Thanks To Me

When I got back from Christmas vacation, I made a list of those that were getting a thankyou note from me. I started them a week and a half ago and just barely finished them today. Now, there were only 9 of them but for some reason I found them hard to get written and in the mail. I finally got them sent out today so if you think you deserve a t-note from me, it should be in your mailbox soon.

Oooo, which one are you gonna get?I'm a firm believer in sending out a thankyou note promptly, when thanks is due. Which brings me to the point of my post tonight- I write alot of thankyou notes. And I mean alot. This last year (2008) alone, I'd guess that I've easily sent out 50 thankyous. That would include the ones that I have my kids do for birthday gifts and such. I have them draw or paint and then I sign their name. When my dad died, I think I sent out 20 thankyou notes in the the weeks that followed. Alot of times I feel as though a note is somehow so inadequate. It really is the least I could do to show people I'm thankful for their actions, deeds, thoughts, service and prayers. I have received so much by way of acts of kindness from so many people this year, it's overwhelming. Which brings me to my next point.

This past year (again 2008) I have received, oh about 4 or 5 thankyou notes. That makes me feel VERY sheepish. Some of these notes are from the same people so you could say I have helped 3 people that required some sort of service from me last year. I am capable of soooo much more than that and when I realized how short I have fallen of helping others, I was embarrassed for myself. I don't consider myself a very selfish person, but maybe I'm rethinking that. It's not that I want to receive a thankyou note so that I can feel good about myself. It's that I need to do more for other people. I need to not assume that everyone else is going to feed the family with the new baby. I need to sign my name to more lists that are passed around chirch. And I wouldn't be overwhelming myself by doing that, I would be doing my part. If I were a goal oriented person I would make a goal of how many acts of service or kindness I want to perform this year, but I'm not. So I'm just going to try harder to step in when I see that something needs to be done or that someone needs help. I don't care if I get thankyou notes for doing these things. I need to just know for myself that I'm helping and taking care of others. As so many of you have done for me my whole life. And I thank you!