By Gary Lloyd
TRUSSVILLE — Who drove around the city of Trussville earlier this month, taping short, encouraging notes to mailboxes?
That isn’t known. But Trussville resident Danny Starnes believes he, she or they need a pat on the back.
Starnes went outside to get his mail on a Saturday earlier this month and found one of those notes of encouragement. His Tutwiler Farm neighbors had notes taped to their mailboxes, too. When he opened the mailbox, a scholarship to the University of South Alabama was inside for his son.
Starnes doesn’t attribute the pleasant note to his son receiving a scholarship. His son earned that with hard work.
“It was like a double-barrel shotgun: Good news, good news,” Starnes said. “It was a very good day.”
The notes are mostly about love. One attached to a mailbox in Carrington read, “Let all that you do be done in love.” One in Hidden Trace said, “Stay happy; Jesus loves you.”
First Baptist Church of Trussville Executive Pastor Lance Pate said he has no idea who produced and distributed the notes, but they are positive.
“I think everyone should capitalize on any opportunity to show kindness,” Pate said. “Is it possible to be too kind? Living in today’s world, people are more than eager to yell at a referee, complain on social media, roll their eyes at a slow cashier in the checkout lane. All of us need daily reminders of joy, hope and kindness. I have a feeling when I get to heaven God is not going to scold me for being too generous or too kind.”
It’s a federal offense to place anything inside a mailbox that isn’t U.S. Mail with postage attached. Trussville City Clerk Lynn Porter said it’s her understanding that taping something to the outside of a mailbox is not an offense as long as it doesn’t obstruct any address on the mailbox.
Pat Schatzline, a Trussville evangelist who co-founded Mercy Seat Ministries with his wife, Karen, writes in his new book, “I Am Remnant,” about what it means to take a stand for Christ. Schatzline said that when he heard about the notes, he was “really excited.”
“We are living in a time where everyone is busy and doing their own thing. This is also a time when people are overwhelmed with the weights of life,” Schatzline said. “I have found that encouragement has the power to help someone keep going and hang in there. Whomever this very special person is that is placing these messages on mailboxes is someone that understands how to breathe life into others.”
Schatzline said the Apostle Paul wrote letters. It reminded him that in Romans 12:7-8 the Apostle Paul spoke of “the gift of encouragement or exhortation.” He said those two words translate to “paracletos” or “paraclete” in Greek, which means “to call to one’s side.”
“We need more letters on mailboxes,” Schatzline said. “I praise God for someone whom has learned to get out of the mirror and look out the window at a hurting world.”
Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders said he hadn’t heard of letters being taped to mailboxes in Pinson. Clay City Manager Ronnie Dixon didn’t respond to a message seeking comment.
Starnes said it’s a “really cool” thing that someone or some people spent days doing this for others.
“You turn the news on and it’s negative, negative, negative, and then somebody is out there doing something positive like that for no reason,” he said. “There’s no financial gain with it, there’s no reason for them to do it other than just doing the right thing. I think that’s pretty awesome.”
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.