In college Heidi and I used to love to get “Stampies,” any piece of mail that had a stamp. That was legitimate mail, almost always from someone who loved us. We’d ask each other: “Did you get any Stampies today?” A Stampie was a big deal.
I still love Stampies. Bills and ads don’t generally have stamps, but letters from loved ones almost always do. With the immediacy of email, I get fewer Stampies than I used to, but the sight of a stamp continues to make me smile when I sort the day’s envelopes.
I’m excited about writing a note of gratitude each day in October. I’m not usually one to add something to my obligations, but I love the idea people opening their mailboxes and finding Stampies. By focusing on how God has blessed me through the people in my life, I will actually make someone else’s day, too. I love Stampies.
Greg Rhodes
Question: If you’ve decided to write some Notes of Gratitude yourself, how do you hope this experience will impact you, and impact those who receive your cards?
In a time when the future may look bleak and oh, so insecure, it is good to focus on the very many blessings we receive each day.
There are so many people along my life’s path that have touched me – it is so obvious they are a gift, a blessing in my life. I believe it’s important I let them know that. Perhaps I can be a blessing to them — to tell them THANK YOU for being you! and hopefully encourage them as well.
A stamped piece of mail ALWAYS gets top priority when I sort our mail. Sometimes I save a “stampie” ’til last (open the bills – “bad news” first, save the good news for last). It’s curious how a simple piece of mail – a funny card, an invitation, or “thinking of you” – can uplift my spirit and make me feel so much better about my day – my life!
Thank you for this challenge.
In Christ,
Maureen
This last year I have “reconnected” with some old friends that I have not talked with or seen in 30 odd years. One such experience resulted in my having dinner with my best friend in high school, his wife, and 2 of his 12 children. We were buddies in San Diego in the 60′s. Time and events separated us, the Vietnam War, university,jobs, relocations etc. He is now a retired spanish/math teacher, his wife Maria, has always been a stay at home mom. They have one child still at home who was born with Downs Syndrome, now 39 years old and what joy she is. After leaving that evening, I again realized that the most important things in my life are relationships with God and persons he has blessed me to know…all else is fluff and in many cases a distraction. Sam and I have renewed our active relationship and I feel so blessed.
I know that most of my friends feel much the same way, that’s one of the reasons we are friends, and for those who might not exactly see it that way yet, perhpaps a “stampie” will be just the catilyst we both need..a form of friendship evangelism and another opportunity for God’s abundance to reveal itself.
May God bless me and thee while we are absent from one another..
Ron
As postage continues to raise in price and we become more dependent on e-mail stampies will continue to be rare.
I recently finished reading John Adams by David McCullough. I had seen the HBO series and thought the book would add to the experience. Imagine how valued a stampie would be if it was from someone dear and contained news that might be months old. Imagine how much our understanding is becasues a couple cared for each other, loved to get stampies from each other, and saved them for us all to enjoy.
So that simple sacrifice of sending a stampie to someone may mean a great deal to them and in its term carry blessing far beyond the initial message. God works like that every day and all the time.