Learning Thankfulness

Eucharisteo, that's Greek for what is essentially "he gave thanks," is something I've been learning.  In general, I consider myself a pretty positive person, it takes a lot to get me down and I can find something to smile about it most situations.  However, sometimes, there is a nagging under the surface that I'm not quite "nailing" this whole LIFE thing.  My church attendance has been hindered by sick kids and physical exhaustion in recent weeks.  I've made a point to take time to read, watch, and listen to teachers during this time and everything keeps coming back to prayer and how I pray.  Top that off with thankfulness as a part of prayer and you now should be starting to at least see if not feel the gavel hitting my head...over...and over...and over again.  DOH!!  I've been screwing this up!

I'm in the middle of reading One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, which was loaned to me by a dear friend.  As soon as I started reading, I was struck by the authors intentionality.  Am I living my life with that type intention or am I letting things that frustrate and hurt me follow me around or just sit in the corner staring, poking, settling in?  After continuing my read and identifying areas that I not only need to improve, but must make more intentional, I want to start making a point to write out the things I'm thankful for.

Anyone who knows me at all knows that if something comes up in passing and I don't write it down I sometimes don't remember (okay often!).  However, if a slow down, tuck it away for rumination or if I do write it down, then it is stuck with me forever. An example: Elephants eat a lot, not because of their size, but because they have highly inefficient digestive systems that don't extract all of the nutrients from their food sources.  I don't remember where or when I learned this.  My sister frequently gives me the "you're a freak" look when I jump into the conversation with something that just pops back into my mind (in my defense it's usually a little more relevant to the conversation than elephant digestive systems).  However, I want to be able to remember why I know these things to be true.  I need to be able to back things up.  I need to know that I know why I know how I know for what I know, not just that I know.

The second part of this Eucharisteo is not just for me.  I work with a population and in an environment that is much more stressed and under more pressure than most.  They're some of the brightest people I'll ever meet, but I see then struggle daily with the demands they feel they must meet or they will lose their value.  I want to share my thankfulness in everyday life with them, that it may be a door opener for conversations and a bit of thought for them to take and chew on themselves.  I'll be posting my Eucharisteo moments here, but also on my apartment door for them to share.  Thankfulness is not something that can be contained or hoarded, that's why we gather to be thankful.  So many of the moments of eucharisteo in the Bible were moments of gathering to share food, thoughts, moments.  

Sharing is a vital part, but cannot be achieved when one is dry from spiritual exhaustion.  It takes a continual effort of making a point to seek Him out daily to keep myself focused, filled, and up for the task He's seen fit to give me.  It's the joy in knowing that right now, this "mission field" he's given me is just exactly where I'm supposed to be that lets me go to bed weary, but not wake up dreading the day coming.  For that, I am so very, very thankful.  By God's grace I am alive, I am his child, I have been chosen to reflect his love.  I fail at this, but his grace prevails, he still has and continues to shower me with grace to allow me to be thankful and find joy in life. 

Eucharisteo #1: a job that not only provides a paycheck, but that I can wake up excited for the day ahead. 

Don't Get Bent Out of Shape

Seriously.  If anyone says they're from (or lived there) southern California or Hawaii, I always ask if they surf.  For some reason people who don't surf think this is a weird question.  I don't get it.  I really don't.  They give you that awkward, "why are you asking me that?" look.  You know which one I mean.  The one where their face turns slightly to the side, one eyebrow lifts a tiny bit, their nose scrunches, and they overall seem annoyed.  WHY ARE YOU ANNOYED!?!?  (and more importantly - WHY DON'T YOU SURF!?!?!)  

I mean, I'm a skier.  I can understand why all people in areas with awesome ski areas don't ski (or board) - it's expensive.  However, if you WANT to do it, there are ways to do so relatively inexpensively, or at least at major reduced cost.  

Being a skier, though, I still ask people in snowy, mountainous areas (or relatively close proximity to them) if they've at least tried it (or snow boarding).  Skiers and boarders do not get bent out of shape by these questions.  In my experience other people in these areas don't either.  

What's the difference?  I have no clue.  

I DO know, if I lived somewhere where surfing was an option, count me in, I want to at least try it!  As for you bent out of shape folks, mom always said, "Careful, your face might stick that way."

When One Can Only Dream of Sleep

Most of the tome things stay at a pretty "normal" level of chaotic around here. Late nights, ridiculous pranks, lots of laughs, too much candy, excessive amounts of ramen, the never ending paperwork mountain and constant meetings....yeah, that's the norm.

The past two weeks have been a blur. An ongoing major crisis from last week took many hours to come up with a game plan and involved my entire department above me. That had barely had time to settle when this week hit with two back to back incidents involving 11 students in the wee hours of the morning when the rest of the world gets their beauty sleep. Eleven hours of sleep in sixty four hours.....I was in rough shape.

Today I was finally on my homestretch for disciplinary forms and meetings and just wanted to make it through the day before another wave hit when two of my residents (one of whom was the boxer briefs kid I mentioned before) decided to throw ALL of the bouncy balls being used as part of a "Seven Deadly Sins" program on wrath at me from the other end of the hallway.

My first reaction was, "No! Guys, the sprinkler heads! Seriously stop!" Eventually though I could only laugh as forty to fifty little balls came happily bouncing at me off the floor and walls. They were laughing hysterically from the start, I just needed to refocus my priorities and relax.

Thanks for the reminder.