Letter Archives - Kristina Lunde

August 31, 2020 by Kristina Lunde 1 Comment

Love and Launch from the Empty Nest

To my youngest child, my dear son,

Congratulations! As you launch from this empty nest, I pray for God’s blessings of provision, protection, growth-producing challenges, and incredible adventures. You planned, worked, and studied continuously to graduate from college; then you moved across the country in search of a job. I am overwhelmed with nostalgia and thankful for the joy you have brought to my life. I especially remember:

How you outsmarted our family at age two. We lost you and searched the entire house: in closets, under furniture, and every possible hiding place, growing more desperate as we called your name to no response. Finally, we found you sitting on the steps just outside the front door, triumphantly declaring, “I outside! I outside!”

Embrace your sense of adventure.

The mustache you drew on your first-grade-self with permanent marker one morning to imitate your father. Daddy said, “Just let him wear it.” I agreed that it would be a good natural consequence. Only that backfired, because you collected compliments on the mustache—all day long.

Nurture your creative self.

Your cardboard construction of an amazingly realistic model of our California house after we moved across the country. That model was an engineering marvel, created to scale in a two-story replica of all rooms. And I remember my distress when that detailed masterpiece fell off the shelf and crashed into pieces.

Don’t let anyone crash your dreams; your memories always go with you.

Your sweet freckled face on our bike ride. My surgery the next day had a high potential of cancer in two organs followed by chemotherapy. I savored your carefree nature as you raced me down the street. You brought me joy and distracted me from my preoccupation with cancer and worries about orphaning my children.

Share your joy with others; you may never know how much they need you.

The pride I felt as I sat in the audience at your high school robotics team presentation. Smooth and confident, you introduced your team and your project. I marveled at your poise and speaking ability.

Keep developing your God-given talents.

Your after-school hugs for the dog. Knowing that you faced some tough days and hurtful bullies in middle school, I made sure Cooper sat on the porch to greet you on your walk home from the bus stop. You thought you were outgrowing mom-hugs, but Cooper always cheered you up.

Never forget that you are loved.

Moving you into the college dorm. Although you were ready to attend college early, I was still adjusting to the idea. You were tired of me fussing over you and so ready to start your new independent life. (Yes, I cried as we drove away.)

I pray for God’s best for you, especially as I miss you.

Your first Christmas home from college. We talked until 1 a.m. and I was so thrilled to see the maturity and perspective you had gained after one freshman semester. I enjoyed your stories of weight-lifting in the gym, throwing pottery onto a wheel, disc-jockeying on your college radio program, and recovering from two failed calculus tests. Ultimately, you pulled your grade up by studying hard, attending every tutoring session, and taking every review class; you made the dean’s list after that freshman year of calculus. That experience of failure as a motivator became a priceless lesson in perseverance.

Failure may be painful, but it can be a great learning experience.

The coronavirus chaos of 2020. COVID-19 affected everything from degree requirements to your graduation plans when you lost an internship, added some classes, and changed course. But you managed to complete two majors from two colleges within the university system. You flexed and figured it out.

Flexibility is important; what seems like a problem may result in changed plans and a better outcome.

Fly, my dear child, fly! Soar off to adventures unknown! May God protect you as you face this world on your own. May God grow and challenge you in ways that only your Creator can. Never forget that you are loved—so much. I miss you, and I am so proud of you.
All my love,
Mom

P.S. Please call once in a while.

[Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]

October 1, 2017 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Aunt Madelyn – Aging Advice from a Spunky 97 Year Old

Dear Aunt Madelyn,

We enjoyed visiting you last weekend at the rehab facility. I hope that your hip heals quickly and that you will be back to living in your own home soon. Thank you for sharing your spunk and perseverance, because you inspire me.

“What is my purpose?” you asked. That is a question I have wrestled with myself. What is God’s role for us on this earth? At times that is obvious, like taking care of our children or doing the task at hand to help someone. At other times, we struggle to understand the what and why of our existence. I think that sometimes God asks us to be obedient, even though we don’t understand the purpose or outcome.

Thank you for the many ways you gave us joy and meaning during our visit. Do you realize that you are the family historian, as the only living member of your generation? The story you shared about your nephew Craig’s adorable mispronunciation as a young child, which brought nostalgic memories for your nephews Craig and his brother Bruce. That story and the other memories you shared were a precious gift, enabling them to remember their grandparents, parents and childhood.

The recipe information you gave Bruce’s wife Gail answered several questions she had about family and holiday recipes. The details you described were very helpful, and your sharp memory is much appreciated.

“There’s the lady with the beautiful voice!” announced one of the facility’s volunteers who stopped by to see you. She spoke of how she enjoyed hearing you sing at church. Your response was apologetic, saying you had to give up choir at age 90, when your voice wasn’t as good as it used to be. What a talent that you could sing in church choir until 90 – and that you still sing with the congregation.

