Clouds, Coffee & Classics discussion

I came across some good discussion questions (online) for this book. Once in awhile I'll post some of them here. I hope you will join in with your thoughts and answers.

Wonderful! Thanks for volunteering that. It will be a nice discussion guide. Looking forward to this book.

Ok...so here are the discussion questions for Chapter 1:


1. Ann means “full of grace”; Aimee means “loved one.” Do you know the meaning of your name? If so, what significance does it have for you?


2. “If I’m ruthlessly honest, I may have said yes to God, yes to Christianity, but really, I have lived the no.” (p. 16). What do you think Ann means by this? Has this ever been true for you? Is so, in what way?

3. Ann describes how the death of her sister “tears a hole in the canvas of the world” (p. 16) and later writes, “I wonder ... if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop ... might actually become places to see through to God” (p. 22). Is this a metaphor you find intriguing, comforting, or disturbing? How do you understand it in light of your own experiences of loss?

I'm loving this book, which was given to me by a close friend.

Question #1. My name means "song of joy," which is neat because I am a singer and a music teacher.

Question #2 Have I lived the way God has wanted me to? Who has? We try!

Quesion #3 This is a tough one. Loss is very nasty and hard to deal with. I love how Voskamp is so honest about grief.

#1. Charmaine means "little singer or little song". I've often wondered what exactly it DOES mean - since I can't sing worth beans. But I do dearly love to sing anyway and I love music.

#2. I take this to mean that she gave mental assent to Christianity - but in reality did not trust God with her life. She did not believe that God was good or that He had her best interest in mind. So she said "no" to allowing him to be in control.

Yes, I lived like this when I was having 'menopause madness'. I thought that I was going to have to create my own "happiness" because God certainly wasn't doing anything to help me out.

#3. I find this metaphor comforting - because it gives some hope that there is real meaning and value to the pain we experience.
The pain I've experience with children, church issues etc. has torn some holes in the canvas of my world. But it has also given me glimpses into God's grace and God's ability to see me through the really hard stuff of life. Again, I don't really like it - but I do see the value.

#1 My first name Anne is the obviously the same as the author and means, as she sates "Grace" or "Favour". My middle name Marie quite literally means "Bitter" and is also the French form of "Mary". I guess I never quite knew what to do with the meaning of my middle name. What exactly are you supposed to take from something meaning "Bitter"? When asked this question in the past I've tended to ignore the fact that I had a middle name at all and just stick with the first rather than tell people I'm "bitter". Bitter what? I have a bitter attitude? I leave a bitter taste in other's mouths and am not a blessing to those around me? Where then does the grace part come in? I'm bitter about this life God has given me? Not thankful it's enough? For the life of me I couldn't turn "Bitter" into something nice. However, while doing some more research and reading today I found this..."Marie - Derived from "Myrrh". Myrrh is supposedly bitter at first but sweet later, which is where the origins of bitter/sea of bitterness might come from." So, bitter first but sweet later? Hmmm. I guess for me, what first popped into my head in application to my own life was this: Life CAN make you bitter, it IS hard, and God promised that it would be! We WILL have trials. He was right. I've been through (and continue to go through) my share of tough times and struggle with bitterness and anger. But, when you come to understand and except the amazing love and forgiveness and blessing you have in Christ and begin to live your life "Full of grace" and thankfulness I'm slowly finding that ever growing element of sweet starts to literally seep into every part of my life... even in the "bitter" times. So what may have at first seemed like a hard, bitter, I-can't-believe-this-is-my-lot sort of life begins to melt on the tongue into a delicate simple sweetness, flavored with love, grace, peace, fullness, thankfulness, contentment and JOY! Bitter first, but with Christ's amazing gift of total acceptance and forgiveness followed by thousands of gifts every minute of every day... sweet later. Sweet when you begin to see with God's eyes.

#2 I think we have all lived the "No". I know have for years. Saying I believe, saying I know he forgave me and excepts me and "Thank you very much God, that was very kind... I appreciate it. I do. But...." Always a but. Not excepting what he has given as enough. I guess I've always lived the "Whys". Why is this so hard? Why, if you love us do things like this happen? Why can't I have it my way? Honestly, the book has really begun to change my heart in so many ways, but this is one of the huge ones... seeing my whys not as simple questions but pure, selfish, ungratefulness... basically, non acceptance. I DON'T except what you gave Lord. It WASN'T enough. Wow. That was a bit of a blow. With God's help and new eye site however, I hope I can change my "Whys" into "Thank yous".

