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From ladiesagainstfeminism.com Lady Lydia Speaks Cards and letters with beautiful pictures are a way of encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting others. When you sit down to write a letter, gather your supplies around you: a good pen, quality paper, envelopes, appropriate stamps, and things you want to enclose. As you put pen to paper, take a moment to think back through history to the beginning of time, when the first letters were written. They are the most ancient form of communication we have, and to write a letter is to keep alive one of the most important practices of  Letter by Monica Stewart, available from AllPosters.com When you send a letter, you may have no idea of knowing how it affects the recipient. One particular gloomy day, a woman I am acquainted with said she received a card, similar to the one you see here called "Best Wishes." Without even reading the message inside and the atttached letter, she said she felt as though her heart leaped from sad to glad at the sight of such pretty colors. There are some themes and combinations of colors that affect people a certain way. To open a letter and find a beautiful painting or picture is one of the greatest pleasures on earth.  Best Wishes, available from AllPosters.com If you will notice what gives you most encouragement when you check the mail, you can take special note of it for future correspondence. Maybe there is a publication that has a scene on the cover that you always look forward to getting. You can repeat this in your choice of cards and stationery. Sending a beautiful, unexpected piece of mail to someone just to lift their heart is a mark of a true lady.  The Letter by Jan Vermeer (1632-1675), available from AllPosters.com. (To read more about Vermeer, go to this link) In particular, cards and stationery depicting flowers seem to be the most loved when sent in the mail.  Classic Roses by Jennifer Wiley, available from AllPosters.com. (Note: some of these pictures are available in post card form at an affordable price.) To receive such a card is almost as good as getting real flowers in the mail. Some pictures of flowers are so beautiful you can almost smell them!  Roses Aplenty by Ricardo Bianci, available from AllPosters.com Because life itself consists of both happy times and depressing times, there will of necessity be those moments when you may have to write something serious in a letter. Maybe it is something you have learned that you want to share, or just something you think they should know. In such cases as these, it is common to sandwhich the serious news or instructions between two pieces of uplifting news. This way, you leave the reader on a high note and remain good friends. When you find it necessary to write something of a serious tone, be sure to send it in a beautiful card.  Victorian Roses by Barbara Mock, available from AllPosters.com To make up an example of what you might write, suppose that you know someone who has had difficulty raising roses. You discover in your reading on gardening a very good article that addresses the subject and seems to be the very thing that addresses her problem. You write your letter like this: Dear Cousin Lily, I had a few moments today to sit and relax, and thought I would spend them writing to you. Most people like to get letters, but, living within just a few miles of one another, I forget that you might like to get a letter in the mail. I hope you like this card with the rose on it. I bought it because it made me think of you. Isn't this weather glorious? I can't wait 'til I can see you again and we can have a cup of tea together. Speaking of flowers, I came across this article from the web, about a serious disease that roses sometimes get and the solution that many gardeners are finding. I know you are concerned about this, as you, like me, sometimes have had things happen to your roses. I hope you don't mind my printing it out and sending it to you. I just thought it was interesting, and I learned a lot from it, myself. I remember years ago when we were teenagers, how you liked to dress up and pretend we were maids in a fine house. Sometimes I think it might be fun to do it again, even though we are grown women now. Maybe we can get together some time in the future. I would love to see you!! Kindest Regards, Maree  Red Rose Nest by Peggy Abrams, available from AllPosters.com Putting your serious news between two uplifting thoughts will keep the receiver from feeling like they are being instructed or picked on. Most people reject instruction unless it is given in a third-party way. Instead of telling people how to behave, (unless, of course, you are their direct authority or guardian), you might get a better reception by saying, "I found this article, and it was so good, I wanted to share it with you. I know these days, it is often difficult to know what to do about ______, but this article seems to be very helpful."  Still Life With Roses in a Basket by J. Jensen, available from AllPosters.com Or, you can say, "I recently went to a concert where everyone was late, and I wondered what the proper conduct was supposed to be, or even if it mattered, and then I ran across this article in our local paper...." Such information doesn't have to be directly related to anything the person has done, but might be presented as useful to them in instructing their own children. To sandwich bad news between good news is a mark of diplomacy. Such a loving way of sharing good information can be seen in Paul's letter to Philemon in the Bible, which you can read at this link. Notice the various ways the Apostle instructs and soothes at the same time. Our aim is not to be busybodies, but to serve as the older woman in Scripture did, teaching "good things" to the younger women and encouraging all the saints. If you have had health problems, or any other troubles, for example, it is best to put them inside your letter amongst other things and not make the depressing news the theme of your letter. In all these misfortunes, it is best to conclude optimistically that you know things will turn out right in the end. You will want to create joy for the person reading, rather than leaving them with a worried feeling. "Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, (fainthearted), suport the weak, be patient toward all men" (I Thessalonians 5:14).  Afternoon Light by Susan Rios, available from AllPosters.com © Copyright 2002-2008 by LAF/BeautifulWomanhood.org
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