What Christmas Is All About, Charlie Brown.

 

I feel a special affinity with Charlie Brown... the empty mailbox, the lack of athletic prowess, the crazy dog. 😉 I am a huge fan of all things Peanuts and particularly love the FOREVER postage stamps celebrating the Christmas special!🥰  A Charlie Brown Christmas was the very first animated special based on the Charles Schulz comic strip. It debuted on December 9, 1965.

In this special (just in case you’ve never seen it 😉) Charlie Brown finds himself depressed as the Christmas season rolls around. Lucy suggests Charlie get involved. She advises him to direct the neighborhood Christmas play. In typical Charlie Brown fashion, his best efforts are ignored and mocked by his peers. Enter Linus, his faithful friend, full of wisdom. He tells Charlie Brown about the true meaning of Christmas and Charlie cheers up. The Peanuts gang unites in the end to celebrate the Christmas season together!

Perhaps you are feeling a little dismayed by the holiday season this year. A little depressed, a little down. I would definitely agree this year has been rather depressing. 😞 Charlie is dismayed by the commercialism of the holiday, the shallowness of it all. Maybe you, like me, are upset because of all the loss this year. The loss of Christmas programs or the work Christmas party, the loss of big family celebrations or Christmas Eve services. Perhaps, worst of all, the loss of loved ones. 💔 

Maybe you’re feeling a little like Charlie this year...confused about what Christmas is all about. Is it even worth celebrating? And if it is, how on earth can we celebrate this crazy year? This year may be dark, dreary and barren but now is the time to plant! It’s the time to sow seeds of hope and joy and love! 

I’m not much of gardener but when Super Murphy Boy was in kindergarten he brought home a little pumpkin seed he had planted at school in a paper cup. We didn’t really have a spot in the yard to plant a pumpkin, so I found the biggest pot I could, filled it with dark, rich potting soil and transplanted the contents of the paper cup into it. We watered it and waited. All through the summer and fall we were amazed at what came out of that one, tiny pumpkin seed!! A small green sprout turned into a long, rambling vine that trailed up and out of the pot, and wound around the propane tank twice! This thick vine had broad succulent leaves and bright yellow, funnel shaped flowers and eventually four perfect pumpkins that were big enough to carve into Jack-o-lanterns 🎃 that fall!! 

Super Murphy Boy was proud of his tiny pumpkin seed. So was I. Did we have the power to make that seed grow? Nope, absolutely not. But we know and follow the God who does. The same God who packs all of that potential into that tiny pumpkin seed makes other things we plant grow, too. Like kindness and love and forgiveness and hope and joy and laughter! Anything done in the name of Jesus Christ is not done in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58) It has ETERNAL value. It has amazing potential for growth. Even the tiniest of seeds. So get out there and start planting seeds this Christmas. Trust that the God who loved us enough to send His only Son to be born on Christmas and die on a cross for our sins, can and will cause our seeds to grow and blossom and bear fruit in our lives and for potentially countless others!! 

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

XOXO,

Mrs. Murphy

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No Complain November

 

November is approaching quickly. It’s one of my favorite seasons with one of my favorite holidays. Thanksgiving! I love Thanksgiving! It has the family, food and fellowship of Christmas but none of the pressure of gifts. (I get stressed out by gifts! 😩) Also, I ALWAYS root for the underdog. Thanksgiving really is the humble underdog of the holidays. Smashed in between Halloween and Christmas, it gets very little respect. Unfortunately the spirit of the holiday, giving thanks to our Creator for our many blessings, is often overshadowed by family fights and football...very little respect, indeed.

This year seems especially bad...what with the global pandemic, political division, racial unrest, financial insecurities, quarantine and social isolation. What is there to be thankful for? 

Now is not the time to blame, withdraw, retreat or lose hope!! It’s Thanksgiving season! I recently re-read the book Pollyanna and watched the old Disney movie. (The book is better, by the way.🤓📖❤️) You may think you know the story, but I challenge you to read the book again!! When I read the book, I realized Pollyanna was not a naive nitwit who was absurdly wishful as some tend to think of her. On the contrary, she was blessed with the ability to recognize the value of being faithful to gratitude. She was a THANKFUL person. She liked to play what she called the “glad game.” In every situation, no matter how dire, she liked to find something to feel glad about. While this sounds a bit silly, it was actually a courageous reaction to the enormous tragedy she had faced. Pollyanna was not ignorant of the tragedy of her life. She knew that she was poor, that other people had parents and dolls and clothes that fit and did not have to live off the mercy of the Ladies’ Aid. The glad game gave her the courage to rise above her tragedy, and eventually it puts to shame the self-obsessed adults in the town who believe they are struggling, though the lives they perceive as horrible in fact contain more than a fair share of blessings. That sure sounds familiar, doesn’t it? 

The Thanksgiving holiday, Pollyanna and the state of the world got me thinking about gratitude. 

