It’s easy to take for granted all the little (and big) things that others do to make your life journey more pleasant. What is not so easy is to take some time to recognize how other people are removing stumbling stones from your path and cheering you on from day to day. Being grateful takes intentionality and effort. Yet the rewards of thankfulness are many. And what could be a better time to decide to write out some words of thanks than November, the month of Thanksgiving?
So, this month why not plan to write a few Christian greeting cards to express your gratitude? I say write them because pen and ink communicate gratitude a bit more emphatically than emails and text messages. It takes a bit more time to choose a card and then choose your words and then put them in a mailbox – but that is exactly why they are more valuable to others!
The simplest cards to write are thank you cards for a gift received. Thanks for birthday gifts, Christmas gifts etc. require only an acknowledgement of the gift and then a line or two about how you intend to use or enjoy the gift. Simple right?
But encouragement is a gift as well. Give thanks for how people are impacting your life and don’t take their help for granted. If you give it five or ten minutes of focused thought, you will be able to come up with a list of people who have given you the gift of
encouragement.
It could be the coach of your child’s sports team who always finds something positive to say to your little one. It might be a teacher in your life (this could be at school, at church, in business or in a club). Maybe you’ve been blessed to have a mentor in your life; an older person who has given you wise counsel and advice when situations in your life seemed uncertain. Or maybe someone just had a gentle word when you really needed one.
It would be nice to mention a specific occasion when the person encouraged you, but it isn’t necessary. A general word of thanks for their help is okay. Whenever possible, tell the person how their support or action impacted you in terms of where you are today. If you feel stuck, there are places online where you can even find helpful wording for your card.
Most importantly, it’s never too late to say those words. Thank You. Hebrews 10:25 tells Christians to be ….encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. That highlights how important it is to be encouraging others around us. Sending a Christian greeting card to someone who has helped you in a tough situation or lifted your spirits is an easy way to obey that command. Look for a great selection of cards and notes at The Printery House and make this November a month of giving thanks to others.