“Thank you”. How many times have you said these two simple but wonderful words to your life-mate? Or have you, like me, gotten so busy you’ve forgotten to say those powerful affirmations to the most important person in your life? Last week I issued you a challenge to make November our Spouse Appreciation Month. My request was for you to say a word of thanks to your spouse for one of the many great things he or she does for you as your helpmate.
How did you do? Well, this week I want to offer another challenge to us that will help us focus on the character traits of your spouse. What are the positive and godly character traits that you’re thankful for in his or her life? But just for fun, let’s add a little twist. Instead of speaking these affirmations to your partner, write your spouse a thank you note identifying these positive characteristics. You know, thank you notes are a great way to communicate your love and appreciation to your spouse. They can also rekindle the passion and romance in your relationship. Now, don’t worry, you don’t need to be a poet or a Hallmark card writer to be successful. Let me offer a fun little suggestion, and those of you who know me know I love an acrostic. So why not use your spouse’s name as an acrostic? Here’s an example using my wife’s name, Karen. K-I would thank her for her kindness. A-I would thank her that she is affectionate. R-I would thank her for her respectfulness and her responsibility. E-I would thank her for being such an encourager to me and to our kids. And N-I thank her for nurturing our family, especially our boys and the grandkids that we have in our lives. Now, once you have your list, go back and share a brief example of how your partner demonstrates each of these traits, just to let them know that you’re really paying attention. And be sure to write this note in your own handwriting…it’s going to mean a lot more that way. But if you’re like me, it’s going to take some more time to make it legible. Your goal…one specific character thank you note, handwritten this week.
