Eucharisteo

It's that time of year again, when everyone is talking about giving thanks because the US holiday of Thanksgiving is upon us. I named my blog in Greek just so that it wouldn't look so cliché. Actually, I've just finished reading Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts, and it was all about giving thanks as a way of finding our way into God's presence, into the joy that he offers. So Thanksgiving's arrival is well-timed in the scheme of my life.

Giving thanks is the life saver that keeps us afloat. When I feel like I'm drowning in the problems of life, in my uncertainties, in all the injustice around me, giving thanks is the only way to pull out of the nose-dive. It's like my mom's favorite song as I was growing up:

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,Count your many blessings, name them one by one,And it will surprise you what the Lord has done...

So I thought I would share some thanks with you.

• I have been feeling discouraged lately, but I think I am on the upswing. I give God thanks for whacking me over the head with the same message in different forms until I came face to face with the decision to trust or not. Thankfully, I'm choosing to trust.
• I'm thankful for conversations with my mother, especially when she can get right to the heart of the matter in things I've been struggling to articulate. She points out things about my life and my heart that nobody else says to me, and she speaks life-giving words of truth to me.
• I'm thankful that my father never treated me like an inferior being because I'm a girl. Instead, he told me to work hard, to carry doors, to nail baseboard, to speak Spanish with the guys on the job. Because of him, I feel a certain pride about who I am and my abilities to take care of myself
• I'm thankful for my brother, who squeezes the breath out of me and practically lifts me off my feet every time I see him after an extended absence. His jokes and annoying presence make me smile silly even on my worst days. His passion and questions inspire me to be someone he can look up to.
• Despite awkward moments and interminable waiting, I'm thankful for invitations to youth events and the opportunity to get to know other young people in Nicaragua. I recently went to a youth conference, and though I didn't make any instant friends, I talked to some new people. And the next time I see them, it will be easier.
• I'm thankful that I am bilingual because my understanding of the world has doubled, grown richer. Being bilingual also carries great responsibility, and I'm thankful to be counted worthy most days.
• I'm thankful for my housemates who take care of me, scold me, support me. They dance with me, laugh with me, swear with me, clean with me, watch Netflix programs with me. Basically, they share life with me, and I'm better because of it.
• I'm thankful for people who want to support me in my ministry in Nicaragua, or whatever else God calls me to do. Lots of people encourage me to follow God's will in my life, and they ask questions, pray, write notes, and send money to show that they have my back.
• I'm thankful for facebook chat and emails so that I can keep in touch with people despite living far away from them, be it new Cohort friends, acquaintances across town, old college friends, or family I haven't seen in months.

I could go on and on naming things. I'm thankful for the way light slants off our tree in the morning, or the clouds puff with glory just before a rain. I'm thankful for showers and flushing toilets and planes that make travel much easier. I'm thankful for health, for work, for fun. Mostly, I'm thankful for the way God reminds me of his love for me. I bless the Lord for his friendship to me. He has saved me, and he has given me a full life. In all the ups and downs, the Spirit is my constant companion. I'm thankful that I can be honest with God, and that he speaks to me where I am, with what I need to remember. Bless the Lord, oh my soul. Yes, the Lord has done great things, and I remain surprised by all the goodness I forget to see.