The Joy of Thankfulness

or
My Thanksgiving ABCs

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Day 39

Several years ago around this time of the year, my spiritually beautiful friend told me about an ABC list of things she was thankful for. This past week I decided to borrow her idea. 

In the midst of a hard week, I learned about the joy of being thankful.

(Some letters have multiple things and i'm missing a letter or two because I didn't want to make something up just to fill the space)

Enjoy!

A 

Abby: my sweet co-worker and sister in Christ. I don't know what I would do this year without her walking through this new job.

B

Babies: my sweet new niece that I love to see, and I've got several friends who are pregnant now. So thankful for new life!
Books: I've loved getting to choose what I read and borrowing books from friends. My reading list is getting longer and longer. I am so thankful it is all personal choice :)

C

Courage: I recently just finished reading through the book of Joshua. It was repeated several times to "take courage" because God is fighting for you. I am so glad that He is!

D

Donors: So thankful for the generous people who are willingly giving out of what God has given to them so that I can work at LeaderTreks and live in Chicago (with warm clothes ;) )

E

Encouragement: On trips we use the "encouragement circle" to teach students about specifically encouraging one another. I'm learning so much about the importance of that in my own life and am thankful for that lesson so I can properly use it with the students.

F

Family: People who will always love me and accept me for who I am. Life gets tougher the older you get - my family is there through all of it. 

G

Giving: I am thankful for all God has blessed me with and that He has asked me to give out of that.

Grace: God graciously has given me life with Him.

H

Heaven: There is a place that is better than this earth. Oh how thankful I am that I have a perfect place with my Lord to look forward to.

I

Insomina w/ friends: Recently stayed up super late with a friend. I wouldn't want to do this every night, but I am thankful for taking that extra time to hang out with a friend I won't see for several months.

J

Joy: This joy challenge has taught me so much about my attitude and how I view my circumstances.

K

Kitchens: Strange how I so enjoy having a kitchen near by that allow me to cook for myself.

L

LeaderTreks: If you haven't been able to tell, I love my job and am so thankful that God has placed me here in Chicago with them.

M

Memories: Somehthing intangible, but oh so wonderful. My grandfather has dementia and my favorite time of my visit with him is when he actually remembered something about the pool they used to have in the backyard of their house in California.

N

Nana: My dad's mom. She is the best grandmother ever. I could not be more blessed or more thankful for any other woman.

O

Old friends: I spent half of my Thanksgiving break seeing old friends from college. Laughter, sincere talk, long hugs, and doughnut mornings. I love how God has blessed me with friendships that are continuing to be strengthened despite the distance.

P 

Praise(Adoration): I am thankful that my God is the One True God worthy of all praise and adoration.

Prayer: I am also thankful that the God of the Universe has created a way that I can communicate with Him at any moment in my day.

Q

Quilts: I am thankful for these beautiful blankets that took so much hard work and have so much history attached to them.

Questions: The best way to show someone you care. Definitely something to be thankful for.

R

Redeemer: My God is the Redeemer, because of His work on the cross I can sit here in worship and thankfulness of who He is and what He has done.

S

Songs/singing: I am thankful that God created voices that are not only used for talking, but are also joined with the beauty of instruments to worship our God and glorify His name through the talents He has given us.

T

Traveling: Despite my long journey's from this past week alone that were not so enjoyable. I am so thankful that God has given me the means to travel because that allows me to visit so many people that I love dearly and hug them in person.

U 

Unending Love: How can I not be thankful God's unending love that he lavishes over me.

V

Values: Knowing what I believe and why. Living for a purpose.

W

Weakness: I am thankful that I am weak and I have a strong God to depend on. I will take the steps that He has given me to take, and trust Him to take care of the rest.

X

X-rays: I am so thankful that modern science allows us to look inside our bodies and we are not just guessing at what is wrong with us. It is a part of God's provision in keeping His holy temples healthy.

Y

Yams: I used to avoid sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving because of the odd color... now I think the younger me was crazy! It is one of my favorite dishes!!

Now that I've shared some of the things I'm thankful I'd love to hear what you are thankful for. Leave a comment to join the party!

A Simple Joy

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Day 38

Driving through downtown Siloam

on well-known roads

Sitting with friends who've known me more than 4 months.

As much as I know in Chicago I am where God wants me to be.

I am glad to be back in Siloam Springs, AR again.

A Simple Joy

A Graceless Joy

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Day 37

charis

(pt 2)

- grace may also refer to the external form or manner, particularly of persons meaning gracefulness, elegance. In the NT only words or discourses as gratefulness, agreeableness, acceptableness

- Lk 4:22 "gracious words"

- Eph 4:29 "that it may minister grace unto the hearers" meaning what is acceptable

(Col 4:6; Sept. Ps 45:2)


"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Eph 4:29

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


So the second meaning of charis is full of grace. My weekend however, was not so much.


Sunday morning I woke up with the stomach bug that has been passing around my office.
I'll spare you the nasty details, but trust me it was not pretty.


There were several times (on the bathroom floor for the umptenth time, curled in my comfiest sweats on my bed) when I felt less like a 23 year old woman and more like 5 year old girl who just wanted her mother to make her better.


So now that unwholesome things have stopped coming out of my mouth, I'll choose to use some words that minister grace.

Today, I am joyful for my Mom.
The woman who rubbed my back,
cleaned up my sick messes,
let me watch TV all day,
and simply loved me back to health.

I love you Mom!

