Unexpected Blessings

I woke up today to see everything covered with ice. I love the beauty of the ice and snow but dread seeing ice when I have to drive 45 minutes to work. I don't venture out in this weather unless I really need to. 

Due to the bad weather, only two of us were able to make it to work today, and by afternoon when the other girl left I still had four hours to go. I thought about how much time I spend alone and how ironic it was that I was even alone at work half the day. By the time I left work to drive home, fog had set in and a rainy mist was freezing on my windshield making it even harder to see. I was relieved to pull in the driveway but felt kind of sad as I often do knowing the house would be empty, and knowing I was facing another evening by myself. 

I stopped to get the mail and was surprised to find a small flowered envelop with squiggly writing among the junk mail. It was a letter and a 20 dollar bill from a dear elderly lady who I haven't seen in over 30 years. She was our landlady when we lived in Arizona when my husband was in the Marines. We keep in touch only at Christmas each year. She wrote me the most lovely letter of encouragement! She said she was heartbroken when she received my Christmas letter a few months ago and found out my husband had left. She said she just felt the need to encourage me. She reminded me that God has a plan for my life and not to give up hope. She sent the money so I could enjoy a little treat for myself. She is a widow and I know money is tight for her. My heart was touched by her act of kindness. The letter was enough. It made my day to read her hand written words of inspiration. My mood lifted as I thought about this sweet lady who lived across the country and who I haven't seen in such a long time.

It also make me stop and think. How often have I felt led to write someone a note or send a card of encouragement and I put it off and never got around to it? I guess we should never neglect reaching out to others when we feel led to. We just never know when we might be the unexpected blessing that someone needs.