London Bay Stationery

The following letter appeared in the Austin American Statesman on February 28, 2008:

There was a time when civility and elegance were the order of the day. It was a matter of course for families and friends to write to one another, inquiring about a relatives’ health, passing on news or announcing the birth of a baby.

Business was conducted in much the same way.

But no more. Even as e-mail has dumbed down the way people talk, what with sentence fragments and unclear ideas, the more usual response is silence. Phone calls are handled in much the same way.

So please give me a fountain pen and fine paper. Read what I’ve bothered to write. Give me a response…

K.G.
Fredericksburg, TX

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Christians have long used the butterfly as a symbol of the resurrection and eternal life. Through the ages they have been reminded of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ each time they witnessed the lowly caterpillar going into an apparently lifeless state–the cocoon–only to later emerge as a beautiful butterfly full of life.

Just as Christ rose from the dead to eternal life, Christians too are promised eternal life through Christ:

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is
sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised
a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52b)

Filed by Cheryl at 4:39 pm under History of Symbols, Symbols
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We are approaching the time of year for end of school parties, graduations, weddings and showers.  Boxed notes make a thoughtful hostess gift or rememberance for a favorite teacher and they are essential for expessing appreciation for thoughtful gestures or for gifts received. 

Take time now to order several boxes of your favorite designs so you will have them on hand for gift giving or for your own use.  All of our designs are appropriate for most any occassion.  Choose the Dove, Fish, Shell, Butterfly, Vine, Celtic Cross or one of our other 20 designs–they are all simple, timeless and elegant.

Should you need more that a couple of boxes, contact us for details regarding larger orders (1-800-528-9135 or orders@londonbaystationery.com).

Filed by Cheryl at 7:23 pm under Entertainment Gift, Great Uses for Note Cards, Thank You Notes, Uncategorized
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Christianity has made wide use of fish symbolism…The Greek word for ‘fish’ (ichthus) was in fact taken by Christians as an ideogram, each of the five Greek letters being taken as the initial letters of the words Iesu Christos Theou Soter (Jesus Christ God’s Son Saviour).  Hence the large number of symbolic representation of fish in early Christian monuments, particularly funeral monuments.

Nevertheless, although in most cases the symbolism remains strictly Christological, it is given a slightly different emphasis.  Since fish was also a food eaten by the risen Christ (Luke 24:42), it became a symbol of the Eucharistic feast and is often depicted alongside the bread.

Lastly, because fishes live in water, the symbolism may sometimes be pursued along baptismal lines.  Reborn in the waters of baptism, the Christian may be compared with a little fish in the image of Christ himself (Tertullian, De baptismate 1).

The fish has provided Christian artists with a wealth of iconography.  Carrying a ship upon its back, it symbolizes Christ and his Church; lying upon a plate with  basket of bread upon it, it stands for the Eucharist; while in the Catacombs it is Christ himself.

The above is from The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols by Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, translated from the French by John Buchanan-Brown, Penguin Book, 1996.

Filed by Cheryl at 11:49 am under History of Symbols, Symbols, Uncategorized
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Since earliest times the dove has been seen in Judeo-Christian symbolism as a sign of purity, innocence, peace and harmony. The first biblical mention of a dove occurs in Gen. 8:8 when Noah sent a dove out from the ark to see if the waters had begun to recede. Even earlier, in Gen. 1:2 the Spirit of God is said to hover over the waters of the earth. Here, a dove is not mentioned, yet the spirit of God is said to “hover” over the waters as one imagines a dove or other type of bird might hover. The dove too, in the Old Testament symbolized the love of God for his chosen people the Israelites.
Doves in both the Old and New Testaments were used as sacrifices of the poor when they couldn’t afford to sacrifice a lamb as an offering at the temple in Jerusalem.

In the New Testament, the dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Each of the gospels describe the Spirit descending on Jesus after his baptism in the form of a dove (Matt. 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22, and John 1:32). Christian art through the centuries has made frequent use of the dove to symbolize the Holy Spirit or to signify those whose lives are particularly godly such as saints. Doves are painted on the walls of the catacombs of Rome as a symbol of peace and are often seen on early tombs as a symbol of grief or martyrdom.

