2020 is Just a Chapter of Our Stories
2020 has been a strange chapter in history for sure. The changes—some possibly permanent, the missed opportunities, our uncertain future. We’re all struggling in different ways. It seems unreal what is happening in our communities, and country and in our small world.
It’s like we’re living in a movie.
But even in the middle of this crazy year, I know deep in my heart that this is all part of our story. It’s part of my story because I am on this earth “for such a time as this” and recently, although I feel like they have missed out on so much, I’ve realized that 2020 is also a part of my children’s story too.
The writer in me has always loved a good story, and one that has always fascinated me is the story of the Titanic: The tale seems unreal. The ship was “unsinkable” and yet it went down in just a few short hours after hitting an iceberg in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean taking many lives with it to the bottom of the sea. The whole thing was like a bad dream that had come true.
But for me, what draws me in and still fascinates me to this day, are the incredible true stories within the story, of the people who were on the ship.
There were men who courageously and chivalrously ushered “women and children first” to safety.
There were men who cowardly dressed as women to get access to the lifeboats.
Wives chose to die with their husbands rather than be separated from them.
Musicians played to calm the crowd and then the music faded with their lives.
And there was a captain who valiantly went down with his ship.
Each person, through their individual choices, became a character in the story that we still tell today. There were victims and villains and victors.
AND HERE WE ARE.
The reality of Covid-19 on the world will one day be a story that we tell.
I’m not suggesting that this ship is going to sink. I’m quite hopeful that Covid-19 will go away, but the stories we tell about it will live on forever. What part are you playing in the story? What character and role have you assumed without even realizing it? Are you modeling courage and perseverance for your children?
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”- Shakespeare
2020 is just a chapter of our stories and the mission for a Jesus follower has not changed. It’s only become amplified. We are called to be a part of the story and to point people to the Storyteller.
Character is revealed in times of trial. So, who do you want to be? Who are you becoming during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020? What will be your story?
I want to be the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Who according to many accounts urged the rowers in her lifeboat to go back and rescue more people who were drowning in the dark sea. I want to be fearless with my words and actions. I want to try to help others from going under.
Buildings may be closed, but now we get to be the real church. We can show the world that “we are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.”
We can live with a spirit of peace and not fear.
Schools look different for our kids, but THIS is real school. We can teach our children to love and be kind to EVERYONE especially those who think, act, or look different from you. We can learn to taste our words and bring life and encouragement to those who are really struggling. Let’s allow kind words to be nourishment and compassion be our teachers in this shared human experience.
Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. – Proverbs 16:24
2020 is Just a Chapter of Our Stories
We won’t all come out of this unscathed, but we can move forward with a deeper sense of awareness, gratitude, and faith. Heroic. That is the story I want to tell. I will not be pulled under by fear. I will create a story with my children that is worth telling. One of trust and truth and unsinkable faith.
The Storyteller invites us into the unfolding story of history. Let’s choose our part well, for ourselves and our children.
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life so that you and your descendants might live!” – Deuteronomy 30:19
Bonnie Clark loves books that make her laugh, cry, or think for a long time. She has always enjoyed words and writing, but she has a special affection for picture books. Weekly trips to the library with her kids is one of her favorite things to do, and even though her older two are on to chapter books, they still enjoy listening to mom read a picture book.
When Clark isn’t writing and raising her kids, she does yoga, reads books, and drinks lots of coffee. Her favorite place in the world is ANY beach. She lives in Canton, Georgia, with her husband and their three children.
Learn more at bonnieclarkbooks.com or follow her on Facebook (Bonnie Clark Author), Twitter (@bonclark), Instagram (@bonnieclarkbooks), and YouTube (Bonnie Clark Books).
More about Taste Your Words:
Teach kids about the power of words and the importance of kindness with this charming picture book that cleverly illustrates why we should think before we speak.
Amera’s having a bad day. Her best friend ruined her cupcake and they both said mean things. When Amera brings her bad mood home with her, her mom tells her to “taste her words.” Amera’s mean words taste like rotten eggs, spoiled milk, and lemons! As Amera realizes that her mean words make her feel bad and others feel worse, she starts saying the kindest, sweetest words she can find.
This picture book is an excellent resource for parents who want to teach their kids to think before they speak. With humorous text and lively illustrations, Clark and Bright make it easy for even the youngest children to understand the power of their words.
Purchase a copy of Taste Your Words here!
