I'm sitting here this morning eating a small bowl of fruit. I want and need to lose some weight, so I am planning to eat well. I did the same yesterday, a breakfast of melon. I had lunch with our Community Care folk (those who visit area nursing homes on a weekly basis) who, following my beef lunch (with vegetables), had a lovely cake in honor of my wife and me. At night I had to cook for my boys as my wife and daughter had a Corps (Church) event so I grilled chicken and made some peas, corn and instant potatos...and then doused the chicken with barbecue sauce. Then for supper I ate some chips and cheese and quite a few liquorish all-sorts. It's the oddest of things...I completely forgot that I was trying to eat well! Is my desire to eat greater than my desire to be healthy? Do I lack that all important spiritual gift of self-control? Am I trying to make myself feel better by gouging?
At the end of the day, I think my problem comes down to bad habits. It is a habit that I need to break by simply eating well over a long period, until eating well becomes my habit.
Dictionary.com defines a habit as, "an acquired behavior pattern followed until it has become almost involuntary". A good for instance might be brushing my teeth. My habit tells me to brush them before I go to bed. My habit means that I naturally put the toothpaste on the brush, that I run the water and that I scrub my teeth. My habit also allows a natural pattern of brushing. Habits are a wonderful tool, and a great gift...unless they are bad habits.
Proverbs 25:28 says, "Like a City whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control" (NIV)
The Spiritual gift of self-control, therefore, seems to be an all or nothing. Either I have it or I don't, and if I don't I am opening myself up to all kinds of invasion by Satan and his lies. Therefore, I must spend more time in God's word, I must spend more time in prayer, and I must be very deliberate in every area of my life so that I build the wall of protection around me and not allow anything in that will damage me either physically or spiritually.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
I.m back
Apparently it's been several weeks since my last post...and it's been several weeks of changes in the Harris household. First, my computer went down. I tried to watch a sporting event on my computer, but I think I compromised it's safety so the hard drive had to be completely wiped. I was without a computer for three weeks.
Then, about 10 days ago, my wife and I received a phone call telling us that we are being reassigned from Fredericksburg to Hickory North Carolina. Our farewell is June 20TH after which we will hit the road and arrive at our new appointment. This reality has given us a number of emotions and feelings, not least a mourning for the people of Fredericksburg that we have grown to love.
Yesterday (May 9TH) was the Fredericksburg Salvation Army's music Sunday. I was so proud of the children who performed, many of whom I have watched grow over the past 5 - 6 years. It was watching my children perform, these kids in whom I have invested so much of myself, that made me see God's handiwork in all of this. We know the folk who will follow us in Fredericksburg, and they will love these children. We will miss them terribly but we know they are in good hands. I also know that, in Hickory NC, there are children who need to be loved by my wife and me. We are following some excellent Officers who must be going through the same emotions that we are...and it continues at many Salvation Army's around the world, but every change bring about new possibilities.
I am reminded of the old Salvation Army song:
I'm in His hands, I'm in His hands;
Whate're the future holds, I'm in His hands.
The days I cannot see, have all been planned for me;
His way is best, you see; I'm in His hands.
One of the most important things about the song is the comma after "His way is best" because it changes the whole song from being about resigning to the fact that I'm in His hands to a bold statement of faith. I can therefore say with great confidence that, regardless of what I want, I'm in His hands.
Then, about 10 days ago, my wife and I received a phone call telling us that we are being reassigned from Fredericksburg to Hickory North Carolina. Our farewell is June 20TH after which we will hit the road and arrive at our new appointment. This reality has given us a number of emotions and feelings, not least a mourning for the people of Fredericksburg that we have grown to love.
Yesterday (May 9TH) was the Fredericksburg Salvation Army's music Sunday. I was so proud of the children who performed, many of whom I have watched grow over the past 5 - 6 years. It was watching my children perform, these kids in whom I have invested so much of myself, that made me see God's handiwork in all of this. We know the folk who will follow us in Fredericksburg, and they will love these children. We will miss them terribly but we know they are in good hands. I also know that, in Hickory NC, there are children who need to be loved by my wife and me. We are following some excellent Officers who must be going through the same emotions that we are...and it continues at many Salvation Army's around the world, but every change bring about new possibilities.
