About 2000

years ago, in his letter to the church at Phillipi, Paul

wrote, "I can do all things through Him who

strengthens me."

Paul was

referring to Jesus Christ. And there is no strength like

that which comes when it is Jesus who provides the wind

beneath your wings. Nothing compares to it.

However,

there are those awesome individuals whose example,

faithful prayers, friendship or just their existence give

us cause to go on. To do our best. To make our lives on

earth matter.

Think about

them. It's almost November. Thanksgiving Day is coming

up. Start your list now. That list of folks you need to

contact some time, during this special, almost magical,

month, to say "Thank you for being the wind beneath

my wings."

Okay, you

may not need, or want, to be that dramatic. Forget the

wind beneath the wings line and just think of those to

whom you should say a simple "thank you." Two

little words that may be long overdue.

Is it a

long lost friend? A family member? A co-worker? A

nameless face you've seen around who always smiles... Ah,

yes, they all touch our lives.

Let this be

the month you reach back to touch theirs.

Life is

short at best. Don't blow it by never taking time to give

back to those who have given so much to you.

Ah, you

think you have never had "so much." You say

there are no folks to contact with a word of thanks.

Think again. They are there. You may be so wrapped in

self pity or self centeredness that you just can't see

them. Force open the eyes of your heart.

Remember

the context in which Paul wrote the words I quoted in my

first paragraph, words that are so often quoted out of

context. In the fourth chapter of Phillipians, Paul

mentioned joy, prayer, thanksgiving, peace... and gave

instructions about the things we should let our mind

dwell on if we would have peace rule in our lives. Then

he moves into the bit about doing all things through

Jesus Christ.

The

following passage is from The New American Standard

version of the Bible (my personal favorite):

"...I

rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you

revived your concern for me; indeed you were concerned

before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from

want; for I have learned to be content in whatever

circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble

means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any

and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being

filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and

suffering need.

"I can

do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Nevertheless you have done well to share with me in my

affliction."

Get the

picture?

Paul was

saying thank you.

He was

appreciative of all that those folks had done for him,

and even what they had wanted to do when they could do

nothing. Isn't that wild? Think about it. He was saying

thank you for something tangible and for the intangible

desire on their part to care for him in the past when

they could do nothing.

Indeed, we

all have folks like that in our lives. Maybe you are

thinking now of someone you've not seen in a decade or

longer. Maybe it's someone you see every day. Make

contact. With the written word preferably. Give them

something to hold on to, the way you hold to your

memories of them and what they have done for you.

Of course

you don't have to write it yourself. Go to your local

book store or card shop and browse. When you find the

perfect book or card, buy it, sign it and tell the

recipient you could say it no better, but this is how you

feel.

Chances are

you will find something already written that will help

you convey the message you want to send. None of it goes

our way alone, you know. So much of what we feel and so

many of the struggles we think are uniquely our own are

really universal. Yep, we are all in this thing called

life together.

Shucks, you

can even clip this column, write a little note at the

bottom and tell the ones to whom you send it that this

woman was writing about them.

(Actually,

I might do the same thing.)

You just

never know how timely a word of thanks might be. Maybe

the one to whom you need to say it is going through a

hard time, too. Maybe he or she needs to be reminded that

hard times pass. Maybe it's time for you to blow back in

their direction some of the wind that has been carrying

you.

Just say

"thank you." Do it soon.