Three Gifts Today: "Hard Eucharisteo"...updated

Ephesians 5:20 says: "Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..."

In reading the book  One Thousand Gifts  by Ann Voskamp, I have learned about the word "Eucharisteo".  To put it simply, it means "Grace, Thanksgiving, Joy, ".(page 33)  Primarily it is used to describe how Jesus "gave thanks"...in so many places in Scripture...check it out.  Think about everytime you see a reference to giving thanks in the New Testament, especially as it refers to Christ.  I can't go into the whole study here...you need to read the book!  Giving Thanks in all things...changes one's perspective on life itself. Not just in the good things, but in the difficult things as well.  Today's challenge is to list the hard "Eucharisteo" times of our lives.  The times that are painfully hard to give thanks.  The times that we'd rather escape from our troubles and trials and weep and beat our chests and cry out to God, "WHY?"  "Why me?"  "Why him?" "Why her?" "Why, Why, Why???" 

We've all had those times in our lives.  If you haven't yet, I am sorry to inform you, you will.  No one gets through this life without experiencing sorrow, loss, disappointment, fear, anguish, pain.  So how do we give thanks in ALL Things?  How do we get through the "hard Eucharisteo" moments of our lives?

There is no pat answer.  No easy formula.  No magic potion that takes away the agony and replaces it with ecstasy. 

"The Lord Jesus, on the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'
In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood.  This do, as often as you drink it,in remembrance of Me.'"  I Corinthians 11:23-25

Jesus "gave thanks" before He broke the bread and drank the cup with His disciples. He knew He was going to the cross to die for the sins of the world (you and me) in just a very short time.  But He still "gave thanks".  This was an example of a very "hard Eucharisteo". 

My three examples of "hard Eucharisteo": 

1.   My son Matthew diagnosed with cancer at the age of 37.
(Why Lord?  He's married, has a beautiful family, and a full life.)
UPDATE: This precious son fought a hard fight for four years, and finally entered heaven's gates 
on May 25, 2014, at the age of 41, leaving behind a wonderful wife and son, and his parents and brothers and many other loved ones who miss him dearly.

2.  My son Matthew diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 18.
(Why Lord?  He's about to graduate high school, and is planning to go
to Bible College to prepare for the ministry.)



3.  My Son Matthew, being hit by a car at age 18 months

while my husband was preparing for the ministry at Graduate School

(Why, Lord? We gave up all to follow You!)

Yes, giving thanks in ALL things is never easy.  There are many unanswerable questions.

But I can honestly tell you this: Even in all the hard times...the times of uncertainty and doubt...and there have been many, many more...I just picked one child tonight as an example...but I have three sons, each with their own stories that have caused me to have serious moments of "hard Eucharisteo"...times when I found it almost impossible to "give thanks."

But God, in His Mercy and Grace...has carried us through. He has worked His miracles in each of these stories briefly summarized above.  We did "give thanks", and He provided streams in the desert and roads in the wilderness... (Isaiah 43:19)

My friend, if you are experiencing a time of "hard Eucharisteo" in your life today, I can only say to you what I know from my own experience.  Give thanks in all things...trust God.  He will not leave you comfortless.  He may even choose to work a miracle on your behalf.  The miracle sometimes isn't what we expected or hoped for, (but sometimes it is!)  but it is what God wants to do inside of you in the process.  Trust Him. He will not let go of you.

Give Thanks.

"Eucharisteo."

"Counting 1000 Gifts" Continued ~ September 7th, 2012

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:3-4

I know I have quoted these verses before...and I probably will again. They are worth repeating.  Today I am continuing my quest to count three new gifts each day, things for which I am thankful....blessings that are fresh and new and perhaps unexpected.  I am following the writing prompts of Ann Voskamp in her project "Count 1000 Gifts in 2012".  See www.AnnVoskamp.com for more details and how you can become involved.

Today's prompt is to think of "3 Gifts Given".  Perhaps this means that I am supposed to report 3 gifts that I have given.  However, today I have received  3 gifts, and I would rather share that with you.  It's really pretty amazing.

Three Gifts Given:





Today in the mail I received this gift:
"One Thousand Gifts", written by Ann Voskamp.
It is a gift from one of my dear facebook friends...one whom I have never
met personally...but she saw that I was sharing these daily gifts, and she
wanted me to have this book...from the originator of the whole idea of
"Counting 1000 Gifts" in  2012!  I can't wait to start reading it!!!
I did not ask for this gift...it was freely offered and sent....and I am in awe and mystified at the
thoughtfulness and generosity of this precious friend!  I will tell you that she comes from a family of givers, at least
I can tell you her sister has the same kind heart...for she blessed me with a wonderful gift a couple of years ago...again, totally unexpected and without expectation of receiving anything from me.  (Click on this link for more about that story)   I pray that God will give me the opportunity to meet these two sisters one day in person and be able to give them big hugs. I am always amazed when a total stranger (except for our friendship on Facebook) reaches out and blesses another just because... 




My 2nd gift "given" today was another total surprise!  This time from the Federal Government! Now THAT'S a GIFT!  When the Feds send you something totally unexpected...(and I still don't know where it came from or why I received it)...that's a miracle!  When I went to my mailbox today I was blessed with these two gifts:

The book previously mentioned, and a CHECK from the Dept. of Treasury!  Totally unexpected!  WOW!!  I still don't know why I received it...but I'm thankful no matter why!!!
God knew I needed it...and He saw to it that I received it.  Yes, In God We DO Trust!!!



Now, for my Gift's Given #3:

I didn't receive these today, but very recently.  My sweet #1 son is a gifted carpenter.  Now that the weather is cooling down some (and his day job has cut back his hours a little) he has started working in his workshop again.  He has heard me complaining that the doves have taken over my birdfeeder...sometimes there are 6 or 8 doves on there at once, hogging all the birdseed and keeping the smaller birds from being able to land on the feeder to get their share.  It's not that I don't want the doves to eat, I just want them to get back on the ground where they belong!  Doves are supposed to be ground-feeders.  SO, my son is experimenting with a couple of smaller designs of bird feeders, with the idea that hopefully the doves cannot land on them so easily and the other birds will have a chance.  I didn't get a picture of them with the birds on them, but so far the doves are still somehow managing to land and eat...only not quite as many at a time.  UPDATE 9-8-12: GO TO THE BOTTOM TO SEE AN UPDATED PICTURE

So, these are my Three Gifts "Given" for today.  They were given to me totally unexpectedly...and have blessed me in ways I cannot begin to express fully. 

All I can say is:

Thank you, Lord, for Your blessings on me.

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man (woman) who trusts in Him!"

Psalm 34:8

Hey! What's for dinner?