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Secret Pals (Feb. 1, 2010) My friend told me that not long ago she participated in a secret pal exchange. The first thing she did was to send her secret pal a card. She addressed the envelope, put on a stamp and return address label, and dropped the card in the mail.
She got that far with her story and stopped. I waited politely.
"And?" I finally asked.
"Address label. I used a return address label," she said dryly, without offering any further explanation.
It took me a few seconds, but then I got it. We both broke out in laughter! Using a return address label effectively takes the 'secret' out of 'secret pal,' doesn't it?
I have secret pals. My secret pals are at the clinic where I volunteer. HIPAA laws (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act laws) protect individuals' health information. What that means for me as a volunteer is that I may not share any information about those who come to the clinic. Some people have caringbridge sites, choosing to make their information public. But others include me on their journeys, visit by visit. We may even exchange phone numbers and addresses. But in each and every connection I make at the clinic, my list of secret pals grows. They are added to the prayer list I carry in my heart. Philippians 1:2-4, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy..."
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Survivorship
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