I am reminded of the old Salvation Army song:
I'm in His hands, I'm in His hands;
Whate're the future holds, I'm in His hands.
The days I cannot see, have all been planned for me;
His way is best, you see; I'm in His hands.
One of the most important things about the song is the comma after "His way is best" because it changes the whole song from being about resigning to the fact that I'm in His hands to a bold statement of faith. I can therefore say with great confidence that, regardless of what I want, I'm in His hands.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Goodbye Mum
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
There are two days each year that I simply don't like. One is typically in early spring and the other in the autumn. Each years these particular days get just a little harder causing me to become just a little more reflective. It happens that yesterday was one of those days and this morning, while I tap on the computer, I am being reflective.
When we reflect on our lives and look at our own characters, we see the effect that so many people have had on our lives. My Father had a strong work ethic, so I understand the need to work hard. A mentor of mine, Bryn Sutton, knew how important people are, so I try to show genuine interest in people. But, of all the people to influence me, my Mum (Mom in the USA) sits above them all. She taught me right from wrong, she taught me integrity and, above all, she demonstrates the love of Christ every day of her life.
My Mum visits us twice a year, and my children get very excited about her visits. She stays for 3 - 4 weeks during which time our home is kept nice and clean. She allows time for Christi and me to have a date or even an overnight stay somewhere, and she usually makes her trip coincide with Officers Councils, a 4 -5 day conference during which time we are out of town.
Next time I see my Mum she will be 73 years old. She is a healthy septuagenarian, but with each passing year we wonder how much longer she will be able to keep this up. Her independence is remarkable (my Father passed away 18 months ago, following 11 years in a Nursing Home) and her sense of duty and giving are an inspiration to me.
Suffice to say, yesterday I took her to the airport. We sat in the airport for about 2 hours, just talking about out family and about faith...and then she had to go. My next stop was for Band Practice so, on the way to my rehearsal, I stopped off a a Chinese restaurant. I was rather melancholy so, as I sat down, I pulled out my blackberry and opened up a Bible application and started to read God's word. Although reading scripture should be quite natural for me, I felt my Mum would approve of me reflecting in such a manner. It was then that I thought of the scripture verse at the top of this blog. Mum has always been avid in her daily devotions and, although I don't hold a candle to her discipline, my need to be in the word comes from her example.
Parents, realize that you are the greatest influence on your children. If you have a short fuse they will probably inherit a short fuse, if you are loving they will probably be loving, and if you take God seriously then they will probably take God seriously. Even if your children wander, your example will never leave them. So before you do anything else today, take time to thank God for your parents.
There are two days each year that I simply don't like. One is typically in early spring and the other in the autumn. Each years these particular days get just a little harder causing me to become just a little more reflective. It happens that yesterday was one of those days and this morning, while I tap on the computer, I am being reflective.
When we reflect on our lives and look at our own characters, we see the effect that so many people have had on our lives. My Father had a strong work ethic, so I understand the need to work hard. A mentor of mine, Bryn Sutton, knew how important people are, so I try to show genuine interest in people. But, of all the people to influence me, my Mum (Mom in the USA) sits above them all. She taught me right from wrong, she taught me integrity and, above all, she demonstrates the love of Christ every day of her life.
My Mum visits us twice a year, and my children get very excited about her visits. She stays for 3 - 4 weeks during which time our home is kept nice and clean. She allows time for Christi and me to have a date or even an overnight stay somewhere, and she usually makes her trip coincide with Officers Councils, a 4 -5 day conference during which time we are out of town.
Next time I see my Mum she will be 73 years old. She is a healthy septuagenarian, but with each passing year we wonder how much longer she will be able to keep this up. Her independence is remarkable (my Father passed away 18 months ago, following 11 years in a Nursing Home) and her sense of duty and giving are an inspiration to me.
