The Hands and Feet of Jesus

If you were here for my recent post explaining my absence, you may remember how I mentioned an incident that took place last year. I'm here to talk a bit more about that, and some important lessons I learnt from it. 

It was early 2022, and here in Australia, we still had some major after-effects from the mess that Covid had left behind. (And I'm not referring to anything to do with illness; I'm talking government power and mandates that prohibited one from freedoms that Australians used to enjoy.) 

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To set the scene, I need to go back another year. At the end of Anne of Green Gables, in 2021, the theatre company were excited at the success of that production and were debating which show to choose next. I decided to submit a suggestion, in case they thought it was a good fit. My favourite story, only in a tie with Anne of Green Gables, is Little Women, and my sisters and I had recently discovered the musical of it. It was perfect! (Also perfect because there is a mystery in most community theatres - the lack of males interested in theatre and the over-abundance of young, female performers.) After a long wait for license approval, the theatre company announced that the next show was going to be... Little Women the Musical! (This was after they hadn't done a musical for around a decade or so.) We were thrilled! Even our beloved directors were returning just for this show! And yet, like a curse, on that same day they announced the show, the government announced restrictions for certain Australian individuals who did not choose to have a particular injection. All forms of entertainment, including theatre, was out of bounds, and those particular people were banned from all such places. That included myself and my family. This was just in the lead up to Christmas, and to my 21st birthday; I couldn't even go out to celebrate in the way I had been hoping. That was a heavy time, and I regret to say more tears than laughter took place over that holiday season. 

With the start of 2022, the auditions, casting and rehearsals took place for Little Women, as planned... without us. And then, several months later, the government decided to roll back the mandates. But the show was already cast and underway. We were faced with the decision; did we want to help out back stage for this show we had dreamed of being in, or were we too hurt from the experience to be a part of the show that we had originally suggested and been so excited for?

It didn't even take us a day to decide; we knew that once the mandates were rolled back, we would be chasing every opportunity that went our way. So one of my sisters and myself (and later two other of our siblings) volunteered our time to be part of the tech/crew for this show. My sister was taught the lighting board, and I chose the spotlight. To be honest, I mostly chose the spotlight for the symbolism is was to me. A lot of prayer went into that season of waiting, and I knew there was a lesson (or two) to learn here. I wanted God to give me the grace and humility to celebrate and champion others, even if I couldn't myself participate. And I knew there was a beauty to shining the spotlight - literally - on others, even while I was desperately aching to be a part of it.

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I remember there was one phrase that kept running over and over in my mind, during that season. And it was: "God, in this moment, how can I be like Jesus? Like His hands, like His feet?" It's a powerful question. You can't just "make" yourself have a servant heart, or will yourself into humility. It was a continual prayer for grace, for knowing what grace would look like in that moment. The image of God washing his disciples' feet kept playing in my mind. It helped my heart know where to look. So I shone the spotlight on those performers who were carrying out the story on stage in front of me; the story I had known and loved all my life. I worked with my sister to mic all the main performers, and help change the batteries and ensure they were all running smoothly. From being the lead performer in the last show, to literally buttoning up another actor's dress and helping them with their mic, I knew God was working in my heart, and teaching me a lesson. (So be careful what you pray for, friends! If you pray for more grace and humility, God is listening. ;) But He answers in such beautiful, powerful ways.)

I will also add, you may think it was an easy transition for us to help with tech, and everything worked out sweetly for us. But real life often doesn't pan out in such a linear way. We had some unpleasant experiences during that time, and there was some drama happening behind our backs that really hurt. I did cry on multiple occasions, wondering how different things could have been, and what I could have experienced if things had worked out the way I'd dreamed. But ultimately, I kept repeating that same prayer over and over, "what does it look like to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this moment?". And He graciously, patiently, showed me.

And you know what? It's actually really hard to throw a pity-party for yourself when you are celebrating your friends' successes and are genuinely happy to see them do so well! So make sure you cheer on your friends and the people who deserve the applause - it not only encourages them, it actually helps you, too. 

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On top of the lesson in humility and grace, there were several others that I learnt during that season. It was a great reminder of doing the best with whatever you are given. I told myself I would be the best spot-lighter there ever was! (No joke, I legit was so determined, haha. I had a lot of notes about the best/most artistic choices for each scene. I wanted to discover how to add more beauty and depth to the show, in ways I'd never thought of before.) I realized how much work went into the background things, so that next time I got up onstage as a performer, I could appreciate all of the tech and crew who were working so hard to let me shine onstage. 

