Perspective

WOW...what a finish to the Kettle campaign!!! December 23rd was a record kettle day for Fredericksburg - $11,000+, and our first day over $10,000 and a record that lasted one day. On Christmas Eve, we raised $13,500 - an absolutely staggering total. We left the office at 8:30 last night tired and very happy. Then, at about 10:30PM, my wife read an e-mail about a fellow Salvation Army Officer, Major Phillip Wise. I met Phillip some years ago as he was temporarily in charge of the Prince William Corps in Virginia, and later as the Assistant Corps Officer in Portsmouth, VA.

At about 4:15PM Phil, with his three young children (ages 4, 6 & 8) had just dropped two bell ringers off at their homes and returned to the Little Rock Area Command when he was held up at gun point by two young men asking for money (I presume he had kettles, but that is not yet confirmed) who then shot him dead in front of his children. Suffice to say, the euphoria over the tremendous kettles turned into deep reflection.

This morning I shared a happy time of with my wife and children aged 10, 8 & 5, but my thoughts were with a family not very different from ours. A Dad who had toiled his way through a Kettle program, who was returning the last kettles of the season preparing to have a great Christmas celebration with his children...only for his life, a woman's husband, and the father of three children to be taken forever because of a bit of money.

This morning I have taken the time to hug my wife and children just a bit more, I have slowed down to watch them and cuddle them and to tell them that I love them. I realize that tomorrow cannot be assumed for any one of us, and that the gift of today will never come again. Christmas, therefore, must be a day for rejoicing over what we have and, through all the tinsel, lights and presents, realize that the value of Christmas Day is celebrating the birth of Christ with the people that you love.

Ouch

How quickly I can go from moderately pleased to mild panic over the kettle progress. A little snow (24" to be exact) shut the state of Virginia down for the weekend, taking from us our best Kettle day of the year...and a hoped for $13,000 is gone. Oh, I wanted to go out and ring. I convinced myself that it would be OK...but not one bell was rung on December 19th, 2009. Then...my favorite Sunday of the year was lost. The day that the children perform, the Sunday my sermon is limited to 10 minutes, and the gift giving to the children...all lost. What could be worse?

As I came to my senses on Saturday morning, I started to see an opportunity. A chance to play in the snow...the deep snow, and a chance to play with my children. We had enough milk, bread and toilet paper to get through the weekend, so suddenly I realized that I had nothing to fear and that, perhaps, I have been given a chance to slow down and enjoy my family in the midst of my busiest season. Now I see this past weekend as an opportunity given to me rather than an opportunity lost.

Incidentally, we are sitting $43,000 below my optimistic goal, though we are looking at a season end figure of about $160,000. We can make that work. Through it all, I will be able to look back at Christmas 2009 as a strong kettle program with the gift of a family weekend.

Still Alive

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...no I am not in hiding with Tiger Woods...no I have not been hanging out with Elvis...I have simply been working through a Salvation Army Christmas. Yes, that time of the year when we celebrate the birth of Christ by raising as much money as we can, so we can help as many people as we can. No, that is not meant to sound at all cynical, just a reality of the dangers of Christmas. This season is busy for almost everybody, not just your local Salvation Army folk.

I always remember an old TV series called "Till death us do part". It was an English show starring a character called Alf Garnett (the show was duplicated in the USA with the character Archie Bunker). In it Alf was remembering the Christmas story and, when talking about there being no room in the inn, rhetorically asked the question "why" to which his wife responded, "It's because it's Christmas...everybody's busy at Christmas."

It's a sad stigma because the birth of Christ is something to reflect upon. Christ was and is the ultimate gift. His life, as recorded in scripture, is our model for life and His death represents our hope of eternal life. Without Christ I am nothing, but through Him I am an heir to everything...and it all started in an obscure stable in Bethlehem.

When I was a kid I thought my Action Man (GI JOE in the USA) was the ultimate gift. My children will consider their DS as the ultimate gift...in the midst of celebrating the ultimate gift.
For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.(Luke 2:11).

And now, as if to contradict myself, our Kettles are at $120,000. This is $20,000 below my target but $23,000 above last year. I'm quite happy - thank you Fredericksburg.

Where did my life go?

I really don't remember Christmas being this busy!! Perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me, perhaps this simply is a busier season than ever before, perhaps I'm just a little older. Whichever it is, every day is a rush with much to do and little accomplished. However, despite my personal impression of the proverbial headless chicken, people are still ringing bells, people are still donating money, angels are being taken from the trees and planning district 16 is again proving that it's a community that looks after its own.

Thanksgiving Day was wonderful and our last real family day until Christmas Day. Don't get me wrong, our children still see Christi and me...just not at the same time. In fact, I get more concentrated kid time during these weeks than most as I will often take one of my children on my kettle run, and that child will have my undivided attention for three or four hours. I treasure those opportunities. Incidentally we have so far raised $49,496 in kettle money. This is about $9,000 below my very aggressive goal though $10,243 above last year through this date. The major issues, however, is the massive increase in need.

On a final note, I have lost 4 pounds now. Not a stellar start to my diet, but it is going in the right direction. The major problem...finding time to exercise!!! Go figure.

Please pray for our Christmas effort, and for The Salvation Army nationwide as we continue to try and raise money during the most difficult of economic times.

Christmas!!!!!!!!!

For a Salvation Army Officer the month of November comes around very quickly followed by the slowest two months of the year. Yes it's kettle time, that season where people give very generously one dollar at a time and, somehow, these dollars accumulate and become the most important fund raiser of our year. What a lot of work and effort, what a lot of hours and minutes, what a lot of money.

The problem is, The Salvation Army Christmas can become so busy that we (that is those in the middle of it) can be guilty of looking at the mas(s) of work while forgetting the Christ part. Its not that we don't value the Season, its just that we become preoccupied by the sheer busyness of the season...and I haven't even mentioned the Angel Tree and Toyland distribution.

Tomorrow I have the orientation with my Bell Ringers. On Friday we begin the program in earnest, and I will endeavour to update anybody that takes the time to read my blog with daily totals and how we are doing against our very aggressive $200,000 goal. When you read our totals, I ask that you pray for The Salvation Army, that those involved in the Christmas program never lose sight of Christ, and that God will bless our efforts.

Finally - I have lost 2 lbs.

I don't like chicken!

Now the title of this blog does not reflect my views on chicken...it was the cry of my children as my wife cooked a lovely chicken meal last night. Thanks to George Foreman, her barbecue chicken was seared to perfection, accompanied by some healthy green beans and pasta. I then watched as my three children picked their way through this relatively healthy dish. I know what they wanted...they wanted Pizza, they wanted a hamburger, they wanted chicken nuggets (somehow chicken nuggets are not real chicken I guess), any of which were less healthy than what was in front of us. I guess too many fast food meals have spoiled them as they've tasted the Happy Meal, complete with its alluring free gift and french fries!!!

How easy it is to apply this analogy to life. How God has given us all things good and how we, like small children, kick our feet and want some perverted version of the same thing. We can apply it to our relationships, to our temperament, to our habits and to our worship. How often we take what God has provided and then we distort it beyond recognition. Indeed, we allow sin to enter in.

Going back to food, I think my biggest vice is food...indeed...overeating. Therefore, I am going to use my blog as an accountability log. Every Friday I will post how much weight I have lost that week. I invite your feedback as either encouragement or admonishment, but it is an area of my life that I need to bring under control as I have allowed sin to enter into my eating habits. Stay posted.

