28 Days of Thanksgiving in the Book of Psalms – Day 18

Today’s Verse: “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalms 107:8-9 (NKJV)

I Give Thanks For: Greeting Cards!

Now I know, that may just sound like something odd to be thankful for, but I truly am thankful for greeting cards and the ministry to the heart that they bring.

In our society of today, with all its modern ways of communicating – emails, text messaging, social media – I believe that we have lost touch with one of the most special ways of communicating. The hand written note tucked inside a greeting card. There’s just something special about receiving (and sending!) such a communication to a friend or loved one.

Someone purposefully decided to send you a card. So they go to the store and begin the search through the selection of cards available. They very carefully go through a bunch of cards, reading the various messages contained within, searching for just the right one that will say what they want to say to someone special to them. They purchase that card. They take the time to write their own little message inside the card and sign their name. They address the envelope. They pay the postage for that greeting to be on its way to you. Your greeting card is all ready to be delivered. All that took time. Time that someone invested in you.

Although you don’t know that it is coming, there comes the day when that special greeting card is delivered to your mailbox. It might be a birthday card, with greetings for your special day. Perhaps its a retirement card, honoring all your hard work over the years. It could even be a get well card, wishing you better days ahead and a speedy recovery. Perhaps it’s a thank you card, letting you know that they appreciated something you did for them. But you know what greeting card I love the most? It’s the one that wasn’t one bit expected. The one that surprises you when you find it among the bills and junk mail that gets delivered to your door. The one that, once you open it, surprises you that someone took the time to write a heartfelt message of love, of honor, of thanks to YOU! It’s the one that brings a smile to your face in the midst of a difficult day. It’s the one you keep going back to, to read its loving message over and over again. It’s the greeting card, sent from someone special, designed to bless your day.

I received a greeting card like that this past week. I was so thankful for it. It was a delight to find it waiting for me in my mailbox. And the person it came from, is a very special friend that has been a part of my life for years. The message, well, it was very personal, it was heartfelt and it blessed me to no end. I received it on a day when I needed to know that someone cared. I’ve read that card at least a dozen times now, and its still blessing me. It will be a greeting card that I cherish for a long time.

Yep, I’m thankful for greeting cards and the ministry to the heart that they can do!