I was originally introduced to eucharisteo in the book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. In it, she writes:
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, piercing 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.
I whisper it out loud, let the tongue feel these sounds, the ear hear their truth.
Charis. Grace.
Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving.
Chara. Joy.
A triplet of stars, a constellation in the black.
A threefold cord that might hold a life? Offer a way up into the fullest life?
Grace, thanksgiving, joy. Eucharisteo.
This year of 2012 has truly been one of eucharisteo. There has been much grief, much pain, much hardship, much frustration, much fear, and yet, in the midst of it, there was still hope, still grace, still Thanksgiving, still joy, still gratitude. Eucharisteo has been life-changing for me & I truly believe I am a new woman because of who I have become by constantly looking for the gifts, the gratitudes, the joys of every day life.
Now, we come to 2013. A couple of days ago, a word came to me that I instantly knew was God's direction and leading for the 365 days ahead. That word is create.
Over the last few days, I have been reading A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband "Master" by Rachel Held Evans. In her section about Mary, the Mother of God, she writes these words:
At the heart of Mary's worthiness is her obedience, not to a man, not to a culture, not even to a cause or a religion, but to the creative work of a God who lifts up the humble and fills the hungry with good things.
Madeline L'Engle connect this type of obedience to our own everyday acts of creation. "Obedience is an unpopular word nowadays," she wrote, "but the artist must be obedient to the work, whether it be a symphony, a painting, or a story for a small child. I believe that each work of art, whether it is a work of great genius, or something very small, comes to the artist and says, 'Here I am. Enflesh me. Give birth to me.' And the artist can either say, 'My soul doth magnify the Lord,' and willingly become the bearer of the work, or refuses; but the obedient response is not necessarily a conscious one, and not everyone has the humble, courageous obedience of Mary."
My hope and prayer for 2013 is that I will offer the obedient response as I create.
Want more info: One Word 365 Website
Happy New Year!
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ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful piece of writing!! So many people don't get it that joy and happiness are not necessarily the same. I have one friend who asks how I can possibly have joy with my numerous chronic health issues. I tell her but it deflects because she doesn't believe in god since bipolar disease hit all 3 of her kids and herself. The kids are the most recent of many generations of bipolar disease. I won't share more detail, but joy is something we have despite our circumstances. Thank you for sharing that lovely quote, too.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Thank you Janet! You are right, we can choose joy despite our circumstances. Prayers for your friend! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteC.C.
[...] The Post in Which I Reflect on & Choose One Word » The Eternal your God is standing right here among you, and he is the champion who will rescue you. He will joyfully celebrate over you; he will rest in his love for you; he will joyfully sing because of you like a new husband. ~ Zephaniah 3:17 My Hubby: My Daughter: My Nephews & Niece: [...]
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