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When I taught confirmation, I would share some of Paul’s letters with my students. I’d tell them that, before phones and computers, letters were important ways to communicate. Paul’s messages to fledgling churches were loving and encouraging. Congregations all over the known world came to think of Paul as a beloved brother in Christ. His letters kept the early churches growing and blossoming.
Letter writing is no longer a regular part of young people’s lived experiences. The world has changed, and that’s not a bad thing. But it is a shame when something precious is lost.
When was the last time you got a personal letter or card in the mail? For many of us, it’s been quite a while. Email and texting have largely replaced that more old-fashioned kind of communication. But my kids still love to create and send messages. Mailing those messages is even more magical now, because it isn’t something we normally do anymore. And being on the receiving end of a note in the mailbox is even better.
Just like the flowers of spring, faith blooms when it is tended, and caring for others is just about the best “faith food” there is.
Practices
Identify recipients for cards and letters, such as nursing home residents, soldiers serving overseas, children in hospitals. Research organizations and their addresses. Once that is done, gather your family around a table. Have a variety of writing supplies available: pens, colored pencils, crayons, an assortment of paper and blank note cards. Make sure to have envelopes and postage stamps too (and be prepared to explain what stamps are). Let everyone select their paper and writing implements. Then get busy! For the littles, drawing pictures and maybe writing their name or a simple message is fine. Older kids and adults can write actual letters. As you work, remind your family that they are showing Jesus’ love and care, and that the recipients will be so happy to hear from them.
Take part in an activity that rocks. Here’s a nifty way to combine making art and spending time outdoors together. You’ll need smooth, medium-size rocks, tempera paint and brushes. Your resident Picassos can decorate their rocks to their hearts’ content. Leave the rocks to dry (in the sun if possible). Then over the next days and weeks, tuck a rock in your pocket when you go out and leave it on the street, in a garden or on the playground for someone to find—an unexpected treasure to brighten someone’s day!
Add to nature’s springtime beauty by planting seeds for quick-growing flowers (sunflowers, marigolds, morning glories, impatiens, geraniums, to name a few) in small, soil-filled pots with holes for drainage. Place them on a sunny windowsill and water them when they are dry. With a little luck, the flowers will bloom in just a couple of weeks. Those plants will be wonderful gifts for folks who need cheering up.
