EUCHARISTEO

Happy Thanksgiving. Yea I know its about a week late  but just like with other Holidays why do we keep it to just one day where we actually take a moment or two to reflect and really, truly give thanks. I knew it had been a while since I last blogged but didnt realize its been this long and that my last entry was about "giving Thanks". As I wrote in March I have much (Much) to be thankful for but I would say my lips have uttered complaints, worries and futile, foolish words to the wind more so then encouraging, laughter,hope, giving thanks.
      Recently a video by Ann VosKamp was brought to my attention. She shares where a friend challenged her to see if she could list a 1,000 things to be thankful for and she offers back that she could not stop at just a 1,000. As I listen to her I was thinking surely she has been through some very harsh things in life or else this would just be too "cheesy" for me. And indeed she does share that she saw the death of her younger sister happen right before her eyes, said goodbye to her mom as she was locked away in a pysch ward, cut herself because she just wanted to bleed out of her own skin. captive by panic attacks and has agoraphobia a fear of being in places where it is hard to escape, or where help might not be available and she reveals "its been my own skin difficult to escape" (I love those words as it reflects what many if not all of us struggles with as well).
      Its not that bad things don't happen to me and so much more bad happens to others around me. And I wish it wasn't so. I don't deny such happens but at the same time I don't want to get caught up in it. Because I know I have been blessed. And I tend to forget that and I let the things of the world take me away. I'm blessed to have my family. A wife and son that are beyond my expectations and dreams. Blessed to live in the USA where as a family we have been blessed that we may bless others. Family, Friends,Health,Shelter,Mission Trips, Vacations...the list goes on and on. And I didn't plan for this to be a repeat from March but more of reminder for me and you the reader to focus on giving Thanks. Thanks to God and also those around you. There is a lot to be thankful for.
     EUCHARISTEO-to give Thanks. A life that would focus on Thankfulness.Again this is reminding me that I need to put words into practice that they would become my ways. There is a saying Believers throw out there "Life isn't fair but God is good". I say throw out there because in all honesty we tend to use cliche sayings to explain things away that simply put cannot be explained away. But for me in the same breathe I wish things such as cancer didn't exist and we lived in a world of praise reports. I also know my life reflects Grace for there are people, things in my life that I have despite things I have done, despite being who I was and who I am. And for that and so much more I am Thankful. Now as I go and see if I can come up with a 100 and along the way go for the thousand.  I will close with these words from Ann VosKamp.
"In silent times Seek God in painful times Praise God in Terrible Times Trust God and at all times (at all times ) Thank God"

"Give Thanks to the Lord for His Love endures Forever".. 2 Chron. 20:21