AN ENVELOPE FULL OF LOVE
Un Sobre Llenado Con Amor
By Mary Hunt Webb
Posted Saturday, January 28, 2012
How comforting to find something in the mailbox besides bills and advertisements! [Photographer: Mary Hunt Webb]
While my mother was still alive, I regularly clipped comics, coupons, and newspaper articles that I thought our Nana would enjoy. (Since our son and the rest of her grandchildren called her "Nana," my husband called her that, too.) When I had quite a few clippings, I stuffed them into an envelope and sent them to her. At the time, I was working, managing our home, parenting our son, cooking, gardening, and attending graduate school as well as being a wife and spending time with my husband. Through our long distance phone calls, Nana knew what was happening in our lives.
Nana already knew about our daily lives through our phone calls. [Photographer: Mary Hunt Webb]
The things that I mailed to her were not her source of information. They were just to let her know that I was thinking about her between phone calls. Therefore, I didn't always include a note, but I did decorate the envelope with some of the brightly colored stickers that Nana had sent to our son. That told her that we appreciated her gift of stickers.
Nana always looked forward to finding something from me in her mailbox. [Photographer: Mary Hunt Webb]
One day, an elderly neighbor lady was present when Nana went to her mailbox in her apartment complex. Nana expressed delight when she saw that it contained something from me. The friend watched as Nana happily opened the bulging envelope.
Her neighbor demanded, "Where's the letter?"
Nana smiled and said, "This IS the letter!"
The neighbor grumbled, "I would get angry if one of my kids sent me an envelope like that with no letter in it!"
Nana laughed, "The contents ARE the message. They say, 'I love you! I'm thinking of you! You are in my thoughts! I want to share joy with you!' "
Nana told me about her neighbor's response during my next telephone call to her. As I listened, I felt so blessed that Nana understood my method of expressing love! She knew that my envelopes meant I was thinking of her. I was so glad!
Like my envelopes to my mother, sometimes our prayers don't fit the pattern that others feel is appropriate. Although I have read many books on prayer, I don't think God cares what form our prayers take as long as He hears from us. He already knows what is going on in our lives as well as what our needs and problems are. God doesn't need to hear about those. What He wants is to hear from us. Like my mother did, He wants to know we are thinking of Him and that we care. I feel certain that He appreciates spontaneous prayers. He is sure to feel honored that we take the time to communicate with Him each day, just as my mother did.
I recommend starting each day with prayer even before fixing breakfast, because that puts us in tune with God for the entire day.
My mother's motto was, "Pray throughout the day," and she practiced that daily. That habit made God a part of her life. I have found that following her example helps me to turn every worry or concern into a prayer.
If it makes you feel comfortable at first to begin reading prayers that others have written, that is all right as a beginning. However, you should eventually let go of the handrails of written prayers and take independent steps of communicating with God in your own words. Ask Him to let you know that He is there and that He is listening.
It is all right to ask God to let you know that He is listening to your prayers. [Photographer: Morris S. Webb, Jr.]
It doesn't matter if other people approve of the way you pray or the places from which you pray. The important part is that you pray. Like my mother's joy at receiving my envelopes, God will be happy to hear from you.
Bible Verse for the Week
Psalm 5:1-3 "1) Give ear to my words, O LORD, Consider my meditation. 2) Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. 3) My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up." (New King James Version)
Salmos 5:1-3 "1) Escucha, oh Jehová, mis palabras; Considera mi gemir. 2) Está atento a la voz de mi clamor, Rey mío y Dios mío, Porque a ti oraré. 3) Oh Jehová, de mañana oirás mi voz; De mañana me presentaré delante de ti, y esperaré." (Reina-Valera 1960)
In the morning, I will direct my prayers to You, O Lord, and I will look up. [Photographer: Mary Hunt Webb]