Going for glory

One of the most natural things about human beings is the desire for glory. Right now the Yankees and the Phillies are fighting for glory in the world series, while Brett Farve had another moment of glory as he destroyed his old team Green Bay throwing 4 touchdown passes. Glory is desired by movie stars and musicians, and many get it..from time to time. It is the kind of glory that puts you on a pedestal, a place where people look up and they will either honor you, or will try to shoot you down...Oh, the price of glory.

In John 17:1b Jesus prays, "Father the time has come for you to bring glory to your son, in order that he may bring glory to you." (CEV) In these verses, Jesus was bringing about a whole new perspective on glory as he approached the day of his own torture and death. In this verses, Jesus is acknowledging that His torture and death will be a means of glorification to God, that the whole world will acknowledge God for the most remarkable way in which Jesus accepted what was to befall Him. On that crucifixion day such a notion seemed absurd, yet history shows us that Christians have since given God glory for that day above any other day. For Christ it was the ultimate selfless act, one that points us all to The Father who then took Jesus back to Heaven...back to glory.

My friend Jim has a rare and incurable form of cancer. Despite being given 3 - 6 months to live, he continues to soldier on some 15 months later - thanks to Gods grace and some experimental treatments. I was in Texas with him this past weekend, where Jim was a special guest who had the chance to be with people, to lead music groups and to preach on Sunday morning. Everybody was delighted to see him and marvelled at how well he seems to be doing. They interpret his well being through his smile and his love of people, to his ability to come to every meeting and his lingering at the end of the meeting to talk to anybody that wants to talk to him. But what Jim is actually doing is to glorify the Father. His body is suffering terribly and a large tumor could take his life at any time. His legs are wrapped with surgical bandages and he is terribly fatigued...but you would never know. He is proclaiming the grace of God...and he is bringing glory to God. I still believe in miracles, I still believe in healing...but Jim, by bringing glory to God, will have the ultimate reward some day. will become a recipient of God's glory for him.

Music

I am one of these people who was very blessed to be raised in a good Christian home by parents who loved me and loved The Lord. My Father, who was "Promoted to Glory" last year (a Salvation Army term for "went to heaven") worked hard in all aspects of youth programming at my home Corps (Salvation Army jargon for Church) in Coventry, England. Dad was a very keen fan of Salvation Army Brass Bands and a Baritone player in his day. Also, I grew up in a Salvation Army Corps that had a very fine Brass Band, something a young Mike Harris aspired to join.

As an 8 year old I was taught to play a cornet (a Brass Band Trumpet) and at 10 I was given a Tenor Horn (A Brass Band French Horn). At 12 I graduated to a Tuba, and it was the Tuba that caught my attention. My Band Leader took the time to teach me how to play the instrument, and have the ability to augment rather than hinder the band as a whole. Looking back, however, I realize that my Band Leader was doing much more...he was getting involved in my life. He would visit my home weekly to teach me, he wanted me to succeed, and I wanted to please him. His commitment to me made me work harder, and God has since used my limited tuba playing ability in the ways that only God can.

These days the foot is on the other shoe as I take something of the leadership role in music. The Fredericksburg Corps has a fledgling music program that will develop into The Salvation Army School of music. We have a young Christian Music Director who wants to teach young people music...but he also wants to get involved in their lives. We want the children who participate in our programs to aspire to something, and perhaps the effect of our music program on the our children could be the same as its effect on me...that they see what somebody is doing for them, and they want to please him by improving themselves.

What can you do?

I've just finished praying with a small family. Dad has colon cancer, Mom had left Dad - several times - but has just come back to him, and their young boy (about 3 years old) is in the middle of it all. Cancer caused Dad to lose his job and his home, so he sat in front of me sobbing. I listened, I prayed with them, I looked for a few band aid solutions, but none of it felt good to me. There was something in the story I was missing. There is a selfishness in the midst of their tragic situation that was the true root of their problem.

Why did Mom leave Dad and son, and why is she reluctant to stay with him in a hotel room? Dad was working for a "guy that cuts grass", and several years ago he worked at Labor Finders...why the struggle to hold down a job?

Next they sit down with one of our Case Managers, the Mom then leaves and sits in the car, Dad then leaves to speak to her...and then they drive away...and we are left scratching our heads! We offered a room for the night, and an interview that could get them into the local shelter tomorrow. I want them to talk with my Social Services Coordinator on Monday, and she can help them make a plan for their future...but they walked away from it.

Then, as I wonder where the logic is in all of this, I consider their little boy and wonder what on earth is happening to him. While Mom & Dad try to satisfy their own needs it seems to be at their sons expense. I am certainly not making light of the mans illness, nor an I judging the Mom for leaving, but I struggle to understand the lack of concern for their son.

Unfortunately we are seeing this more and more. The elevation of self. The idea that we must look out for number one is destroying the fabric of society, most notably the family, yet Jesus had a clear intention for us -that we live our lives for each other.

Mark 10:43b-45 "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (NIV)

In life, especially in marriage, we must always remember this concept...we are not here to be served, but to serve.

Having a bad day?

Have you ever had a bad day? The kind of day where nothing seems to go right? You're just glad that it is over hoping that tomorrow brings something brighter. Then there are those bad days that bleed into tomorrow. The problem occurred today and tomorrow promises only consequences. Also, bad days are a matter of perspective. What is bad for one person might be insignificant to another. While one person is a habitual worrier, another let's things slide off them. But then there are the kind of days that will affect your life forever. Such a day happened for two little girls that I have recently fallen in love with - one is 6 and her older sister is 9. One day the girls returned home from school to be given news that would rock even the toughest of us to the core..."your Mom died today." Her passing was sudden, unexpected and completely devastating to these two little girls who are now being raised by their Grandmother, a most lovely lady who truly cares for these precious children.

I remember the first Sunday I went to pick the girls up for Church. The younger sister got on my van without reservation...but her older sibling felt sick and didn't come. This pattern continued for a few weeks, only for me to discover that she was afraid to leave her Grandmother for fear that when she got home Grandma would be dead. Yes, that was a bad day that would affect this little girl for the rest of her life.

I am delighted to say that she now attends The Salvation Army programs with little reservation. I always get a hug from both sisters, and she always gives me a beautiful smile and says, "do I know you?" I don't know for sure but I do wonder, when I see that delightful smile, if shes just glad to see me again and how much she must value seeing people again knowing that she will never, on this side of heaven, see her mother again.

Life has its trials, and sure has its bad days, but I hold dear the words of our Savior who said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." In this world people come and go, we are born and we die, but we must always remember, and I want these two little girls to understand, that Jesus will always be there for us.

When am I a Dad?

One of the challenges I experience as a Salvation Army Officer is the diversity in children. I'm not talking racially as much as personally. Some come from broken homes, some never knew a Father. Some have siblings while none of the children have the same Father. Some are angry, some are subdued. Some are bullies, some are bullied, many feel rejected, all want attention. This brings a mixture of personalities and issues...and then there are my own children.

It is easy for Christi and me to organize our children within the group, but what happens when my child is subject to bullying or the instigator of naughtiness. Yesterday I went outside of our building to find my 10 year old daughter lying in the fetal position, sobbing. This Father went to his daughter, held her, and asked her what happened. It turns out that three of the children in our program contributed to her condition with little or no apparent provocation from our daughter. As a Dad, my impulse was to take the other children to task...but I can't do that because I don't want the other children to see me separate my children as special (although, naturally, they are). The outcome was, I did nothing except advise my daughter on handle such situations in the future.

