One of you recently heard me wondering if we’ll still see birds in the snow. That thoughtful person then brought me her next issue of Birds & Blooms with its snow birds cover story! It’s been a delight to thumb through the pages and think of the colorful feathers I might see on a snowy hike! The magazine came as a bit of encouragement as I wondered what Michael and my first real winter would be like in February and March (although it’s been a pretty easy one so far). There are all sorts of simple ways for us to encourage one another day to day. You’re already doing this (because I’ve seen you). Moreover, you’ll likely go through your day and encourage another without even knowing it. That’s the beauty of the Holy Spirit at work among us.
I hope and pray that you’ll find this Sunday’s Annual Meeting an encouragement! There will be many sources of encouragement on Sunday – talented cooks in the kitchen offering their gifts for making meals, a booklet of thoughtfully prepared reports about our ministry together, and the smiling faces all around us who are eager and hopeful about this time in Trinity’s life. Be encouraged, friends! I’ve often heard encouragement paraphrased in these words from Swiss philosopher and poet Henri Frederic Amiel, “Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind.”
Molly+
