Simple Pleasures - Marianne Jantzi

About the Book:

Young Amish homemaker Marianne Jantzi invites readers into her family's life and Amish community. The mother of four young children, Jantzi writes about her daily routines and heartfelt faith with equal measures of wit and warmth. Sewing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, and helping to manage the family store take up most hours in her day, but Jantzi finds time to pen columns for the Connection, a magazine beloved by Amish and Mennonite readers. Never sugarcoating the frustrations of motherhood, Jantzi tells it like it is, broken washing machine and bickering children and all. But through her busy days, Jantzi finds strength in simple pleasures of family, fellowship with her Amish community, and quiet time with God.
Hear straight from Amish people themselves as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book includes A Day in the Life of the Author and the author's answers to FAQs about the Amish.

My Thoughts:

Simple Pleasures is part of the Plainspoken Series. This family of four consists of: 1) Chasing the Amish Dream - Loren Beachy, 2) Called to be Amish - Marlene C. Miller, 3) Hutterite Diaries - Linda Maendel, 4) Simple Pleasures - Marianne Jantzi.  I'm hoping this collection will keep growing.

I was so excited, and at the same time humbled, when Melodie Davies, Herald Press, Managing Editor, asked me to write an endorsement for this book:"Simple Pleasures reminds me of a patchwork quilt. Each simple piece is stitched together with faith, family and friendships, creating a beautiful whole. Jantzi offers a gentle reminder to savor the seemingly insignificant moments in time, for they fill us with love, warmth, and a feeling of well-being, just like a quilt."

The cover of this book is adorable -- a little girl with her note book, such a fitting picture for Simple Pleasures! It could even be the author's own little girl, Alyssa, who sometimes pretends to write a column 'just like Mom'. One of my favourite chapters is One Thousand Beautiful Things, because it pulses with joy and gratitude. To me it is the heart of this beautiful book. Here's an excerpt:

"For my thirtieth birthday, my sisters put a quilt in a frame and invited the Kuepfer cousins in to quilt, visit and eat. Since then, each glimpse of my lovely quilt reminds me of that wonderful day and the message it speaks to me. The quilt is filled with lovely blue flowered circles linking over a white background. Just like those flowery links, my friends joined around the quilt, blossoming from each other's friendship and helping hands. Let's keep our circles strong and our flames bright. The lovely quilt with its silent message still speaks to me." 

My heartfelt thanks to Melodie Davies, Managing Editor and Herald Press for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book!