I constantly remind myself that I am the Father to many children. I am a role model, I am a disciplinarian, I am a Christian and I need to show love. At the Corps I cannot separate my own children from the rest for the benefit of my children and for the benefit of the ministry. God did not give His Son special dispensation. God did not put a protective wall around Jesus, nor did He strike dead any man that opposed His Son. God allowed His Son to be subject to the forces of the world, no matter what the cost, and He knew Jesus could take it.

I have to teach my own children that the world is a hard and imperfect place, and I cannot teach them that that by protecting them from its realities. I have to advise and guide them through it, and sometimes allow them to get hurt so they can be more aware in the future. It's hard being a Dad, but thank God for His example.

Memory Loss

I am beginning to wonder why my computer is smarter than I am. My brain, which used to be able to remember all kinds of information, is now failing me as I forget almost everything. Actually, I think my memory is OK, it just has a bad timer. There have been many instances where I am driving home and suddenly remember, "Oh...I should have done....today"!!! So I use the computer to organize my life because it never forgets. So does that make the computer smarter than me??? Perhaps yes, when it comes to memory or available information, but it does not have the ability to reason or think outside the box. It is the Star Trek principal where Spock was much smarter than Kirk, but did not have the ability to reason or express emotion.

I have recently read where children will soon be expected to spend much more time at school, possibly shortening the summer break to four weeks and/or lengthening school days. The problem is that our children are not progressing academically at the same rate as children from other countries. Now this is not a knock on education as much as an observation about the need for balance in ones life. I need balance - work time, family time, lone time and most importantly, God time. I feel children need even more. Yes, academics is important, but so is social interaction, so is family time, so is Church time. They need time to be children, go to summer camp, learn how to have a best friend, how to think for themselves, how to think about others. An education slanted imbalance might give us smarter people, but they will be less rounded.

At The Salvation Army we deal with children every day who have no time to be children. My fear is that more and more will be expected of them in the way of class work and homework, that our programs will begin to suffer, and perhaps summer camp will disappear altogether. We offer strong programs for children, programs that we want to grow. Programs that will include after school education, sports teams and character building. We all need to invest in our children, and education is a very important part of that...but not at any cost.

Busyness

What a day yesterday was...a full day in the office, with meetings interspersed, picking up 15 children for a music program (for which I was 20 minutes late) then driving to Washington DC for Band practice before returning home at 10:45 to watch the final few minutes of the Jay Leno show and then falling asleep, forgetting to set my alarm and waking up late today...only to start all over again.

In the middle of my yesterday, I wrote a devotional that I presented to The National Capital Band. It was about prayer, and the instructions that Jesus gave in Matthews gospel prior to giving us The Lords Prayer.

Matt 6:5-8 (NIV)
5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

How ironic. Here I was reminding the National Capital Band that we must find a quiet place to pray, and that we must offer honest, direct and truthful prayers on a day where I had not slowed down and had only offered a few spur of the moment prayers. The realization I have, however, is that coping with the busyness involves withdrawing from it in order to gain strength and direction. After all, how can I lead a flock if I don't know where I'm going. Thank God for His patience with me.

When will the children just grow up

One of the frustration in dealing with children, especially children who come from difficult homes, is patience!!! Why don't the children get it? Why don't they see what we are trying to do for them and start behaving like grateful children rather than selfish brats!!! What is wrong with them?

Then I reflect and realize that Jesus is saying, look at what I have done for you...but you continue to disobey. I have loved you, despite your actions, and I have been patient with you...and I have called you to do the same. Love these children despite their actions, love these children even when they are rotten, love these children because you might be the only one that does!!!

Damien Horn is a very gifted young Salvationist. Born into a horrible family situation, he watched his older siblings go down a slippery path with drugs and gangs. Thank God that, as a young teenager, he began to attend The Salvation Army. During his teenage years he developed a wonderful talent for music and poetry and decided he should go to Hollywood to ply his trade. He soon found that this selfish use of his talents was a waste, and he came home feeling rejected and dejected. Damien then returned to his teenage roots, and found a great outlet through the ministry of The Salvation Army. This fine young Salvationist now talks to young people about his life, and God is using him to affect so many of them.

How did Damien get to this point in his life? Much of it was the patience of the Salvationists in his life who just loved him. In his testimony he will talk about Majors Earl and Janice Fitzgerald, who hired him on their Camp staff for three consecutive summers...and fired him for three consecutive summers. It was chances like these that gave Damien the opportunity to succeed in life. What if they had given up on him, what if they had said...you are too much trouble, we can't handle you. But they didn't, they were patient.

And so my job is to love our young people, no matter how infuriating they might be. My job is to exercise patience, no matter how tired I might be. My job is to be Jesus to these children, no matter how inadequate I might feel...My job is to follow my calling.

More Blessings!

This has been the most amazing couple of weeks here at the Fredericksburg Corps. We have just been approved to administer a grant of over $700,000 in partnership with two other agencies and, were that not enough, a significant prayer has just been answered.

Anybody who knows me is aware of my desire to see the lives of children changed for the good. An incredible possibility came our way several months ago causing great excitement for my wife and me. That opportunity, however, suddenly disappeared with little hope of resurfacing. Undeterred, many people made it an issue of prayer and...praise God...our prayer was answered. Please know that the programs we will soon be able to offer our children will be greater than we ever dared dream of, and the staff and volunteers will be top notch. God is good.

Just keep praying for a better facility to do these programs!!!

The Joseph Pricipal

One of the most remarkable men in all of the Old Testament was Joseph. Dr. David Jeremiah considers Joseph to be one of only two Old Testament men in whom Scripture reveals no fault (the other is Jonathan). Joseph was hated by his brothers, a slave to Potiphar, wrongly sent to prison only to become one of the most powerful men in the world. Throughout his life, whether in the presence of his jealous brothers, as a slave to Potiphar, an inmate in the royal prison or advising the Pharaoh, scripture tells us that Joseph was blessed. Josephs obedience and faithfulness was always rewarded with these blessings, and Potiphar, the jailer and Pharaoh were all beneficiaries.

Just lately I have been the recipient of some wonderful blessings. As I have worked to be more diligent and faithful in my life and work, so I believe God is rewarding me by blessing my work with The Salvation Army. Now don't get me wrong...I am not suddenly the most perfect man. I am simply stepping forward in faith and am realizing that God does the rest.

Family

This weekend, The Salvation Army's' Family Camp will be taking place at Camp Happyland in Virginia. Our region has not has this event for five years, so it is really quite a new adventure for my children.

The idea of family is a confusing one for my children. At the Corps (The Salvation Army Church) there are a number of children that refer to Christi and me as Mommy & Daddy. On several occasions Michael, my 8 year old son, has asked, "Why does so and so call you Daddy. You're not his Daddy, you're mine" I then try and explain that we are a Church, and our Church is in the family of God. I then get this look of , "that doesn't make any sense to me...but OK". So then I wonder, how far does this spiritual family thing go? Is my Spiritual family my Church? Is it all of Christianity? Is it just The Salvation Army? And if I become inclusive, am I eliminating everybody else? (being The Salvation Army there is no religious restriction on who we serve)

I am reminded of the story of the Prodigal Son. He rebelled against his Father, he did what he wanted to do, and he ended up in a position of complete hopelessness except for the possibility of going back to his Father with his tail between his legs. He expected to go back as a hired hand because he felt he no longer deserved to called "son" but...his Father immediately reinstated him as son, and their reunion was a celebration.

