A Book- A Gift
I have been reading the book, One Thousands Gifts. It is written by Ann Voskamp. She is an ordinary woman -wife of a farmer, mother of 6, homeschooler, lover of the Lord. She is no different than us. I think she is a beautiful woman.
Here is the thing: I can hardly read her blog. I just do it occasionally. She is a poet and sometimes I have no idea what she talking about. It makes no sense to me. At times it seems like it is in code. It drives me crazy. I love and appreciate beautiful writing, but when I want to learn something, I don't have the patience to wade through flowery words. I am way too practical.
So I was hesitant to pick her book up.
After the first day of reading, I wanted to call her and ask her to write it again in regular English. Just say it - Please! I am a skimmer. I read books quickly and efficiently and get what I want out of them and put them back on the shelf. Not this one. It takes me half an hour to read 10 pages and sometimes I go back and read them again.I actually think I will need to read the whole book over again when I am done. I am sure I missed some things a long the way. It is a lesson in patience for me.
So I am 80 pages in and I have been reading it for 5 days every night and I have to say that it may be the most beautiful book I have ever read. I have been convicted. I have been shown where I have been wrong and need to improve. I have learned new things that I have never even thought about. It is exhausting.
Despite my initial reluctance with her style, at times the beauty of her words and how they have been put together, have made me burst into tears.
If I could pick two words to tell what I have learned, they would be Gratitude and Thankfulness. I wish I could put into words more of what I have learned so far, but I don't know how. There is so much and I am processing. I am actually taking a break now. I will read the last half in a few weeks. I need to let it sit.
I would encourage you to read it. Don't let the language make you crazy. Push through. It may even take you 40 pages. It will be worth it. I know it has been a huge blessing to me.
I do have to say that there has been a little controversy in one of the later chapters about how she talks about the Lord. I have not read the whole thing yet, but I have followed her and know she loves the Lord. I was just going to add that she married a dutch man and I believe she may even be reformed! Does that help? hehehe. It may be that some people may have taken the words out of context. You can't pull sentences out of a book and critique them. It doesn't work, especially in a book like this. IF YOU DIDN'T READ A WORD IN THIS LAST PARAGRAPH, read this: Worst case scenerio - I come across a chapter that I don't quite agree with, I will not throw the book out. I could quit reading now and be content to have learned so much.
So there you go..... (o:
Here is the thing: I can hardly read her blog. I just do it occasionally. She is a poet and sometimes I have no idea what she talking about. It makes no sense to me. At times it seems like it is in code. It drives me crazy. I love and appreciate beautiful writing, but when I want to learn something, I don't have the patience to wade through flowery words. I am way too practical.
So I was hesitant to pick her book up.
After the first day of reading, I wanted to call her and ask her to write it again in regular English. Just say it - Please! I am a skimmer. I read books quickly and efficiently and get what I want out of them and put them back on the shelf. Not this one. It takes me half an hour to read 10 pages and sometimes I go back and read them again.I actually think I will need to read the whole book over again when I am done. I am sure I missed some things a long the way. It is a lesson in patience for me.
So I am 80 pages in and I have been reading it for 5 days every night and I have to say that it may be the most beautiful book I have ever read. I have been convicted. I have been shown where I have been wrong and need to improve. I have learned new things that I have never even thought about. It is exhausting.
Despite my initial reluctance with her style, at times the beauty of her words and how they have been put together, have made me burst into tears.
If I could pick two words to tell what I have learned, they would be Gratitude and Thankfulness. I wish I could put into words more of what I have learned so far, but I don't know how. There is so much and I am processing. I am actually taking a break now. I will read the last half in a few weeks. I need to let it sit.
I would encourage you to read it. Don't let the language make you crazy. Push through. It may even take you 40 pages. It will be worth it. I know it has been a huge blessing to me.
I do have to say that there has been a little controversy in one of the later chapters about how she talks about the Lord. I have not read the whole thing yet, but I have followed her and know she loves the Lord. I was just going to add that she married a dutch man and I believe she may even be reformed! Does that help? hehehe. It may be that some people may have taken the words out of context. You can't pull sentences out of a book and critique them. It doesn't work, especially in a book like this. IF YOU DIDN'T READ A WORD IN THIS LAST PARAGRAPH, read this: Worst case scenerio - I come across a chapter that I don't quite agree with, I will not throw the book out. I could quit reading now and be content to have learned so much.
So there you go..... (o:
I just finished it last night! What an eye opener. Her writing style does take a bit to get use to. I don't think she's reformed as she talks about having Communion every Sunday and her daughter is baptized at the end of the book. But she sounds conservative anyways. I'm still undecided about the last chapter. I had heard a few skeptical things too, but.... she's definitely speaking from the heart and she loves the Lord with all her heart! I'm thinking of ordering it as I was just loaned a copy. I would definitely recommend it!
ReplyDeleteThe book is so good. I need to reread it...it took me a bit to plug through too. Every sentence is a work of art. I think the chapter that has people uncomfortable has SO much value in it despite how it may make people quirm...I don't know how to speak to it's theology. I have the opinion that it is sound and that Scripture speaks in intimate ways about God...but opinions are falable!
ReplyDeleteI too have her book. I love her perspective, her writing style does drive me a little nuts (not so much the poetic nature, but the grammar-it must be the English teacher in me ;-)). Her honesty and humility are convicting. I haven't read the whole thing, but have been much more conscious about actively living thankfulness since reading the first half of the book.
ReplyDeletep.s Heather, I am reformed and celebrate the Lord's Supper weekly (and this is at a reformed church) :-)
I laughed about you not being able to read her blog. I agree! I can not read it, she is not easy to read. I don't know where I stand on her book since I haven't read it, but she might be crossing the line with the wording in her last chapter. I should probably read it to judge it though
ReplyDeletea good book about thanfulness is Nancy Leigh's on Gratitude. It is an easy read too :) well it is very convicting, so not easy to read in that sense, but it is very readable
ReplyDeleteAnita, I guess I was thinking Reformed as in our FRC, HRC, etc churches. When you mentioned that, I remembered we have friends in BC that have Lord's Supper every week and their church is a reformed church as well.
ReplyDeleteHeather, no problem. :-)
ReplyDelete