Dear Tatiana ... in Jesus' Name.

Wrote Tatiana today. I try to write her once a week. She is our family's Compassion International child. I had wanted to sponsor a child through Compassion for years, but we always felt we couldn't make it work with our family budget. But last Christmas that changed when my husband surprised me with a gift I will never forget. He had designated one present under the tree with the words "Open last." When I opened it up, inside was a picture of our sweet 11-year-old Ecuadorian princess Tatiana. I was so surprised I started to cry. And I couldn't wait to begin writing her.

Compassion encourages sponsors to write to their children at least once a month, but I figured receiving four letters a month would be far more exciting than receiving just one. And typically I don't need too much encouragement to write. Compassion has this wonderful option where you can write your child online, even attach pictures and send it onto your child. From there it's translated, printed and sent off to the country, sometimes taking two to three months to reach the sponsored child. So today, Tatiana is probably about to receive my Valentine's Day letter. I enjoy sharing with her the crazy things our family does, asking about her family and sharing Scripture with her. Three pictures typically accompany each letter showing the different experiences our family has had that week. And I can make a print out of each letter I send so I can remember what I've written her each week. It's a wonderful feature of the organization.

I have received two letters from Tatiana and both were written before she received any letters from us. She writes in tiny pencil strokes, always thanking us, telling us about her school and asking for prayers. And she always says good-bye in Jesus' name. I keep a picture of Tatiana next to my bed so I remember to pray for her before I go to sleep. And I keep a picture of her on my cellphone as wallpaper so I remember to pray for her throughout the day. I have no idea whether or not our family's financial contributions to Compassion or my personal letters to her will make any kind of differerence in Tatiana's life, but I hope so. I know she has certainly made a difference in my life. I try to look at daily experiences through her eyes. I find myself thinking of how to best explain something that will make sense cross-culturally. And I want to share something of God's grace in each correspondence with hope that she will see Jesus in them, which pushes me to dig a little deeper into the Word myself.

It it my hope that one day we will get to meet Tatiana. But it's hard to justify spending thousands of dollars to visit her when that money could go to help her family. So for now, it's weekly letters and monthly contributions to help her with food, clothing, education and lessons about our Savior. If I never get the opportunity to embrace this child, I know that through Compassion she has come to know Him, and we will certainly meet in Paradise.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child, go to www.compassion.com for more information. You can see hundreds of pictures of children around the world waiting for a sponsor. They have the child's birthdate and country listed so if you have a favorite date or wish to sponsor a child from a particular country, you can search based on that information. They have a need right now for sponsors of older children.

I pray it brings you as much joy to sponsor a child as it does to our family. Regardless, it will certainly bring joy to the child. Now if only Compassion would come up with some new letter templates! I've already worn out the ones on their website. God bless those folks. I hear they receive 7,000 web letters per day. That's quite a work load (and doesn't include the letters sent in by post). But what a wonderful affirmation of the love sent out across the miles ... in Jesus' name.

Dear Grandma

Dear Grandma,

I know it's been a long time since you've received a letter from me ,,, years and years. I've been very busy. Busy with life, as always. Enjoying my husband that you love and approve of so much. Enjoying my precious children and their growth and changes. Busy with home and job. And, of course, devoted to church just as you exemplified.

I'm writing to tell you about my garden! I can't tell you how much I enjoy digging in the earth, planting seedlings, watering, weeding, watching everything grow and then enjoying the harvest. I just love it! This year, I planted tomatoes, corn, green beans (which the bunnies seem to be leaving alone thus far), spinach, herbs like thyme, basil, cilantro and lemon mint and, most recently, asparagus crowns. They are two year old crowns, so it will be a year before I can enjoy that harvest. But you know I got my love of asparagus from my father who in turn got it from your father. He has told me often about Great-Grandpa's fresh asparagus for breakfast every morning when he visited as a child. I can't wait for that myself! I remember how much you love gardening, Grandma. I remember how in every letter you wrote me while growing up, you told me about your garden, everything you planted, how you were caring for it.