Just because a person is in rebellion, it doesn't mean they are not family. We call God our Father, and that is a privilege of all created men & women. WE might assume a different role or try to separate ourselves from the Father...but he remains our Father so that, when we return from our rebellion, we can assume our God given role as His children.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God!

Its a small world!

The thoughts of Captain Christine.

I had a wonderful day today. I started it right with a Rappahannock Rotary meeting. Our guest speaker this morning was Republican Governor Candidate Bob McDonald. I happened to be walking in at the same time as Mr. McDonald so I was able to say good morning personally.

He stopped to tell me how he had served on the Advisory Board many years ago for the Salvation Army in Hampton Roads, VA. It just so happens that the last Officer he served with there before he left was my sister and her husband, then Captains Steve and Connie Long.

This is just one of the small things I love about my Salvation Army! I love that you can go to almost any Salvation Army and find someone you know, or a mutual acquaintance. As vast as this world is, and with as many "Army's" that can be found, you will always find someone in common.

How wonderful is this! How many of us feel so all alone? How many of us feel that we go unnoticed through our life? How many of us feel we don't have anyone we can really talk to?

Well I know what it is like to ask those questions, and I also have an answer!

Just like I can find most of my family at the Army, and lots of friends, the one person I have found at the Salvation Army that made a big difference in my life is Jesus Christ.

I was blessed to have parents that were not only believers, but also ministers in The Salvation Army. They were the ones that led me to Christ at 7 at the Army in High Point, NC. I would love to say that from that point on my walk with Christ was strong, but I can not. What I can tell you is that when I have felt alone, unnoticed, friendless, unloved....I had not gone to Jesus.

If I were to be honest with myself during those times, I did have family I could have turned to, I did have friends I could have called, I just didn't feel I could. When I did turn to Jesus, no matter what, He loved me. He corrected me, but He loved me just the same.

The next time you meet someone in the Salvation Army - go ahead and ask if they know "so and so"...they just might!

But the more important question to ask... Do you know Jesus?

Optimism

The end of summer and the beginning of fall herald the beginning of the new English soccer season and the NFL season. All teams are gearing up and it is the time when we start being a little unrealistic in hopes of playoff births and trophies. Pretty soon the seasons will start and some teams will win while others lose. The losers will pick themselves up and say, "It's a long season" in hopes of a better tomorrow. Some will have a good season while others will have to endure a long and fruitless season. At some point the optimism is replaced by realism and we start to think about the changes we need to make for next year when we start the cycle all over again.

With sports, there comes a point where things are impossible. The season has a limited number of games, and there is a time when there are just too few games left to make a difference. For a Christian, however, we believe in a God who has the power to give us victory in the most hopeless of situations. There is no limit except that which we create, there are no boundaries except those we allow, therefore we live in hope through faith, and must be people of optimism.

Jesus said, "Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened." Right now we have a situation that could cause us to stop in our tracks. It could cause us to go from a position of great hope and momentum to derailment...the difference is in how we react to it. So we will continue to ask of God, to seek His guidance and to walk through the doors we encounter. And...go Green Bay.

Same story, different result

Having just returned from vacation, I wanted to catch up with a young lady we know who is going through all kinds of trials. The details I will give of her situation will be vague, except that her world has crashed around her and one problem seems to domino into another. Despite terrific pressure and disappointment, I have marvelled at her incredible resolve and her ability to cope. In all of it, as she has testified to me, she has learned to trust in God because there is nowhere else to go. Her faith has sustained her, and her hope lies in the things that are impossible to man. Her daily prayer is for strength to go on and her prayers continue to be answered.

Yesterday I also spoke with another woman whose world is crashing around her. Although the details are different the pressures are comparable. She wept deeply as I counselled her and my heart broke as she told me that she prays, every night, that she will die in the night and not wake up.

As I thought about these women - and I care about them both - I realized one significant difference is how they approach God. One has a personal relationship with God and recognizes Him as the sustainer of all life and gives us a reason to live. The second is a woman who believes in God, but doesn't truly know Him and sees Him as an outsider looking in.

There is a wonderful prayer chorus that says,
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus;
Look full in His wonderful face...
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace".

Let's look at Jesus' face in all of our trials, because being in His presence brings a great level of perspective. Jesus is so personal that He came to be like us, to die for us and then He ascended into Heaven to represent us. His desire is not to be an outsider looking in, but to be personal, living inside of us so that we can cope with what's going in the world.

Please pray for these two lovely women.

Full House

This is VBS week for us, and it is two nights down with three to go. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy VBS but it is a very tiring week. We are teaching the children about the Lord's Prayer and my class, the adult class, seems to be enjoying it.

The days are very long as, by the time we have cleaned up, we are leaving the Church at about 9PM, but last night my wife invited 4 girls aged 9 - 14 for a sleepover with my daughter Hope. The problem was, my two boys aged 9 & 5 were equally excited at having 4 pretty girls at the house and soon the attention was taken from my daughter and she became very jealous. She wouldn't let the boys in her room so her 4 guests stayed out of her room as well...leaving Hope alone and feeling very sorry for herself.

At about 11PM I went into Hope's room to talk to her. She was very angry at her brothers, and mad at her friends because they didn't come into her room. As I talked to her she became more upset until she just broke down and began to sob uncontrollably - I had never seen her cry like that before.

I like to discuss problems, so I tried to discuss the situation with Hope but her emotions made her unreasonable, however, reading between the lines, it was now a matter of pride that was keeping her away from having a fun time. I talked to her for another 45 minutes, trying to convince her to go down and bury her pride...and then Taylor walked in. Taylor is a 12 year old girl who Hope loves to play with. Hope had been particularly unkind to Taylor, but Taylor has the ability to get over such silliness. Taylor talked to Hope for 10 minutes, after which Hope went downstairs and ended up having a fantastic time.

Pride is an awful thing. It causes us to blame, it causes us to hate, it causes us to be unreasonable, it causes people to leave Churches, it causes people to leave their families. Pride keeps issues burning, pride keeps people hating, pride keeps people divided. So why is it so hard to admit to being wrong, why is it so hard to say sorry. Am I perfect, is anybody perfect? Of course the answer is no, therefore sorry should be one of the most natural words for us...but for pride.

I'm so glad that Taylor stepped towards Hope yesterday allowing Hope to have a great time, I just wish we had the ability to recognize our own faults allowing us to say sorry and accept our God given right to be forgiven.

Weekend Over

What a long weekend this has been. First there was the funeral of our Sister-in-Christ, Nellie Rowley. I felt the service went well as we enjoyed remembering this Spiritual giant who has, as we say in The Salvation Army, been "Promoted to Glory."

On Saturday I was delighted to fellowship with Paul Whitmore, a young man from my home of Coventry was happened to be visiting the area. Paul was a teenager when I left the Corps in 1991 and it was great to see his maturity in Christ, and to meet his wife and two boys. I delight in opportunities such as these.

Then there was Sunday - a good Church Service, a Church lunch, a, meeting of the Church leaders, the setting up of the building in preparation for Vacation Bible School and then transporting three young men to Northern Virginia so they could enjoy a week at The Salvation Army camp in Florida. I am very excited to be sending delegates to the event in Florida as they are the first people I have been prepared to send in the five years I have been here. Their way was paid by generous donors from our area, and I can guarantee that they will come back refreshed and inspired. God is blessing our Church.

All in a days work

Very often the life of a Salvation Army Officer can be changed in a moment. We need to have the most flexible of schedules because things happen in life, and often those 'things' can have immediate impact.

