Cherishing the new, long-awaited book by Ann Voskamp, I sneak time before each bedtime to read another chapter. Her poetic style almost lulls me to sleep save for the challenging thoughts included within. This blog is not a book review, although I highly recommend buying your own copy and sharing it liberally with friends in your life. Rather, this is a focus on the key concept of the book: eucharisteo. Voskamp tells us that this is the original language for the phrase “He gave thanks”. Included within this word, eucharisteo, are the concepts of grace and joy with thanksgiving. Even though I’m only on chapter four, this book is already prompting me to dive into a life of thanksgiving…just simple thanksgiving for simple gifts in all of life.
I look down at the pen, this pen I keep wielding, one writing her way all the way to one thousand. This pen: this is nothing less than the driving of nails. Nails driving out my habits of discontent and driving in my habit of eucharisteo. I’m hammering in nails to pound out nails, ugly nails that Satan has pierced through the world, my heart. It starts to unfold, light in the dark, a door opening up, how all these years it’s been utterly pointless to try to wrench out the spikes of discontent. Because that habit of discontentment can only be driven out by hammering in one iron sharper. The sleek pin of gratitude. (“One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp, p. 49-50)
Ann used her pen and a journal to cultivate an ongoing list of thankfulness.
What will I do? How does eucharisteo look for me?
As I considered this question, I began to drift my thoughts towards facebook. So many people are connected to facebook…why not express my eucharisteo on this medium?
My personal expression of gratitude will be poured out on facebook for the next month…or more?…and I hope you will come along beside me. Maybe it will just be reading my status updates, and remembering to thank God for something in your life. Maybe you will join in and comment. Or maybe you will take up the eucharisteo lifestyle yourself. Afterall, this isn’t really optional.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
