Thanking Someone

Praising Personal Worth
by Charles R. Swindoll

The mouth of the righteous
is a fountain of life; . . . on the lips
of the discerning, wisdom is found.
Proverbs 10:11, 13

When we say thank you to someone who completes a task, we are expressing our appreciation. But when we acknowledge and express our gratitude for what others are—in character, in motive, in heart—we are affirming them personally.

A mark of maturity is the ability to affirm, not just appreciate.

How easy to see people (especially family members and fellow [employees]) as doers of tasks, but a task-oriented mentality is incomplete. As important as appreciation for a job well done may be, it too is incomplete.

People aren't human tools appointed to accomplish a set of tasks, but human beings with souls, with feelings.

How essential it is to recognize and affirm the unseen, hidden qualities that make an individual a person of worth and dignity.

Used with permission. All rights reserved.

When I read this it really got to me....I just returned from vacation with my family in Texas and I'm in the process of writing a "thank you" to my mom for all that she did for us and the fun we had.  But like all famiiles we are not perfect and there were moments that were not so good.......But after reading this it helped me to re-focus and not worry about what went wrong but what went good. (and not just the simple easy to see surface stuff)  It helped me dig a little deeper to really write a "thank you" to my mom.  It really made me stop and think how easy it is to writie a thank you card until you sit down to really "write" it.  So I encourage you the next time you write a thank you to someone take a mintue to search what you are really thankful for and find the words to express it.