Chapter 3 - first flight

I DOUBLE DOG DARE YA!

It was a dare. Something to help get through the newness of her outlook on life, to get through, to change her outlook, a new day, a new creation - the List.

Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world. Sarah Ban Breathmach

How many times during our lives have we been dared to do something? I took a dare to jump off a three meter diving board (10 feet), and once I did that, I took the dare to dive, then dive with two and three people at a time (by this time, my mom refused to come to the pool to watch swim shows because she thought for sure I'd be dead at the end).

Ann's dare to keep a list, then to write this book, is a challenge to us. While we live our lives, we have been learning more clearly through Scripture and encouraging books, to live more fully for God. This List of hers is for God, her thanksgiving, her joy, and her questions to herself about how to get there.

"How in the world, for the sake of my soul, do I learn to practically pick up eucharisteo...?"

"How in the world, for the sake of my joy, do I learn to use eucharisteo...?"

"To live at all, I needed to know." "If we thirst, we'll have to drink." pp.29 and 30

This chapter captured my heart. I loved watching the thought process flow. This was not because of merely a day or two that it took to change her. It took years, beginning with the death of her sister. Years. I know those years. I have lived those years. It took me nearly 15 years to finally listen to God and move as He needed me to. And when I did and He did - DANG!

Her quotation of Phil. 4:11-12, "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little," made the challenge presented greater. It was the Double Dog Dare, right there, staring me in the face.

So, what am I going to do about it? So, what are we going to do about it? We are challenged to celebrate the joy that is Christ, to thank God for that Joy, to be in thanksgiving, love and joy constantly. We also are faced with every day challenges. How and what are we going to do about it?

Jesus told us quite simply, "Love your neighbor." THAT's what we're going to do about it. May our thanksgiving and joy be in others. May our thanksgiving and joy be only for God and that in God, we move. It's easy to just put a book down and walk away, Bible included. It's much more difficult to have that Book be in us and through us, but we really need to have It there. We really, really, really need to Love our Neighbor more.

One of the challenges that came from discussion this week on FaceBook, was to give a stranger - a stranger, mind you - a compliment. It was agreed, we could. So, did you? Did you take that step to be kind, one to another? Did you simply smile at someone you didn't know. Do you know that a simple smile can convey that thanksgiving and joy that is Christ? Really, it can.

So, take the double dog dare, smile at everybody, compliment a stranger, give great thanksgiving and joy to God for God and live, like you've never lived.

Your sister in Christ,
Nan