Eucharisteo

I am currently reading "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp. I am only on chapter 2 and I think I'm hooked. Recently, I've been struggling with where I am and I have felt like there are some holes that have been hindering me from living fully. Voskamp challenges the reader to 'choose to allow the holes to become seeing-through-to-God places' by giving up resentment for gratitude, anger for JOY, and self-focus for God-communion. 

Man. That totally knocked me over the head. What actually hit me, was my selfishness and self-focus. I mean, how much do I really want to really live fully? Obviously not too much if I'm caught up in whatever else is keeping me from that gratitude, joy and communion with God. 

So, how do I allow the holes to become seeing-though-to-God-places? Living gratitude. What started the whole idea behind this space in the first place. Allow me to explain through the word eucharisteo. 

Luke 22:19 reads, "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them..."

Eucharisteo = give thanks

The root word of eucharisteo is charis, which means grace. The bread that is broken for me and for you is the gift (grace) which we are to give thanks for. The derivative of eucharisteo is the Greek word "chara", which means JOY! 

"Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the eucharisteo - the table of thanksgiving."

-Ann Voskamp

The only way to fully live (without holes) is to give thanks for the grace that we have received through Jesus. When we are continually giving thanks, we are filled with JOY! Paul knew what communion with God was all about when he wrote this in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

1 Corinthians 11:26 reads, "Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup..." at the table of thanksgiving, you must remember to be thankful for the gift of grace through the body and the blood of Jesus whenever and wherever you are! 

Eucharisteo - whenever - right now. 

Joy - wherever - here. 

"The Eucharist invites us to give thanks for the dying. To participate in His death with our own daily dying and to give thanks for it." - Ann Voskamp

I have a choice to make. I have to choose whether or not I want to focus on the holes or if I want to focus on giving thanks and be joyful in the beautiful gifts and grace that I have received. The choice must be made every single day. So, today, I choose to be thankful. I choose to be full of JOY. I choose to remember why the bread was broken and the blood was shed. I choose to die to myself so that I may be in true communion with God. 

I choose to live my life truly living gratitude. 

"The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live...He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: 

giving thanks for everything."

Albert Schweitzer

Gratitude goes out to: joy, remembrance of the holy communion, time spent in the Word, begin given the choice to be thankful, and being home for a full week!