A Word That's Thrown Around

This is the time of year when the word THANKFUL is thrown around a lot.  We are reminding ourselves and others to be grateful for what we have in the spirit of Thanksgiving.  I have been pondering some things the past week or so and figure it's time to write it out...

I promise there's  a point to all of this...bear with me.

I have found myself in the past couple of weeks feeling like things go unnoticed and simply taken for granted.  I have found myself in a few pity parties for myself because others didn't recognize me or show any appreciation.  I'm not going to go into specifics because 1. I don't want to point fingers at people or make them feel like they need to say something to me and 2. I have a greater purpose in this.  I've noticed it's really easy to say thank you for little things...things that are small but out of the ordinary.  For example,
  *Someone holds the door for you. "Thank you"
  *Someone brings you flowers or a treat. "Thank you so much. This made my day."
  *A colleague stands with your class a minute so you can go to the bathroom. "Thanks, I wasn't going to make it one more class!"
  *Someone says "Your hair looks great today!"  "Awwww, thanks I tried something different!"

But you know when it gets to be harder?  When it's the bigger things.  Or the things that we work hard for.  Or the things we have put our hearts into and they go unnoticed (seemingly) and it hurts. Or the things that are simply EXPECTED of us. Examples:
  *You work long hours to complete a project and make it just right...crickets...
  *You get all the laundry done and put away on the same day (WHAT???)...nothing
  *The special meal is made, the table set, and no one wants what you made....whining
  *You go above and beyond in your job...crickets...or worse, credit/thanks goes to someone else.
  *Fill in the blank....
I bet you can come up with your own.  Times that a simple thank you and I appreciate you would have gone a long way...would have made it worth it...would have made it seem like you mattered.
I've been there and I'm pretty sure every one of us has.  Why do we find it so hard to simply notice things and say a kind word?  And why is it so important to me (us) that we are acknowledged...why can't what we do be enough?  This statement may seem odd but I think I'm normal in saying it...I don't do my work, or my duties, or my kindnesses IN ORDER to be thanked...I really don't.  I do them because of who I am and I want to do those things and do them well...and I wish that was truly enough, but darn it...sometimes it's sure nice to know someone cares or notices.  I'm as bad at it as anyone else, so I am not pointing fingers....(well, I'd like to, but this next part that hit me kind of keeps me from doing it!)
So, as I'm driving tonight and trying to let some things go through prayer...I felt a gentle whisper and boy did it smack me in the face...I felt God saying...."you want to be appreciated, yet you are human and so flawed.....how often do you stop to thank ME for the little or the big things that I'm doing in your life?"  OUCH.  I started thinking and it brought tears to my eyes.  I pray and thank Jesus daily, but do I REALLY thank Him for the things He deserves to be thanked for?  Sometimes maybe...but how much do I MISS and I "forget" to thank Him for, or I take it for granted...or I assume He should be doing something, so why do I need to thank Him...it's His JOB to take care of me after all...Wow...are you still with me?  Here I am belly-aching because I'm feeling unappreciated for things that I do...and Jesus is still lovingly holding me near to Him when I brush right past all He does for me every day....besides the fact that He DIED for me...for you...for each of us so that we could have life and we don't deserve it!  And I'm whining????? 

Do I think that means that my feelings are invalid? No. Do I think it is important to say thank you and make people feel good?  Absolutely.  Do I still crave that approval of others and need to know I matter? Yes, if I'm honest.  BUT...I also am reminded that I need to be thankful, grateful and appreciate the blessings that God sends my way EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.  Everything from a sunrise, to gorgeous snowflakes falling, to a warm bed to sleep in, to a friend to text, to safety in traveling, protection from the enemy, for walking beside me daily, for loving me through my selfishness and unlovable-ness, and most of all for the GRACE and MERCY He has bestowed on me, by loving me, sending His Son to die for me, and knowing He watches over me every step of the way. 

So...this is my round about way of encouraging you to be thankful...not just during the month of November...not just for little things...not just for big things...spread your thankfulness around to others.  But start...with Jesus.