Give Thanks In All Things.

Today I was washing my breakfast dishes by hand. I had plenty of running hot water to rinse the soap off, and a clean dishcloth.

I thought of how often I take for granted both running water, and cleanliness.

In Vanuatu I was thankful just to have water, it didn't matter that we did dishes in cold water. When we had water coming off the mountain into the village we could do dishes, laundry and bathe, but when the water quit running, and it often does due to rain then Michele has to carry water in from their rainwater storage barrel, and heat it for use. I think of my times in Vanuatu often.

Life is hard there.

Life, for all of us, has gotten harder since they left . They haven't had internet access for weeks.

The v-sat is not working, and getting into town without a truck is a long hard hike. We have had to make due with very little communication.

This loss in combination of some other family situations have caused me some weeks of sadness and searching the scriptures for solace and comfort.

I struggle finding joy in the midst of grief.

Last week my niece sent me a book called 1000 gifts . I began this little book not having any idea what it was about. The author definitely caught my attention in chapter one as she tells of a family death and her thoughts about God in the midst of so much sorrow and suffering.

Early on she shares that she is challenged to begin a list of a 1000 daily occurrences that she can list of thanksgiving in her life. The book is about the idea of thanksgiving and how this list and what scripture says about thanksgiving affects her life. She calls it her eucharisteo-- thanksgiving.

I don't know if it was the number 1000 or the idea that intrigued me the most, but I decided to take up my own challenge. could I come up with even 100 daily occurrences that I was thankful for, and would it make a difference in my attitude. I decided to start with 100 and then maybe I could work higher.

I'm not one easily thankful. I say I am but I never seem to dwell on my thankfulness for to long or to hard. While often I will look at the negative before I ever get to the positive. I wondered how much of a challenge it would be.

I started yesterday, and as of tonight I'm up to #74. I'm finding myself surrounded by blessings.

Things I take for granted are on my list and I've offered up a prayer or thought of thanksgiving to my God for each one.

Maybe this practice could be a life changer for me. Maybe it will make my life fuller.

1. waking to the normal sounds of the city....

2. my comfortable bed...

3. a husband who still thinks I'm beautiful after all these years....

Just a beginning, but I begin my own list of eucharisteo.