Always remember to show thankfulness

I have said it before and say it now again. Seldom do we really show our appreciation for people who have been nice to us. But how quick we are to criticize when we think we have been mistreated. Why does it appear to be easier to be critical than to be appreciative?
For one thing I would imagine it has to do with the way we are geared to think. Some of us were geared to think the world owes us a living and there is nothing on God’s green earth that can change that notion.
While some of us may have our heads in the clouds, it might do us good to look beneath those clouds and observe some things that are there. Early last fall, I guess it was, I began getting letters that were signed ‘Your Secret Friend.’ These letters came every so often with words of encouragement and so on. This ‘Secret Friend’ thing was a class project of a small Sunday school at Arlington Church of Christ.
I’m not sure of the ages of the members of the class, I would say between 9 and 12. In December a letter came that said they had planned to reveal the ‘secret friends’ in December, but they were having so much fun with it that they decided to continue the project a couple of more months.
I did not know until the end of the project the extent of the project. But they were sending these letters to all of the widows, widowers, and older singles of the congratulation. These children and, I suppose, with the helpful and watchful hands of their teachers, made several mementos to all of their ‘secret friends.’ Their last effort was a soup and sandwich luncheon. All too often we fail to show appreciation for kindness shown toward us.
I don’t know what it is that causes us to fail in this area of life, but when a child does something nice for an adult, I think he or she should be at least given some praise. For when adulthood arrives they do get some acknowledgment for doing a good deed.
Some time ago when I was shopping at Wal-Mart, a young fellow, maybe 10 or 12, came up and asked could he get something down for me. I don’t know if he did that on his own, or if someone told him to. But whichever it was, it was very much appreciated. I would be showing an ungrateful spirit if I didn’t make mention of two brothers who help me in and out of my wheelchair, to and from the church building and vehicle. I don’t even know why they started doing it. Again I think we have failed to show our appreciation for many of the young people who show kindness to us. So many times the news about young people is not good. But just remember not all of them are like those in the news.