#3 Ann is definitely a maestro when it comes to the music of the written word. She certainly has a unique and beautiful way of looking at things. And I rather liked this metaphor. It seems to ring true in my own life. If hard things didn't happen, would we ever look up? Would we ever seek or would we simply live our lives blind, thinking we had it all under control and never give God a second thought? God wants to be sought, wants a relationship with us. But human nature is such that it seems we have to have a "need" for him before we take the time to seek. That is our tendency anyway. It is mine. God uses those things in our lives to tenderly woo us to himself, shape us, mold bit by bit closer to his likeness. If we let him. That's the key...

Charmaine has passed on the posting of discussion questions to me so here are the questions for Chapters 2 & 3. I decided to pare it down to two questions per chapter so as to not overwhelm.

Chapter 2 :

#1 - Ann describes three ways we can experience life: as empty nothingness, as fully alive, and as the life in between (p. 27).

As you reflect back over the years, briefly describe a time you experienced life in each of these three ways.

How do you experience your life right now....1. Empty nothingness 2. Life in between 3. Fully alive -
Describe the reasons for your response.


#2 - The author recalls stories from Jesus’ life that illustrate the power of eucharisteo, of thanksgiving: the Last Supper, the raising of Lazarus, the condemnation of Korazin and Bethsaida (pp. 34 – 37).
When considering the context of these stories, we discover that Jesus is within hours of his own death, is grieved by the death of a dear friend, and is rejected by entire towns that experienced his miracles.
Why do you think Jesus chooses to offer thanks at such times ?

How does Jesus’ use of gratitude in difficult circumstances inform or challenge your view of what it means to give thanks to God?



Chapter 3:

#1 - Among the first gifts on Ann’s list are these:
• Morning shadows across the old floors
• Jam piled high on the toast
• Cry of blue jay from high in the spruce
• Leafy life scent of the florist shop
• Wind flying cold wild in hair
Each gift appeals to one of the five senses — something Ann can see, taste, hear, smell, or feel.

Thinking back on the last twenty-four hours, use your senses to name five things for which you are grateful — your own mini gratitude list.


#2 - In reading philippians 4:11 – 12, Ann discovers “the secret to living joy in every situation, the full life of eucharisteo.” It is in the apostle paul’s statement, “I have learned” (p. 47).
Take a moment to think of a few things that have brought joy or a feeling of contentment to your life recently. Did you have to learn these things or work at them, or did they just happen, like happy coincidences?

How do you understand the relationship between learning or practicing gratitude (by keeping something like a gratitude list) and experiencing joy?

Chapter 2
#1. Empty nothingness = the severe years of menopause/depression.
Life in between = most of the time when I'm at home and alone.
Fully alive = when I'm traveling & meeting new people - seeing new places - experiencing new things. When I able to share the love of God with people. When I'm dancing or making music.

#2. It totally depends on what I'm doing. I don't think I can generalize and say that life right now is any one of the three all the time. I think I experience all three at various times.

Chapter 3
#1. The SOUND of a blue jay The TASTE of butter & salt. The FEEL of lotion on my skin. The LOOK of snow gently falling (right now) out my window. The SMELL of sausage cooking in the pan.

#2.I've never even thought to "learn" joy before reading this book. I've just taken the things that bring joy for granted: that they just happen.

I think by keeping a gratitude list I will experience more joy because I will be intentionally looking for it. I believe I've missed a lot of joy because I was too busy with other things to notice it was happening. Hundreds of little joyful moments happen every day. But if I'm not paying attention and acknowledging them, it's as if they never even happen.

I agree. When you look for beauty, you can see it everywhere around you. And when you are used to looking for beauty, you start to see it even when you aren't looking. I was stunned tonight by the beauty of someone's golden hair, shining in the light.

I agree also that you miss a lot of joy when you're too busy, maybe driving, hurrying here and there. I loved her chapter about missing out on your life when you're in a hurry. She's so right that you can hurry through life and end up missing most of it because you aren't paying attention!

Five things I'm grateful for in the last 24 hours?

- the sweet/bitter tears of being alive and being aware of the shortness of life
- the joyful feeling of my wedding anniversary coming up
- the kindness of a friend, giving me music to teach with
- my windshield wipers working on a snowy day
- playing the Pink Panther fun base line on my cello