So I challenge you. Anyone, but especially the person who is struggling with the experience of rejection and frustration (a common occurrence when you're trying to worm your way into theatre!). Don't let yourself sit in disappointment and frustration. Use that fire within you to push you forward. Challenge yourself by learning a new skill, try a fresh perspective (which I did by literally watching the show from a different perspective!), and don't let bitterness ruin your ability to appreciate beauty, and encourage others. It may not be the easiest path, but the most important lessons are never the easiest ones. We always have a choice. Choose to celebrate others. Choose to not be controlled by the bitterness or sadness that threatens, but move towards patience and hope. Choose to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

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The Little Women Book Tag

I've seen this tag going around, and since Little Women is my favourite book, I just HAVE to do it, don't I? ;) I picked up my questions from Eva at Coffee, Classics and Craziness.

Marmee - A Wise And Nurturing Read 

I present to you "Rhythms of Renewal" by Rebekah Lyons. That book is very comforting and definitely fits the bill in my opinion. It's a Christian book speaking into managing stress and anxiety, and replacing it with peace and purpose. It's very practical and helpful, while also a pleasant read. 

Jo - A Book You Can't Live With/Can't Live Without 

Hmm.. I'm not really sure what this means? I feel like maybe Charles Dickens books in general give me this vibe? I read them and get frustrated by characters within them (that I sure wouldn't be able to live with!), but then I keep continually coming back to his stories. (I think I've read over 8 now?) It's a weird relationship, haha. So for the sake of picking one of them, I'll go with "Our Mutual Friend" by Charles Dickens. It drives me bonkers but I'm still weirdly drawn to it and consistently enjoy it. 

Meg - A Book You Accidentally Damaged

Can I just say this was such a hilariously clever idea? xD "Accidentally damaged". Meg's poor hair couldn't agree more, haha. Ahem. ANYWAYS, my answer for this would definitely be "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo. A friend lent me their copy, and since it was a huge book with a poor binding job, it began to fall apart about halfway through my reading it. Luckily, my dad is a bookbinder, so he was able to take it to work and give it a little love and I was able to return it to my friends good as new - if not better. 

Beth - A Cozy Book 

Without a doubt, "Bread & Wine" Shauna Niequist. ALL. THE. WAY. It is the most scrumptious book ever. Literal comfort food, but in words. Basically all her writing is, though. (I've now read "Present Over Perfect" and "Cold Tangerines" in addition to this one, and they're all equally incredible.) I could eat up all her books, regardless of if they're about food.

Amy - A Pretty Book 

Well, I've seen plenty of lovely books in shops that made me drool through the window, but going from ones I own, I'll say "Romanov" by Nadine Brandes. It's got a DIVINE front cover! (And I won it in a giveaway she hosted, which was pretty epic. ;))

Mr. March - A Book You're Embarrassed You Forgot

Well, going on the assumption that this is a book I forgot existed, I'm going to say "Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux. I proudly know and love the musical, but I totally forget that it originated from a book! However, I do confess, it is still waiting on my to-read list. My library got rid of it before I was able to borrow it, and I was Quite Put Out. :P

Laurie - A Fun Book 

Originally, I was going to say "The Black Arrow" by Robert Louis Stevenson, but it's been so long since I read it, I'm not sure if fun is the correct adjective. (It was enjoyable, I can tell you that much!) So I am going to switch answers and say "Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. Even if you grew up with the story, have you read the book?! Seriously, Mark is a GENIUS and it is absolutely hilarious and definitely fittingly described as fun.

Professor Bhaer - The Classic You Are Most Proud Of Reading 

Since I've already used "Les Miserables", I'm going to go with "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. It's quite an intimidating size, but wow, wow, WOW is it a good book! Highly, highly recommend. I'm planning on re-reading it again this summer.

John - A Sweet Character/Book 

"An Old Fashioned Girl" by Louisa May Alcott (I had to slip her in somehow, didn't I? ;)). It is both a sweet book AND the main character, Polly, is extremely sweet herself. Granted, this book is very fluffy and slow-paced, but it's delightful if you want a cozy, wholesome story. 

