Karen’s Notes!
“Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady”

Selected Notes
Volume 4 Number 19 “A Very Special Thank You Note”

May 12th, 2021

One of the things that most folks would not know about my Karen was that she not only didn’t like clutter, she was the great remover of anything no longer deemed necessary or valuable. We so balanced each other because I am the noted “but I might need that someday….” kind of man. Yes, my Karen had the philosophy that if it didn’t work, wasn’t necessary, and taking up room, then out it went.

There were exceptions to this course of action, however. After she went Home to be with the Lord, I discovered that she had kept every love letter I had written her from Bible college the semester before we were married. I also discovered the many, many thank you notes she received from her ladies’ seminars.

One of the many thank you notes she kept. This one is from 1993 and in part reads,

“Dear Karen,
We want to say a big “thank you” for such an uplifting and encouraging time on Saturday at our Ladies Day. So many ladies were commenting in church on Sunday about what a blessed time they had and how encouraged they were by your sessions. We thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and speak to us, and for the challenge you gave to each one of us to be better Christian wives, mothers and friends.”

I remember this event like it was yesterday. I drove her to this all day retreat. While she was speaking, I studied, met with the pastor, and prayed earnestly for my wife! Later that afternoon as we left the church and drove toward the interstate, we prayed and committed God’s Word to the ladies.

Karen said something like this: “Thanks for praying for me. As you know I was so nervous before this ladies’ conference. I know that the Lord wants each of us to grow better and not bitter. The ladies were very gracious, friendly, and seemed really interested. I hope the day was helpful to them. Now! Let’s drive through Wendy’s! I’m starved!”

Michael’s observation: About a week or so later the thank you card came. They had caught the purpose, and that was to become better Christians and not bitter Christians. They also understood the opportunity to be thankful for those who take time to invest in their lives. The Apostle Paul said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3). He was thankful for them and he told them so. The encouragement for today is that we would become better Christians and not bitter. We also need to take the opportunity to thank those who invest in our lives and encourage us.