Thursday, May 28, 2020

Challenge Accepted!


Start a new healthy habit! 

I once read a book by A.J. Jacobs, entitled My Life as an Experiment in which the author undertakes various challenges in an effort to improve himself. The collection of stories are hilarious and interesting and got me thinking about personal challenges. I am a firm believer in adopting an attitude of the life-long learner. Trying new things and challenging oneself is a good way to keep your mind sharp, conquer your fears, develop new healthy habits or break out of a rut. 
Learn to play an instrument. 

30 day (or any amount of time you desire) challenges are a fun way to add or eliminate something from your life! Each month can be a sort of 30 day experiment. Sometimes, one simple change is all it takes to open up a whole new world of fun! So start experimenting and challenge yourself to try something new each month. 

Challenge yourself to save some money! 
Some challenges I’ve undertaken include: a frugal challenge (I have completed a month of zero spending on non-essentials), TV free weeks, summer reading challenges, social media fasts, soda fasts, de-clutter challenges, letter-a-day challenges,  push-up challenges, creative challenges, Bible reading challenges, gratitude challenges, work-out challenges, word-a-day vocabulary challenges, watch all of the Bogart and Bacall films, learn to cook foods from around the world, learn a French phrase everyday...to name a few! The sky is the limit! Who knows what new joys you may discover?! 

Learn to make food from around the world! 


Snailmail is a great way to share your challenges and recruit others to join you! And it can be a great new hobby to begin, too!😁 Challenge yourself to write a letter a day for one month or send mail to 30 people, etc. If you come up with a challenge of your own, please write and tell me all about it! I’d love to cheer you on!

Start sending snailmail! 

Let’s go postal, people!
Challenge accepted!! πŸ“¬❤️😁 🐌

XOXO
Mrs. Murphy 

Monday, May 25, 2020

Longing for the Moon...and Mail





How’s it going in quarantine, friends? Have you, like me, been longing for things to return to normal? I have been experiencing many longings... 

  • I’m longing to work without a mask and face shield (not to mention surgical hat, gown, gloves). 😷
  • I’m longing to travel freely around the country and the world! 🌎 
  • I’m longing for big celebrations and sports and concerts and live theatre!! ⚾️ πŸ₯³
  • And most especially, I’m longing to see my people...those marvelous MurphyBros and MurphyGirls and grandma and grandpa and aunts and uncles and cousins and new babies and well...EVERYBODY! πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«πŸ‘«


I started pondering these unfulfilled longings and what to do about them when I came across one of my postage stamps. Last year, July 2019, marked the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. (The USPS commemorated the anniversary with some primo postage that’s really fab.🀩) Mr. Murphy and I enjoyed watching the HBO docudrama “From the Earth to the Moon” which tells the story of the Apollo program during the 1960s and 1970s last summer to celebrate the moon landing! I highly recommend it! 



This April, however was another anniversary, an anniversary that reminds me of unfulfilled longings. April 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 failed lunar mission. Commanded by Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 was the third targeted moon landing. Everything seemed normal until the evening of April 13th, when it is believed a stray spark ignited an oxygen tank within the command module causing an explosion and seriously damaging the spacecraft. Lovell and his fellow astronauts, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert, huddled in the undamaged lunar module, a landing craft designed for two men, for the next four days. To save energy, only the most essential systems were kept powered up. The men were cold, uncomfortable, stressed and dealing with a seemingly constant onslaught of unforeseen engineering problems. With the help of mission control they returned safely to Earth on April 17, 1970. Their amazing story can be read in Jim Lovell’s book, aptly titled, LOST MOON: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, and in the movie, “Apollo 13”, based on the book. 



Talk about unfulfilled longings!!  Jim Lovell is one of only three men to travel to the moon twice, but unlike the others, he NEVER walked on it. He accrued over 715 hours in space but never got to satisfy one of his deepest longings as an astronaut. πŸŒ πŸ’” 

“I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LIVE WITH UNFULFILLED LONGINGS” is a lie that has worked it’s way deep into our culture. We may claim to understand this on the surface and not believe it, but if we examine our hearts honestly, deep down I think we will discover we live like we believe it. I know I sure struggle with this. 

