Comments on: Saying Thank You As a Spiritual Practice http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/ The manic mind of the minister -- Auntie Mame Meets Cotton Mather Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:14:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: kimberley http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-24604 kimberley Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:00:34 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-24604 I am saying thanks to the sacred heart of jesus, st jude and all the saints I am saying thanks to the sacred heart of jesus, st jude and all the saints

]]> By: Summer Finnell http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4133 Summer Finnell Wed, 23 May 2007 23:13:45 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4133 Peacebang, this post has moved me to say a great big THANK YOU for your online ministry. I've read probably hundreds of your posts by now--here and on Beauty Tips--and they never fail to inspire me and influence me and encourage me. Truly! Bless you for your faithful presence and your vision of what ministry is and could be. And I'm with Shelby about the vulnerability that expressions of gratitude require. Not that that's a sufficient excuse, obviously. BUT--for a long of folks, and I would include myself in this, saying "thank you" is often mysteriously, frustratingly difficult, I think because saying "thank you" is really just a shorter way of saying "I need you. I'm not perfect. There are things I can't do. I'm not the self-sufficient person I pretend to be." Terrifying stuff. Peacebang, this post has moved me to say a great big THANK YOU for your online ministry. I’ve read probably hundreds of your posts by now–here and on Beauty Tips–and they never fail to inspire me and influence me and encourage me. Truly! Bless you for your faithful presence and your vision of what ministry is and could be.

And I’m with Shelby about the vulnerability that expressions of gratitude require. Not that that’s a sufficient excuse, obviously. BUT–for a long of folks, and I would include myself in this, saying “thank you” is often mysteriously, frustratingly difficult, I think because saying “thank you” is really just a shorter way of saying “I need you. I’m not perfect. There are things I can’t do. I’m not the self-sufficient person I pretend to be.” Terrifying stuff.

]]> By: LJ http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4091 LJ Mon, 21 May 2007 20:09:45 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4091 PB, you are so on with this. Gratitude in all its forms is definitely a spiritual practice. In a previous church where members stood for prayer concerns (which could go on and on ...) I tried to pre-empt the emphases on Aunt Gertrude's pancreas and cousin John's run-in with the law, by insisting that no petitions could be uttered until at least 10 prayers of thanks had been said. It really changed the tone of those prayers. People got in the habit of saying more thanks than petitions. Not that there is anything wrong with petitions, but the habits we form do form us. PB, you are so on with this. Gratitude in all its forms is definitely a spiritual practice. In a previous church where members stood for prayer concerns (which could go on and on …) I tried to pre-empt the emphases on Aunt Gertrude’s pancreas and cousin John’s run-in with the law, by insisting that no petitions could be uttered until at least 10 prayers of thanks had been said. It really changed the tone of those prayers. People got in the habit of saying more thanks than petitions. Not that there is anything wrong with petitions, but the habits we form do form us.

]]> By: Ruth http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4087 Ruth Mon, 21 May 2007 13:29:22 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4087 Your family sounds like mine growing up, and the way I'm attempting to raise my children now. I think having a sense of the theology of gratitude is enormously rewarding and keeps a balance that's otherwise easy to lose here in the US. My in-laws are supremely uncomfortable with thank-yous, and it's actually been a source of friction when I, or my kids, say thank you. It seems to make them feel like they should be saying thank you more often, instead of being received as a true expression of gratitude. Not quite sure what to do about that. Thank you for writing this. Your family sounds like mine growing up, and the way I’m attempting to raise my children now. I think having a sense of the theology of gratitude is enormously rewarding and keeps a balance that’s otherwise easy to lose here in the US. My in-laws are supremely uncomfortable with thank-yous, and it’s actually been a source of friction when I, or my kids, say thank you. It seems to make them feel like they should be saying thank you more often, instead of being received as a true expression of gratitude. Not quite sure what to do about that.

Thank you for writing this.

]]> By: tinythinker http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4085 tinythinker Mon, 21 May 2007 11:41:47 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4085 How ironic - received this in the INBOX this morning... "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." -Meister Eckhart How ironic - received this in the INBOX this morning…

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”
-Meister Eckhart

]]> By: Ansku http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4084 Ansku Mon, 21 May 2007 09:24:15 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4084 PeaceBang, thank you for this post. I think you are so right. Thankfulness is a blessing for ourselves, too and pleasing to God as well. PeaceBang, thank you for this post. I think you are so right. Thankfulness is a blessing for ourselves, too and pleasing to God as well.

]]> By: Jane R http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4080 Jane R Mon, 21 May 2007 06:51:52 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4080 I just posted <a href="http://actsofhope.blogspot.com/2007/05/gracias-la-vida.html" rel="nofollow">a little tribute to you and to this post</a> on my blog. You can have a look (and a listen) when you get back, if not before. Have a great time at the preaching jamboree. I just posted a little tribute to you and to this post on my blog. You can have a look (and a listen) when you get back, if not before. Have a great time at the preaching jamboree.

]]> By: Shelby Meyerhoff http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4079 Shelby Meyerhoff Mon, 21 May 2007 03:36:15 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4079 I wonder about the Southern woman who does not say "thank you" for your help. One possibility is that it is a little frightening for her to thank you in this circumstance. Thanking you may force her to acknowledge that the help you give her is voluntary, and at the same time that your help touches her deeply. There is an element of vulnerability, however slight, in saying "thank you." Of course you still deserve to be thanked! It would be good for her to say "thank you", and good for you to hear it. I wonder about the Southern woman who does not say “thank you” for your help. One possibility is that it is a little frightening for her to thank you in this circumstance.

Thanking you may force her to acknowledge that the help you give her is voluntary, and at the same time that your help touches her deeply. There is an element of vulnerability, however slight, in saying “thank you.”

Of course you still deserve to be thanked! It would be good for her to say “thank you”, and good for you to hear it.

]]> By: Maggie http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4078 Maggie Mon, 21 May 2007 01:25:10 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4078 I'm wondering about the connection between liturgy and life here. As an Episcopalian thanks to God is built into our liturgies, but I'm wondering if that's the case for other denominations. Even in some of our modern forms of Prayers of the People I've noticed that the thanksgiving petition is missing. Does neglecting to thank God carry over into neglecting to thank each other? I’m wondering about the connection between liturgy and life here. As an Episcopalian thanks to God is built into our liturgies, but I’m wondering if that’s the case for other denominations. Even in some of our modern forms of Prayers of the People I’ve noticed that the thanksgiving petition is missing. Does neglecting to thank God carry over into neglecting to thank each other?

]]> By: mskitty http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4077 mskitty Mon, 21 May 2007 00:48:02 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2007/05/20/saying-thank-you-as-a-spiritual-practice/#comment-4077 Thank you, thank you, thank you for the boost to my spirits after a mixed bag of a day, PeaceBang. And, in absentia, thank you to my congregation who was most appreciative of my sermon today. And thanks be to God who gave me the words to say to a cantankerous parishioner I needed to re-connect with. Gratitude sings. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the boost to my spirits after a mixed bag of a day, PeaceBang. And, in absentia, thank you to my congregation who was most appreciative of my sermon today. And thanks be to God who gave me the words to say to a cantankerous parishioner I needed to re-connect with. Gratitude sings.

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