Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture. Here’s the story…For those of us who watched The Brady Bunch growing up and wondered whether bringing two families together after one had recently lost its mother and the other its father really could really be that void of any real emotion, the answer — as revealed in Hallmark Movie Channel’s The Color of Rain (Saturday, 5/31, @ 9:00 PM ET) is an honest and resounding no. Synopsis (from The Hallmark Movie Channel website): When Matt Kell, husband and father to two young boys, succumbs to terminal cancer on Christmas day 2005, his widow, Gina (Lacey Chabert) is left to cope with the pain of his loss. Wanting to be close to her kids, Gina starts to volunteer at their elementary school and meets the Spehn children, Jack, Danny and Charlotte. In a tragic coincidence, just weeks after Matt’s death, the Spehns’ mom, Cathy, was also suddenly taken by cancer, leaving her distraught husband, Michael (Warren Christie), to care for their three kids on his own. Sensing the hopelessness in Michael that she so recently saw in herself, Gina reaches out to him and his kids and the two families begin to forge an unlikely friendship. During the year that follows, the lives of the two families become intertwined as they learn to lean on each other, beginning to heal with laughter, compassion and faith.

Mini-review: I was given the opportunity to preview the film which is based on the inspiring true story and New York Times bestselling book of the same name by Michael & Gina Spehn. The Color of Rain simply rings true in its portrayal of two families wracked by tragedy who eventually find their way to becoming one family. The movie deftly chronicles how Michael, Gina and their kids struggled through the fears and sense of loss to help each other move forward while honoring the memories of their respective spouses and parents. To be sure, there is humor sprinkled throughout film but, unlike the artificial world of the aforementioned Brady Bunch, it flows with a sense of how such a scenario would affect real people. In other words, there’s genuine heart here. The Color of Rain is highly recommended.

— Backstory. While Lacey Chabert (Party of Five) and Warren Christie (Alphas) are perfect in the roles of Michael and Gina Spehn, there’s nothing quite like hearing the story from those who actually lived it — which is something I recently had to opportunity to do.

JWK: How did you decide to write the book upon which the movie is based?

