Thankful (2)

I think I am pretty good at thanking people when they help me. It is easy for me to say thank you when Kevin brainstorms and plans a youth event, when Christi makes a brochure, when Joel cuts my grass, or when Bob buys me lunch (a weekly occurrence). I am seriously overcome with gratitude realizing that i could not or would not have accomplished what they did when they did it, had they not willingly given of themselves. For example, this week there have been 19 students volunteering all week long to help run kids kamp at church. They have been in acting roles, leading small groups, studying and preparing snacks (not that they have had to study to prepare snacks, but they have had to study lessons to teach and make snacks to eat) the week would not have happened without them. It is easy for me to see that and feel burdened to write them a card, call them and say thanks, or text and encourage them.

But here is my question or my struggle. How can i naturally see and express thanks to people who serve and care for me and so readily miss the everyday things worthy of thanks that make my life wonderful. For example, for the last two weeks, since Abe has been home, Katie has done a tremendous job. She has been breast feeding every three hours for two weeks now, which adds up to 112 times that she has had to be still and structure her time around feeding Abe. There is so much to be thankful for here, she has fought through the discomfort, disciplined herself to structure her time (day and night) around feeding Abe and saved us a lot of cash. Not to mention how special that time is between the two of them, that's 112 hours outside of non-feeding times that he has been held by his mother. Of course i am so thankful for that, but for some reason, i haven't thought to say, "Katie, thank you for being willing and committed to feeding Abe, it is such a blessing." Not that she told me to say that, but as we were talking about having him home and what the last two weeks had looked like, i had not even thought about the time, commitment and sacrifice of breast feeding.

I think this is a heart issue for me. Any idiot knows to be thankful when someone serves him. Who does not say thank you to someone who buys him lunch? I think this is the natural response for all of us. However, it takes a different mindset, a different heart, to process and think through the lives and actions of people in a way that you can see areas of sacrifice and service that you should be thankful for and acknowledge. The only other option is to believe that we deserve such treatment or service. It is so easy for me to overlook beautiful and selfless acts of service, things done by my wife, friends and the Lord. I love these words from Psalm 77, "I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds." I pray that the Lord create in me and you a heart disciplined and passionate enough to meditate on his works, as well as the lives and actions of those around us, that our hearts may be full of thanksgiving.