Learning Thankfulness: just the beginning.

I've begun reading 'One Thousand Gifts' by Ann Voskamp, a local hero in the church Andrew grew up in. This book is about learning how to live fully, right where you are. To be thankful for life as it is. And to flourish because of that.

Eucharisteo.

Is another word for thanksgiving.
The root word in it is 'charis' which means grace.
It also holds its derivative, the greek word 'chara' which means joy.

Joy - this deep need that we all have, to have a deep, rooted joy in life. Joy carries us through life. It sustains us when life is stormy. It motivates, directs, and gives purpose.

We all seek it - in our work, in our studies, in our organic eating and healthy living. In our family time, in our recreation. In our relationships, in music, in how we decorate, in our health, in our clothing style.

We are all pursuing joy.

"But where can I seize this holy grail of joy? Eucharisteo. I look back down at the word. Was this the clue to the quest of all most important? Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the euCHARisteo - the table of thanksgiving... is it that simple? Is the height of my chara joy dependent on the depth of my eucharisteo thanks?

"So as long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. Whenever meaning now - wherever meaning here. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountaintop experience. The joy wonder would be here! Here in the messy, piercing, ache of now, joy might be unbelievably possible!"

Charis. Grace - God is constantly giving us gifts. They're not always flashy.
Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving - We can choose to recognize these gifts and be thankful.
Chara. Joy - flows naturally from thankfulness.

A simple thought, right? Be thankful - have joy.
I'm looking forward to how this book plays out. I want to learn to be more thankful; to be thankful in the face of heartbreak, discouragement and disappointment. I think it's a habit that must be learned... must be practiced. I want to live life through a lens of grace, choosing to recognize and be thankful for God's gifts.

So here I go.
Today, I am thankful for:
- a body that functions perfectly without me having to consciously think of anything.
- a husband that prioritizes supporting his sister over being on time for something.
- God showing his faithfulness by providing perfectly for us as we transition to Vancouver.
- the prospect of a new friend.
- the fact that our culture values organization in terms of transportation and city layout.
- God speaking to my heart this morning of my sin, in a loving, convicting way.
- the ability to read.
- new life.
- warmth (currently in the form of slippers, after a very chilly dip in the ocean today!)
- God's faithfulness in transforming his children - a messy, up-and-down process, full of joy and challenges - I'm thankful that he is sovereign and knows the big picture. That I'm not responsible for saving people - HE is.
- pretty flowers on my kitchen table, a piece of art depicting God's character.
- honest, gritty life conversations over dinner with Andrew.
- memory foam mattress.
- home made biscuits.
- my body that starts to heal as soon as it is injured (sore knees from skiing last night!)
- a mind that thinks, a heart that feels, hands to work, senses to experience.