I want what I want! Why isn’t life fair? I work hard!! I deserve the fulfillment of my goals and hopes. After all, isn’t that what the American Dream is all about? 

According to her book, Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth explains that this way of thinking leaves women perpetually unfulfilled, always groping, searching for something to fill the inner emptiness. Believing this lie has caused incredible heartache. It is a seed for much anxiety, resentment, bitterness and depression. 

Nancy writes that the only way to stop believing a lie is to renew your mind with the truth. So here is some truth from the Word of God...

  • I will always have unfulfilled longings this side of heaven. (Romans 8:23, 25; Ephesians 3:11; Hebrews 11:13-16)


  • The deepest longings of my heart cannot be filled by any created person or thing. (Psalm 16:11; 73:25)


  • If I will accept them, unfulfilled longings will increase my longing for God and for heaven. (Deuteronomy 8:3;  Psalm 34:8-10; Philippians 3:20-4:1) 


My prayer is that this crisis will end soon and we can return to “normal”, but even if it doesn’t and we’ve “lost the moon”, take comfort in the fact that God is in control! He sees. He knows. He provides a way. Seek Him. 


Hang in there, everybody! 
XOXO,
Mrs. Murphy

PS: If you have questions or want to discuss your own musings on mail or any other subject, send me some snailmail! If you are not already my penpal, you can message me through my blog’s Facebook page. (Mrs. Murphy’s Mailbox).

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Maine-ly Mail



2020 Forever Stamp

During this time of quarantine and limited travel, I’ve been dreaming of voyages and adventures I’d like to take. I was recently inspired by a...you guessed it... postage stamp!!! The 200th anniversary of Maine’s statehood was celebrated this year and honored by the release of a new Forever stamp. 

Maine stamp from 2002

As far as I can recall, I have never been to Maine. There is a slight possibility that on a family trip to the Northeast when I was 5 we may have ventured into the pine tree state, but my old memory banks are void so a visit is most certainly in order...even if it is only a virtual one.  

1970 Stamp to celebrate 150th anniversary of Maine’s statehood

The ideal Mr. and Mrs. Murphy vacation is to explore the great outdoors and take in the scenic wonders of a place. I don’t think Maine will disappoint. It seems that Maine is chock full of pristine, wooded wilderness, majestic mountains, and miles of rocky coastline. Not to mention the picturesque lighthouses, quaint fishing villages and Acadia National Park! 

1982 State bird and flower stamp

To truly be a magical Murphy destination it should include a literary element. Usually we visit the local bookstores (antique and used books are our favorites) and pick up an armload of our preferred souvenirs πŸ“š but Maine goes above and beyond the required regional bookshops. Maine has quite the literary history and has inspired some incredible authors through the years. There are locations, people! LITERARY LOCATIONS TO VISIT!! πŸ˜† 

Longfellow commemorative stamp released in 2007

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, E.B. White, Edna St. Vincent Millay, to name a few, all lived in Maine for part or all of their lives. 

Hawthorne commemorative stamp released in 1983

Many of their homes are still standing and open to visitors. And what visit to Maine would be complete without a stop at the home of Maine’s most prolific native son...Stephen King!! I would love to explore Maine and see the real life places that inspired the fictional towns of “Derry” and “Castle Rock.” 😱 🀑 

2006 E.B. White Charlotte’s Web stamp


Congratulations on your bicentennial, Maine! I can’t wait to visit when this pandemic is over. Now all I need is a pen pal from Maine! πŸ€” (Dear Mr. King...)

Go postal, people! It’s inspiring! 

XOXO, 
Mrs. Murphy


Monday, May 18, 2020

Dial M for Murder...and Mail!!





Sixty six years ago this month (on May 29, 1954), Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Dial M for Murder” was released. I am definitely a fan of “The Master of Suspense” and have  watched almost everything Mr. Hitchcock directed. πŸŽ₯ 
It all started long ago... when I styled my bangs with Aquanet and Mr. Murphy wore acid washed jeans... we would frequent an aptly named shop called, “The Movie Store.” It was an ancient time before Netflix and even Blockbuster...the 1980s!😎 The VHS was king and this mom and pop video store arranged their large and eclectic film collection in a unique and pleasing manner. No lame, broad categories like “new releases” or “comedy” for this clever shop. Instead there were sections entitled: Bogart and Bacall, Hepburn, Spaghetti Westerns, Best Picture Winners, Hitchcock, Wells and Wilder. Our cinematic tastes and interests expanded far beyond the usual 80’s “brat-pack” fare, in large part, because of this great store!! Now, thanks to the magic of Amazon and the digital age one can practically watch any movie at any time!! 


