Dear friends,

The written word is one of the ways of God to bring the communication between him and us and between the human species with others. His own Word has served as a guide for our lives, and that it is useful for reproof, for correction, for teaching, for instruction in righteousness. Throughout history, mankind has used diaries, letters and other forms of writing to communicate their deepest feelings and the lessons to future generations.

In this newsletter, I want to introduce a friend. Through his writing I encourage you to write to a loved one today. Also, I hope you inspire the desire to read the letters of the past as a way to get a glimpse of history.

My dear friend Mary Carney has served as a guardian angel in times of need. I met her during our first season and our first conference.

In late December 2005, I called Maria to order one of his books. She said she would be at the conference in Indiana and could offer there. Very grateful, I accepted! Since she is the mother hen, she called me while we were on our way to Indianapolis and said he had a huge snow storm and suggested that a few days delay for security reasons.

When we finally got to Indianapolis, Mary gave books to the conference, and offered to help with the installation. Since it was our first time building alone (without Bob and Tina), our set up area absorbed a great big puzzle books and the shelves in 600 square meters of space! Mary, their children and another family a wonderful diligent and she brought with her, helped us to complete our setup for that day.

From that first difficult year, which ended as it began, we became very good friends, having stayed at home every year thereafter.

I love Mary ... is a fun, practical, carefree person. His witty humor, lets laugh at the hard things in life and sees a way out of everything, trusting God for everything.

Mary has written several articles for the Informant IAHE, the newsletter of the Indiana Association of Home Educators. She gave me permission to use their articles, one of which I would like to share with you today. It's called You (REAL) E-mail! Continue reading ...

There are few things in life that can brighten my day faster than a real letter, live in the mail. Advance, Indiana is a town so small that we have our mail delivered to the house. Rather, it is to look for every day of the tiny post office, two blocks away. Some days, it's a nice walk in the sun, with birds singing and the flags blowing in the wind neighbors. Other times (like yesterday) is a skateboard's nose numb just the gray skies and the cold wind of the company. Either way, I would not miss it because there is always the possibility of receiving a letter!

Unfortunately these days do not come very often. Oh, I have my part of the communication of Ed McMahon and Dick Clark, the Wal-Mart ads and just garbage. But everything that happens along the way, if my business every day the post office produces a hand-addressed envelope. It's not just me, everyone loves to receive letters.

I recently read an insightful biography of former President Harry S. Truman. From his early days as a farmer, through the leading men in battle during World War I and World War II brought to an end as commander in chief, wrote personal letters almost daily, your family and friends. Thousands of them are preserved, ranging from the (crop prices and weather in Missouri farm of his father) the mundane to the transcendental (which explains why her mother used the atomic bomb to end the War World).

When our oldest to college, I began to write letters several times a week to keep in touch with home. At first, I worried about having something to say. After all, I'm just a mother who, Harry S. Truman. But as I persisted, it has become easier.

I write most things everyday, ordinary. How children are doing in their school work, with whom I met at the supermarket, what we ate for dinner last night. Did you remember to get the oil changed in your car He got the phonetic Ben and Kathleen papers sent to you

My cousin Mike lives in California. We have not seen since he returned from Vietnam at age 13, however, write to each other on the history of the family, our children and fun memories. I've been able to improve my descriptive powers telling Mike (who lives in the Mojave Desert) on my vegetable and flower gardens, and the description of our 1995 a tornado your child curious.

At first, I worried about the possibility of filling a page. Now, as I am all in. At issue for those occasions when the subject is scarce, I found the solution, only more convenient to change to small paper!

As a long-term homeschooler, I have heard many times that to develop a love of reading in our children, we must model a love of reading in our own lives. I found it true in writing. As I led the way, I hope to convey my joy in writing to my children.

Somewhere there is someone who must write. So I borrow some paper from the Children, # 2 pencil sharpened and get to work! -Mary C.

Mary's article reminds me of the value of a handwritten letter or a note to encourage and build up those we love.

We can have a profound effect on someone taking a little time to handwrite a message, as simple as can be.

I really hope they are as lively as I not only write but read the letters of the past as a way to find a person's most intimate thoughts.