Return to the M.B. Herald Vol. 35, No. 20 Home Page
The gift of words is not easily shared. I once asked my mother to give me a letter for my birthday telling me what hopes she had for me as a child, and to recall meaningful childhood memories. She found it easier to buy me a beautiful wind-suit with matching earrings that year. But the encouraging words were later documented in a hard-cover journal, in which Mom spent an entire winter making entries and giving responses to questions. Perhaps you have a notebook, scrapbook or journal waiting to be filled with loving memories and words for your family. What kind of words? Your words can be words of comfort and cheer. They may be words of strength and affirmation. Mark Twain once said, "A man can live for two months on one good compliment." Possibly you can also encourage with words of instruction. Proverbs says that "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).
A word of encouragement can make the difference between "giving up or going on". You might like to start a file or scrapbook of letters or notes that people have given you. I have a friend whose "silver box file" is an emotional boost for her as she struggles as a single parent. My file is bright pink, and easily found! On days that your emotional bank account is "in the red", an encouraging word can balance the account again.
For the price of a stamp, an envelope and some pretty paper, you can communicate value and worth to your family and friends. My friend, a mother of three young girls, sent me a four-page letter as a birthday gift two years ago. Her letter is still savoured. I have another friend whose challenge is to raise positive kids in a negative world. Each year she tucks her birthday card from me into her purse until her next birthday. Her daughter told me this, and I was astonished--another reminder of the power and blessing of an encouraging word.
Elaine Froese is from Boissevain, Man. Her column "Seeds of Encouragement" appears regularly in Grainews and Farmwoman.
Return to the M.B. Herald Vol. 35, No. 20 Home Page