Look, when I don't post for a week? You know "sumpin' is up".
The biggest single reason for my absence?
<Doctor's appointments>
In fact, my past TWO weeks have been over-populated with doctor's appointments, not just for me, but for some of my "nearest and dearest" as well.
Now that I've explained my absence, let me get on with the crux of this post.
I'd like to tell you that when I first got up this morning I went straight into the Word, but I did not.
Half-asleep and still stinging from the alarm clock, I laid my bleary eyes on Twitter, coffee in hand.
Last night, Hubster and I went to see Dinesh D'Souza's new movie, "Death of a Nation". I had liked it so much I'd decided on the way home to send Mr. D'Souza a tweet of thanks. But, last night became this morning. To my delight, the hashtag #HowISayThanks was trending. Who knows how that happened, in the sometimes (well, often) cultural wasteland of Twitter? At any rate, I used that hashtag and cast my thank-you into the Twittersphere. Then, I decided to look at what others were tweeting with that hashtag, just out of curiosity. Here are some of the ways Twittophiles say thanks:
- - - by "liking" and "retweeting", (naturally . . . this was a Twitter thing, you know....)
- - - baking them muffins and giving them a big hug
- - - by listening to them when they have listened to me
- - - by washing their car for them
- - - with a handwritten note, like a civilized person
- - - with a poem
- - - by telling them directly and meaning it sincerely
- - - with gentle kisses
- - - by buying them a thank-you gift
- - - by getting up early for them
- - - with a song ("Thank-you For Being a Friend", e.g.)
- - - with an obscene amount of chocolate
- - - with a smile and spoken thanks
- - - by posting their bail (errrrrrr......)
Well, you get the picture.
It is important to thank those who have sacrificed for us. Often, that means sacrificing for them.
Almost always, a good "thank-you" requires a sacrifice of our time. But, it can also include a sacrifice of our resources (money), our words, our physical affection.
It is important to choose our method of thanks well.
Thanks-giving is a love offering of various levels of magnitude. One of the best books for guiding us in communicating love is The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman.
Here are the five:
- - - Words of Affirmation
- - - Quality Time
- - - Acts of Service
- - - Physical Touch
- - - Giving/Receiving Gifts
The author asserts that most of us have both a "giving" love language and a "receiving" love language. In some cases, both are the same.
I have a loved one who shall remain nameless for the sake of this illustration.
This person's receiving love language is Gifts. It is NOT physical touch or words of affirmation, most definitely. In fact, those are deemed to be offensive (touch) and cheap (words). This person's giving love language is "acts of service".
It is important to know your target's love language when delivering a thank-you, if at all possible. What we tend to do is to operate either out of etiquette (a good default position, but can be somewhat sterile), OR we operate out of our own receiving love language, which can have varying degrees of success, depending on the recipient.
Here are some additional, biblical ways we can show our love and thanks for people care about:
- - - share the eternally life-changing gospel message with them
- - - pray for them (Philippians 1:2-4)
- - - counsel them with wisdom (Proverbs 27:9)
- - - lay down your life for them (John 15:13) This is the greatest thanks ever, and what Jesus did...
So, before I in just a moment get ready to attend my mother's annual, paternal, family reunion, let me give some words of thanks (in no particular order):
- - - That my mother spent only a day in the hospital this week
- - - That my younger son returned safely from a long road-trip yesterday and was given successful surgeries over the past two weeks
- - - That I have such great, great friends, including the one who had lunch with me yesterday
- - - That I have the privilege to serve the Only True God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- - - For those who read and receive God's blessing through my writings here
- - - For my Beautycounter clients
- - - For my wonderful church family (not just friends, but family who do life with me)
- - - For my many family members who sacrifice for each other and still want to spend time together
- - - For those who fight for righteousness daily, in the avenues to which God leads them. They are warriors in God's army and give up much to tell the truth.
These are just some of my reasons to be thankful today, and just a paltry way of saying "love and thanks".
One of the most powerful verses in all of Scripture for walking a resplendent walk is the one I have in a hand-drawn, freestyle, framed print by my niece, who is so talented in visual art (among other things). It is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16Always rejoice, 17constantly pray, 18in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Let's resolve to give thanks for this beautiful day and for all God brings our way in it, and to pray for and thank others for the blessing they are in our lives.
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