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.

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.

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.

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.