MICHAEL SPEHN: Originally, in the aftermath of our getting married, our children were very young when of this occurred — when they lost their respective parents. This was eight years ago that both Matt and Cathy passed away. Our children were nine years old and younger. So, Gina and I really wanted to write down, for the sake of the kids, more than just what happened but what was on our hearts, what we were thinking, what we were struggling with because we imagined the day — ten, fifteen, twenty years later — that, when they got old enough, they would come to us and say “What was that like?” What really happened?” So, for the sake of the kids, we started writing it down and the more we did the more we realized that all of our lives had intersected and intertwined with each other without our even knowing it — so many times, so often and in such profound ways sort behind the scenes, so to speak…Gina and I had never met and yet our lives seemed to crisscross with each other without our even knowing about it. The more we wrote and the more we shared some of the stories with different people, all of a sudden the notion came that this actually could be a book. And then we struggled with that because neither of us had been authors before and we didn’t know (if) we should actually share our stories with everyone because there are some quite personal recollections in there. There was one incident that happened that really turned it for us. We had started a foundation — the New Day Foundation for Families — a nonprofit organization here in Michigan that serves families affected by cancer. We were having a fundraiser right around the same time we struggling with whether or not we should turn this into a book.  There was a gentleman who had just lost his wife who had two children. (They) joined us for dinner at this fundraiser. They were our guests at our table. Afterward, he came to Gina and I and hugged us. He had tears in his eyes and said “I’ve seen your kids. I’ve spent the evening with your family” and he said “I’ve only just begun the journey” — because his wife had just passed. “To see that your kids are kids are happy and healthy and hopeful and faithful,” he said this evening has really given me great hope. Thank you.” Gina and I looked at each other and said “We can’t have dinner with everyone in the world. So, if we share our story and our story brings any measure of hope top people out there who are going through the same thing that we (did) then that’s worthwhile.” JWK: How did you come up with the title The Color of Rain? GS: The title came about kind of slowly. Originally, there’s a scene that actually takes place in the movie. It’s actually real…On vacation out in Colorado, there was this double rainbow. This was kind of the sign that kind of came to us. There’s a bit of a story behind that because years ago Michael and Cathy had lost a child to miscarriage….Something (happened that was) sort of special to them. On the way home from the hospital they had seen a rainbow and then, for Michael and I when we were trying to figure everything out being out in Colorado and seeing this (double rainbow) was just this little gift. Rainbows are very symbolic….On the one hand it can sound kind of cheesy but, on the other hand, it’s this beautiful metaphor because light refracts through rain in order to produce this beautiful light, this beautiful rainbow, these colors. So, we decided it was kind of this very understated metaphor for the fact that, when rain falls in our life, when you put the lens of faith on it produces beautiful color and life and things grow again. So, that’s kind of the gist of it. JWK: How did the idea for the movie come about? Did they approach you? GS: They did. In fact, one of the producers tells the story that he was on a treadmill at the gym watching The Today Show and happened to see us being interviewed and said “I gotta get a hold of that book!” And he grabbed a copy of the book and said “I want to make this thing into a movie.” MS: There were also probably five or six interested parties in adapting the book to the screen. One of the things that made us decide to go in this direction is just Hallmark. The fact that we know the quality and the family kind of entertainment that Hallmark has presented to people for generations. The idea that our story would find a home at Hallmark was really something special for us. JWK: You had already sort of relived your story through the writing of the book but what was it like seeing the movie come together and watching other people actually portray your lives and those of your family? GS: On the one hand, it’s very humbling because you realize that you’ve lived through something that other people can actually learn from and, perhaps, even be blessed by. So, that’s very humbling. On the other hand, it’s also very surreal because, you know, we’re on the set and they would be calling our names but they weren’t talking to us. They’re talking to the characters. MS: The other thing that sustains Gina and I is the book was in several countries. It was just translated into German. So, we received notes and emails from people all over the world, frankly. The thing that really is common is for people to say nice things about our story but then they immediately have a story of their own about their family members or a loved one — that this story has resonated with them and sort of reflected their own lives back to them. So, it really connects people. In the filming of the movie it was great fun to be on the set and to have that sort of adventure — especially for our kids — but it was really heartwarming to know that this story will now be able to sort of go around the world and be seen by so many more. JWK: One of the blessings in your story is that your kids seem to mesh and get along so well together. GS: They really did. They hit it off right away. I have to say I think we have five pretty cool kids. I think that they have a unique perspective on life. I think that they understand that they are uniquely blessed by this experience that has changed them in some ways but in ways that strengthen them and not weaken them. I think that they really recognize that. If you meet them, they are the funnest, most loving group of kids you’ll ever meet. They’re a lot of fun to be around and, by the way, they’re almost all teenagers now. Our youngest — who is twelve — will be thirteen in September. We have a house full of teenagers — and I love it! JWK: And though there may have been some doubts from your respective families early on in your relationship, basically, everyone on both sides have really come together. GS: They really have. I think that that’s one of the other really special parts about this — is that we had incredible support on all sides of our family. That’s not to say that it didn’t come with its challenges. Any time you lose a loved one — someone in the family — it sort of changes the dynamic between everyone and people start to sort of wonder where they are now — “Where do I fit into this now?” Michael was always quick to say to everyone “You’re still the grandparents” and you’re still the aunt. No one has to take over the role of mom. We’re not replacing anybody here. We all have to be who we are to the kids so that they know that they have that in their lives. We don’t need to create confusion.” MS: One thing that you often hear from relatives — and we even hear this working with families (through) our New Day Foundation — you’ll hear people in the aftermath of losing a loved one you’ll hear them say “We’re all getting used to our new roles” or they’ll use the phrase “We’re all trying to fit into new roles.” The truth is — and this is, as Gina says, sort of a mantra for me — is that we all still have our same role. It’s just that one of us is missing — but I’m still dad and grandma’s still grandma and aunt is still aunt and best friend is still best friend. It’s just that we’re missing this other person. Sometimes, you’ll even have children try to take over a role — like an older daughter will try to take over the role of being the surrogate mom or a young son will try to be the man. You’ll hear that a lot too — “Now, he’s the man of the house.” No, he’s not. He’s just a little boy and he needs to still be a little boy. The man of the house — the husband of the house — is just missing but everybody still has their same roles. JWK: The clergyman who married you is portrayed in a very positive light in the film. What denomination are you? GS: We were married Lutheran (so) we’re technically Lutheran but I always say, first and foremost, I’m a Christian above any denomination. JWK: Tell me more about the New Day Foundation for Families? GS: …This is sort of our passion. This is what making having a movie really truly joyful. Everything that we’re doing with the book and the movie will ultimately bless and benefit the Foundation…Right now, we’re based out of Michigan but we’re hoping to expand and develop chapters of the New Day Foundation in other cities where major cancer centers are located all over the country. That’s the long term goal. We’re always looking for support for that endeavor…The most important work that we do is helping families that have young children in the home below the age of eighteen who have in some way been affected by cancer — most often, it’s that parent that has been affected by cancer.  What we do is we work with one family at a time — usually for a period of three to six months and we will pay bills for them to kind of alleviate some of the financial burden because — I don’t know if you’re familiar with some of the statistics but — approximately 66% of all the bankruptcies in the country are caused by medical bills — and the vast majority of those are cancer related. So, feel very strongly that there is an incredible need to support these families. There are many, many organizations out there doing research and we value those organizations and support them but we also know that right now, today, while the disease still exists, there are families that are being burdened beyond just the physical demands…The financial and emotional side (is what) we address.

Note:  Zondervan Publishing has  re-released The Color of Rain in conjunction with the film which debut this Saturday night (5/31) @ 9:00 PM ET on The Hallmark Movie Channel.

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11