Which comes to the second reason for my letter today ... an apology. I remember being bored out of my mind when reading those letters. I used to think to myself, "Is that all she'll talk about is that garden?" I am so sorry for thinking that. Because, Grandma, I would so love to receive a letter from you today about your garden. I would love to get your advice on mine! Matter of fact, I would love to garden with you, dig in the dirt and watch with joy the fruit of our labor. I'm so sorry I didn't appreciate those letters when I had them.

Grandma, I'm sure you are delighting in the greatest garden of all time now, surrounded by beauty I cannot even imagine. I truly cannot wait to see what you see. Until then, I will put on my overalls and gardening gloves, grab my shovel and gladly continue to till our Father's earth. And I will share this love with my children and, hopefully someday, my grandchildren. And they will probably get bored when my letters go on about my garden. But you know, Grandma, I won't mind. Because when I write those parts, I'll be thinking of you, knowing someday, they may enjoy what we have both had so much fun with. And planting seeds not just for a garden, but for the many other things you helped grow in me.

I love you, Grandma, and miss you ... really miss you. Give Grandpa and Jesus a hug for me.

Love, Jill

Leave Your Name And Number

I've just finished watching the HBO series "John Adams" based on David McCullough's biography. I learned many things about this Founding Father and second president of the United States. One thing that so impressed me was the devotion between John and his wife, Abigail. Their devotion is public knowledge because of the myriad of letters they wrote each other that have survived the times. They were married 54 years and lived through many hardships and work-related separations. For one period during their marriage, they spent three years apart while John was in Europe for diplomatic reactions. During this time, John sent few letters to his "dearest friend" for fear of interception by the British during the Revolutionary War and because, the movie tells us, he didn't want to share his failures with his wife. Three years with little to no correspondence between a couple that thrived on it.

Today while walking I had my cellphone up to my ear. I was calling my daughter in North Carolina to ask her how her peanut butter chocolate chip cookies turned out. She had called me earlier to say she was headed out for salted butter and would call me when she got home. Later she called to say the cookies were amazing. Three calls in about three hours. While I walked, I passed a driver in an SUV talking on his cellphone. He had obviously just left home and apparently needed to talk to someone right away.

So here's John and Abigail with hardly any communication in more than 1,000 days and then there's Ayla and I communicating over cookies, 400 miles, 180 minutes with the modern invention of the wireless telephone. I prefer this century, to be sure. Now, I have to say there have been times when I've tried to call my daughter and can't get a hold of her. She may be in class or working. Times she tries to call me and the result is the same. You get voice mail and leave a message or know that the "missed call" will brighten our tiny screens as a reminder to call back.

That got me to thinking about prayer. I can go to the Father anytime. Anytime. I can talk to him as I slowly drag myself out of bed in the morning asking Him to bless the day and open my eyes to His children. I talk to him during my devotion time, before I eat breakfast or any other meal, while I drive to work, while I walk, while I worry for a phone call from children who may be late, in song ... even on the toilet.

Not once in any of these times have I ever got a voice message. Never has the Father listened to me talk only to say, "Hold on a minute, I have another call coming." He has always been there for my correspondence. And He responds in kind by filling me with the Holy Spirit. Now, there have been times, sometimes long periods of time, when I don't pray. And I wonder why I'm feeling lost or spiritually dry. I see the Father, like Abigail, wondering to Himself why I'm not communicating.

We have this direct, always open line of communication with our Father and how often we let time slip by without speaking to him. First Thessalonians 5:17 says to "pray without ceasing." Keeping the communication open with God can only enhance our relationship with Him, giving us an overabundance of His blessings, wisdom and guidance.

Letters. Bah. Cellphones. Humbug. We have prayer! An invention that's been around since the beginning of time working with the same efficiency that it's had since its Genesis. How blessed we are to be given such a gift of communication. Were John and Abigail given that way of communicating to each other, would they have neglected it? Neither should we. It's communication in it's finest form with the greatest Love of all.

Oh Father, how I love you. I felt your rain on my face today as I was walking. I listened to the breathtaking "Magnum Mysterium" on my Ipod, tears in my eyes, and glorified you for your Creation. Lord you are so amazing, loving and gracious. I am blessed and bursting with thanksgiving for my soul seems to glow from within as your Holy Spirit fills me. Holy Lord! I love you, love you, love you. Thank you, as always, for listening. I am listening for you Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.