Thank you and I love you.

Thank you and I love you. How often do you feel those two short phrases but forget to say them; or, do you wish that someone else said them to you? The truth is that we as people tend to feel thankful and loving, yet we often times forget to say that.

The Bible is full of references to giving thanks. David gives thanks 18 times in Psalms, the Gospels reference Jesus giving thanks multiple times, and Paul mentions it a bit in his letters. They thanked God when things went well and they gave thanks in the dark times. What stands out the most to me is how Paul continued to thanks God even when he under went persecution. I know in my life, when I am not doing too hot, I do not think to thank God. I am not bitter at him, but I forget to sit and appreciate the protection and the blessings that he has given me.

One thing that I always try to do is to say "thank you" and mean it. Often times that means that people do not hear me say that enough. I find that I think that they know that I appreciate it, but they sometimes do not realize that. So if you get annoyed with me honestly saying "thank you", then just know I do it because I want you to know that I do appreciate you and what you do. It is better to say it too much than to not say it at all!

When it comes to love, when is the last time that you heard someone tell you that they loved you in a way that was not routine or contrived? A lot of people will say that it is about as uncommon as a handwritten note. Love is one of those strange subjects because even though it is a decision, it is often times mistaken for a feeling. If we do not feel positively towards someone, we often times do not want to say "I love you" since we do not feel it. That, or we do not want to give someone the wrong impression by saying, "I love you." It is also a good way to freak people out, so it is not always the wisest choice of words! None the less, we must be careful about who we say that too, but family definitely need to hear it.

WHen I look at that, someone in my life once told me that I never say that I love them. I told that person that I did not want to cheapen the word, because it may lose meaning and that they know that I love them through my actions. That person responded to me, "It is nice to hear every now and then." That really stuck with me, and that is why I try to let people know.''

Recently I have thought a lot about this subject because I hear a lot of people saying that they do not feel appreciated or do not feel loved. You might be one of them, but I think it is important to understand that it is a team effort. I learned a long time ago that if I wanted someone to call me or email me, I had to call and email them first! It sounds weird, but you can not expect everyone to read your mind and do something for you. If you feel unappreciated or unloved, take the first step and let others know that you appreciate them and love them. Mind you, do not do it in a creepy way, but be thoughtful about it and remind them that they are important.

There is another reason that I talk about this, and that has to do with being counter-cultural. Jesus was counter-cultural, and we are very much the same way today. The life that we try to imitate is not the same life that our media and societal norms agree with. In a world that is so focused on individual achievement and selfish ambition, we must always remember to take care of those around us. If you are thankful and loving just as Christ was, you will be compelled to bless and empower others.

As you go through your week, find one person that you love and one person that you appreciate. If you have not told them recently, take the time to do that. Whether it is an email, a verbal thank you or a handwritten note, let them know what they are important to you and what qualities you appreciate about them. A simple "thank you, you are great" might be okay (though it is vague), but you will probably want to add details into it. Such as, "I always appreciate the way that you _______" That is more direct and they know that you actually took the time to think of something that they did. I hope that you take the time to do this, you will not regret it!