William Law once said, “Could you, therefore, work miracles, you could not do more for yourself than by this thankful spirit; for it heals with a word speaking and turns all that it touches into happiness!” 

Now that’s quite an endorsement. Feeling thus encouraged, I’ve decided to start a No Complain November Challenge!! Times are extremely trying and everything feels rather hopeless, but if we take William Law’s words to heart even the ability to work MIRACLES would not do as much for us as being grateful! As a Christian, my goal in life should be to obey God’s will. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess 5:16-18) That’s pretty clear, isn’t it?! 

 

“As Christians, we were chosen for this time in history to make a difference—to be the salt, the light, and the love of God manifested in everyday life. It will not be easy. We will need to think clearly, pray deeply, and draw near to God with the promise that He will draw near to us. Our God will give us all we need. We cannot control what has or will happen in our country, or our circumstances—but we can control how we respond!” (C. Ingram) 

Won’t you join me in the No Complain November Challenge? 😊 Practice the spiritual discipline of gratitude with me!!  Don’t be a whiner or complainer. Play the glad game like Pollyanna! Join me on this journey to joy! 

If you’re interested in connecting by post during the No Complain November Challenge, I’d love to send you some Mrs. Murphy Mail. 📬🐌 Study the Bible along with me on the subject of Thanksgiving! Let’s see what God thinks about the attitude of gratitude! Send me a private message with your snailmail address and I will add you to the No Complain November penpal list! 

Ever thankful for snailmail! 

XOXO

Mrs. Murphy 

Fruitful Mail

Even with the weirdness that is a world wide pandemic, there are still some summer blessings that I am enjoying. The fruit and vegetables in my neck of the woods have been glorious...sweet, juicy, delicious! 😋 

The USPS recently released a series of new Forever stamps featuring fruits and vegetables that got me thinking about the beauty and abundance of this summer’s harvest. The events of the day and the cultural responses have been overwhelmingly negative but these beautiful postage stamps got me thinking about the abundant life in Christ and the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible teaches that if we abide in Jesus (He is the vine and we are the branches) we will bear much fruit. We are new creatures in Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can choose to respond differently to the world around us. We can choose.

“I CHOOSE LOVE…

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY…

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstances. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE…

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE…

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clenching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS…

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS…

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS…

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My spouse will not question my love. And my children will never fear that I will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS…

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL…

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will not, rule the eternal. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ.

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control (Galatians 5:22-23). To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace.

And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest with the peace that passes all understanding.”

— Author Unknown

I came across this statement of commitment not long ago and it seemed perfect for everything that was happening in our world. I’ve been reading it over everyday and praying that the Lord would help me bear much fruit and to truly live the abundant life! 

XOXO,

Mrs. Murphy

Return to Lender

  

A friend loaned me some books once and I...(gulp)...didn’t give them back for a long time. I mean, a really LOOOOOONG time. 😬🥺 

I feel super bad about this. Oh, I had my excuses but they were all lame...

 

• I was reading a library book and had to finish it first.
• After I read the books I put them on my bookshelf, just to tidy up, and then I forgot about them.
• One of the MurphyBros came home from college and borrowed them and I didn’t realize it.
• It had been such a long time I was too embarrassed to send them back!!  

Ugh!  What was I to do? 😞

Snailmail to the rescue!!! Of course!

Besides enjoying writing letters and decorating envelopes, I love to wrap crap!! (And by crap, I mean, big gifts, small tokens, odds and ends and all manor of stuff to send to folks😏)

I found the evidence, I mean books, and wrapped them up! I had some fun green/white, polka dot paper that I bought from Hobby Lobby at Christmas that was perfect. Serendipitously, I found a coordinating floral paper (at least 8 years old) 🙄 that I used to wrap up a new book I was passing on to my friend. I created some fun paper bows out of the wrapping paper and wrote my letter of confession, I mean apology. 

I packaged everything up into an old shoe box and attached a vintage mugshot on the box lid. (I’m pretty sure she was a famous book thief from the 1960s. 😉) 

Snailmail is fabulous way to return much overdue items!! 

As I was doing my research for this project I looked up book borrowing and lending etiquette. I found numerous articles filled with rules and recommendations and basically it all boiled down to the notion that people can’t be trusted and you should never lend your books to anyone because you will (1) never get them back or (2) they will be ruined in some way. One author went so far as to state their simple rule: Lose a book, lose a friend. 🤔

As frequently happens in my life, my daily Bible reading applied to what I was thinking about. 2 Corinthians chapter 9 happens to be all about giving. I made a note of the qualities of a giver that pleases God:

• Eager to help and bless others
• Enthusiastic
• Give what you’ve decided in your heart to give 
• A cheerful giver!!😊
• Doesn’t give reluctantly or under compulsion, but generously on every occasion. 