And since we're on the topic of "Little Women" - do you have a preference for a movie adaption? I love the 1994 movie and the 2017 miniseries. I've seen an older version (with Elizabeth Taylor) and the newer version (with Emma Watson), and while I appreciate all for different reasons, the book can't be topped, in my opinion. <3

2 Tags for the Price of 1!

What-ho everyone! Today I am going to complete two tags that I was nominated for a shamefully long time ago... but that was before I had a blog. ;)

The first is the Fantastical and Felicitous Character Blog Tag:

the creator of this tag

Rules:
•Answer every question honestly. 
•Use as many gifs and images as possible.
•Incorporate at least one YouTube video with a favorite scene of a character.
•NO VAGUE ANSWERS ALLOWED. Explain why you chose that favorite character to fit that description. I love details, my friends.
•If you can’t choose just one, that’s okay – give us a few answers and geek out if that’s what it takes.
•Tag at least 3 people.
•Use fictional characters from any fictional story.
•If you get nominated and/or decide to participate in this tag, please put a link back to this post in your post and credit yours truly (Emily at The Altogether Unexpected) as the creator.
•Have fun and obsess over fictional characters!

(Okay,  for the record, this is an extremely intimidating long list of rules, so don't mind me while I go rebel and break at least half. :P) (Let's hope I can at least accomplish the first.)
Oh, and by the way, Natalie tagged me for this one - thanks, Natalie!! :) <3


Goody-two-shoes: A character who was just so morally good
Elsie Dinsmore or Fred Wright just seem like the obvious choices here, but I'm going to go with someone else. How about Esther Summerson from "Bleak House"? It's been a long while since I've either read the book or seen the miniseries, but I remember thinking that girl had a heck of a lot of virtues. And yet, I really did sympathize and relate with her. Poor, dear Esther.

Heartbreaker: A character who made you cry
Sam Gamgee, from "Lord of the Rings". 

Him and his inspiring talks and his loyalty and his innocence and his selflessness and his kind, gentle, manner - GUYS HE'S JUST SUCH A SWEETHEART, OKAY. And of COURSE he's going to make me sob when *spoilers* they are on Mt. Doom and he starts talking about the Shire but he has no expectation that they would ever return. *cries*

Parrot: A character who won’t stop talking
(I feel like there's one of these characters in every single Dickens book.) But one that comes to mind is Flora Finching from "Little Dorrit". My word can that girl talk! I remember reading the book, gaping at the pages of dialogue seemingly spoken by ONE person. I'd turn the page only to discover it continued for more than two pages! What! Arthur Clennam must be SUCH a man of patience, that's all I can say. 

Devilish: Your favorite villain
Why, what a wicked thing to say. :P My favourite villain? Hmm... I'm not sure if I have a favourite. Perhaps Chauvelin, from "The Scarlet Pimpernel" because I find him quite horrible, and yet marvelously fun to watch. (I'm thinking more of the movie than the book for this one - specifically the one where he's portrayed by Sir Ian Mckellen.) Especially fun when Percy always wins in the battle of wits against him (or fencing, for that matter). 

Love interest: A character who, if alive in reality, you would want to marry
Oh, this one I am quite sure I know. Gilbert Blythe. :D 

Any day, mate!

He had my heart ever since I watched the movie when I was knee-high to a grasshopper. I love his sass, his spunk, his honesty, his intelligence, his protectiveness of Anne, his playfulness... yeah, I'm quite sure if I ever met him in real life he'd sweep me off my feet - even if I took a little while to decide that I liked him, like Anne did. ;) 

Sidekick: A character who was always loyal no matter what
Oh, dang. I've already used Sam Gamgee. :P He's the ultimate one for this one. I think I'll pick the dear character Crutchie from "Newsies" (this tag applies to books AND movies, right??). He never left Jack's side, even when he was taken by the "enemy" and held prisoner and beaten, he never budged, not once. He really deserves the title of a loyal sidekick, in my opinion.

Complicated: A character you love and hate
In a way, Sherlock (from the BBC TV series, "Sherlock").

I mostly love him, for his intelligence, his brain, his wit, and his adorable little weak spots for Molly and for John and a few others. But I will admit there have been many times when I wanted to give him a good ol' punch in the face. He annoys me SO much at times; if only he could SEE how much pain and confusion he was causing. How selfish he was. So perhaps I wouldn't say I 'hate' him so much as I Strongly Dislike and am Mildly Infuriated By him occasionally. ;)

Oddity: A character who was strange, but you loved them that way
This one definitely goes to Captain Jack Sparrow!

