“I thank my God every time I remember you” –Philippians 1:3
There are so many lessons that we can learn from the great men who have served as President of the United States of America. Lessons on leadership, statesmanship, and political philosophy are just a few of the insights we can gleam from the Chief Executive. One lesson I learned from a former president was unexpected from a person with such a busy career.
President George H. W. Bush has a long and distinguished resume. He served in the Navy during World War II. He was the Director of the CIA. He served as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected as Vice President and as the 41st President of the United States of America. He is truly an accomplished person who has lived a full life. In all the offices that President Bush occupied he never forgot one important thing along the way. He was intentional about expressing his gratitude to the people he encountered in all areas of his life.
President Bush has written countless thank you notes to so many people. Even during the busiest of days, he would sit down in between meetings and hand write a personal note expressing his gratitude to those he had just met with. He wrote letters to friends, recent acquaintances, ordinary citizens and heads of state. It is a habit that he still practices today.
The expression of our gratitude must be an intentional practice. No matter how busy we may become. No matter what position we may achieve in life, we must continue to practice offering our thanks to the many people in our lives that we are privilege to encounter. Saying thank you acknowledges the importance of the people in our lives. It tells other people in our lives that they make a difference. This is what President Bush realized as he worked with so many people in so many areas of public service. Each person he worked with and encountered were important and made a difference.
President Bush was intentional about sharing his gratitude with them. Who are you grateful for today? Who has made a difference in your life? Take a moment today and share your gratitude with them. –
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
