Tuesday, January 26, 2010


National letter writing month?

I saw something in a magazine that said that January is national letter writing month. I've been meaning to blog about that fact ever since I first read it and was bemoaning the fact that I had just gotten around to it during the last few days of this month.

However, when I tried to find out more details, I learned that National Card and Letter Writing Month -- at least as it has been established by the U.S. Postal Service is actually April. Perhaps, there are two organizations who have designated two different months in the year to be devoted to the lovely art of writing personal letters. Or, maybe, the post office has changed their month to January this year.

Whatever the case is, I love the idea of devoting a month to writing personal letters! Of course, Email and even quicker forms of electronic communication are wonderful. Now, we can communicate so rapidly with our loved ones. Those of us who have relatives living far away are truly blessed; consider the many mothers of pioneers and missionaries, for example, who had to wait months or even a year for a letter from their offspring. Even at that, communiques might be lost. Now, we can even chat real-time via things like Skype.

Even so, an actual hand-written note carries a charm that electronic forms of communication just can't provide. Receiving a card or letter in the mailbox brightens the day. It is a spot of cheer amidst the bills and junk mail. If you regularly receive such written missives, it makes going to the mailbox a whole lot more fun. Plus, a hand-written letter can be savored again at a later date and can be shared with others as is appropriate.

Writing cards and letters is actually a great exercise in writing. We tend to be more careful with our choice of words when writing a letter versus sending some sort of electronic message. Plus, we tend to include lovely little details in a letter that we might not care to record on a venue like Facebook or Email.

So, why not designate every month as National Letter Writing Month? Or, if a year seems to daunting to you, pick one month of the calendar to be your personal letter writing month and send out as many cards and letters as you can. If your budget allows, indulge in some lovely stationary to inspire your efforts. Otherwise, use whatever paper and envelopes you have on hand.

Happy letter writing!

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Friday, January 15, 2010


Things that are lovely....

Food for the imagination...

Of course, the Lord, family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and friends head the list of lovely things to think about, but here are some others...

Blue skies with dots of white clouds...
Pretty candles...
Sparkling clean windows, slightly open with snowy white curtains billowing about them...
Roses...
All flowers...(Never met a flower I didn't like)
Butterflies...
Butterfly houses with lots and lots of different butterflies...
Songbirds...
Primroses...It's a New Year!!
Snowdrops, daffodils -- It's a New Year!! And, spring is on the way...
Hugs...
My Bible and being in the chair where I curl up with it...
Smiles...
Babies...
Baby animals...
Beautifully soothing and sweet-smelling lotions...
Wonderful perfumes...
Stew simmering on a cold afternoon...
A table set with love and care...
Lovely music...
Reading with a beloved dog or cat curled up next to you...
Letting the fire in a fireplace warm your back...
Getting a real letter in the mailbox (emails are nice too, but there's something extra special about getting a hand-written, posted letter in these days of electronic communication)
Sweet tea...Isn't that the only kind of iced tea?
Flower-scented breezes...
Ocean-scented breezes...
Crisp breezes...
Warm breezes...
The sound of leaves rustling in the breeze...
The sound of ocean waves...
The songs of birds...
Pianos...
Sitting in the shade of a lovely tree...
Picnics...
Lemons and flowers in clear glass vases to make pretty and inexpensive arrangements...
The smell of a clean home...
Being in the home of someone who really has a talent for home keeping and their presence and the way their house is arranged makes you feel warm and welcome...
The sound of a fountain...
A white picket fence with roses climbing over it...
The colors pink, yellow, blue, lavender or violet, and peachy pink...(Hardly ever met a color I didn't like, but those are my favorite)...
Antique lace...
Faces with smile lines around the eyes...
Faces of people who have lived and cried and loved and worked and believed are now aged, but have such a sweet, faithful, and full spirit...
The hands of people who have lived and cried and loved and worked and held babies and sewed and knitted and have believed and are now aged, but who have a sweet, faithful, and full spirit...
Chocolate...(Need to enjoy this one a little less! It is possible to have too much of a good thing!)
Splurging once in a while on a salon pedicure...Ahhh!
Running water, a roof over my head, a coat to wear, access to doctors and medicine, adequate food...That's more than many people in the world have...God blesses us so that we can share with those in need.
Sunrises and sunsets...
The beauties of each season...
Healthy and productive work to do...
Beautiful clocks...
Gleaming wood, polished furniture...
Picnic checked table cloths...
Clean sheets...
Wonderful quilts to snuggle under...
Hearing children play...

The world is so full of beautiful things, I'm sure that we should all be as happy as kings...
Robert Louis Stephenson.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Friday, January 08, 2010


It's diet time again, otherwise known as "heart food -- brain food"

Day I

Well, we know it's January because everywhere we look there are commercials for diet and exercise. People are making resolutions to get in shape this year. Many of us are also craving some lighter fare after eating heavy holiday foods.

I do need to be serious about the food I feed my body and the exercise I give it. But, for this week, I'm going to try a different type of diet. My goal is to give my heart and my brain a healthy diet by watching the things I think about and meditate about. That would also include things that I watch, read, or listen to. For one week, I want to eliminate any tendency to worry or to indulge in critical attitudes and to feed my heart and mind only things that are pure, lovely, noble, of good report, and truthful. That includes making sure that the mental "soup" that simmers in the back of my mind while I attend to tasks that don't require total concentration is healthful and not hurtful.

Do you think I can do it? I'm going to give it a good try. Follow along with me as I chart my progress. Or, better yet, join with me and be my "diet partner".

Enjoy!
Elizabeth