I have been intending to write this letter for a few weeks. It has been on my list, but I just can’t seem to get to all the important things. Well, today, I am making it a priority. I just want to tell you how very proud I am of all the decisions you have made that led to your decision to be a Christian. I know there are so many things in this old world we live in that pull young girls like you in the wrong direction. It’s easy to get caught up in talking like the world, dressing like the world, being interested in all the wrong kinds of entertainment like the world, and just, in general, wasting a lot of time on things that are not important at all. Well, I am so happy that the things you are “all about” are good things…things that you will not look back on later and regret. I’m thankful you want to volunteer your time to help poor people and old people. I’m glad you are not rebellious and eye-rolling to your mama and papa. I’m glad that you WANT to do the things they ask you to do and I’m so glad you are compliant in NOT doing the things they think are harmful for you. I’m so happy you decided to put on Christ and that you are determined to let Him be your example for all the decisions you will face. He will never let you down and you will be so happy when you are my age that you chose to do the difficult things that you knew would please Him. When you think some right choice is so hard or unpopular or uncomfortable, always think about the cross and how popular, comfortable or easy it was to be nailed to it and hanging there for the better part of a day, and you will want to do the right thing even if it is oh-so-hard.

I am thankful that you called us so Hannah and I could come and see you buried with Jesus. I am even more thankful that you said I was your role model. If I can be good enough to lead someone who is as wise and godly as you, then I will be okay! What an honor. I would rather be your role model than to be a model for Glamour magazine any day of the week! When they offer me that job, I will tell them I have already reached the pinnacle in the modeling business!

So…keep on always for Him. Read your Bible every single day. Never miss a worship service. Pray all the time about everything. On the ball field, at tennis camp, in your neighborhood and on your job, always be thinking, “Who can I help to come to the Lord?” He will help you grow and grow and He will help you bring somebody else to Him and that is just the best feeling on this planet. I can’t wait to sit in heaven around His throne with you and all of those you brought with you! Always know you can call on me if you need anything!

Much love now and always,

Cindy

…another contest entry from Linda Lee Polk Anderson. Linda lost her husband, Kym , and her children, Julee and Christopher, in an accident, not too long after she made these memories in Maryland. Memory is often a great comforter in the hard times. Memory handles, like the construction paper handprints, are priceless. Here’s what Linda wrote:

When my first family moved from Groveland, FL, just west of Orlando, to Baltimore, MD in November of 1989 it was a huge change for our children, Julee and Christopher. Julee was 3 and a half and Chris was 18 months. We ended up living in an apartment that had a washer and dryer. That was my only request.

It snowed on Thanksgiving. Chris went from wearing a diaper, t shirt, and no shoes to wearing a full body “coat”. He was not a happy camper. Julee adjusted pretty well. Our poor little black poodle wasn’t happy either. I would take Krissie, name rearranged from Kissy Face, out for her bathroom walk and the poor thing didn’t know what to do. She would find a place, do her circles, get ready and then move because it was just too cold for her. This would happen every time we went out. After about 30 minutes she would have success.

When it came time to put up Christmas decorations I wasn’t sure what to do. The tree that we always used was too big to put in the apartment. I finally decided to just put up half of the tree and it worked out fine. That wasn’t enough, we needed more. I traced Kym’s, Julee’s, Chris’ and my hand onto green construction paper and cut them out. I then placed them on the inside of the front door according to size and had a Christmas tree on the door. I still have these “hands” today and cherish each one of them.

I had always made Dishpan Cookies each year before and wasn’t going to be stopped from that in my very small kitchen. I had a hand held mixer and burned it up on the first half of the ingredients. Kym took me to the store and had me to pick out the mixer I wanted. I found one that looked just like mothers while I was growing up. Now I had my mixer, ingredients, and ready to go. Julee was watching me and wanted to help. She became the official ingredient pourer. We made cookies all day.

Chris finally got use to the full body “coat” and we would go out and play in the snow. There was a lot of it that first year. We did a lot of other things, but these are my special memories.

If you don’t have any special things that you do during the Christmas Season, start making one, or two, or three. You will never know how precious they will be one day.

Have a large dishpan. I use the one that was aluminum. At least one other person.

Mix together till creamy:
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups veg. oil
2 Tablespoons vanilla
4 eggs

Add:
4 cups plain flour
4 cups corn flakes
1 1/2 cups dry oats
1 cup of coconut
1 cup of nuts (opt)
1 cup of raisins (opt)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and place in an airtight container. Each day they taste better. Military love these.

Now you understand why my handheld mixer burned up. I now cut this recipe in half and make two batches.