Cards. Cards! Cards?

Hello Friends,

How are you doing today? Can you believe that just a few weeks ago, snow was on the ground and then last week it felt like Spring, and now we are experiencing true Fall weather? Where else could you experience almost every season of the year in one month? It’s really confusing at times!

However, with the constant change of weather and the changing of seasons, I have found myself thinking about what is on the horizon: Thanksgiving and Christmas. When thinking about these two holidays, I’m not really thinking about the food or the presents or even the fellowship (even though all of those things are important). What I’m actually thinking about are what some people do during those holidays or at least what they send. A lot of people over these two holidays send cards! Have you ever received or sent a card to someone? Have you ever thought about what a card means? Let me explain…

Cards. Many of us have been receiving cards or giving cards for a majority of our life. Many of us have containers filled with cards that we have only been read once but we cherish to this day. There are Birthday cards, Anniversary cards, Get Well Soon cards, Thinking of you cards, Sympathy cards, Thank You cards, Christmas cards, Valentines Day cards, Seasonal cards, cards “Just Because,” and cards for every occasion under the sun. Today, instead of mailing cards, people can send electronic cards. If you think about it, cards have written themselves into the DNA of history. Do you remember the last card you received or sent?

On a wall in the parsonage, Emily and I have a card display that we can change depending on the season. This card display has several thin pieces of rope dangling from it, and on each piece of rope there are several little clips to hold cards. Each season, we display the cards we get during that particular season and see them every day. Currently, it is displaying cards that we have received during the fall season: Halloween cards, Sympathy cards, Pastor Appreciation cards, and even a card with drumset on it. (Some of you display your cards on the fridge, on a cabinet, or on shelves throughout your home.)

Each and everyone of these cards have images and designs that will catch anyone’s attention, but what really catches my attention is what is written on the inside. Sometimes, we simply get a card because we love the way it looks; but sometimes, we also get a card because of what it says. And what cards say can really change someone’s life.

When I look at the cards that are on display on the wall, I find myself thinking about the words written inside those cards and how that message impacts my life. I also enjoy seeing the signature of those who have signed the card because it’s those signatures that represent people that God has placed in my life to help me feel loved, cared for, and noticed. I also think about how each card tells a story of the person who sent it. I also think about how the words written inside any card express the words that people sometimes have a tough time saying in person. Cards have a way of not just sending our emotions and feelings and joys and and condolences and hope and prayers, but they also have a way of capturing the personality and heart of the one sending the card.

I was thinking about the cards on the wall this week, and I found myself realizing that God has given us a card: The Bible. His card is filled with stories of adventures, defeat, and victory, of power, peace, and presence, of challenges, trials, and hope. His card is filled with the greatest story ever told–a walking card of love, forgiveness, grace, and salvation. God wrote His card, but Jesus put His words into action so that we could become a living card for someone else, just like Jesus did. Cards are more than images and words; they are an extension of someone’s story given to you so that you can continue to feel loved.

One of my nieces has taken up letter-writing; and a few months ago I received a card from her. The envelop was covered in stickers, the card was a piece of paper with a drawing of the two of us in the inside, and the words “I Love You” written in big letters. That card is her story, an extension of her love, sent to me. What she did a few months ago is exactly what Jesus does for you every day of your life. He sends you a personalized card with pictures and words that remind that you are loved.

Cards are part of our life. Whether on display or kept in a box of some sort, each and every card that you have received is a reminder that you are loved. When was the last time you sent someone a card? Do you remember the last card you received and who it was from? If Jesus were to send you a card today in the mail, what do you think would be written on the inside? Hopefully, in big letters, it says, “I Love You.” Send someone a card who needs to know that they are loved!

Have a Thankful Thanksgiving!

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!