Yesterday, following my interview on AM1230, I had a meeting with the family of Nellie Rowley. These kind of meetings are always interesting because, though on a morbid subject (the death of a loved one) they often turn out to be enjoyable times of remembering. Sometimes I am asked to conduct the funeral of a person I don't know which means I have to understand something of the person I will be talking about. But in the case of Nellie Rowley, I was able to participate in a conversation about her life, her quirks and her strengths. Then, with that meeting fresh in my mind, I went home to ponder what I should say about this lady and her Lord in Fridays funeral.

Last night I had opportunity for a different kind of pastoral care as our whole family went to support one of our young people as he played basketball. It was a close game that his team lost in the last seconds. The interesting thing was that, neither prior to nor after the game, would he acknowledge my presence. We were with his Mom, and she was very glad to see us but for this boy, there was a fear of looking soft in front of his friends. However, I know it meant something to him that he had people cheering him on so, despite his lack of enthusiasm, I feel it was an evening well spent.

New Life

As I sat around the bed of Nellie Rowley just minutes after her body breathed its last, and shared a most intimate few minutes with her family, I was as convinced as I had ever been of heaven. That body looked so vacant and so useless, and I knew in that moment that Nellie had simply departed her physical body and was now enjoying a celestial body. Blind for the last 15 years of her life, she can now see, and the body that had caused her so much pain is now perfect, and she is in the presence of the Savior she loves so dearly. We will surely miss her because she is worth missing, but Nellie has never been better off than she is now. To Nellie I say, 'well done thou good and faithful servant.'

I had the distinct privilege of speaking on air with Ted Schubel this morning. Ted has a true sense of community and sees his on-air work as a service to our area. He allows me to come on air once a month, and give me a chance to talk about all that's happening at The Salvation Army. This morning I was able to talk about Camp Happyland, our local community need and, most importantly, to educate people on The Salvation Army as a Church and I truly appreciate that.

Salvation Saints

Through my years with The Salvation Army, there are a few people who have literally impacted me. These are people who live their lives honestly and properly, often despite adversity and challenge.

There is Sid Whitmore, a man held prisoner by the Japanese in WWII whose testimony was always in the way he lived his life and the consistency of his Salvationism. There is Jock Wallace whose primary role at the Coventry City Corps of The Salvation Army was Welcome Sergeant (greeter), a man who always had time for the young boy that I was, and who affected many lives due to the pure consistency of his walk with Christ. Bryn and Myrtle Sutton continue to minister, yet their impact on the young Mike Harris was attained by the measure of their character and their selfless dedication to others.

In recent days, I have to add Nellie Rowley to that list, a lady I met a little over 5 years ago and who is now lying in a hospital bed ready to meet her Lord. Nellie has never been rich, she has never been in a position of power and authority, she has never asked for much, but she has dedicated everything to God through her family and The Salvation Army. In the short 5 years that I have known Nellie, she has always been honest, sometimes disagreeable, but always supportive, always loving and always consistent.

As I sit beside her bedside with her family willing her to get better, I ponder my motives in desiring her to recover. Its about me, its about missing her, its about the fact that The Salvation Army is a better place when she 's in it...yet I have consistently preached of our reward being in heaven. There is no doubt in my mind that Nellie's reward is simply waiting for her, so who am I to will and pray her out of it. And there lies the greatest paradox we face as Christians...to pray in faith for healing while believing in paradise as our eternal reward.

At this point you sit back and acknowledge that God is in control. He is the author of all things, He is the Creator of life, and He has chosen the day we will die. In the meantime we will sit by the bedside of Nellie Rowley and thank God that she came our way, and left a remarkable impact on the lives of so many.

Who's to blame?

On Wednesday mornings my wife gets up good and early to go to her Rotary club meeting. (A poor mans Kiwanis meeting!!) Occasionally she will bring one of our three children with her, a treat that each enjoys. This morning Michael, our 8 year old son, was the lucky child, a decision my wife made last night. When I went into my 9 year old daughters room this morning she was very grumpy. She made that clear to me by her pursed lips and firmly folded arms which were her way of saying, "ask me why I'm mad" I obliged to which she responded, "I'm mad at Michael. He said he would let me go to Rotary but he still went with Mom."

As she was preparing to leave, I had heard Michael say to Christi (my wife) "Hope really wants to go to rotary, I think she should go instead of me." Mom said , "No. Hope is not ready and the clothes I have put out are not nice enough." So Michael went with Mom.

I explained this to Hope, an explanation that did not satisfy her. Later, on our way to my wife's office where I was dropping Hope and Christian (our 5 year old) off Hope said, "I'm going to get Michael!" "Why", I asked. "Because he said I could go to Rotary and then Mom wouldn't let me". "So why are you upset with Michael" I asked, "It seems that you should be upset with you Mom" "No. I'm mad at Michael"

That exchange made me think about how we get stuck in mindsets and attitudes. To a staunch Conservative, the best policies offered by our Democratic President will always be wrong, just like the best offered by President Bush was always wrong. Each side has it in their head that right or wrong doesn't matter...if the opposing party came up with it, it is my job to disagree with it. I feel the same has happened with Christianity. So many people view us as uneducated, extreme, delusional, hateful...but, no matter what good Christians do, our opponents have it their heads that there is something very wrong with us. So what do we do.

The great thing about Scripture is that it has the answer to all of life's difficult questions, and this question is best answered by Jesus when He says, "...if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies". It doesn't matter who you are or what you think, this agape love, if truly shown by all Christians, would revolutionize the world and its ethics. The problem, however, lay in the first 6 words of that quote...if you are willing to listen. The message here is that this command would involve a dramatic change in the way people live their lives, and many are not willing to make that change. Jesus, however, is saying if you want to change the world, you first need to change yourself.

Independence Day

Although a little late (today is July 7th) I thought I would muse on this most significant of American holidays, though the most insignificant for this Englishman (lol)!! So, on July 4th 1776 the colonies were no longer 'dependent' upon Great Britain. Of course this 'dependence' meant that the colonies had no representation in Parliament, so the British made significant decisions for a part of its empire that was expected to comply...but comply they did not. History tells us of the unjustness of this treatment, and a successful revolution was the result. I wonder if Parliament regretted its decision not to give the Americas a voice and, had they done so, how different might things have become?

We are all dependent upon God. Paul, Peter, James & Jude all introduce themselves as Servants of God in their letters. Jesus is continually described as a servant of the Father, and we are all subject to His rule. He made us and He rules us and we must be His servants. There is, however, one significant caveat...choice. Choice allows us to become independent of God, to go our own way, to do our own thing. Our ability to think and reason means that our ethics become individual ethics and everybody creates their own version of right and wrong. Of course we have a legal system and the "big" sins are universally considered wrong. But there are many Biblical sins that, through our Independence from God, had become muddied and confused. We say promiscuity is OK, but sexually transmitted diseases are the consequence. We have parties and showers to celebrate the pregnancy of teen girls, while they often bring a Fatherless child into the world and the probability of the mother getting a good education has dropped dramatically. We have taken prayer out of schools and then wonder why there is a growth in gangs and shootings and why violence prevails, while the level of education falls behind that of other developed countries. Is this the cost of Independence?

Today, as I said before, is my opportunity to muse. The USA's Independence from England was the right thing to do. The mother country was not concerned about the best interest of its colonies, so the colonies rebelled. God, however, does have our best interest at heart. He even sent His own Son as a sacrifice to atone for our sins, so great is His concern for us. We need a call to Dependence because, if we continue to rebel against God, we are offering our allegiance to another master who doesn't care about us and who will lead us to perish.

