A regular rhythm of practicing gratitude invites us to live a joyful life,
Joy Marker
regardless of circumstances.
Eucharisteo, a Greek word that I have been sitting with a lot lately, a word that means thanksgiving but also includes the derivative Chara, the Greek word for joy. In this season where joy can feel challenging to come by I have been considering how finding joy in the small ordinary things can invite us into a life that feels large. And, I have been reflecting on the possibility that “the feeling of joy begins with the action of thanksgiving.” (Ann Voskamp)
God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given: joy.
Ann Voskamp
When we talk about joy we are not simply referring to happiness. Joy is a more substantial and less common feeling than just happiness, and it is found regardless of circumstances. As I reflect on the word joy as it relates to this Advent season I somehow find myself in a story that unfolds after the baby Jesus is no longer in the manger.
When it was the appropriate time according to Jewish law, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem, where he was dedicated and an appropriate sacrifice was made to God. Here is where we come across Anna, a prophetess described as very old. While we are only given a glimpse of Anna, we learn much about her. We are told she was widowed after only seven years of marriage. It is unclear as to the economic status of Anna, but we are told she has stayed at the temple worshipping day and night.
From the outside looking in, it would appear as if Anna had a lot of reasons not to be thankful, she lived knowing grief, potentially as a widow she could have lacked resources or status. And yet she spent her days worshiping at the temple. Upon seeing the baby Jesus, her first response was to give thanks. While I can’t say for sure, I like to imagine that Anna was someone who had discovered how to give thanks in the small things and unwrap the gifts given, to find joy.
As we prepare to light the third candle, Joy, let’s pause and consider ways that we might like Ann and Anna unwrapping the gifts God gives.
May we appreciate the small things, see the beauty in the ordinary everyday moments, and in our practicing gratitude find ourselves unwrapping joy.
May we pause from our worries about tomorrow, so that we might live fully present today.
May we focus outward when we find ourselves caving inward, seeing others, and asking how we might help give the gift of joy to someone else.
The art of deep seeing makes gratitude possible. And it is the art of gratitude that makes joy possible. Isn’t joy the art of God?Ann Voskamp
Ann Voskamp
