If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. ~Eckhardt von Hochheim, German theologian, philosopher, and mystic
I’ve often mentioned in this blog the many blessings in my life, and how thankful I am to be so abundantly blessed. So today I want to share with you a little thing I do to remind me to say thank you throughout the day. It’s really quite simple. If you walk into my house, you’ll see Thank You notes of all kinds and colors discreetly propped up in different places. If you look closely you’ll see that they’re not all notes written to me by others. Some of them are, to be sure, but others are blank. The ones sent to me remind me of people I have helped in one way or another. The blank ones I use to remind myself to say Thank You to God for all His help, and the many blessings I have been given.
So if you’re looking for a way to increase your prayer life, here’s something you can try. Just get yourself a box of Thank You notes, and prop or tape them up in the places where you’re most likely to see them. In your house it might be your bathroom mirror, your bedroom nightstand, or even on the ceiling above where you nap or sleep, so you see it when you open your eyes :).
Your entertainment center might be a nice place to put one, or somewhere over the kitchen sink. Maybe even your laundry room, or somewhere you can see it when you fold clothes. You can put one near your computer, both at home and/or at work, or tape it to the top of your laptop. If you don’t work with a computer, I’m sure you can find a place to put one in your workspace, wherever it is. If you’re shy about people seeing it, a simple post it note with the letters TY will do. You’ll know what it means, and chances are no one else will even notice it there.
In your car, there’s the visor or dashboard, or even the trunk. Maybe you can find a place for one in your purse, or gym bag. If you have an exercise bike or treadmill, that’s a great place to put one.
Be creative. I’m sure you can come up with something special. And when you see them, just take a moment to stop, smile, and say Thank You.
I’ve often mentioned in this blog the many blessings in my life, and how thankful I am to be so abundantly blessed. So today I want to share with you a little thing I do to remind me to say thank you throughout the day. It’s really quite simple. If you walk into my house, you’ll see Thank You notes of all kinds and colors discreetly propped up in different places. If you look closely you’ll see that they’re not all notes written to me by others. Some of them are, to be sure, but others are blank. The ones sent to me remind me of people I have helped in one way or another. The blank ones I use to remind myself to say Thank You to God for all His help, and the many blessings I have been given.
So if you’re looking for a way to increase your prayer life, here’s something you can try. Just get yourself a box of Thank You notes, and prop or tape them up in the places where you’re most likely to see them. In your house it might be your bathroom mirror, your bedroom nightstand, or even on the ceiling above where you nap or sleep, so you see it when you open your eyes :).
Your entertainment center might be a nice place to put one, or somewhere over the kitchen sink. Maybe even your laundry room, or somewhere you can see it when you fold clothes. You can put one near your computer, both at home and/or at work, or tape it to the top of your laptop. If you don’t work with a computer, I’m sure you can find a place to put one in your workspace, wherever it is. If you’re shy about people seeing it, a simple post it note with the letters TY will do. You’ll know what it means, and chances are no one else will even notice it there.
In your car, there’s the visor or dashboard, or even the trunk. Maybe you can find a place for one in your purse, or gym bag. If you have an exercise bike or treadmill, that’s a great place to put one.
Be creative. I’m sure you can come up with something special. And when you see them, just take a moment to stop, smile, and say Thank You.
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15 comments:
Laina, oour post got me to thinking about how I say thank you. I don't do it with post it notes. I do it with acts of kindness to others who didn't give me cause to be thankful, but rather in examining their predicaments, gave me cause to be grateful for all the good things that have happened to me in my lifetime.
If I have enough money to go to a restaurant for dinner it is because I was lucky enough to have had a good job. Did I earn the job? Perhaps, but there were 73 other people who would have done it just as well or better and I got it. So, for example, if I pass someone on the street who looks like he hasn't eaten in a day, I will offer to buy him a meal without being asked.
I believe that an act of kindness is a prayer because you are answering someone else's without asking for anything in return.
I do not consider it charity to offer help to others. It is required of anyone with a sound conscience to share the bounty you received either by the grace of God or even by hard work. If it is hard work, you were graced by God with the capacity to do it and the job to to it with.
Lollipops and unicorns
Liana,
What a lovely thought, esp. for a Sunday morning. I've heard this before--the first, believe it or not, in a fiction book, where the warrior was dying and those were his last words--and I thought it was a beautiful sentiment. Life is the blessing. All else is just icing.
What a wonderful post. I find myself saying thank you a lot lately. I had my first heart attack 2 months ago. The first Thank You was to God for my survival and for providing me with instincts to realize what was happening. The rest of were to friends, family and co-workers who've helped and for the many blessings I still have in my life.