A Different kind of day

Well, my bags were packed, my sermon prepared, my morning devotionals ready and all with no place to go. I sat at home most of yesterday awaiting confirmation that it was OK for me to go to Camp Happyland - one of my favorite places - and connect with about 40 teenagers. But it was not to be. Without going into too much detail, please pray for the camp, the counsellors and the children. Sometimes things happen that are simply beyond our control, and this is the case...so my day became a different kind of day.

Once I got word it was mid afternoon, so my wife and I collected our three children and set off for Kings Dominion, our local theme park. It was interesting as I watched my three children and their approach to rides. For Christian, our 5 year old, nothing is scary. He wanted to ride on the Dominator and Volcano, but we explained that his little frame was too small so, undaunted, he rode everything he could. Hope, my only daughter and oldest child, had a determined courage about her. On a previous visit she had apparently conquered her fear of heights and went on every roller coaster she could - much to Daddy's delight. Incidentally, Dad also noticed that not many people his age or older still ride the big coasters. Their loss! Michael, however, continued to be choosy. He rode most coasters, but not the volcano. The Ferris Wheel was too high for him and, though he rode it, his head was firmly planted in Mom's lap when at its highest point. All in all it was a good evening.

Since my children were small we have prayed for virtues. For Hope we pray for wisdom, peace and joy, for Michael we pray boldness, holiness and joy and for Christian discernment, evangelism and joy. If you ever choose to pray for my children, these are virtues we request you offer on their behalf. Note, however, that joy is requested for each one. It is great to look back on many family occasions, and yesterday being one of them, where we had a time of sheer joy. Yes, the day I expected turned out very different, but what a joy it turned out to be.

Doing what I should do not what I should do

Have you ever wondered what you should be doing? Today I went out with our wonderful Community Care volunteers. Community Care is our Nursing home visitation program, and I put today's visit into my schedule a couple of weeks ago, my first venture with this group for 2 - 3 months. As I looked at my schedule I wondered if I really needed to go as the paperwork on my desk isn't going away and the e-mails haven't yet stopped coming. I kept my commitment however, and conducted two meetings at Hughes' Nursing Home.

Once I finished, I had a true sense of a morning well spent. The folk at Hughes' were very receptive and I had spoken about my Savior. What could be more important than that? Then, in tonight's prayer meeting, one of our ladies gave a praise report on the good morning we had and the kind words that were uttered by several of the residents. I agreed...a morning well spent.

Now here is the conundrum...is the pushing of paper more important, or the personal contact with people. This conundrum is made no simpler by my Headquarters who send me to all kinds of mandatory conferences and tell me that my priority is pastoral care and preaching while demanding timeliness with my reports and expect me to be in my office most of the time.

This is by no means a knock on my headquarters as much as a reminder of what is important. I have the ability to use my time as I feel fit, but so often I use it counter to my calling as a Salvation Army Officer. I was called to be a Preacher above all other things, yet I was reluctant to give up a morning of my week to do what I was called to do. I think we all know what's important...let's just make sure we follow our heart with those important things.

Letting our children go

This past Sunday, being Fathers day, I preached on the parable of the Prodigal Son. The Son who rebelled against his Father thinking he knew better but fell victim to bad friends and bad habits. This story, however, is not about the son but his Father. The Father had so much confidence in his love for his son that he allowed him to go into the world knowing that love would bring him back.

This morning my son Michael went to Camp Happyland. This is his second experience at camp, however, his first was not great. The other children ridiculed him, talked about things that he didn't want to hear and the offshoot was an 8 year old boy who didn't want to go back to camp this year. After Michael and I talked, he decided that he should go because the other boys needed to see Michael's example. In truth, part of me wanted to keep him home so that I might protect him from the harshness 0f life's realities but, just like the Father of the Prodigal Son, I need to allow him to get a taste of the world so he might better understand the blessings of God, and the depth of love from his family.

A Salvation Army camp brings so many children from so many backgrounds together. Many of the children are hardened by life at an early age. Their awareness of 'adult issues' is a travesty to childhood, and the burdens so many carry will affect their entire lives. In the midst of this there need to be children who have experienced real love, in the hope that the other children will see something both appealing and desirable.

Kings Dominion

Finally...after living in Fredericksburg for five years we have taken the plunge. Our family of five now have season apsses to Paramount's Kings Dominion and, towards the end of a very busy day, I took my boys for a couple of hours of fun in the sun...and Kings Dominion did not fail us.

Christian, our 5 year old son, rode his first roller coaster, and his second, and his third...there was the Sponge Bob 3D movie and there were all kinds of roundabouts. The fun the three of us had shows that this was money well spent from out tight budget, and we look forward to bringing the girls along too.

Kings Dominion...what a place, where fun is the rule and nobody is sad. Except for the little boy who got unexpectedly soaked on the log ride and began to cry, or the lady who forgot where she parked her car and wandered around the parking lot for the best part of an hour, or any of us who paid the exorbitant prices of concessions...and that's without even mentioning the lines that will surely come on a busier day.

The truth is, there is a Kings Dominion with no down side. If we truly live as though God has dominion over us, nothing will ever get us down. The promise of life eternal is there for any believer, but we must remember that we don't have to wait until we die to receive it. We can live in Christ here on earth, enjoying the benefits of His Dominion even now. Take it from me, because I live it every day.

Summer Camp

It's amazing how quickly summer comes upon us. Last week my children were finishing school, and this week my daughter goes to camp. Camp Happyland is a place of joy and laughter and this year the Fredericksburg Corps anticipates sending 70 children to this Utopian setting where the children will have a daily Bible lesson, go boating on a lake, swim, play on the ropes course, learn about nature...

The most important thing about Camp, however, is the lifelong memories it will create. There are so many adults who have told me about their experience at Camp Happyland, some even remembering the name of their counselor. The point is, if the right kind of memory is created then a persons outlook on life can be changed, if ever so slightly. These impressionable children will be in a loving Christian environment and will be exposed to a very positive image of Christ. In turn, this could be the seed planted for many children who might not otherwise be exposed to Christianity...what a window of opportunity.

Please take time to pray for Camp Happyland over the Summer months knowing that hundreds of children are running around its grounds. Your prayers will be answered as lives are affected. Thanks be to God for this awesome ministry.

What can I say

I'm sitting in my office at 11:15PM reading about the firing of Miss California, having just read an article that, in Great Britain, a new bill will mean that teachers can no longer mention faith in the classroom, indeed, they will have to hide their faith for fear of repercussion. Also, back in March, I requested permission to have a religious outdoor service in downtown Fredericksburg but was denied because we wanted to talk about God. I fear this is just the beginning of the end.

I wonder how all of this truly started. Yes, there are people with intellectual objections to Christianity. There are those who confuse religion for Christianity, not understanding that Christianity is a way of life rather than a code of laws and ethics. But at the end of the day, perhaps none of these people are to blame, perhaps it's the Christians themselves. After all, if we Christians all lived lives of happiness and hope the world would feel better about us, but while we shoot abortion doctors and judge people for their sinful lifestyles we become hypocritical at best, detestable at worst. Yes there is a Heaven and yes there is a hell, but we need to be people who bring people to heaven, not people who convict others to eternal misery.

