Tell Your People You are Grateful for Them

It is the season of gratitude here in the US. The leaves are falling, the weather is cooling, the pumpkins are leaving the patches, the spices are being mulled (whatever that means!). It is a popular time of year, and there is such a sense of delight in the air as we anticipate the holiday season to come.

I’ve always loved the connection and the story telling and the good food that we experience in abundance this time of year. I enjoy the holidays that give us a reason to gather, and Thanksgiving is one of them. 

In November we focus on gratitude.

There is something wonderful about a whole month that urges us to pause and consider what we’re grateful for. When my kids were little (and we could still do this today), I would buy a piece of poster board, and for the month of November we would fill it up with things we were thankful for. Taking the time to pay attention and name the good things in your life rather than focusing on what’s missing is good medicine for your heart and soul.

It is after all the way Christians should live our lives. We have many verses advising us to be grateful:

“…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” I Chronicles 16:34

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 NLT

Now, there is a place for desiring to improve your life and moving away from things that aren’t good for you. But how often do you look at a simple meal on your plate and receive it with gratefulness vs criticizing the hardness of the bread or the lack of salt on the green beans.

Maybe it’s just me, but I know that my tendency is toward improvement. I look at something and want to think about all the ways I could make it better. Instead of just opening my heart to the gift of a good meal, a thoughtful gesture, or to recognize that we’re all just doing our best.

Gratitude requires openness as it takes away the walls we’ve built: open eyes to notice, open hands to receive, and an open heart to still the soul.

I find that many of Jesus’ teachings are about openness—hospitality, loving, giving, forgiving. Jesus lived his life in an open way and refused to close his heart to anyone that was seeking his fellowship. And he asks his followers to do the same.

Something else that requires openness is connection. Without an open-eyes-hands-heart-posture, it can be tempting to look at our social lives with a critical eye. We see the dinners we weren’t invited to, the list we were left off of, and we think something is wrong with us because we lack what others seem to have.

Openness challenges us to open our eyes to see who is right in front of us, open our hands to receive the gift of their fellowship whether imperfect or perfect, and open our hearts to let their presence still our souls.

A beautiful thing happens when we stay open to receiving blessings.

As gratitude overflows in our hearts, we feel compelled to share it with others. The gift of openness is that blessings flow both ways, and with a grateful heart our words become kinder, gentler, and more encouraging. Like Christ’s disciple, Paul, we can let others know we see them and we are thankful:

“I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3

“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” I Thessalonians 1:2

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…” Colossians 1:3

Everyone wants to feel seen and appreciated. Let us be people who see and express appreciation.

How can we express our appreciation?

We want our gratitude to be a gift to someone, but maybe this is where we get stuck. We overthink the “how” of showing people we are grateful for their presence in our lives. I have something to help!

I wanted to make it easier for us to let the people in our lives know we are thankful for them. So I created these 4×6 cards that are easy to print, cut out, and give to friends, family members, teachers, neighbors, bus drivers, cashiers, or whoever else crosses your path. Seriously, anyone!

They are so pretty!

They are now available in my shop! I love the designs on these cards, a little fallish, but they don’t scream fall so loudly you can’t use them year round!

Send a card in the mail. Tuck one into a gift. Make each card a part of a place setting at a gathering this season. Frame it in a 4×6 frame and give it as a gift. Use it as decor on a shelf or on a desk in your home. There are many simple ways to use these cards.

I hope these cards take away the anxiety and decision-making that comes with showing up for others.

I know the holiday season can amplify loneliness.

So when you feel lonely, if it’s helpful, remember that it’s not just you. We are living in a time and place where most people feel lonely. So let that knowledge boost your courage. Let that courage shift your momentum to move towards someone instead of away. Practice a posture of openness to let love pour out. 

James 1:17 states, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” As we pause to let our people know we are thankful for them, let us remember God also. Every good gift is from Him. Thank Him for the blessings of love in your life.

I am so grateful for you! I hope these cards bring delight to your life and the people you share them with.