Lee asked me this evening, "So on a day like today (that should give you an idea of the state of my soul this afternoon), what does a "Thankful" blog post look like?"
My answer..."Today I am thankful that yesterday was a great day."
I was being cheeky.
As I thought on it I realized that good yesterdays are most certainly something to cherish.
This was part of my good yesterday that I am treasuring today. The rich red of the maple in our front yard. Every morning, in the midst of my rushing and bullying to get everyone in the car I walk right past it. It should shock me awake, like a shot of caffeine. Most days I keep walking, keep barking.
Yesterday...and this afternoon, actually...I stopped. I looked. I saw. And I captured it as a reminder to myself. Every year this tree, after all the other fall colors have begun to fade from their annual glory, this tree, a late bloomer, shocks to life! It did it in 2007. It did it again in 2011.
My autumn is coming. My shocking to life. Just wait for it. It will come in its season.
"How does one live ready, and always? Yes, ultimately only Jesus. Yes, this premature dying to self, birthing into the cross-life, the grace cocoon before emerging in to the life unending. Without this Jesus, no, no one can be ready.
My answer..."Today I am thankful that yesterday was a great day."
I was being cheeky.
As I thought on it I realized that good yesterdays are most certainly something to cherish.
This was part of my good yesterday that I am treasuring today. The rich red of the maple in our front yard. Every morning, in the midst of my rushing and bullying to get everyone in the car I walk right past it. It should shock me awake, like a shot of caffeine. Most days I keep walking, keep barking.
Yesterday...and this afternoon, actually...I stopped. I looked. I saw. And I captured it as a reminder to myself. Every year this tree, after all the other fall colors have begun to fade from their annual glory, this tree, a late bloomer, shocks to life! It did it in 2007. It did it again in 2011.
My autumn is coming. My shocking to life. Just wait for it. It will come in its season.
"How does one live ready, and always? Yes, ultimately only Jesus. Yes, this premature dying to self, birthing into the cross-life, the grace cocoon before emerging in to the life unending. Without this Jesus, no, no one can be ready.
"But, someone, please give me - who is born again but still so much in need of being born anew - give me the details of how to live in the waiting cocoon before the forever begins?" (Chap 2, pg. 29) One Thousand Gifts
Born anew.
"Restore to me the joy of your salvation..." Psalm 51:12
Mrs. Voskamp goes on to look at the final hours of Jesus' life on earth, how he spent his time. And interestingly he broke bread with brothers and gave thanks. The greek word for "gave thanks" is eucharisteo, the root word being charis, or "grace." He took the bread, knew it to be a gift, and gave thanks.
And then another derivative of the same word, chara, or "joy." And there it is.
In Voskamps words, "Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the euCHARisteo - the table of thanksgiving."
And so, my commitment to more chara joy. The next 30 days, the days leading up to our own national Thanksgiving, will be days of my own personal thanksgiving. I want to have eyes to see the small wonders around me every day that give life, full life. The here and now. And I want to give thanks for those things. And here I will journal that thanks. Even it means being thankful for the wonders of yesterday.
1 comment:
Thanks in advance for this series of posts . . . I need to hear them. Praying for you as you seek joy in the everyday!
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