Still counting gifts, and Tuesday’s theme was three gifts praised for:

1. God’s unfailing, soul-satisfying love that makes us sing for joy and be glad

2. El Elyon, the Most High in power, mercy, goodness and love

3. that God is good all the time, and all the time He is good

Today’s theme is three hard eucharisteo. If that sounds Greek to you, it is. Eucharisteo is a Greek word that means “to be grateful, feel thankful, give thanks.” And so a hard eucharisteo is a God-given gift that’s hard to accept as a gift. Yet we give thanks for these less-welcome moments, struggles and difficulties because God is always good and we are always loved.

1. the “for sale” sign that’s a constant reminder our house still hasn’t sold

2. the cranky 7-year-old, struggling hard to cooperate during school time, who accidentally tears a page in her brand new picture book, Owl Moon, as she reads it to me for the very first time

3. the wild, blustery wind that blew the trees bare, making this October day leaf-less and gray

The themes I post for each day are plucked straight out of the Joy Dare calendar at A Holy Experience).  For more about Crazy Joy, jump over to read Ann Voskamp’s post “Why You Should Smile Right Now… Crazy Joy Day 10.”