One Thousand Gifts

Transforming Wounds into Words – Ann Voskamp

April 29, 2011 By Deb Chitwood 2 Comments

“If it were up to me … I’d write this story differently” (One
Thousand Gifts, p. 20).

Be honest. Haven’t you felt that way sometimes? It was natural for Ann Voskamp to feel that way when her first memories were of her toddler sister’s death, an event traumatic enough to send her mother to a mental institution and to overwhelm her father for years.

And that event wounded Ann Voskamp. Read chapter one of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are to feel the deepness of the wounds, the intensity of Ann’s pain. But out of a place of pain and woundedness, Ann used a pen and gratitude to transform her wounds into words of encouragement.

Follow me to Spring Snow Publications to read the entire article.

Photo Credit: Photo by Lisa Sohl at Flickr Creative Commons.

Filed Under: Encouragement, Gratitude Tagged With: Ann Voskamp, encouragement, gratitude, One Thousand Gifts, words of encouragement, wounds into words

Sportsmanship in Sports and in Life

March 11, 2011 By Deb Chitwood 14 Comments

Every now and then I hear about examples of great sportsmanship. I love the inspiration of seeing athletes rise above their own feelings and fears to reach out to their competitors.

An Example of Great Sportsmanship from Figure Skating

Recently at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, Team USA pairs skater Mark Ladwig had his skate break during his short program. He was given the allowed three minutes to return to the ice and finish the program.

While he was trying to decide whether to use duct tape or screws to fix his skate boot, he was handed a boot from a friend – and pairs competitor – Rudi Swiegers of Team Canada. Because Rudi and Mark wear the same size skates, Mark and his partner were able to complete their short program and the competition. Here’s more about the story from Team USA: Swiegers gives Ladwig the boot.

An Example of Great Sportsmanship from Softball

I first saw this video at The Zen Mama’s Blog in her Inspirational Movie Monday. It’s an amazingly beautiful example of sportsmanship … I still get teary-eyed every time I see it.

Become the Blessing

The description for the “Girls Softball Miracle” video on YouTube says simply

Throw away the selfishness…and let the beauty of helping others comes into our hearts. Be a blessing!

I can’t help but think of Ann Voskamp’s book One Thousand Gifts. Ann talks about finding joy through gratitude. And then she talks about the greatest gift – to become the blessing:

Here I can become the blessing, a little life that multiplies joy, making the larger world a better place. (p. 200)

That’s what true sportsmanship can do in sports – and in life. I think we all need to look at how we can show the best possible sportsmanship, whether it’s in a sport, in school, at work, or in any life situation. Let’s focus on what’s more important than “winning” – being a person of character and integrity … encouraging our friends and competitors … being a blessing whenever we can.

“How You Played the Game” Word-Art Freebie

Filed Under: Character, Inspiration Tagged With: Ann Voskamp, be the blessing, gratitude, Inspiration, Mark Ladwig, One Thousand Gifts, Rudy Swiegers, Softball Miracle, sportsmanship

One Thousand Gifts (Book Review)

February 11, 2011 By Deb Chitwood 13 Comments

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.

by Ann Voskamp

224 pp Zondervan

If you’re looking for a book that could change your life, be sure to read Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. I already followed and loved Ann Voskamp’s blog at A Holy Experience. I already belonged to and loved her Gratitude Community. But still, the book was even better than I expected.

Ann’s honesty in describing her woundedness in the first chapter gives power and depth to the entire book … try to imagine your first memory that of your younger sister being killed in a tragic accident.

Ann’s description of that event and her two infant nephews’ deaths and her wrestling with the emotions and questions those events raised give new meaning and depth to the practice of writing down one thousand gifts … the simple process of recording the many little things for which we’re grateful.

Telling of her years of woundedness, Ann articulates many of the doubts we all have about God’s ways at times: “If it were up to me … I’d write this story differently.” And questions the simplicity of recording one thousand gifts: “Some days, ones with laundry and kids and dishes in sink, it is hard to think that the insulting ordinariness of this truly teaches the full mystery of the all most important, eucharisteo. It’s so frustratingly common – it’s offensive.”

But still, she works to “give up resentment for gratitude, gnawing anger for spilling joy…Self-focus for God-communion.” And she truly sees and experiences the life-changing power of gratitude, feels what it’s like to change her default from resentment to gratitude, learns to see God in the details of life.

And she discovers that “As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible.” Ann’s writing is poetic throughout the book, adding to her deeply religious message and to the love story it is … experiencing a real relationship with God and the joy that brings.

“As Long As Thanks Is Possible” Word-Art Freebie (without watermark)

You can join the Book Club at (in)courage with added videos and discussion of One Thousand Gifts.

Read the first chapter of One Thousand Gifts here.