Writing Letters

People don't write letters very often anymore. It used to be the way we communicated to distant friends and relatives. Long distant phone calls were expensive and to share a long message it was best if written in a letter. The price of a stamp was inexpensive and paper and envelopes were nearly always available.

I think about the service men and women who were stationed overseas or away for months at a time and the letters that were written. What a cherished piece of history those letters became for the families. It was like a piece of home packaged in an envelope, touching the heart, and bringing tears of both joy and sadness.

The long descriptions of life at home, children growing, parents aging, jobs changing, and the love so deep words could not do it justice, would fill the pages with emotion and fact intertwined so carefully. What happened to those days of letters? Now communication has come to abbreviations and short cuts pecked onto electronic devices and zapped away in seconds.

When I was a child I would have pen pals to get me through the long summer months away from my classmates, because I lived on a farm. Sometimes it was a faithful exchange that lasted all through the break, others were short-lived. I'd keep in touch with cousins I rarely saw or with new friends I met at church camp. Many times our letters would continue until we saw each other the next year at camp.

Thankfully we have many letters written in the Bible that give us history, teachings and direction. Paul's writings open new wisdom to us about becoming Christians and growing in our faith. Cherish your letters.

"To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you" (Philippians 1:1-3 NIV).