First Glimpse

Thank You

Bows, ribbons, stars, flowers, lace, curlicues…

I shook my head in disgust as I worked my way down the card aisle. I couldn't help but wonder, "Do they even make masculine thank you cards these days?"

After a diligent search, I finally found a no-frills, navy blue note with a simple "Thank You" in bold, white print. Perfect. (It was stuck behind a pink card with peacock feathers and a shiny, purple border. Yuck!)

Later, while I penned a message in the card, I wondered again, "Have men stopped saying thanks?" As I considered my own shaky track record, I decided it is time to express some long-overdue words of gratitude:

• Mom, thanks for the long nights you pored over schoolwork. I can still hear the click of your red pencil as you made corrections, wrote out detailed lesson plans, and passed down your work ethic along the way. (Oh, and thanks for not killing me the time I dropped a perfect lemon meringue pie on the way to Homecoming.)
  

• Dad, I didn't need an alarm clock for the first 18 years of my life. Your accordion did the trick. That accordion—annoying as it was—signaled that you had finished hours of Bible study while I slept. Thanks for teaching me to love and respect the Word of God.
  

• Mark Trout, you taught this shy, chubby bookworm that life is more than the end of the next chapter. Thanks for teaching me to "write my own story," accepting each challenge God places along the way. The adventure continues to unfold.
  

• "You are a good writer. You should develop this talent." Mr. Shafer, you will never know how much those 10 words affected my life. Thanks. I still have the essay on which you wrote them. (It may have been the only "A" I made in your class.)
  

• Bethlehem Church, thanks for putting up with beginner mistakes for 21 years.
  

• Jack Williams, thanks for taking a rookie writer under your wing, teaching me the ropes, especially the importance of the third edit, and introducing me to the enchantment of Free Will Baptist history.
  

• The Brewers—Jim and family—on behalf of pastors everywhere, thank you for your faithfulness. You continually remind me how vital godly, dedicated laymen are to the work of the Kingdom. Kansas State Moderator Zane Brooks recently said, "I just don't know what this state would do without Jim." I'll second that!
  

• Thanks to ONE Magazine readers, especially those who periodically drop checks in the mail to help cover costs. Your gifts are far more than funds. You inspire me to keep striving for excellence!

You will find no flowers or frills in this editorial, but you can be sure the words are sincere. They represent only a fraction of the gratitude I feel for the many people who have made such a profound impact on my life.

Now, it’s your turn. I challenge you to thank one person this week, whether you send an email, post a Facebook note, or (even better) send a handwritten note. Never underestimate God’s ability to use a handful of well-placed words.

Eric K. Thomsen is managing editor of ONE Magazine. Contact him at editor@nafwb.org.