Friday, May 7, 2010

Being Thankful

Here is another post in my Conversation Ideas series.

How do you say ‘thank-you’ in your language? Do you send thank you cards to people when they do something nice for you or give you a gift? (Show them some samples of thank you cards – both secular and religious - and have her read the messages in them. Help her to see what kind of card is appropriate for hospitality, for receiving money, or being the recipient of some act of kindness). If you don’t send thank you cards how do you show appreciation? If someone doesn’t thank you how do you feel? Would you cut off friendship with that person?

Let’s both share about things we are thankful for. Have you ever been thankful for something that wasn’t nice? Why would a person be thankful for something that isn’t nice?

In your country do you have a special day of the year that is set apart for being thankful? If so, when is it and how do you celebrate it? In Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. (Show her a book that depicts the traditions and history of Thanksgiving Day).

Ask her if you can sing her a little song about being thankful. It might be a children’s chorus or a Thanksgiving hymn. If it is simple see if she would like to learn it and sing it with you. Give her a copy of the words.

Do you thank God in your prayers? Do you ever sing your thanks to God? Explain how at church Christians sing songs of thankfulness to God. Christians do it at other places, too, not just in church. Sometimes we sing our thanks for food before we eat.

Read a Psalm of David’s where he tells God thanks for different things.