Thanksgiving Cards by Susan L.

  Last Sunday in church they handed out post cards for us to fill out. We were supposed to give thanks for another member of the church and either hand the card to them or turn it in and it would be mailed out. One was handed to me. Yesterday's post delivered two more to my door. I am deeply touched by the anonymous writers' words.
  I couldn't fill mine out. It was simply too overwhelming at the time. Which is sad, really. I will post a thank you on the church's FB page.
  Robbie Burns once wrote, "If only we could see ourselves as others see us." He wrote it after seeing lice crawl up the neck of a be-wigged, wealthy woman. It's true of the good things too. "If only..."
  I've done similar but different exercises in the various recovery groups I've attended. Pieces of paper are passed around to give us the chance to speak positive things into each other's lives. It feels just as good to give out word gifts as to receive them.
  Something else, too, it takes seven words of praise to offset the damage done by one negative comment. Maybe that's why it makes it so hard to accept the good things said about us. Hmmm, maybe the next time I have the opportunity to facilitate or co-facilitate a group I'll have the participants read the praise sheets to each other. Hearing good words might help it sink in.
  Thank you, as well, dear readers for the support you've given me.
  "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Heb 12:1