How Can I Say Thanks?

Why is it that the bigger the gift is, the harder it is to say thanks?

It is like we have a self-reliance value and independent spirit that cries foul every time we have to acknowledge a gift. And when that gift is given we say thanks but the sincerity is rarely demonstrated.

Why is it that we have to train this into our children? Shouldn't they know from the time they are born that their existence is completely dependent upon us as their parents. Every once in a while we hear of parents either shaking their children into delirium, abandoning them in a dumpster, or even killing them. These should serve to remind us that we owe our parents a thank you for keeping us alive in the early years. But what about the sacrifices made so that we could go to school, play sports, live in a house, clothes, transportation, pets, and the list goes on.

It's easy to say thank you for dinner, but how can you express your gratitude for the last 5 years of sacrifice - or more? Why do husbands and wives not make it a regular practice to express and demonstrate gratitude to one another?

I wonder, would marriages be healthier if we said "thank you" more often than "I love you?" Or is it that we believe that we are the one who should be thanked? I simple "Thank you" can go a long way toward restoring a marriage, a friendship, a working relationship, and even builds unity on an athletic field.

So, why do we have such a hard time saying it and expressing it? We make our kids say it to the server at the ice cream shop, so why are we not grateful? Is it a spiritual issue. Let's take note of whether we are grateful and determine that we will be known as grateful people.

To the entire church community of HarvestDowntown, "Thank you for the sacrifices you made as a church and as individuals to allow me to opportunity to go on a 3-month sabbatical. It was a gift that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I am truly grateful to God for the privilege of pastoring a community like you. Thank you!"