That list was in stark contrast to the list of book borrowing and lending rules I found via my internet search. Those qualities weren’t the only things I discovered in my Bible reading. I made a second list, a list of some of the benefits and promises enthusiastic, cheerful givers will experience! 🥰 🎁 

• Whoever sows generously will reap generously 
• God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
• God will supply and increase your store of seed for you to sow and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.
• Others will praise God for your obedience and generosity.
• Others will pray for you. 

Why would I ever want to live a stingy, score-keeping life when God makes such grand promises about how He’ll provide everything I need when I give cheerfully, enthusiastically and generously to others?! 

Sometimes it’s hard to be generous, but if you, like me have been the recipient of someone’s generosity send them a hearty thank you! Pay it back!  Pay it forward!! Do both! Just keep it going! 🥰📬🎁🐌

Snailmail! A lovely way to give a piece of your heart! 💌

XOXO,

Mrs. Murphy 

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!! ⚾️ 🥳

• 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! 👫👫👫👫👫👫👫👫👫👫👫

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. 🌝 💔 

“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).

Rivers of Life

These are strange times. The days are definitely dark and frightful. I have occasionally found myself struggling with feelings of worry, fear, loneliness. But it is at times like these, when I am overwhelmed by my feelings, that I must counsel my heart with the truths of my faith. Before it’s over, this pandemic will surely touch all of us in some way. Some homes will experience grief and sorrow and all will experience fear and anxiety. Snail mail is an excellent way to reach out and bring words of comfort and peace to our hurting friends and family. 

In 2019 the USPS issued a new FOREVER stamp that features the beauty of American Rivers. Rivers always remind me of lines from one of my favorite hymns, A Firm Foundation. 

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.


”We like to think as human beings that we are so advanced and capable. If we dream it we can become it! But if this virus has revealed anything it should be that there are things beyond our control! It is no respecter of persons. We are not the masters of our universe. We were created to be dependent on the Creator.

When I was in college (when I wasn’t taking nursing classes) I took every philosophy, psychology, sociology, comparative religion and anthropology class I could fit into my schedule. I’ve always been interested in the nature of man, the nature of God, the concepts of existence, reality, morality and the inability of mankind to fix the problems of society like poverty, crime, war and oppression. Here’s my conclusion...

⚡️The problem is sin and the solution is Jesus.⚡️

That may seem overly simplistic or naive to some, but I urge you to think about the big questions for yourself. This pandemic reminds me that there is a greater, darker, and more dangerous infection - one with eternal consequences. Not everyone will be infected with the Coronavirus, but everyone has been infected by sin from birth...that’s pretty obvious...just look around (and in the mirror😕). Sin is the problem, but Jesus is the cure!! God looked at us with mercy and in love decided He would not let us perish from the disease of sin. There is hope!

During this time of worry, fear, suffering and sorrow, spread some comfort, hope and peace with some encouraging post. Your letter may help alleviate someone’s pain and suffering. It might lift their burden. It might help quench their thirst and lead them to the river of life.❤️

I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me!

Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see!

Opens prison doors sets the captive free!

I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me! 

Keep the faith, my postal pals!

XOXO,

Mrs. Murphy 

Love Is In The Air... And The Mail!

Every year the USPS releases a new “Love” stamp. Some folks like to use this sentimental postage on wedding invitations, love letters, birthday wishes and at this time of year...Valentine cards. 

❤️

USPS 2020 LOVE Forever Stamp

When I was growing up Valentine’s Day was pretty significant in my household. My sister and I would spend hours making handcrafted Valentine cards for our parents and friends. I always admired her artistry and creativity with simple construction paper and paper doilies! Our dad would always come home from work with a box of candy hearts or chocolates for each of us. And one year in college, Mr. Murphy sent me a progressively more romantic Valentine card in the mail everyday, culminating in a request to be his girlfriend!   (He must have known the way to my heart was via my mailbox!)

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Hearts, flowers, cards and chocolates are all associated with this holiday, but have you ever wondered how it all relates to a Christian martyr? Who was Valentine, anyway? Like most cultural celebrations it is an amalgamation of pagan and Christian elements. The true origin of Valentine’s Day is hard to discover. My research turned up a variety of stories that influence how we celebrate today, but one thing is certain, it commemorates a martyrdom. The Roman emperor Claudius II declared all Christians illegal citizens. A young priest, named Valentine, was beheaded on February 14, 269AD because he refused to renounce his faith in Christ. The most famous legend goes on to tell how just before his execution, he wrote a note to the jailor’s daughter, signing it, “From your Valentine.” 

💌

When I think of love letters I ultimately think of the Bible. God’s love letter to us.  I’ve been involved in a Bible reading challenge since last June. The pace of this challenge is slightly faster than I usually read the Bible. By the time June 2020 rolls around, I will have read the Old Testament once, the New Testament twice and some of the epistles 3 times. It has been great to read this special love letter and listen to the story God is telling and inviting me into. The Kingdom of God is different from anything else. God’s heart and love is different from anything else. As I fill up my love tank from the only One who can fill it, I will write love letters to the people in my life. 

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

XOXO

Mrs. Murphy