eucharisteo

A few weeks ago, while I was out thrifting, I came across a copy of Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. I had seen several friends recommend it and so I picked it up, not knowing anything else about it and added it to my – quite large – to read stack.

Then, this past Monday, I felt lead to sit aside the book I was reading and pick it up. So I did.

And I am so so glad I listened to that prompting and I know it isn’t coincidence that I was lead to pick up this book during Thanksgiving week.

In the book, Ann discovers the meaning of eucharisteo, the word for thanksgiving used when Jesus gives thanks at the table when he serves his disciples the Last Supper. Within the word, it also contains the root words for joy and grace.

She begins to explore the importance of thanksgiving in our lives and keeping a list – intending to go up to 1000 – of things she is thankful for. When she reaches 1000, she has found it so helpful in drawing her closer to God and helping her to live out eucharisteo that she keeps going.

She realizes, through intense study and personal experience, that “eucharisteo always precedes the miracle” in our lives.

She also explores what happens when we face what she calls the “hard eucharisteo,” painful circumstances – illness, injury, persecution, death – and how we find a way to give thanks in those situations.

This is truly one of those life-changing books.

As I said, I don’t think it is coincidence that it found me during Thanksgiving week – and I also don’t think it’s coincidence that it found me during a particularly challenging period with my health either. I feel like God more or less put this book in my hands.

So I’m also passing the word along about this one – please read this book. No matter what your circumstances are, you’ll be glad you did.

As for our Thanksgiving, we had a wonderful day with our family at the lake.

Mom made the best food, we talked and laughed and visited, and Henry celebrated his first Thanksgiving as a Herring:

Tomorrow (or, really, later this morning) I am so looking forward to spending the day with my bestie – as it had to be postponed earlier in the week due to plague.

Then Saturday is a huge football day here in Alabama.

Then Sunday is Church Day!

We are truly blessed indeed.

And I am so thankful.