Help, Thanks, Wow

Help, Thanks,  Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott           Audio Book:  1 hour, 47 minutes      Paperback Book:  102 pages          

Anne Lamott writes in such a manner that her words are like visiting with an old friend.    Like your best friend in highschool is back and the two of you are chatting about everything under the sun and in the universe.    She writes like an old highschool friend of mine thinks and speaks so it was like a mini time travel bit for me going back in the day when rainbows were still rainbows and not culturally significant,  when we could talk about our interpretations of religion and hear other interpretations and everybody could be cool and understanding without being judgemental.   When there could be an equal and uncomplicated exchange of ideas without offending anyone way back in the days when one didn’t have to worry about being politically correct just free thinkers and respectful listeners.   She has that West Coast layed back way of presenting her ideas and my friends was from Burbank, California so maybe that has something to do with it.    I really enjoy the way Anne Lamott presents her ideas.    Easy and purposeful like the wind off the ocean on a calm day.    Sometimes her descriptions and/or points are given in such a down to earth way that you can picture yourself sitting on the ground out in some natural environment appreciating all that God has made and given as gifts to his people while birds sing in the background as two good friends study the wisdom of the universe and ponder the immensity of it that boils down to 3 words:  Help, thanks, and wow.     She says these are the essential words that express what it is that you are talking to God about.   Prayer is simply that – talking to God.  Just like you would to any of your other family or friends.   People tend to talk to God when they need help.   Something is so tragic, so big, so messed up so beyond their ability to deal with it that they need God to step in and make it right or at least tolerable.   They ask for HELP.     People say THANKS to God when a prayer is answered, when something terrifically good occurs in their life, when something so off in their lives miraculously turns out well, when they get an answer to whatever they have been needing solutions for and sometimes God is so overwhelming in His love, His care and His direction in our lives, when we are so awed by His creations that we just have to say WOW because that one small word expresses everything in that moment that needs to be relayed.  Help, God.    Thanks, God.   Wow, God, you are totally amazing.     What great concepts, so concise and so true.    Give yourself the pleasure of this read.     You will be glad you did.   Anne Lamott is quite a thinker, teacher and relayer.   She thinks like a friend, who delivers like an angel that is sitting in your space sharing diamonds of the ages with you.    Great book.    10 Pearls of wisdom for this one in a keep it straight forward and simple kind of way.  Excellent.