That is a beautiful thing to do. Just be thankfull
loretta
lbcanton@verizon.net
LIANA--how appropriate for a lovely Sunday. I joined a small group of women a few weeks ago--we meet every Thursday if possible, and we have little cards with our prayer on one side, and five questions on the other. It's simply to take one hour out of our week, sit down with friends, pray, and tell about the spiritual life for the week, things like that.
On saying thank you, I think it's so ingrained in me, I automaticlaly do it all the time, for everybody doing whatever.
A year or so ago, we were traveling by car and had stopped at a motel. At dinnertime, we drove around and found an out-of-the-way Mexican restuarant, went in and ate. When we came out to the car, Jim went to my side, opened my door for me, I said thank you, he closed it and walked around to his side. As soon as he got in, an older man tapped on the window. Since we'd seen him inside, we weren't afraid of him. He said, "I have to tell you how pleased I was to see you open the door for your wife. She is your wife, isn't she? And I heard her say in a sweet voice, Thank you, honey. I just wanted you to know how special that is."
Now, isn't that interesting? That a stranger recognized manners and thought it unique? It shouldn't be, but I suppose it is. Celia
out of sight = out of mind, so keeping the notes in plain sight is an excellent reminder system.
I used to be better about thank you notes than I am now, but I don't htink it's just me. Everyone is moving so fast these days, it's hard to take time out for social nicities. And yet a sincere thank you does more than bring a smile. Its absolutely heart warming.
Thank you for such a thought-provoking post!
Hi Liana,
What a terrific idea, you certainly have a great outlook on life.
Regards
Margaret
Nice thought. By the way, my daughter said that at the homeless project with which she helps, the men are starved for fruits and fresh veggies. They often develop scurvy, which is probably why the head of the homeless shelter asked for green salads. A big fruit salad would be good, too.
My waking thought is usually, "Thank you, Lord, for this day." Hubby always thanks God for a good day at the beginning. I try to practice and attitude of gratitude regularly--changes the outlook! And one of my closest friends has this habit of apologizing or thanking everyone constantly. The running joke has become: "Thanks for saying 'I'm sorry,' and sorry for saying 'thank you.'"
This was great!
Joanna Aislinn
Dream. Believe. Strive. Achieve!
NO MATTER WHY
The Wild Rose Press
http://www.joannaaislinn.com
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ive never been really good at verbally experssing my self so i do it in creative ways
a note card with a quote or just the simple words of thank you and sometimes because i can i just hand them outto strangers or open a door as for the random acts of kindness
ill call my mom up for no reason at all and tell her I love her and thank you for being my mom
sometimes i stop and bask i the glory of kindness and give up alil prayer for those who do nice things
there r just little things i like to do tothank peopel for all they do for me the drive threw lady i always smile and give her an extra thank you for putting up with my idiocirancies that make nos ence to any one but me
your postw as aweosem and all these ideas r great will have to look in to doing more things
What a great idea! I say thank you a lot but I need to start making sure I say thank you to people who are there for me and not just in response to something that someone does for me. Thanks for that!! :)
I think Thank You is two of the most important words you can come up with. I have always put myself in other people's shoes and try very hard to express thanks to everyone. I cashier at a major store and I never let one customer leave my register until I say thank you and have a great day or night (depending on the time).This may sound like a job requirement but I am very sincere when I say it and most of my customers return to me week after week. I never gave my words much thought except to mean it when I say it as I thank each and everyone for their support and allowing me to have this job. I was off on vacation one week and upon returning back..I had so many ask if I was okay because they missed me and was concern. Two words of kindness have been return to me many times over in just knowing people who know me just from my job..cares enough to ask where I was and if I was okay. I never expected this in return. susan L.
Liana, I love your ideas. For me, thank you big. It's an "element" of respect that's close to my heart. I get a lot of compliments on my kids who say "thank you" and "you're welcome."
Thank you notes sound cool so I'm going to try to work them into our routines.
Smiles
Steph
Liana- great post. My daughter starts her family dinner every night by asking each one to say 'what I am grateful for today.' It's so cute to see my little granddaughters say they are greateful because they had ice cream, or because Nonna is here, or because they love their new dolls.
Liana- great post. My daughter starts her family dinner every night by asking each one to say 'what I am grateful for today.' It's so cute to see my little granddaughters say they are greateful because they had ice cream, or because Nonna is here, or because they love their new dolls.
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