“Thankless” – A word exercise

Today’s article may be a bit long, but please hang in there for me, this is something very important both YOU and I need to do today. 

When I am trying to focus on a particular subject, sometimes I focus on what is the opposite to help me think.  Today I wanted to think through what the word “thankful” really means to me.  It was easy to come up with the normal platitudes of being thankful for my job, my health, my home, etc. (and I AM very thankful for those things).  But in order to think outside of the box a bit on this I decided to think about what the word “thankless” means.

Wow.  God really hit me when I approached it that way.  There are a number of ways we can approach this word, but the primary meaning I landed upon was the idea of not being thankful and examining the ways I am indeed “thankless” to the most important people in my life for what they do and who they are.  So excuse the personal nature of this article this week, but I gotta do this.  Here goes:

To my wife:

I have not made you aware every day of the love I have for you and I am sorry.  God in his incredible wisdom has and is using you to prune, hone, shape and help me through every day.  In my imperfection I get angry with you even though I know He works on me through you.  When you do all the small things that make life so pleasant I do not focus on being sure you feel loved as a result.  You serve God by being my wife every day, and He is pleased with your service.  Thank you for making my life better.  I love you.

To my children:

You have taught me so much.  You have taught me what raw feelings of love truly feel like, showed me that pride is not always a bad thing, and you have been used by God to teach me patience and what is important in life.  You help me focus and adjust my pace as I walk each day.  You give me joy I cannot possibly describe, and make me turn to God with smiles at times, and with pleading tears at others.  You are perfect people in my eyes, and in God’s.  Do not ever forget that.  Thank you for making my life better.  I love you.

To my mother and father:

Thank you for bearing the pain of me.  You have endured it in so many ways from birth even through this present day.  I have not been thankful enough to you or for you and I am sorry.  All through my life you have loved me when I was unlovable, suffered through my mistakes in spite of my ingratitude, and always made sure I knew your love was there.  You took the small moments of love I gave you and nurtured them and multiplied them for use when I would not give you more, but you needed them.  You have been a wonderful model for me as I raise my own children.  Thank you for making my life better.  I love you.

To my sister:

Please see above in Mother and Father section.  It applies to you too.  Even if you are a brat.

And to the rest of the people in my life:

Take all the above and apply it to yourself.  God has indeed made all things perfect, and I am thankful for you all.  Thank you for putting up with me, for helping me grow, and for helping me enjoy the gift of life God gave me.

This verse sums up what you all do for me:

Colossians 3:15-16: (NIV) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Okay.  That’s that.  I did my part.  I told you earlier there is something YOU need to do.  Reread the above, and if you don’t get it on your own, well, send me an email and I’ll explain it to you.  Because God would want me to.

Thanks for reading.  Now go be thankful.