You are here

On Shrove Tuesday, our Epiphany sojourn through "Help Thanks Wow" concludes

Shrove Tuesday pancakes

It is Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras. The day before the beginning of the Lenten season. The end of my/our sojourn through Anne Lamott’s book Help Thanks Wow.

As much as I want to give thanks for the impending Lent, I will need help with it. Help to not try and make Lent into some sort of spiritual Olympics.

Instead of picking up the pace, I am going to try and slow it down. And breathe with intention. Especially during and after prayer. “Quiet, deep breath after any prayer is another form of Amen.” (Page 93.)

I will need help with that. Anne Lamott offers some guidance: “One when I was about to fly to the other side of the world and asked my church for prayers, my pastor said, ‘by the time you get on a plane, it’s too late for beggy prayers. It’s time for trust and surrender.” (Page 97.)

I get that. Sort of. My soul gets it, but my ego resists it. Deep breathing and quiet prayer can lead to trust and surrender. And trust and surrender lead to grace and blessing – which, in turn, produces its own divine version of wow.

Comments

Dear Mark, I so enjoyed going through this wonderful book with you! It was just the thing for winyer's contemplative mood. I love Anne LaMott because she is profound, deeply honest and also funny! Have a blessed Lent. All my very best, Jane Riedel

Add new comment

Our comment policy requires that you use your real first and last names and provide an email address (your email will not be published). The Communications Office of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark reserves the right not to publish comments that are posted anonymously or that we deem do not foster respectful dialogue.