If you’ve never joined an online book club, well, there’s still time. Pam Webster has pulled together material for #adventbookclub, drawing on Stephen Cottrell’s Walking Backwards to Christmas, published by SPCK.
I have written in the diary to read a chapter every couple of days, but last night I read the introduction. Recently I went to see Simon Callow in That Man Jesus, a one man play that uses the voices of those associated with Jesus to tell the story of Jesus. This was the first thought that came to mind as Stephen Cottrell mentioned that he wanted to retell the Christmas story, telling the story ‘backwards’, through the voices of the different characters involved in the drama of that day.
We become so familiar with “The Christmas story”, that we forget what it’s all about, so I’m hoping with this book to be challenged into seeing the story afresh (in both its light and dark elements) as we move through Advent, and love the promise that we’ll get ‘underneath the skin’ of the story and begin to see ourselves in it.
Meantime, daily, I will be also be reading Brian Draper’s Advent 20, which today encourages us 2-3 times per day to:
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1. Stop. Bring yourself to a halt. A proper one. Be still. 2. Relax. Notice if you’ve any physical tension, and let your body relax. 3. Breathe. A little more slowly and deeply. It will reconnect you. 4. Smile. This is a good and important thing you’re doing. |
Today we’re encouraged to take some time to ‘be in the dark’ (if possible getting away from light pollution), as we await the light.
I’m also completing the Simplify plan on YouVersion – thankfully short and simple itself, with just one thing to think about each day…
