Pump It Up! Live Elated, Not Deflated Through Disappointing Daysਨਮੂਨਾ

Defining 'Dinghy Days'

Sometimes, we may feel like we are excelling in life - we are utilising our God-given gifts and feeling fulfilled and fruitful. We might liken these times to being on a cruise ship that is speeding ahead with a desirable destination in mind. The weather is glorious, the Captain is visible, and you are assured that they are at the helm. The views are scenic - you admire them as you recline in a sun lounger, sipping a cocktail. There’s plenty of entertainment, maybe even Jane McDonald (a famous cruise ship singer in the UK), to do a few show tunes, and life feels good. You feel known, encouraged, purposeful, and valued.

There are other times in life when you may find yourself in more of a rubber dinghy boat scenario. You are just about afloat and safe to a degree, but you are bobbing. You lack purpose and direction. Your dinghy frequently deflates, as does your enthusiasm for life. Your view is endless sea - no shore in sight, just endless bobbing! There’s no sign of a Captain - it appears that it’s only you in the boat. Jane McDonald is nowhere to be seen - she won’t get out of bed for a dodgy dinghy disco! Life feels uncertain and monotonous, and you fear this slow season will never shift. To top it all off (literally), a seagull just pooped on your head. You’d like to think of it as ‘muck for luck’ (or my holier version – ‘dressing for blessing’!), but life just feels frustrating, boring, and messy.

If you are in a time of cruising, may the Lord bless you (and Jane!) as you sail the high seas! May he also keep you away from me and my dinghy, or I may say things I regret as you pass with your plate of buffet in hand, belting out party songs! Cruising times in life can be wonderful. Feeling fulfilled, happy, purposeful, valued, and appreciated, and headed in the direction of your dreams, is a real gift.

I’m learning, however, that our ‘dinghy’ days can be unexpectedly purposeful times. They are hard and unimpressive times in many ways, but there’s much to learn in and through them. I want to share what I learnt from my dinghy days, and how I believe the humble dinghy can be a boat of deep transformation and growth - if we allow it to be. We’ll look at themes like hope, trust, waiting (groan!), faith, and self-discipline. Let’s dive in and learn how to ‘pump it up’ through the slow and disappointing seasons of our lives.