April 11, 2012: Fresh Joy

3 gifts budding/blooming:

• the big tree in the backyard, unfurling its leaves a bit more each day.
• the lilac bush next to the deck.  It was an anniversary gift years ago and I don't know if it has ever actually bloomed, but this year it has.
• My Bible study group.  We met this morning to discuss the first two chapters of One Thousand Gifts, and I sense we are on the verge of budding into a fresh understanding thanksgiving and joy.

March 4, 2012: Giving Thanks in All Circumstances

3 gifts hard to give thanks for:

• the end of a great vacation.
• the beginning of a new work week--back at 'em.
• the cold and snow back home.

That's why God needs to remind us to give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:18.  It's not always easy to be thankful, but He knows that gratitude is good for our souls.

February 12, 2012: When It's Hard to Give Thanks

3 hard eucharisteos:
eucharisteos: a verb; from the Greek [yoo-khar-is-teh'-o] To be grateful, feel thankful, give thanks.

In Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, and Luke 22:19, during the final hours of his earthly life, his last moments to teach his disciples, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it.  A simple act, yet so rich in meaning.  He took bread, gave thanks and broke it.  Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35), gave thanks and willingly allowed his body to be broken, laying down his life for me.

Eucharisteos is not always easy, not always joyful, not always fun to blog about.  Sometimes eucharisteos is hard, painful, even gut-wrenching.  Knowing what was before him, Jesus gave eucharisteos.  Can I?

• The injured muscle in my arm. I don't know why it happened, I don't know when it will heal.  I hate feeling like I am carrying around a useless appendage that won't cooperate with anything I want it to do.  Yet, I am thanking God for it today, knowing that 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells me to give thanks in all circumstances (emphasis mine). Not just the circumstances where the outcome looks positive or where there is no suffering involved.
• A painful incident with my son several years ago.  It still causes me sorrow when I think of it, but I remembered it this morning when I was in church.  I love my church.  It's a beautiful place full of broken, but healing, people who are just placing one foot in front of the other in an effort to follow the way of Christ.  And the thing is, if it weren't for what happened to my son, I don't know if I would have been there this morning.  Often we see through the glass dimly, but this time I believe I understand a portion of why God allowed.  It was for greater good, for my son's growth and mine.  It brought us nearer to the foot of the cross and, although it's a bit gory, I want to be there.
• A family member's divorce.  Horrible, ugly, agonizing.  God says he hates divorce, not because he enjoys making up rules and wants to wreck our fun, but because he knows how it rips apart families, causes grief and heartache.  It's hard, very hard.  Again I don't know why.  I don't comprehend at all, but again I can see him working good.  It has caused us to band together as a family, to lean on each other a little more, to express our feelings out loud.  A hard eucharisteo.

January 15, 2012: Joy Shared is Joy Multiplied

One thing you wore, one thing you gave away, one thing you shared:

• One thing I wore:  Warm, fuzzy fleece sweatpants and sweatshirt.  I was snuggly warm all day!
• One thing you gave away: fresh baked, gooey caramel rolls for breakfast this morning before church.  A family tradition when we are together for a weekend.
• One thing you shared: a snowmobile ride through the woods with my husband, my son and his girlfriend.  The snow laden trees were so beautiful.  It was breathtaking to be out in the middle of God's creation.