Suffice to say, yesterday I took her to the airport. We sat in the airport for about 2 hours, just talking about out family and about faith...and then she had to go. My next stop was for Band Practice so, on the way to my rehearsal, I stopped off a a Chinese restaurant. I was rather melancholy so, as I sat down, I pulled out my blackberry and opened up a Bible application and started to read God's word. Although reading scripture should be quite natural for me, I felt my Mum would approve of me reflecting in such a manner. It was then that I thought of the scripture verse at the top of this blog. Mum has always been avid in her daily devotions and, although I don't hold a candle to her discipline, my need to be in the word comes from her example.
Parents, realize that you are the greatest influence on your children. If you have a short fuse they will probably inherit a short fuse, if you are loving they will probably be loving, and if you take God seriously then they will probably take God seriously. Even if your children wander, your example will never leave them. So before you do anything else today, take time to thank God for your parents.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Fun Fun Fun
This past weekend I was privileged to attend The Salvation Army's annual Youth conference known as Youth Councils. It is a weekend specifically geared to teenagers, and one I love to attend every year. I love to see the teenagers interact, to see them make commitments to Christ and, quite simply, to watch them leave their cares behind and have a thoroughly good time.
The Fredericksburg Corps was well represented on Saturday night as one of our group prayed, Maria & Luis Salazar gave their testimony - and they were tremendous - and our delegation performed a skit. I was very proud of our teenagers who were very well behaved and adopted a positive attitude.
Often I come back from a Youth Councils with some specific moment(s) that stays with me. There were several this weekend but, perhaps the one that stands above the rest was a young girl from Winchester, VA. who performed a mime. She was a pretty, slender teenager and showed great emotion as she performed a mime that was perfectly synchronized to the music. She was smooth in her movements and graceful throughout. At the end of her performance she was greeted with a standing ovation like I have never seen before. You see, this girl is deaf. She performed a mime to music that she has never heard! I'm not sure how she did it, but I marvelled at her performance, as did a room of hundreds of teenagers. Teenagers with a myriad of backgrounds, issues that most of us can never relate to. Many are hardened by life even at this young age yet, as the performance finished, they all erupted with the most incredible silent ovation. As every person stood to their feet, holding their hands aloft and shaking them...sign language for clapping...I was moved. I was moved to see ALL of these teenagers so willing to support this young lady, to show her appreciation, to show her...love. As they raised the house lights she was able to really see the applause for herself, and her pretty face produced a beautiful smile and I knew that a life long memory had just occurred...for me. Thank you Jesus for that moment.
The Fredericksburg Corps was well represented on Saturday night as one of our group prayed, Maria & Luis Salazar gave their testimony - and they were tremendous - and our delegation performed a skit. I was very proud of our teenagers who were very well behaved and adopted a positive attitude.
Often I come back from a Youth Councils with some specific moment(s) that stays with me. There were several this weekend but, perhaps the one that stands above the rest was a young girl from Winchester, VA. who performed a mime. She was a pretty, slender teenager and showed great emotion as she performed a mime that was perfectly synchronized to the music. She was smooth in her movements and graceful throughout. At the end of her performance she was greeted with a standing ovation like I have never seen before. You see, this girl is deaf. She performed a mime to music that she has never heard! I'm not sure how she did it, but I marvelled at her performance, as did a room of hundreds of teenagers. Teenagers with a myriad of backgrounds, issues that most of us can never relate to. Many are hardened by life even at this young age yet, as the performance finished, they all erupted with the most incredible silent ovation. As every person stood to their feet, holding their hands aloft and shaking them...sign language for clapping...I was moved. I was moved to see ALL of these teenagers so willing to support this young lady, to show her appreciation, to show her...love. As they raised the house lights she was able to really see the applause for herself, and her pretty face produced a beautiful smile and I knew that a life long memory had just occurred...for me. Thank you Jesus for that moment.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Best laid plans...
For the past two years, sports megastar David Beckham has worked to resurrect his International soccer career in the hope of making one last trip to a World Cup. He has suffered the scorn of LA Galaxy fans as they try to understand why he is playing in Milan rather than starting the MLS season with them while TV pundits question his commitment to the team. The England Coach told him that he needs to play more in order to be considered for the World Cup squad...so play he did, only to suffer a serious injury that puts him out of action for 6 months thereby missing the World Cup. Simply put, he dedicated the past two years of his life to the dream of one more World Cup, but now its all gone.
