Traveling Mercies

I finally read Traveling Mercies (Anne Lamott). It's been hanging on my list for awhile and after picking it up for a possible Book Club suggestion (and then deciding it might not be the right suggestion - yet), I impulsively took it on last weekend's trip to New Orleans. I couldn't put it down.

I don't have the energy to review this book, only to say that I both loved and hated it. Anne Lamott is an absolute Artist of a writer and has the most amazing way of combining multiple, divergent stories to make a simultaneous point. Fascinating.

Among so many quotable little "nuggets," I thought I'd pull a few just for you:

The grace one - see blog "description."

The patience one - "But patience is when God - or something - makes the now a little roomier. Looking at the one beam of sunlight streaming into the living room, casting warm light on our pets, two plants, one old friend and a small boy drawing on the floor, I finally realized I was more or less OK for the time being - and this was an amazing difference."

The surrender one - "And I saw that it would be an act of both triumph and surrender to give up trying to have straighter hair. And that surrender means you get to come on over to the winning side."

The loving others one - "I knew on the beach that Jesus would have stepped in to save the dog, and he would have been loving the dog beater as he did so. He would have been seeing the dog beater's need and fear. Well, I am certainly not there yet. I myself am a bit more into blame and revenge; also, I've found that self-righteousness is very comforting. But Jesus is quite clear on this point. He does not mince words. He says you even have to love the whiners, the bullies, and the people who think they're better than you. And you have to stick up for the innocent."

I would really love to have one more, as I've learned that I have a thing for odd numbers and four quotes is bothering me just a tad, but alas, the laundry is calling. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.