Eucharisteo

Life around here lately has been so good.  I'm celebrating the small things and looking for beauty in everything around me. 

I'm reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts. She looks deeply at Luke 22:19 which simply says, "And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them . . ." The Greek word for thanks she found to be eucharisteo, which when broken down means grace, joy, and thanks. My mom's support group who gave me Voskamp's book, challenged us to journal 1,000 things we were thankful for. During my morning quiet times, which honestly aren't very consistent, I've been accepting the challenge and taking time to think of all the little things that I'm thankful for. And not just list my thankfulness, but revel in the joy in thinking about them and then accept the grace given to receive it. 

My new designated devotion time spot is the window seat on our staircase where I can look out the window at the fall colors. It's a calm place in our home that feels almost private even though it's in the middle of everything. It's usually there in that little nook that I've been meditating on these small little things that I am so thankful for, and it's as if my eyes have been opened and I'm seeing the small beautiful details in life that I never saw before. 

Lying down on our family room floor, allowing my daughter to brush my hair, this was my view. So peaceful and beautiful to me. This is something I'm thankful for.

I look down from the window and onto my couch. There is my new pillow I got at TJMaxx for only $10. So trivial, but makes me smile. It is exactly my style and looks perfect on my couch. I snap a photo quick. Eucharisteo.

And how sweet that my daughter loves to pamper me. I'm trying to cherish these moments and actually live them. I've used my iPhone and Canon for photos even more as I try to capture these little moments to remind me forever that I was there and actually lived that moment to it's fullest in true thankfulness and joy.

When I wake up in the morning to sunshine peaking through my bedroom window instead of the alarm . . .

When I walk up to my front porch and see my fall wreath . . .

When I get the privilege to cheer my son up after a rough day by taking him and his sister out for cookies . . .

When I get to use all the colorful leaves my children collected a day earlier in my dining table centerpiece .  .  .

When I taste the creamy goodness of pumpkin soup and hear the affirming comments from my family that I did good tonight . . .

When I look up in the sky and the clouds have formed a majesty that I cannot describe . . .

And each time I look up the cloud formation changes to form more magnificent beauty . . .

And when the view outside my staircase windowseat where I'm jotting down these moments shows me a rainbow that reminds me of a promise from God made thousands of years ago . . .

And the beauty is so great that my camera can't even capture it all . . .

And a little downtown church steeple is covered in beautiful Fall sunlight . . .

So I have to park my car and hang out the window snapping photos of it's grandeur . . .

And our downtown courthouse is covered in a warming glow of light, making me feel so blessed to be apart of this town and community . . .

Isn't this what life is all about? These little moments?

Then I step back in awe. This is worship. I can't help it. I have to stop and worship my Creator. Thank  Him for all the beauty around me and treasure these moments that I do not deserve - acknowledge His grace and walk forward in peace and joy.