A Letter about Grace (An "I'm Sorry" to My Secret Sister)

(This post was written LAST YEAR for my MOPS secret sister. I am sharing it NOW so I can clean-out my "drafts" box. -Enjoy the randomness!)

                                                                        Secret sister
Dear Secret Sister-

Thank you. Week one you gifted me with a surprise in the form of a paper bag decorated with ribbon and a card; filled with lotions and fun, girly, awesomely scented stuff.

Week two you gifted me with a beautifully artful quote and a gift card for coffee.

You are a kind and generous secret sister.

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Dear Secret Sister-

I would like to ask you a question. I would like to surround it with lots of parenthesis so that it looks as though I am hugging you tightly, because I so appreciate you and your thoughtfulness. (((())))

What if you save the monetary gifts you are extending to me? What if you save them and put them aside? What if you do this -knowing full well that I so esteem your heart and that no material thing is unappreciated (nor expected)- and then you wait? You wait for the Lord to lead you. Because, although I appreciate your kind gestures, I need for nothing.

Wait.

The encouraging cards, you can keep those coming.

But the gifts? The items you spend additional time and money on? What if you extend these lovely items to the least of these?

Because there is a huge world out there, huge, and I just know that women would be filled for days with gratitude over the scented fun stuff. And the cold rain makes a complimentary coffee that much sweeter to the person standing in the elements.

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Dear Secret Sister-

Your heart is kind. And I appreciate you.


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Dear MY Secret Sister-

You don't know who I am- yet.

You do know that there was no fun gift to open on the first week of secret sister. You do know that there was a gift, humble as it was, on week two.

And I wanted to write you today to apologize, because I was embarrassed to offer you so little.

I wanted to make up for it by having something sent to your house- to catch you off guard- and have something additional at our next meeting (and every one after that) so that you feel special. And I may, still. But in case I don't, I do have something to share with you.

Something better than little gifts.

It is my heart.

And how the Lord has been dealing with it lately.

Because I want to be a blessing to you, and possibly the very best way to bless you, is to bless God and have Him bless you.

I don't think you lack for much- your Facebook site looks rather dreamy. Large house. Beautiful family. Health. Joy.

So I will pray for you as often as I remember.

And I will dedicate my efforts to the least of these, those forgotten.

You are not forgotten. In parallel, every time I think of you, I will try to bless them.

And I hope you'll understand my heart.

And I hope you'll be inspired by God's hand in your life.

Because this began as an apology -an, I am sorry that you got stuck with me- but actually, I consider us both to be wildly blessed.

You are cared for, my secret sister.