Had two nice sets of encouragements today – both while sorting old photos – one was a great set from my undergraduate days – when for our spring festivities I was dressed as a clown and my aunt attended with my family and she was the one who took my photo. Yeah I was cute – And, so if I could tell my 19-20 year old self something – it would be to “KEEP SMILING” – keep cheering – keep helping… (and oh yeah – don’t sweat the small stuff – life is too jam packed to be worrying about crumbs when there are whole cake-slices of life to be had….)

The other encouragement was reading a letter written to my aunt in the late 90’s from her Canadian Pen Pal – yes someone she corresponded with for like 50 years I think – and well this letter, mixed in with photos, spoke of encouragement after my grandfather died – at a ripe old age of 90 – it was a major hurt in our family’s life, especially to my aunts who lived with him…  It starts with “This letter may not be understood by you at the moment”…  “You may have to mourn the loss of your dad for a while, but after a time he’d probably get on with the art of living and helping someone special.” 

The letter continues, I paraphrase: “My dad said to me (when I had just come from the kitchen where I had just helped my mom), said: ‘Go and help your mother – go help her again’….” – “So I did and haven’t stopped since. I’m her companion and I do the corny things one takes for granted. When she doesn’t want help, I proceed to do clean up duties. It works perfectly. My mom is 93 and doing fine and I as such. If I’m able to be her companion for the time she has left on this earth. I’m happy.”…

SO YES – great advice in the art of living – be a help – and be helpful to someone while you are hoping for the next new thing – be a companion while you can – and always help someone special (your mother – your father – or whomever is in your life)…

As we know we need each other – and so many have helped us – we can help. AND – we will see that the Lord will send the right people at the right time – sometimes someone is sent to you – and sometimes you are sent to others…  That’s the art of living – being helpful – being hopeful – and keeping being OK to live while you are hoping and helping…

AMEN

(And thanks to my own encouragers this week and always – I have had a few and I truly appreciate them!)