(And don't worry, it was just a 24 hour bug. I'm fine
See you in less than a week :)

Behold the Lamb - There are None Like Him

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Day 36

charis
(pt 1)


- to rejoice
- grace, particularly that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance, for a kindness granted or desired, a benefit, thanks gratitude. A favor done without expectation of return. The absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty & benevolence of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor.
- stands in direct antithesis to works (erga), the two being mutually exclusive
- God's grace affects man's sinfulness & not only forgives the repentant sinner, but brings joy; thankfulness to him. It changes the individual to a new creature without destroying his individuality. (2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:8,9)
- received by faith: causes man to love & seek the righteousness of God.
- work of the Holy Spirit
- maintance requires an unbroken & immense supply of grace
- process of sanctification; "whereby we are renewed in the whole man nd are enables more & more to die daily unto sin and to live unto righteousness." (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 4:16; Eph 4:23; Col 3:10)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



This week as we Master the Circle, we are teaching through "To Die For" our trip book that teaches on the life of John the Baptist. 


John proclaimed, "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matt 3:11)




John also said, "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:29-30)


My coworker Robbie wrote this song after work yesterday about John The Baptist.



I've got shoes that feel much to big for me
Tryin' to show others, the goodness of God's glory
But they don't understand
They're askin' me about who I am!?
And all I can say is...


Behold the Lamb
of God who can
take away your sin
He is the One
to whom you should run
I've searched for more like Him
But there are none
no not one!


I'm here in jail for preparing the way for Him
about to loose my life because I offended them
But they can't comprehend
that this is not the end
And all I can say is...


The blind can see
The lame can leap
The lepers are made clean
The dead are raised
The Lord be praised
Before Him we stand amazed
For He is God
For He is God!


~~~~~~~~~~~~


How are you choosing joy today?

"Joy to You"

                                                              For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 


                                                                               Day 35


                                                                               chairo


                                                     - to rejoice, be glad (Lk 6:23; 15:32; ...)
                                                           - joying, rejoicing (2 Cor 6:10; ...)
                                                               - joyfully, gladly (Col 2:5; ...)
                                                      - "they rejoiced with great joy" (Jn 4:6)
                                         - in or over which one rejoices (Rom 12:12; Pv 17:19)
                                                - followed by 'of course' (Rom 16:19; Phil 2:18)
                                                 - expressing the occasion of joy (Mk 14:11; ...)
                                                     - marking cause or occasion (Lk 10:20; ...)
                                                                    - to rejoice in (Col 1:24)
                          - As a word of salutation or greeting - personal salutation meaning
                                                "Joy to Thee!" "Joy to You!"  the same as "Hail!"
                           (Matt 5:12; 26:49; 27:29; 28:9; Mk 15:18; Lk 1:28; 6:23; Jn 19:3;
                                                2 Cor 13:11; 1 Thess 5:16; Phil 3:1; 4:4; Phile 4:10)
                                                      to wish joy, to bid, hail salute (2 Jn 1:10)
                            - used in the absolute sense, meaning, greeting, at the beginning of
                               an epistle or address (Acts 15:23; 23:26; Jm 1:1; Isa 48:2; 57:21) 
                                                        equivalent to have health, strength.

~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAIRO!

I wish you great joy

on this ordinary day.

Sunday, I met with my church family (Jericho Road Church). Our pastor Jeff Kline taught from the passage in John 13 where Jesus sets an example for his disciples by washing their feet. 


The band and a drama team gave a moving visual picture of how we should respond to this passage. As the band performed "Sigh no more" by Mumford & Sons several members of the congregation approached the stage. One young girl came with a heavy suitcase in tow. A college age guy dragged a heavy metal chain. A girl continually counted a stack of cash. Another woman was studying her features in a mirror. A high school boy walked crippled. All of the people were covered in large black spots. 


A final woman entered. All she was holding was a cloth. She stopped the youngest girl, took the clothe and began to wash her feet. After she was finished she peeled off the spots, hugged the girl and then handed her the rag. They each went to another person, washed their feet, peeled their spots off, hugged and passed off the rag. Soon, all of the performers were spotless and had a rag.

And thus, they went forward it the crowd. As the music swelled, they took the skit and invited all of us to be a part of it.

There was not a member of our congregation who did not have their feet wiped. There was not a member of our congregation who didn't receive a hug. Every member of our congregation was given the opportunity to continue serving.


I was filled with so much joy because I watched others serve their friends, their families and even the stranger sitting behind them.
I was filled with joy because I watched high school students realize that it is not just their parents task to serve, but also theirs.
I was filled with joy because I realized it is not our work of metaphorically washing one another's feet that brought that feeling.


No, it was the Spirit moving in the church,
 convicting,
 prompting, 
loving.


So today, in the power of the Holy Spirit


CHAIRO!
Joy to Thee!

"Let me have JOY of thee"

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Day 34

oninemi

- to be of use, to profit, gratify. In the NT, only in the mind.

- to profit or obtain profit for someone (Phile 1:20)

"I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord, refresh my heart in Christ." (NIV)

"Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord, refresh my bowels in the Lord." (NKJV)

~~~~~~~

The speed of life has begun to pick up, I can not believe that we are only 3 short weeks away from Thanksgiving break. And with that quickening pace, I have begun to lose sight of my joy challenge.

But this word for joy, used once in the NT brings a good reminder.

Oninemi lends the idea that this joy should be selfless. It is joy for the sake of others.

Reading from Philemon makes me think of the people in my life who bring me joy and refresh me in the Lord:

My Nana,
My friend Sara
My fellow staff members at LeaderTreks

And it makes me think, is my life so filled with joy that I am refreshing those around me?

Unfortunately, I don't think I have been.
And I'm left to ponder, how can I add more oninemi to my life?