(A picture of me and Another One- completely not related to the subject of this post)
Not many things have I kept in habit of doing since I was a kid. I've changed so much over the years. However, one thing has remained in my heart (whether by force or by choice, maybe both - I am not sure) is being thankful. I was told at a young age that if I did not maintain a strict regimen of writing thank you notes, I would not receive any more gifts. Now as a kid, of course that had an impact of what choice I made. Did I want gifts? Of course! I did what it took to get it done!
As an adult, I have learned that my job as a human, more importantly so, as a Bible believing Christian, is that I need to maintain an attitude of gratitude.
My sweet aunt gave me a book as a baby shower gift entitled 101 Things You Should Do Before Your Kids Leave Home. I was happy to see that we have done quite a few of them already! Number four on the list was especially important to me - "Teach your kids to write thank you notes". I'm not going to group this altogether and say that you are evil for not writing thank you notes. Life gets in the way, I totally get that. But if we maintain an attitude of gratitude, a thank you might naturally fall into place in the form of a handwritten note or it may present itself as an email or even a post-it note. Sometimes, even the most thoughtful thank you's are ones where you go out of your way to just speak the words - it doesn't have to include a stamp and an envelope (though, I have to admit those are my absolute favorite to give and receive!). I've made is such a priority, that when someone tells me not to write a note, I often tell them it's against my religion not to!
(This box with the rose on it is where I keep my thank you notes on the shelf)
The chapter explains that when Jesus healed the ten lepers, only one stopped to thank Him - the other nine ran to family and friends delighted at their good fortune. It explains that we constantly experience God's gracious gifts and frequently forget to offer up thanks. I believe we are called to offer up thanks (to the Lord - and to other's whom the Lord blesses us through).
I have to admit, I have not been very consistent with teaching my children this virtue. Sometimes our oldest writes them - and when she does they are very good - but sometimes we slack off, as humans do. But, we strive to do the best that we can. It is my hope that this encourages you to be thankful as well.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
As an adult, I have learned that my job as a human, more importantly so, as a Bible believing Christian, is that I need to maintain an attitude of gratitude.
My sweet aunt gave me a book as a baby shower gift entitled 101 Things You Should Do Before Your Kids Leave Home. I was happy to see that we have done quite a few of them already! Number four on the list was especially important to me - "Teach your kids to write thank you notes". I'm not going to group this altogether and say that you are evil for not writing thank you notes. Life gets in the way, I totally get that. But if we maintain an attitude of gratitude, a thank you might naturally fall into place in the form of a handwritten note or it may present itself as an email or even a post-it note. Sometimes, even the most thoughtful thank you's are ones where you go out of your way to just speak the words - it doesn't have to include a stamp and an envelope (though, I have to admit those are my absolute favorite to give and receive!). I've made is such a priority, that when someone tells me not to write a note, I often tell them it's against my religion not to!
(This box with the rose on it is where I keep my thank you notes on the shelf)
The chapter explains that when Jesus healed the ten lepers, only one stopped to thank Him - the other nine ran to family and friends delighted at their good fortune. It explains that we constantly experience God's gracious gifts and frequently forget to offer up thanks. I believe we are called to offer up thanks (to the Lord - and to other's whom the Lord blesses us through).
I have to admit, I have not been very consistent with teaching my children this virtue. Sometimes our oldest writes them - and when she does they are very good - but sometimes we slack off, as humans do. But, we strive to do the best that we can. It is my hope that this encourages you to be thankful as well.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
