One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp: Book Review

What a beautiful, moving, gut wrenching book. When I started, I thought, "Only about 220 pages, and a smallish book? I can read that in two days tops." I was wrong. It's so deep, so moving, and sometimes so hard to read that it took me nearly three weeks. After the first chapter or two I wasn't sure I wanted to continue - the subject matter is so tough. But I see what she was doing. She had to tell you where she came from. You had to understand the depths of her pain and despair, and the reasons why she had such difficulty believing in a good God. Her transformation, due to the challenge from a friend, is remarkable.

Ann was angry and bitter and resistant to see the good in life. She was negative about everything, and became easily exasperated with her children and her life. Considering she lived on a pig farm and home schooled six kids, I can certainly understand! Then a friend dared her to write down 1,000 gifts - one thousand things that she loved, things that blessed her, things that made her happy. Throughout the journey of this challenge, her heart changed and she started seeing God's love in everything around her, everything. She slowly understood what eucharisteo, to give thanks, really means, and how it is the key to true communion and oneness with God. She learned that living a thank-filled life is truly the only way to know joy, and that eucharisteo - giving thanks - always precedes the miracle.

Ann Voskamp writes her memoir as poetry. Every sentence is lyrical and lilting and laden with emotion. The descriptions are so vivid and sharp; you can perfectly picture her farm house, her kitchen, her back yard, or the field where she met the moon. It's beautiful. But because of this, it can be difficult to read. If you're not a fan of descriptive, poetic writing, this may not be the book for you. Oh, but you will miss a gem! It's difficult to read this book and not be changed. Even a little bit.

The biggest problem I had with this book, and really the only one, is that in her poetic verse, she almost always refused to use adverbs. It was always "His eyes smiled brave," "I breathe easy," or "My heart beat slow." I realize it's her style, but it just irked me.

I started my own eucharisteo journal in January of this year, but now that I've read this beautifully moving book, I know I will see more of the miracle and more of His love. Thanks always precedes the miracle. I love it.

Get the book on Amazon here. Read more about Ann Voskamp on Goodreads.

Celtic Colors Journal (Peter Pauper Press): Product Review

I purchased this journal, my fifth Peter Pauper Press journal, for our recent two-week trip to Scotland. It was perfect for what we needed. It's larger than a typical journal, which was great for all the detailed writing we did from our trip and all the extra souvenir-type things we added (ticket stubs, business cards, pressed flowers, etc.). The paper is smooth, and accepts ink very readily, but it dries quickly so you have fewer smudges. (I prefer to use free-flowing fountain-style ink pens rather than roller ball pens.) The paper is a bit thicker than everyday writing paper, so the ink doesn't bleed through the other side. The pages are faintly lined, to keep your writing straight, without being too bold. The book lies (lays? I never know!) flat so you can easily write on either side with no frustration. This particular journal has a subtle Celtic design at the top of each page too. Love it!

I highly recommend Peter Pauper Press for any journals you may need. At the time of this review, the Celtic Colors Journal was available on Amazon for $7.49 (Amazon Prime). You just cannot beat that. Click here to get your own!