Thank you …two simple words that we often forget to say.  Have you ever given a gift to someone, done something special, helped someone out and never heard the words THANK YOU expressed?
          There is a song that says, “Give thanks with a grateful heart.”  How is our heart today?  I hear the phrase, “it is a heart thing”.”  What does this really mean?  When you don’t take the time to notice the things being done for you….your heart might need a tune up.
          I spoke at several ladies meetings, over the holiday season, and I gave them a challenge.  You know how on TV they talk about celebrating the 25 days of Christmas….well I asked them to make a list from 1-25.  On this list they were to write down 25 things they could do to encourage someone and once the list was written to ask the Lord to give them a name next to each good deed.
          It was so great to have ladies come to me and say they did their homework for this assignment and how blessed they were after they had done a good deed for someone.  They ended up having so much fun finding things to do for people that some of them wanted to keep a list monthly now.
          Let us look at another list together….ok get your paper ready and write down 1-25.  Now make list of 25 things that you are grateful for….I mean really grateful for.  Now next to each of these items write the person’s name next to each item that was responsible for making this happen in your life.  For example, your salvation – when was the last time you thanked for Lord for this?  Another might be how you were brought up – have you ever thanked your parents for all they have done for you?  The list can go on and on……but you know when you start to write it down, at least for me, the tears begin to flow and I am overwhelmed on how good I have it.
          In dictionary.com it says the following:
Thank you – …”an expression of thanks, as by saying “thank you”:
Grateful – …”warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received;
          Are you thankful for something today? Can you truly say you are grateful for something?  Another song that comes to mind is “Count your blessings…name them one by one…and see what the Lord has done.”
          Many times when a person does not say THANK YOU…it could be a heart thing.  Maybe life has hardened their heart so much they can’t see past this.  Maybe they just forget to say THANK YOU because they are too busy.  Don’t get caught up in this stuff….say THANK YOU!!
          What ever the case is,” THANK YOU” can go a long way.  Start today and say “THANK YOU” to the Lord for all He has done for you.  Ask Him to remind you of people that have made a difference in your life and write them a note of thanks or, better yet, tell them in person.  There is a song you might want to listen tofrom Ray Boltz called “Thank You.”  The song refers to those people who are in heaven that had a part in your life that we would say thank you to.  They gave to the Lord in a special way to help change your life.
          Let this challenge your heart. Never assume that the words “Thank You” don’t mean anything.  Get working your list. 

Lynn Wilson

Lynn Wilson a wife and a mother of two boys, currently on Staff at America’s Keswick for the past 20 years. She has been involved in her local church in women’s ministries as well as speaking for other churches and retreats. Her mission statement would be …to touch one life so in turn they can touch a life for eternity. Her greatest joy is to go home at the end of her work day and spend time with her family and enjoy her first ministry which is being  a wife and mother.