“I’m ready to go,” you commented. Your peace with God came across in the conversations the five of us shared. You expressed no fear about leaving this earth. Instead, your reliance on God is obvious, and your faith-based outlook is a great role model. The flower baskets and many cards, propped up on every available surface of your room, were evidence of many relationships with people who love you – and probably are not ready to see you go.

Thanks again, Aunt Madelyn, for visiting with us and spending time teaching us. You motivated me to find meaning in the life God gave me, use my talents to serve God, and trust God for His timing on the length of my life.

Happy 98th Birthday next month, dear Aunt Madelyn!

February 14, 2017 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day Care Packages: Shoes and More

Two different kids, at two very different colleges, requested that mom send them the shoes they forgot at home. A shoe box is a shoe box, but it becomes so much more when filled with love and support for a Valentine’s Day care package.

Dear Ones,

To you it is only old shoes you ask for,
But I plan to send them along with much more.

You requested the shoes that you forgot,
But I hope to show you that I love you a lot.

You need the shoes for a practical reason,
But I will relate my package to the season.

Why can’t you throw them in the mail, you wonder.
But how can I transmit my love, I ponder.

Hurry up, I need my shoes, is your quick demand.
Instead, I take time to buy, bake, write, and plan.

What’s the big deal, to yourself you muse.
As I shoehorn my support into boxes of shoes.

“Anything fragile, liquid, perishable, or hazardous?”
“No,” I respond as I pay at the post office.

My love will not perish, no matter what I send in each one:
The shoes plus a note, cookies, chocolate, and gum.

Boxes of love and shoes are now on their way
To my dear children, Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,
Mom

November 19, 2016 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Letter to a New Widower

Dear B___,

Thinking about you today and praying that God will be with you every step of this new journey through grief as a widower. I pray that God will be with you in all the tough realities you face today:

Waking up to an empty room with the big hospital bed gone. A painful routine it has been, with that big hospital bed and the adjustment to E____’s decreasing strength as she stayed in bed longer and longer. But you adjusted, and you worked so hard to keep her spirits up and her body working as she lay in that bed. May God give you the assurance that you did everything possible to help E____.

Your main job is finished. You washed and lifted, carried and helped. You served her with such love and care, offering an intimacy that spoke volumes of love and support as she wrestled emotionally with letting you do things for her. May God let you know that you did His work in amazing ways. Now it is time to rest, grieve, and let God comfort you.

Coming home with to the empty house. Maybe you listened for noises of her breathing—even those snoring respirations would be a comfort right now. There are no more visits from the caring hospice staff. I pray that God will ease the quiet and give you His comforting peace.

Seeing reminders of her everywhere. My prayer is that you see more and more of the precious reminders and less of the hospital accessories that remind you of E____’s illness. May God refresh your sweet memories of E____ as He eases the reminders of her suffering.

Thank you for loving E____ and being such a great husband to her. You were her humor, strength, and caretaker. What an incredible blessing you were to her as she faced the cancer!

Praying for you.

P.S. Check out www.griefshare.org to sign up for daily emails of encouragement and comfort as you grieve.

October 6, 2016 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Pastor Appreciation: A Thank You Letter

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Please consider writing a letter of encouragement, support, or thanks to your pastor – or maybe to a pastor in your community. I wrote this letter of thanks to a pastor in my community several years ago, and I still have never met this man.

Dear Pastor M___ ,

No, you don’t know me, nor have I been to your church. I attend another church in our town, but I want to thank you for all that you have done recently to show God’s love to our community. Seems like every time I hear about an event lately, you are giving of yourself and your resources, whether the people involved attend your church or not. So I want to specifically thank you for your caring outreach and let you know how your efforts have blessed so many others.

Last winter, you began counseling a couple in the midst of their marital problems. Perhaps they attended your church at some point but neither attends church now, and they both work in different towns. I spent time with the wife, and when she mentioned that they were seeing you for counseling, I was relieved to know that they were getting Godly advice. She quoted you and the recommendations you had made. Sadly, the couple eventually separated, but thank you for giving God’s love and Biblical counsel to people outside of your church circle.

Last month, you offered your church to a couple getting married. They rushed to have a service within weeks of their engagement, trying to find a church to host their wedding on short notice during the busy spring season. In your sanctuary, a beautiful bride was escorted down the aisle by her recently diagnosed, terminally ill father. Thanks to your church’s gracious hospitality, a dying man and his daughter saw their dreams fulfilled.

Recently, you preached at a memorial service for a suicide victim. The family was not even from this town, and you led the service at a church that was not yours. For two weeks afterwards, people quoted parts of your sermon and told me how your words had blessed the people in attendance. Thank you for serving God beyond the borders of your church.

May God bless the energy and effort you make to serve Him in this community and beyond. May He produce much fruit from the work you do beyond serving your church. I pray that God would surprise and even stun you with miraculous outcomes of your service in His name.

May your example challenge all of us to work outside our obvious zone of responsibility in Jesus’ name.

Dear Ones,

Love, Mom

Love,
Mom