POST THIRTY SIX - FOR JOY

i know i've mentioned ann voskamp several times here, and today i'm doing it again. i'm about a third of the way through her new book One Thousand Gifts a dare to live fully right where you are, and it is really really good! as the title suggests, the book is about living where you are- in the moment, not in the past or the future, in thankfulness for all of Gods gifts surrounding you, and in living this way, finding true joy. that's a very brief synopsis, which doesn't really do the book justice, so here are a few quotes to give you a better idea...

"... In the original language, "he gave thanks" reads "eucharisteo."
I underline it on the page. Can it lay a sure foundation under a life? Offer the fullest life?
The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning "grace." Jesus took the bread and saw it as
grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks.
But there is more, and I read it. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace,
charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning "joy." Joy. Ah... yes.
I might be needing me some of that. That might be what the quest for more is all about- that
which Augustine claimed, "Without exception... all try their hardest to reach the same goal, that
is, joy." 2 .... (page 32)

...is the height of my chara joy dependent on the depths of my eucharisteo thanks?
So than as long as thanks is possible... I think this through. As long as thanks is possible, then
joy is always possible. Joy is always possible. Whenever, meaning- now; wherever, meaning-
here. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak
experience. The joy wonder could be here! Here, in the messy, peircing ache of now, joy might
be- unbelievably- possible! The only place we need see before we die is this place of seeing God,
here and now... (page 33)

...There is a way to live the big of giving thanks in all things. It is this: to give thanks in this one
small thing. The moments will add up... ....life-changing gratitude does not fasten to a life
unless nailed through with one very specific nail at a time. (page 57)

.. life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change. (page 61)

... -"Wherever you are, be all there." 3 I have lived the runner, panting ahead in worry
pounding back in regrets, terrified to live in the present, because here-time asks me to do the
hardest of all: just open wide and receive. (page 69)

...I redeem time from neglect and apathy and inattentiveness when i swell with thanks
and weigh the moment down and it's giving thanks to God for this moment that multiplies
the moments, time made enough. (page 72)"

like i said, these are a few quotes for you, i could have written a lot more! but these give you at least a bit of an idea about this book. which i really hope you will read! you can check it out here...
http://www.amazon.com/One-Thousand-Gifts-Fully-Right/dp/0310321913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297546998&sr=8-1