The first two things my parents taught me as a young child are, “There is a God and you aren’t Him”. They then taught me all of the polite words to use like: sir or ma’am, please, pardon or excuse me, etc. But when it came to “thank you” my parents explained to me that those weren’t just polite words, they should always be used to express genuine appreciation and that I should appreciate everything someone gives me or does for me.
I thank my caregivers for every little thing they do for me. When I have a new caregiver, I explain to them that those aren’t just polite words that come out automatically, but are an expression of my true appreciation of what they do for me. I want every caregiver to leave my home feeling appreciated and worthy of it.
God longs for the love and appreciation of His sons and daughters. I don’t just thank Him in prayer and worship, I say “Thank you, Lord” countless times each day as I feel His help. When I used to be at work or another situation where it might be inappropriate to speak those words out loud, I would let my heart express my gratitude to God and I know He always got my message. I can tell you from experience that when you appreciate what you have been given, God will give you even more.