Now that we are at a point where our voice is turning into a whisper, what do we do? How can Christianity spread if the name of Jesus is received with disdain? Surely the answer is in the old phrase, "actions speak louder than words". We need to be Christ in the world & we need to be people who are truly set apart. The way we do this is to serve...serve God, and serve others. A Salvation Army Chorus written by General John Gowans says:

To be like Jesus;
This hope possesses me.
In every thought and deed;
This is my aim, my creed.
To be like Jesus;
This hope possesses me;
His Spirit helping me;
Like Him I'll be.

Let's be like Jesus and show the world, one person at a time, how desirable Jesus really is.

Meetings

Today I will have been in 4 meetings - too much for one day. The day started with my Executive Committee, and in this Executive Committee meeting the agenda was dominated by discussion on what should be said in two of the next three meetings I had today. We discussed what the topics of conversation would be in these meetings and what the individuals we were about to meet could offer The Salvation Army.

The second meeting was with a very prominent businessman who was very generous with his time and advise, and offered us further help regrading the agenda and topics to be discussed at my next meeting, which would be the third of the day. We came away with some good advise and ideas.

The third meeting I had already decided was to be one of the most important since my arrival in Fredericksburg. I had 3 board members, my Financial Development Director and wife accompany me and we felt we had prepared well. The meeting was great, the husband and wife we met with couldn't have been kinder and, though I didn't have much opportunity to share my passion and dream, I was able to talk a little about how we might better serve the children of the community.

Now, as I sit at my desk looking forward to the fourth meeting of the day, I realize that all I have been talking about today is programs for children, and that's exactly what I am conducting tonight. So after all of the preparations, the prayers and hope, the reality is that the most important meeting of all is the one to which I had given least thought. I pray that I will enter into this meeting with the same attitude of hope and preparation because it truly is the meeting that can change a life. Jesus loves the little children.

Back Home

Well, I'm back following another whirlwind trip to find the usual...a whole bunch of work. I love trips such as these where I get the opportunity to sit back and focus, to consider the things that are important. I return with every intention of focusing on what's important only to discover that I need to focus my attention on - everything!! Yes there might be times when a slanted focus is needed but the reality is, if it involves the Fredericksburg Salvation Army, it deserves my attention. Today it has been shoes for children and then helping a Thrift Store customer. Tomorrow I will be meeting with two very important people pertinent to the long term future of the Fredericksburg Salvation Army, while tomorrow night I will be conducting a program for the very children who we hope and pray will be the future of The Salvation Army. Life is good and God is in control.

Commissioning

This is more an update on my week that my typical thought process as I am currently in Atlanta celebrating with the "Witnesses for Christ" Session. Being a tuba player in the Territorial Band I am part of the supporting cast to this weekend which sees 50 or so new Lieutenants Commissioned as Salvation Army Officers. The rehearsal process is long and hard, but tonight the weekend really begins with the commencement service, for which we are praying for clear weather as the ceremony is outside. On Sunday each Cadet is ordained as a Salvation Army Officer, ready to go into the world. It's a remarkable cycle that has existed for 140 or so years, yet the demands of Officership are so much greater and the snares of the world make Officership so much harder than, perhaps, ever before. Statistics show that, of the 50 or so Cadets Commissioned, there might be 28 left in 10 years and for many of the 22 or so who drop out, a divine calling will be affected by a human reaction. Life only works with God in it, so let's pray that these 50 break the mold and prove the statisticians wrong. May God bless the Witnesses for Christ.

Men

I have spent the last three days with around 400 men as we embarked on Camp Happyland for The Salvation Army Men's Camp. We grunted our way through games and sports with many a bruised limb and several pulled muscles. Its amazing how quickly a middle aged man thinks he has found the fountain of youth at the beginning of the weekend only to feel like a geriatric by the end of the weekend. Incidentally, I won the connect four tournament- no joke. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to have very in depth conversations with three young men, all of whom are looking to become productive men and none of which grew up with a strong male in the house. As I thought about these encounters I became quite encouraged. We are all aware of the shortcomings of so many Fathers, but here are three men who want to break that cycle and be productive Christian men. The role of the Church is considerable when it comes to developing young people, but this generation is needing much more from us than those who have gone before. The hope for the next generation is happening now, and I pray that these three men give their children a better chance than they themselves were given.

Memorial

It is a couple of days after Memorial Day, but I want to express my personal thoughts on those who have gone before us allowing us to live in the kind of freedom we now experience. I have recently finished reading a book called, "Kitchiners last volunteer" which are the memories of Henry Allingham, the oldest survivor of the first world war. As I read the book, I was reminded that the veterans of world war I were all volunteers who enlisted out of a sense of duty, knowing that they were working to maintain the freedom of their homeland. In World War II the veterans, though enlisted, were prepared to give their lives to keep the world as we k new it. So many lives were sacrificed to give us the freedom we can enjoy today. But one death sits above all of these. Jesus willingly gave his life so that we might be free, and it a freedom that goes beyond the world and its dictators. It is a freedom that can be experienced in the midst of tyranny, a freedom in the midst of strife but it is a freedom that so few have experienced. Thank God for those who gave their lives for our freedom, and thank God for Jesus.

What a wonderful day I had on Wednesday as The Salvation Army had the opportunity to thank more than 100 of our most wonderful volunteers, donors and supporters. Then, on Wednesday evening, I had the opportunity to speak to the Lee's Hill 55 club, a group of fine people who were exceptionally receptive to my talk on the Army. At the end of the day, as I looked back at what I considered a most wonderful day I pondered the word I had used many times - "success." What is the success in what we do? If we pay a persons mortgage this month but they are foreclosed on in six months, is that a success? If we put a person through a six month rehabilitation program only to watch them go back to drugs, is that a success? If we have a child whose behavioral issues seem only to get worse, where is the success? Then I ponder our Savior - Jesus - who died to give us a second chance, an opportunity to get it right and reap the reward of heaven but, if a person fails to go to Heaven, where is the success? It seems to me the success is the opportunity. We gave the family the opportunity to stay in their home, we gave the addict an opportunity to stay clean, and we give the child every opportunity to be loved...but if the opportunity is rejected surely it makes no difference to the success. Thank God for the opportunity to have a second chance, and I pray to God that more people will take that second chance, an opportunity we call Amazing Grace.

Appreciation

Today is a special day in my calendar as we (The Salvation Army) have the opportunity to say a public thank you to our donors, volunteers and friends. If I truly sit back and consider these people I realize that we would not exist without them. It is one of those great miracles and perhaps one of the greatest examples of true faith. Think about it - we have complete and full confidence that people will send us checks, ring a bell by one of our kettles, buy gifts for a child they don't know, volunteer a day, or several, helping to keep our Thrift Store together.

Today I want to thank all of those people who allow The Salvation Army to exist. Being a displaced Englishman I continue to be absolutely amazed at the generosity of your average American and I believe it is this spirit that allows the USA to be considered a blessed nation. Surely a true blessing is the result of something you do rather than something you receive.

I want to give a special thank you to the members of The Salvation Army Advisory Board and Women's Auxiliary. They give so much of their time, treasure and talent and with such a great attitude and level of enthusiasm. It is a joy to serve God in Fredericksburg.

New Life

It's good to be back home from my trip to Nashville. Sitting through 4 days of lectures is not my favorite way to pass my time, but it is done and I did learn a thing or two.

Upon arriving at the office this morning I was greeted with the news that my treasured accountant, Misty, has given birth to a healthy baby girl called Madelyn. This is one of those wonderful instances where a child is brought into the world to parents who will love her and raise her as God intends. What an exciting life ahead for Madelyn.