Filed by Cheryl at 10:14 pm under History of Symbols, Symbols, Uncategorized
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The above chart is from Writing Thank-You Notes, Finding the Perfect Words by Gabrielle Goodwin & David Macfarlane.

Filed by Cheryl at 3:29 pm under Birthday Card, Condolence Cards, Dinner Party, Entertainment Gift, Great Uses for Note Cards, Letter of Appreciation, Thank You Notes, Wedding Gifts
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Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.  They stand for the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  They are used as a mongram of Christ indicating that he is eternal rather than limited in time or place.  This is taken from Rev 1:8, 17; 21:6 and 22:13 where Christ is identified as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  This image is also seen in Isaiah where God says, “I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God, (Is 44:6). 

The image in Revelation closely identifies Jesus with God, the Creator and Sustainer of all that is.  Those who worship him with John the author of Revelation are told, “Do not be afraid.  I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!  And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Rev 1:17-18).

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In the course of our daily lives we are often the recipients of acts of kindness that certainly require no thank you note.  However, sending a thank you note in such circumstances is a thoughtful gesture that will be much appreciated by the recipient and may even be saved and re-read repeatedly because it means so much.

You may wish to send a note of gratitude to the custodian at your church when he has worked hard behind the scenes to prepare for a special service or event at the the church, to your secretary when she stayed late to copy or prepare a report you needed for an important meeting, or to your daughter’s soccer coach who let your child play in the big game because she needed encouragement rather than because of her soccer skills.

The following is an example of such a note:

      Dear Mrs. Johnson,

      How can I thank you enough for coming to the aid of my son Eric when he fell off his bicycle yesterday.  Imagine my surprise when he came in the door with both knees and one elbow neatly bandaged!  He proudly showed me the smiley sticker on his T-shirt that you gave him for bravely bearing the washing and dressing of his wounds.

     It was so very kind of you to help him off the sidewalk in the front of your home, to clean him up and bandage his scrapes, and to even give him a cookie and juice before helping him back home.

     You are a wondrful neighbor and our family is truly blessed to know you.

     Thank you again for your kindness to Eric.

                                                     Sincerely,

                                                     Rhonda

Filed by Cheryl at 3:13 pm under Great Uses for Note Cards
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The Evangelist Cross is also known as the jerusalem Cross or Crusader’s Cross.  The large central cross is surrounded by four smaller crosses.  Through the ages various explanations have been given for its meaning.

Most frequently this cross is said to symbolize the cross of Christ surrounded by the four smaller crosses representing the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John proclaimed to the four corners of the earth.

It has also been said that the four smaller crosses represent the fulfillment of the law in the four gospels, or that the five crosses represent the five wounds of Christ on the cross (hands, feet and side).

This cross was first used as a coat-of-arms for the Latin kingdom in Jerusalem established in 1098 when Jerusalem was captured by members of the First Crusade and elcted Godfrey of Boulogne, duke of Lower-Lorraine, king of Jerusalem.

Filed by Cheryl at 6:03 pm under History of Symbols, Symbols
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Notes of condolence are often perceived to be difficult to write though they need not be. Regardless though of how you view writing them, they should not be neglected.

When a friend dies it is proper to write the spouse or closest relative whether or not you know that person. Likewise, when a close relative of a friend dies it is appropriate to write the friend to express sorrow for their loss even if you didn’t know the person who died.

Condolence notes can be short and simple or long and heartfelt but they should be sent promptly upon hearing of the death. They should be hand written rather than typed to convey a warm and personal tone even if one’s handwriting is not the best.

There are many ways to compose a condolence note. One is as follows: begin with an expression of sympathy, followed with a sentence or two conveying a memory of the person who died (this could include memories of kindness shown, personal attributes that were meaningful to you and the like), followed by a few words of comfort and end with a final word of sympathy or affection.

This is an example:

Dear Ruth,

I am so very sorry to hear of your mother’s death. She was so kind to me all during our growing up years making me feel welcome in your home, at your table and even on family outings when I’m sure it would have been easier not to have another child in tow.

No one, of course, will miss her as much as you but I hope it will bring you some comfort to know that others share your grief.

You re in my thoughts and prayers.

Elizabeth

Filed by Cheryl at 7:13 am under Great Uses for Note Cards
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