In many ways, I have dedicated the past year of my life to something very specific, the decision of which is out of my hands. I have upset a few folk (this thing involves change, and people don't like change) and I have run myself to near exhaustion on a couple of occasions. I feel that everything will work out but, what if it doesn't? Boy that will be hard to accept, that will be hard to swallow. The work is mine, but the decision is elsewhere so how will I feel about those who make the decision? How will I face those who had helped me through this process knowing that I have failed?
These thoughts had been going through my mind, and I was sharing my concerns with a friend and mentor. This man has been as much a support to me in this process as anybody and by rights should be the first in line to tell me that I have failed. But as after I shared my thoughts, he reminded me of something very important. "If God wants us to succeed we will, but if He doesn't then we won't." This is so important for me to remember. I have great hope that things will succeed but, if they don't, the decision will have been right.
I don't know about David Beckham's religious views but I don't see much evidence of any. He seems to be a very reasonable fellow, but that reason will only take him so far in trying to understand WHY! I would imagine that he is going through some form of torment as the reality of his injury sinks in, and the consequence of missing the World Cup is realized. If only he would join the handful of folk who read this column an take the words from 1 Peter 5:7
"Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."
This is the belief of the Christian and it holds me in good stead at times of disappointment. How I wish so many more would accept who Christ really is and experience that lack of anxiety during the most difficult of times.
In many ways, I have dedicated the past year of my life to something very specific, the decision of which is out of my hands. I have upset a few folk (this thing involves change, and people don't like change) and I have run myself to near exhaustion on a couple of occasions. I feel that everything will work out but, what if it doesn't? Boy that will be hard to accept, that will be hard to swallow. The work is mine, but the decision is elsewhere so how will I feel about those who make the decision? How will I face those who had helped me through this process knowing that I have failed?
These thoughts had been going through my mind, and I was sharing my concerns with a friend and mentor. This man has been as much a support to me in this process as anybody and by rights should be the first in line to tell me that I have failed. But as after I shared my thoughts, he reminded me of something very important. "If God wants us to succeed we will, but if He doesn't then we won't." This is so important for me to remember. I have great hope that things will succeed but, if they don't, the decision will have been right.
I don't know about David Beckham's religious views but I don't see much evidence of any. He seems to be a very reasonable fellow, but that reason will only take him so far in trying to understand WHY! I would imagine that he is going through some form of torment as the reality of his injury sinks in, and the consequence of missing the World Cup is realized. If only he would join the handful of folk who read this column an take the words from 1 Peter 5:7
"Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."
This is the belief of the Christian and it holds me in good stead at times of disappointment. How I wish so many more would accept who Christ really is and experience that lack of anxiety during the most difficult of times.
Monday, March 8, 2010
A Good Day
Yesterday was our Corps Cadet Sunday. A Corps Cadet is a young person training to be a Salvation Army soldier, and the meeting was prepared under the very able leadership of two mature and experienced ladies. I must admit, however, that I'm a little nervous when the young folk lead because I've had some pretty bad experiences on such Sunday's. Teenagers who are prone to giggle through the reading of scripture, kid's who don't know how to lead a song and ill prepared Sermons. Indeed, I remember working with one young man on his sermon but, when he came to preach it, he decided to talk about something else and gave three minutes of preaching and about 5 more of waffling around the same point. I had to get up and rescue him as he looked at me despairingly not knowing what else to say.
Yesterday, however, I witnessed something quite different. I saw young people confidently lead songs, read scripture, and take up the offering. In addition to this, I heard a sermon that was prepared, rehearsed and clearly delivered from a young man who has just turned 17 years old. I came away from the meeting on a high, excited at what the future holds for the Fredericksburg Corps. In addition to all of this, I was privileged to enroll a lovely young boy as a Junior Soldier...that is always thrill for me.
We must invest in our future, and I know that I need to trust our Young People more. At 17 I was already a leader in my home Corps (Church) in Coventry, England and I made a lot of mistakes. But I realize how important that experience was to me and my future as a Salvationist, and I feel that somebody empowering me at a young age was crucial to my calling. With all of these things in mind I will work at letting our Young people grow by allowing them to make mistakes knowing that these mistakes are preparing them for their calling.
