eucharisteo.

"who wants only a month of giving thanks for gifts, when you could have a life of being the gift; who wants only a holiday with a feast, when you could have a lifestyle that is a feast"

{ann voskamp}

Over the course of this month so far, I have delved {for the second time} into a book that changed my perspective. On joy. On. giving thanks. On finding God right in the middle of where I am. 

Eucharisteo.

Grace. Thanksgiving. Joy. 

In her book one thousand gifts {I'm sure many of you have read it, if you haven't I recommend putting a copy down on your Christmas list, stat,} Ann talks about the longing for a life filled with more holy joy. A life rooted right where we are, filled to the brim. 

When Jesus prayed while breaking the bread on the night he died, "he gave thanks" which reads in the original language "eucharisteo." It holds the root charis meaning grace, but it also has the derivative chara which means joy. Ah... joy. Aren't we all looking around for that?

She goes on to express the hypothesis that maybe, "deep or true chara joy, is found only at the table of euCHARisteo - the table of thanksgiving."

Which leaves me pondering.... is the magnitude of my TRUE joy - my chara joy, dependent on the depths of my eucharisteo thanks?

I am definitely pondering this November. I am seeking to find the joys all around me - and be thankful. Because I'm thinking that as long as I can be thankful, joy is attainable. Through the grace that God has given us, He has as a result given us the opportunity to find full, joyful lives.

So go on and eucharisteo, friends... in this month, yes, it is easily accessible; but I have been challenged to seek it out even when it isn't all bright and shiny and wrapped in the paper of crisp leaves, frosty mornings, and pumpkin spice lattes.  

To giving thanks.



{all roots and translations taken from one thousand gifts}