.  The rest of my trip was filled with plenty of cousins for my kids to play with and family drama that incited both uncontrollable laughter as well as thoughtful conversation.  It was a different kind of visit than I usually have and I hope that my future visits can be the same.