Yep, definitely strange

I believe this fellow is the definition of strange, but I still find myself rooting for him in all the movies. And honestly, it wouldn't be Pirates of the Caribbean without strange, funny Jack! Granted, his weirdness is not for everyone. ;)

Queen/King: A female/male character who you admire and aspire to emulate
I'm actually going to say Meg March for this one, so give me some room to explain. ;) 

This girl has been one of my favourite fictional characters since I was about 10. And the funny thing is, she's not the kind of unique character who is often impressed on one's memory. But she stuck with me. I think it's because I saw myself in her - I saw my flaws in her flaws, my struggles in her struggles, and my joys in her joys. And after recently seeing the new Little Women movie (^^), I was reminded of something. This dear girl pushed past her fears of poverty and insignificance, and decided to own her life for what it was. She married the man she loved and stared a life of hardship and toil in the face, because she knew she was strong enough to live it. She didn't settle for the easy path. She didn't settle for the path other people might have chosen for her. But she settled for what she knew was the right path for her, and she lived her life with joy and purpose. And friends, I admire that, and I aspire to do just that. I don't want to gaze at someone else's life like she gazed at Sally Moffat's and think, If only I had that, I would be happy. I want to own my life for what it is, and embrace what God has given me, and be happy in it.

Savior: A character who oddly reminds you of Christ
The one character I think of is Johannes, from "I am David". 

His sacrifice he made for David was one that echoed the sacrifice Jesus made for us, and I am always left with wonder and awe at such a story. It's such a powerful choice. And friends, when I see this in the film, it Gets Me Every Time. In addition to that, the way he gives David gentle, careful instructions for his journey is in parallel to Jesus giving US instructions, too. 
He may not be a main character, but he definitely reminds me of Jesus, in a way.
(Also, for the record, I believe the sacrifice he makes that I'm referring to is only in the movie, not the book.) 


And we made it, guys! I would tag people, but I believe I'm so late to the party that everyone I would tag has already done it, so... ;)

Onto the next! The 7 Questions Book Tag! Yet again, Natalie tagged me for this one. :)

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Preference: male or female main character?
Yeah, have to admit - I'm always way more drawn to a female character because #relatability. :P

Do you prefer colorful, attention grabbing book covers or simple, understated ones?
Ooohh, good question! I like both, but I'd probably say I generally prefer simple, understated ones. 

A character you'd like to have as your boss at work?
Can I kind of cheat and say Jean Valjean - or Monsieur Madeleine - because he seems like the ideal boss? ;) He was always kind and caring, and went out of his way to help all the people he employed. 

Books-a-Million or Barnes & Noble?
I don't think we have Books-a-Million here - that is, I've never seen one - so I'm going to have to say Barnes & Nobles, although I've never bought a book from there, haha. :P I normally buy online or at a second hand shop, and most often at our massive second hand bookfest that is run twice a year and is the largest bookfest in the southern hemisphere. (#myhappyplace)

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Would you rather be gifted random "surprise" books from a friend, or a bookstore giftcard?
Oh, great question! I'd actually say a "surprise" book from a friend, because then I get a new recommendation, of sorts. ;) And it means that they specifically went and picked out a title they thought I'd like, which would be extra sweet of them. (And no, my love language is not gifts, but I do Appreciate Them.)

What age range of characters do you generally like to read about? (For instance, would you rather read a book about a 17 year old or a 87 year old?)
Ooohh, depends if we're talking fiction or non-fiction! (Is that weird? :P) For fiction, I'd say I prefer someone around my own age or older - anywhere from 15 to 25, is probably where I would tend to choose from. I always get a special satisfaction when a hero/heroine shares my age. ;) But for non-fiction, I think I might prefer books written by much older people - nearing the 87 mark, yes. ;) They have so much rich life advice, experience and wisdom, and I love learning about people who can share that!

What would you tell someone who defiantly proclaims: "I don't like reading! Why should I?"
(Just to keep us in context, my mouth would be hanging open a little and my eyes bulging somewhat, as I say):
"Why?! Because... because... there are some things in life that cannot be described except in words, and there are some forms of magic that can only take shape within a book."


Thanks, Natalie! Your questions were super fun!! I hope it's not very rude of me to not tag anyone - it's rather late at night, and if I sit here, pondering over 7 new questions I believe I might accidentally fall asleep. So to anyone who would like to use either of these tags - you are more than welcome to!