In 1998 as part of its “Legends of Hollywood” series, the USPS released an Alfred Hitchcock postage stamp. I am pleased to announce that I have some of these great stamps!! 🀩 There is also a wonderful Grace Kelly stamp (she’s one of the stars of “Dial M for Murder” ), but I don’t have any of those. 😒

 I thought I might encourage Hitchcock appreciation amongst my penpals and would send some “Dial M for Murder and Mail” post! A themed dinner and a movie date night idea is one of my favorite things to mail. For “Dial M for Murder” I came up with the following menu:

Don’t Artichoke Me and Ricotta on Toast Points
Broken Hearts of Romaine Salad with Apple and Pear
Grilled and Skewered Latch-Key Lime Chicken
Margot’s Mixed Berry Merengues

A good food pun is so satisfying, wouldn’t you agree? πŸ˜‰ I’m not sure if all of the flavors go together in a culinary way, but they are definitely related to themes in the film! 😁πŸŽ₯






I also enjoy a bit of film analysis via the postal service. Sending questions, insights and observations about the movie through letters is a fun and interesting snailmail activity!! I encourage you to make some movie mail to share with your pen pals and if you’ve never watched any Alfred Hitchcock films, join Mr. Murphy and me for a “Dial M for Murder” dinner and movie night this month! 

See you at the mailbox...and the movies!

XOXO,
Mrs. Murphy 

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Strawberry Mail Forever




“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.” Henry David Thoreau

Hooray!! πŸ“ May is National Strawberry Month! Strawberries are very popular worldwide and are indigenous to nearly all of the northern hemisphere and most of the tropical regions of the world! In the US, strawberries are grown in family gardens in all 50 states! Almost everybody loves strawberries! πŸ₯° I am quite pleased as I feel the strawberry is a glorious, little fruit and deserves much more than a single day of celebration! One of my favorite strawberry Murphy memories involves our sweet, pet rabbit, Ethel. 🐰 Ethel was quite a good natured rabbit and we let her out of hutch everyday to hop around the kitchen. She enjoyed most delicacies from the garden, but was particularly fond of strawberry greens! She seemed to know whenever I was prepping them and would hop right up to me for her favorite tasty treat! 

A cute note card from Queenie’s Cards
https://queeniescards.com/

In honor of the fabulous fruit, adored by man and beast alike, I thought I’d send some strawberry themed snailmail! I am blessed to have some wonderful cooks amongst my penpals! I decided to send a strawberry recipe to those lovely people in the hopes of receiving some in return! 


If you get a chance, go strawberry picking, explore new dishes and send some strawberry mail! And don’t forget to take Mr. Thoreau’s sage advice! πŸ₯°πŸ“πŸ“¬

XOXO
Mrs. Murphy 

Monday, May 11, 2020

Must Love Dogs

I am a collector of small joys and as you may have guessed, snailmail is chief among them. So are dogs! Lexi, the wonder dog, brings no end of joy to Mr. Murphy and myself. Just imagine my joy when two of my favorite things combine! πŸ₯° 


 A few years ago, I went to Washington DC to visit a friend. Being the true friend that she is, she took me to the most wonderful museum in all of the Smithsonian museum network...THE POSTAL MUSEUM!! During this fabulous visit I learned of Owney, the postal pup! 


Owney was a small, shaggy mutt who hung out at the Albany, New York post office back in 1888. It seems that Owney was very interested in the mailbags...perhaps someone was sending treats via post?...anyway he apparently really liked the mailbags and would follow them onto mail wagons and mail trains. He began to ride with the mailbags on the Railway Mail Service trains across the state and then throughout the whole country! The mail clerks adopted him and let him ride along as their unofficial mascot. The postal workers began to mark Owney’s travels by placing tokens, tags and medals on his collar. He eventually had to have a special vest made for him so he could display all of his tags, they were so numerous! I particularly like this one from Davenport, Iowa!! 