Sunday was a funny day as my wife and a number of our ladies were at Women's Camp, a weekend at Camp Happyland where the ladies do...whatever it is they do. This meant that Sunday would be a little different for me. Following my Sunday message, I knelt at the altar next to my brother in Christ, James Brown. Quickly we were surrounded by three children who prayed over us both. As thrilled as I was to have these children surround me, I noticed a couple at the altar who have been peripheral attenders. I was thrilled to see them there, but did not get the chance to pray with them. Following the meeting, I spoke with them, apologizing for not praying with them. In the ensuing conversation I discovered that, while they knelt at the altar, the man had given his life to Christ.

Just as Madelyn became the worlds newest baby, so this man because Christ's newest baby. Both were born into families full of love, both have experienced new life, and both have an exciting future ahead of them. Some say that God is not working in our world today, but I say different. I have seen the miracle of new life this weekend, and I have seen God doing His best stuff. He is still in control

May 13th - here in class

I'm sitting though my 12th hour of learning about Christian ethics and my brain is about fried. Its a fascinating subject but one that's hard to get your arms around, though my views on God's image in us has shifted a little. An emphasis of the class is to love God and to "love your neighbor as yourself", and this is seen as key to Christian ethics. As I ponder this command to love our neighbor I wonder why its so hard for us to do this. So many of us have the habit of drawing lines of acceptance. For some it might be political, others it might be education, to another class, to another lifestyle...but the consistency in any persons lack of acceptance is the absolute belief that they are right. I feel that God has called us all to love our neighbor despite a lifestyle or habit. This does not mean we embrace a behavior or lifestyle but it means that, by loving our neighbor, we have shown Christ to them in the hope that they might become open to Christ. I thank God for the calling laid upon my life, even when it means being lecture to for hours!!

Weekend May 9-10 blog from Nashville

It’s been a long weekend for Christi and me as our revival came to an exciting end on Friday, my Mother-in-law and Father-in-law arrived in Fredericksburg, the Home League had its Yard Sale and we then left for Nashville, TN. I have just completed my book report (a day late) and looking forward to some sleep. In the meantime, I want to make mention of a motivation I will be pondering this week in my class. What motivates a person’s ethics? For some it’s upbringing and family or situation or bias. There is such relativity to ethics, except in the Christian realm. Christian ethics has to be based on one thing only – the love of God. This love, expressed by God to us, is naturally reciprocated by the believer and this love them overflows to others. This unconditional love brings about obedience to God and a return to our created image. I should have more thoughts on this throughout the week, and hopefully my mind will be more alert than it is now.

Hope realized

What a difference a day can make. Our friends from Vortex were greeted by our biggest audience of the week - 89 - the children were very well behaved, and the Spirit moved. We are excited to see what tonight has to offer, and wouldn't it be great to have 100+ people experiencing the moving of the Spirit.

One thing I have realized, whether dealing with either child or adult, is that relationships matter. At The Salvation Army there are several children who refer to me as "Daddy" and my wife as "Mommy". This is not so much a term of endearment, but more an acknowledgement of belonging, and it is this very sense of belonging that keeps the children coming back to The Salvation Army. Very often we develop relationships for our own benefit...but I urge everybody to develop a relationship with somebody for their benefit, and you will surprised at what happens. God is all about relationships, so much so that he wants one with me! He wants to tell me how much he loves me, and he wants me to trust Him through all of life's struggles. When we develop real relationships we become Christ, we love that other person and we want to help them through life and its struggles. Today, take the opportunity to deepen a relationship. It might be a work mate, a neighbor or a child at Church. Whomever you chose, do it for them and see what happens to you in return.

Well we finished our third night of Youth Revival....wow. Last night the kids were a handful, discipline had to be given, talks, the "eye", and yet nothing seemed to work with a few of them!

I began to think about my own life and God. How many times did God talk to me, discipline me, let me know He was watching, and it all seemed to fail. Yet God did not give up on me, when I came to seek His face, He was there waiting with arms open. Thank God for His grace!

My heart did break last night as I was embarrassed by behavior, wanting the children to realize that God was trying to talk to them, and they gave deaf ears.

God warns us in His Word that hearts will get harder and it will be difficult to reach those in the dark.

It is my prayer that we can be a light to those we reach out to. No matter how hard it seems at the time.

I serve a God that is loving and kind, but one that also has expectations for His children. In these uncertain times, I have a Savior that has given me a certainty for my future. No we are not perfect, but we are called to be Christ-like!

Pray for our youth! Not just The Salvation Army, but of our world, on this National Day of Prayer. My our young people seek a Savior that came with the "soul" purpose of redeeming them, and bringing them to His family.

Captain C

Revival

As I mentioned yesterday, we are currently having a Youth Revival. Our Friends from Vortex have come with amazing enthusiasm and are sharing the Gospel with our Young People. We have had a number of children come to the first two nights, most of whom are 13 and below. The comment was made that we have less older teens than last year, a true statement that involves a number of answers, but answers that can be summed up in one word - parents.

I grew up with wonderful parents who, when they made a decision, considered my sisters and I and how that decision might affect us. Indeed, most of their decisions were based on what was best for the children, and this created a remarkable amount of stability in our lives. For many of the children we deal with at The Salvation Army, the opposite is true. Some parents can become affected by the smallest of issues and make knee-jerk reactions while their children become victims of these decisions. For some it is infidelity, another drugs, another will bring abuse into the home while somebody else just doesn't care and the children go uncorrected. Some of our children no longer come because their parents have fallen out with another Church member so they either go to another Church or nowhere at all, and the children are made to leave their friends behind, and the Church family that has loved them. Why can't people resolve their differences?

Having said all of that, there are many wonderful children who continue to come to The Salvation Army and are supported by their parents, even if the parents don't attend the Church - and our hope continues. Hope is seen in the faces and lives of so many of our children, hope drives us to believe that those who we haven't seen for a while will not forget, and hope tells us that in God's plan we have planted seeds. Thank God for hope.

Children

On August 19, 1999 my oldest child was born. It was one of the most amazing days of my life as I experienced love at first sight, and that love continues to deepen every day. My wife and I decided to wait until that day to discover the gender of our first child and had chosen a name if the baby was a boy, but we struggled to come up with a girl name. After much debate we decided that we should give her a name that meant something...so we named our daughter Hope because we felt her generation needed hope.

Little did my wife and I know that this name would become prophetic in our lives. As we desire our children to represent hope, so we are surrounded by children whose lives border on hopelessness...but I am encouraged, and I will share more in my blog as the week goes on except to say, this is our Youth Revival week and it is a concentrated window of hope. Many will tell you that hope lies in an education, money or success. I tell you that hope lies in Jesus Christ, and in Christ alone so please pray for our children this week, pray that Christ will live in their hearts, pray that hope in Christ drives their lives and, if this happens, they will spread hope to others.

Many Blessings.

Just arrived home from a wonderful evening in Lynchburg with the National Capital Band. The congregation was exceptionally appreciative. On the way home I learned that British boxer Ricky Hatton had suffered a very one sided loss - which I found very disappointing. I am wondering why I have allowed a sporting loss to dampen my spirits after all, being British, I am used to defeat. None the less, I pray that I will wake up tomorrow ready to receive the blessings God has in store for my congregation. God is so much bigger than my earthly disappointments.

Still in Fredericksburg

Hello all - this is my first post and it is with great joy that we will be going into our 6th year as Corps Officers in Fredericksburg, VA. While many of my friends are now looking for boxes, I'm relaxing in my office playing on the computer!!