As I sat on my porch steps dropping candy into trick or treat bags, I was thrilled at the number of children who said thank you. It was more than I expected in this day and age.  But those who didn’t reminded me of a story in the book of Luke. Ten men with leprosy cried out begging Jesus to heal them. He told them to go show themselves to the priest, and as they went, they were healed.  One  man, when he saw he was cured, came back to thank Jesus.  One! Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?”

I believe many people feel entitled and therefore they don’t say thank you. Yes, it’s the cashier’s job to take your hard-earned money for the overpriced item you are buying.  But, thanking her is respectful, and those may be the only kind words she has heard that day.

“Say thank you.”  If you have children, you have probably said that umpteen times to them.  At first, they say these words because they are told too, even when they aren’t thankful. Then it may become a habit, but hopefully with time they will say it with a grateful heart.  Being thankful to others blesses both the giver and the receiver.

When something of magnitude is done for us or given to us, we are quick to say those words, but we often forget to say thanks for the little things. As a teacher, I try to emphasis the importance of saying thank you to my kindergarten students.  Some day, as I am passing out papers, I hear “thank you” twenty times in a row, and I have to say, “you’re welcome” back each time. It seems excessive, but it makes me smile.

“Thanks”giving

With Thanksgiving approaching, we all get “thankfulness” on our minds. But shouldn’t it be a daily practice? We often get overwhelmed, distracted, or in a hurry and forget those words. We slip into a mode of negativity, worry, and frustration. Gratitude can alter our frame of mind by helping us realize all we have to be thankful for.

The old saying, every cloud has a silver lining, may be true if you look hard enough. For 25 years, I lived in the middle of 40 wooded acres. When our surrounding land was clear cut, I listened to all the negatives from others about how it looked like a tornado had come through and wreaked havoc. And truly it did. I was accustomed to driving through the canopy of trees and acres of plush greenery. Now, it was a bare and dusty wasteland. But one night while sitting in my recliner, I saw the most beautiful sky as the sun was setting. I had never seen that glorious view because the trees had blocked it for years. Thus, the silver lining.

Thank God -Even for the Bad

Thanking God should be a daily practice. It is easy to thank Him for all our blessings, but the Bible says, “in all things give thanks”.  Depending on your circumstances that may be difficult. Thank God during hard times. I have had to learn to do that over the past two years, but God blesses me when I do.

One time recently on the way back from Daytona, the truck broke down. It was at least 95 degrees. We pulled off the highway into a vacant parking lot. As I sat in the back seat sweating like a pig, and the boys were out looking under the hood, I thanked God that the truck broke down. As weird as it sounds, for no reason, it just came out of my mouth. And I meant it. Literally, when I opened my eyes, someone pulled up beside us. He had seen us from the highway. He went to Autozone, got the part we needed and brought it to us.

When Tucker jumped back into the truck, I said, “Well, I am glad I thanked God for the truck breaking down.”

In disbelief he questioned me, “Why would you thank God for that?”

“Because you’re suppose to thank Him for everything, and look what He did in return.”

Teach children the importance of the words thank you and that it is not just for the Thanksgiving holiday. Let it last throughout the year. Thank someone everyday, and thank your God. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.”, 1 Chronicles 16:3

-Donna