Owney’s Tag from Iowa

In 1895 the Tacoma, Washington, postmaster sent Owney on a trip around the world as part of an advertising campaign for the city. The dog traveled with mailbags on steamships and trains from Tacoma through Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the continental US before returning to Tacoma 113 days later!! 
You can see Owney at the Postal Museum...not a photograph or painting...the real Owney...stuffed! 😳 The postal workers collected funds to have him preserved and he was taken to the Post Office headquarters in 1897. In 1911 he was transferred to the Smithsonian. It’s nothing if not interesting! (And only a tiny bit creepy!πŸ™ƒ) 

Owney

I’ve been sending quite a bit of post during these days of social distancing. It’s a great way to spread some cheer to those people with whom we can’t get together. Apparently Lexi, the wonder dog, was inspired by my writing and those wonderful dog postage stamps, and decided to send a letter to a dog friend, Millie!  (See everyone’s going postal!) Hopefully Millie’s children will enjoy reading it to her. πŸ˜‰ 

Lexi’s Letter



I hope you are collecting small joys as often as possible! Try snailmail!! It’s one of the best!
Go postal, people! (And dogs!)

XOXO,
Mrs. Murphy

PS: National Pet Week is celebrated in May. πŸ•  What a great time to celebrate dogs by sending some mail! 


Thursday, May 7, 2020

Postal Prayers




I recently received a thank you letter from one of my pen pals. She was thanking me for praying for her family during a tough situation. She writes, “I didn’t realize what a gift prayer was until my family was struggling and you prayed for us. I can’t tell you what a comfort your prayers were! Your prayers have strengthened me in a difficult time and have been an encouragement to our entire family.” πŸ₯° 


One of the best ways to love others is to pray for them. The first Thursday in May is the National Day of Prayer in the US. That’s May 7th this year. Today!!  It is an annual observance inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. I’m going to take some time to pray for our nation and leaders during these strange days of a global pandemic. I will also pray for my family and friends, especially the ones I haven’t been able to see face to face because of the quarantining. 



Just as praying for someone is an excellent way to love them, so is sending some snailmail! Why not use this day to send some prayer mail? You can make your prayer mail as fancy or as simple as you like. It can be a Pinterest worthy prayer “pocket” (Look it up. It’s a thing😍) or a simple postcard. 


I have a thing for index cards. I really like them... a lot. 🀩 My large collection has many uses, one of which is prayer cards. I write a name on each of the cards, add prayer requests and updates to the back and keep them all in an index card file. πŸ—ƒ (I like those, too!) During my prayer time I take the top card out and pray for that person that day. I thought I could translate that into some prayer postcards. When I pray for the person on the prayer card I will send a postcard to them to let them know they were prayed for that day! It’s prayer mail! 



Now that is very good mail. 

XOXO,
Mrs. Murphy 

Monday, May 4, 2020

Looking For Mail In Alderaan Places!


May the 4th be with you! πŸ’« 

Do you have some Star Wars fans in your life? If so, then take this opportunity to fill their mailbox with some fun Star Wars inspired mail. There are a million Star Wars puns, jokes and one-liners out there to make it extra out of this world!  πŸ˜πŸ˜‚ 

Such as...

  • Yoda Obi Wan for me!


  • Our love will Endor. ❤️


  • Leia: “I love you.”  Han: “I know.”    Vader: “Together we will rule the galaxy!!”




A few years ago the USPS put out some Star Wars stamps. If you are lucky enough to have some of those you can add them to your May the 4th snail mail! Unused vintage postage stamps are available for sale from private collectors and sellers on the internet! (Just make sure your total postage stamp value on the envelope adds up to the rate of a current first class US postage stamp!) 

I sent some Star Wars mail to Super Murphy Boy, as he is the chief Star Wars fan in the Murphy Family. I hope he enjoys my awesome Star Wars jokes! 😏

By the way, what is the internal temperature of a tauntaun? 
.
.
.
Lukewarm πŸ˜‚πŸ˜†πŸ˜œ



Go Postal, People! 
It’s a great way to send the force of love to folks who are far, far, away!

XOXO,

Mrs. Murphy