Yesterday, however, I witnessed something quite different. I saw young people confidently lead songs, read scripture, and take up the offering. In addition to this, I heard a sermon that was prepared, rehearsed and clearly delivered from a young man who has just turned 17 years old. I came away from the meeting on a high, excited at what the future holds for the Fredericksburg Corps. In addition to all of this, I was privileged to enroll a lovely young boy as a Junior Soldier...that is always thrill for me.
We must invest in our future, and I know that I need to trust our Young People more. At 17 I was already a leader in my home Corps (Church) in Coventry, England and I made a lot of mistakes. But I realize how important that experience was to me and my future as a Salvationist, and I feel that somebody empowering me at a young age was crucial to my calling. With all of these things in mind I will work at letting our Young people grow by allowing them to make mistakes knowing that these mistakes are preparing them for their calling.
Friday, February 26, 2010
And they call it 'Kitty' Love
This morning I had the opportunity to take a senior member of my congregation home following knee surgery and a period of recuperation in a nursing home. She had been away for about 20 days and was very ready to get back home. She was looking forward to her normal surroundings, being back with her neighbors and friends and, perhaps most importantly, her cat.
When we got to her home she almost jumped out of her wheelchair as she looked for her cat which, in her absence, had left something of a mess...but that didn't matter at all. Suddenly this lady started to talk in a kind of baby talk as she rejoiced over seeing her cat. It was like a mother talking to her newborn baby, and a little too over the top for me.
I guess the need to have something or somebody to love is in all of us. For me, it's my wife and children. My children bring reactions out of me that nobody else can, and my love for my wife causes me to say the silliest things sometimes, things that I would never allow other people to hear. For the outside world, I must be seen as this Englishman that has it all together with a keen, if corny, sense of humor. For those I hold closest there is a love that feels so natural that I forget about myself and what they might think of me, and replace it with raw love. Watching this dear lady and her cat is another example of raw love. It didn't matter whether I was there or not, she was going to love that cat.
We have now entered the Lenten Season, leading up to history's greatest example of raw love. On that first Good Friday, Christ didn't care about what people thought of Him. Christ wasn't thinking he looked foolish, despite the crown of thorns, the sign above His head and people mockingly asking "...Why don't you save yourself?" His language was love, and He was going to speak it regardless.
As I reflect on my Christ, the sacrificial Lamb, and think about my lady and her cat I wonder if, in some small way, I heard the language of Christ today. When I am silly with my wife, just enjoying her company, is it the language of Christ? When I just love my children, perhaps one of those times when you just look into their eyes and get lost for a moment, is that the language of Christ? Pure, natural, spontaneous love...oh that we might all speak the language of Christ.
When we got to her home she almost jumped out of her wheelchair as she looked for her cat which, in her absence, had left something of a mess...but that didn't matter at all. Suddenly this lady started to talk in a kind of baby talk as she rejoiced over seeing her cat. It was like a mother talking to her newborn baby, and a little too over the top for me.
I guess the need to have something or somebody to love is in all of us. For me, it's my wife and children. My children bring reactions out of me that nobody else can, and my love for my wife causes me to say the silliest things sometimes, things that I would never allow other people to hear. For the outside world, I must be seen as this Englishman that has it all together with a keen, if corny, sense of humor. For those I hold closest there is a love that feels so natural that I forget about myself and what they might think of me, and replace it with raw love. Watching this dear lady and her cat is another example of raw love. It didn't matter whether I was there or not, she was going to love that cat.
We have now entered the Lenten Season, leading up to history's greatest example of raw love. On that first Good Friday, Christ didn't care about what people thought of Him. Christ wasn't thinking he looked foolish, despite the crown of thorns, the sign above His head and people mockingly asking "...Why don't you save yourself?" His language was love, and He was going to speak it regardless.
As I reflect on my Christ, the sacrificial Lamb, and think about my lady and her cat I wonder if, in some small way, I heard the language of Christ today. When I am silly with my wife, just enjoying her company, is it the language of Christ? When I just love my children, perhaps one of those times when you just look into their eyes and get lost for a moment, is that the language of Christ? Pure, natural, spontaneous love...oh that we might all speak the language of Christ.
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