I don’t know about you,
but I feel like I’m an ‘extra’ in a really bizarre film. I’m not quite sure what the film is about,
what my part in it is, what the ending of the film is … and I’m a bit scared
the director is going to shout ‘Action!’ and point at me – and I won’t have a
clue what to do! Maybe it’s just me …
I’m sitting in my back
garden with my laptop, along with two very grumpy children who are fighting
like cat and dog. We are in
lockdown. But … the sun is shining and
it’s a glorious day and more excitingly for me, my washing machine is on for
the second time and it should be able to dry on the line outside.
If you are also at home
with children, why not get a copy of the book my friend and I have recently had
published? It’s a short course based on Rachel
Mann’s Lent course, From Now On, which itself is based on the film The
Greatest Showman. I can’t do it with
my children, as they’ve done it several times already and I think I’d be
pushing my luck!
The first chapter looks at
dreams. It focuses on Barnum and the
dreams he had as a young boy through to his becoming a man. If we think about the situation we are in
now, I know that lots of dreams are being broken. Parties, weddings, family gatherings, meeting
up with school friends all cancelled … I know my children have had their
dreams shattered. They thought that getting
out of school would mean playing with their friends – like an extra summer
holiday. The reality is very
different.
The second chapter of our
book is called ‘Coming Alive’. This
looks at the ‘family’ that Barnum created with those considered to be misfits
in society. It looks as well at how
people are treated. Family life is
certainly looking very different and it doesn’t take long for relationships to
struggle, parents and children to be arguing, people having short fuses because
they don’t have the freedom and space they normally do. So how can you ‘come alive’ at the
moment? Why not use this time and space
to learn some new skills? I’ve seen lots
of organisations advertising free online ballet lessons, free PE lessons,
touring around museums (virtually of course!) and even free lessons in British
Sign Language.
Week 3 of the course
focuses on ‘Rewriting the Stars’. This
is when we can look to see if we can make changes within our lives and the
world around us. In the film, it’s where
Anne and Carlyle are falling in love, in a society that doesn’t allow for mixed-race
relationships. Things are different now,
but what about when this coronavirus is ‘over’?
What will you be changing? Will
the community spirit that is building up disappear overnight? Will we stop looking out for our neighbours
and go back to being selfish? Why not make
some plans for life after the pandemic?
The penultimate week is called
‘Never Enough’. It focuses on the theme
of betrayal. During this time of Lent,
we might think of Jesus and Judas and the betrayal that took place there. But what about now? The coronavirus has brought out the best and
worst in people. Perhaps you feel
betrayed by those who raided the shops and stockpiled toilet roll and
pasta? Perhaps you feel betrayed by those
in authority? Why not have a think about
the way you have recently responded to others – it might be that you need to
say sorry to God for your behaviour!
The final session is ‘From
Now On’. I’ve heard this phrase used a
lot in recent days. People saying, ‘From
now on life will be different’. And they
are right. Life will be
different. It will be different
because we need to make it different.
We need to turn to God and say how sorry we are for the wrongs we have
committed – when we have socialised and should have stayed at home, for
stockpiling essential commodities, for ignoring those who need our help, for
not praying, for being distant from God – the list is endless. But we are so fortunate, that God’s grace is
a gift. It’s a gift for us all if we
choose to receive it. Lots more people
are getting in touch with our church at this time. But what happens when all this is over? Will we hear from them again? This is where life needs to change so our
‘from now on’ is more focused on God, more willing to love and serve those in
our communities and where we try our best to model the life of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.
May God bless you and
those you love at this time. And don’t
forget, if at all possible, stay at home!
***
This is the latest
Lockdown Blog article by one of Darton, Longman and Todd’s amazing authors,
offering a personal reflection on our current situation in life. These blogs
post are written sometimes in reference to one of the writer’s books, and
sometimes about how they are living in response to the coronavirus and our
current world situation. We hope it will give you a taste of the depth and
diversity of DLT’s list – books for heart, mind and soul that aim to meet the
needs and interests of all.
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