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A long time ago, I read an article that caught my attention because I could relate to it like all readers. It appeared in the The Hope-Star Journal under Living In Hope by Jean Flora Glick. I liked it so much that I put it within my files but forgot which file. That's one of the problems with hundreds of files. Fortunately, after mentioning it to Jean, she was able to locate it within all of her files. She made a copy of it and got it to me. At the top, Jean had put the date 10/10/96 when it appeared in our local newspaper. To the side, she put two smiling faces and the words: “Amazing Dave, I found the article you wanted, 12/29/21, twenty-five years later!” Well, I placed it in my “HSJ Online” folder close to our computer desk, so I would remember, with the intentions of some day incorporating it with one of my articles. I'm pleased to now share part of that article!

“As I wrote a letter, I made a mistake. While I rubbed the rock-hard pencil eraser across the paper, a black smear appeared. The smudge irritated me. Here was an eraser that didn't do the essential task it was manufactured to do! Trying one pencil after another, I learned eight of ten erasers muddled the paper. They didn't erase!”

Frequently, I have felt the same frustrations as Jean with pencil erasers. What is the purpose of an eraser on a pencil that does not work? Are such pencils cheaper? Why should it look like an eraser? There might as well be a cute little rubber duck at the top or a small rock with an X? Perhaps, it is one of the reasons why both of my daughters elect to purchase and use mechanical pencils. The chances of their erasers working well seem to be much higher. Of course, they tend to be more expensive, and I tend to break one piece of lead after the other.

When vacationing in Florida, I often read books and underline important points with a pencil. There are times I change my mind and want to erase a mark. While there, I also enjoy writing articles in pencil and prefer erasing mistakes as opposed to marking them out as some writers would. (I'm definitely too left-brained at times!) In both cases, I make a mess until finding the two of ten pencil erasers that actually erase as Jean so observed in 1996.

Jean adds several important points in her article with one being to be careful about our life outlook: “Like the faulty pencil eraser, I smudge my day with dark thoughts and grumbles.” Well, it is obvious Jean realizes she is not perfect and is very humble. She is certainly not known as a dark smudger!

Possibly, you have read her clever book, “Holy Smokes-Inspirational Help for Kicking the Habit,” which she teamed up to create with her daughter, Kim. If receiving the prototype, you found rolled up scriptures resembling cigarettes to help those struggling to conquer the nicotine fix. I'm quite confident Jean's teaching experiences in the classroom and church were quite helpful when writing a rather different and clever book. (I was fortunate enough to be a colleague of Jean at the old Hope School before she chose to go to Cummins. There, among several tasks, she was responsible for a newsletter and had the opportunity to interview and write articles about truckers and their diesel engines.)

Possibly, you have ever been fortunate enough to receive a card from Jean. Part of Jean's ministry is doing physical cards. I have had the great honor of receiving a few from her. In fact, I have saved all of her cards and filed them. After searching, I located a few, even an original song she wrote. Typically, there is perfect wording from another author for the occasion and additional perfect wording from Jean with some smiley face stickers or a similar sticker that simply uplifts you. (Jean likely used stickers when teaching.) I can't ever recall a black smear and doubt if that would be acceptable to Jean. If there was a smear, the receiver would not even notice it due to all of the positiveness within the card.

I just went through many cards my mom sent me throughout her 96 earthly years. It was a part of her ministry too. She would send out 30-60 cards a month. Oh, there may have been a few muddles, but it sure was good to read them again, so good that I put them back in my files to read again when in need to be uplifted.

If you are smudging you day with dark thoughts and grumbles, I would suggest you do a physical card for someone. Your dark thoughts will change as well as your grumbles, and you will make a positive difference in someone's life like Jean and my mom.

As Jean states: “We were created to do good!”