Congress

Well, there is so much I could say about this wonderful weekend here in St. John's. I have really, really enjoyed my time here and it has helped get me even more excited (if that's possible) for my Summer. It has been a time of reconnection, great music, wonderful worship and fellowship.

I found out that I knew more people here than anticipated. I mean I did expect to see some of the folks that I have run into, but many others have come up to me that remember me from when I lived here and others that lived in Calgary for a time. Then, after you add in all of the people that know my Dad or my Grandparents I think I know most of the people here. It sometimes leaves me feeling a bit stunned if the truth were told. I did see Fred and Wendy as well as Kerry and Cheryl and so felt like I was getting to see some family over the weekend :).

The General was a great speaker and I enjoyed each of his messages. Commissioning was a very moving and exciting time as I watched friends become the latest Salvation Army officers. I am thrilled to see 7 heading to my home division and I wish them and all the other new Lieutenants God's blessings in their ministry.

Now for me it's off to Robert's Arm and that should be a great time.

First Year

Well, here I am facing down the end of my first school year at CFOT and about to embark on my Summer assignment. Everything here is winding down as we hand in last assignments, pack, clean and rehearse for commissioning. I have 3 days before I head out to Newfoundland for congress and then my Summer Assignment. There are lists upon lists as I figure out what to bring, what to do and how I'm going to manage it all before I go. The joy for me of a deadline like this is what I don't finish isn't getting done before I leave. I live for those do or die deadlines :-).

The past ten months (give or take) have been incredible for me in so many ways. I have inexplicably found that I love academic classes. Not all aspects of them of course, but I really get into the many discussions we have and I love the research. History is my real passion and as soon as a course contains that then look out the big geek has arrived. Academics were a big area of concern for me when I was coming into CFOT and while I still have some hurdles to work through they are certainly not a big concern now.

My field placements have been amazing learning experiences at both my Sunday brigade and my mid-week field. I have learned a great deal from my supervisors at those locations although in many ways it simply becomes clearer how much I still have left to learn. That whole "still have left to learn" aspect is really the theme of my training time. It seems that every time I turn around I find something else I still need to learn or work on.

It has been an amazing 10 months with amazing experiences and God has really moved in my life. I really can't wait to see what he has in store for me over the Summer and then in year two of my CFOT time.

Jasper Fforde

Okay, I know I'm not the only one to have read the above author's books because someone recommended him to me, but sometimes that's how it feels. So I'm writing this to recommend him to others as every time I read his books I find something new and always enjoy the humour.

The books are fairly recently written (last 10 years) and there are two series. The first and longest series is about a literary detective Thursday Next. It starts in 1985 but it's a different 1985 - key events in our history happened differently and so things like the Crimean war are still happening, and there is no travel by plane. The books are very funny and not only about some light reading. You need a decent grasp of classical literature and politics over the years to fully understand some of the differences.

One of the things I really enjoy about his books are his plays on the English language. I mean the name of his main character (Thursday Next) in an of itself is a bit of a laugh. For example in one of the books there is discussion around a shortage of the letter 'U' and so the decision is to change words like neighbour in one geographical location to neighbor and have it viewed as a spelling idiosyncrasy...if that idea makes you chuckle a bit or even smile then you'll probably enjoy this author's books. The first book in that series is called The Eyre Affair.

His other series is so far only two books long and is a kind of spin off of the Thursday Next books. It's a mystery series based around nursery rhyme characters and is also very funny. The first book in that series is called The Big Over Easy.

He has a new book out called Shades of Gray and I'm excited to read it and see if it's as good as the other books.

All this to say - read Jasper Fforde's books. They are very funny and well worth the time if you're looking for something fun and fictional to read.

Field Placement

Well I'm still trying to blog more frequently although I'm only somewhat succeeding in that but here's another one in my seemingly endless attempt to communicate in this fashion.

Part of the training college program involves a variety of practicums. In our first semester this involved touring some of the various facilities that we might be going to in our second semester as well as helping out with various events The Salvation Army in Winnipeg was involved in. Our second semester has us placed at a field placement that we attend every week from January to June. I have been fortunate to be involved with one of the day programs run here in the city and have loved it.

What's been really great is the getting out and learning through hands on opportunities. The group of people that I was working with are so open and willing to help that it made my job easy. I am sincerely going to miss my weekly sessions there and look forward to maybe stopping by in the fall semester just to say hi.

The comment was made at our field supervisors appreciation lunch about lasting impressions and this has certainly made one on me.

Home for the Weekend

This weekend I was fortunate enough to pop back to Calgary for three days and visit with friends and family. I got to hang out with people as well as attend my home church and all those things you like to do when you go home. It was a bit of a funny time as absolutely everything I did was something I might have done on any weekend when I lived in Calgary. I mean maybe I wouldn't have seen work people on the weekend but I certainly might have gotten together with friends or gone to Chinook on any given Saturday. Sunday was the epitome of a normal day as I went in to church, played in the band and went out to lunch afterwards with my aunt, uncle and cousins.

What made it different of course was that it was only a weekend at home. That I was leaving on Monday was always on my mind. I also didn't get the same number of big hugs on Sunday morning when I was actually living in Calgary. My presence was much more common place when I lived there so I didn't get the big greetings. The other odd thing that happened would be completely normal to me in every other place but because Glenmore is home it was odd. At the end of the service I got called up to pronounce the benediction and pray to close. I would not be surprised by this and would even expect it in any other church but at "home" it seemed a little unexpected.

At any rate it was a fantastic weekend and so good to see those I did. I've found many more people I will see in Newfoundland over the Summer and that's good news. It makes my upcoming Summer Assignment so much more exciting.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign

I often hum the song that the title of my blog is from even though it's before my time, but I'm thinking of different kind of sign now.

A common theme that has been occurring lately is that of signs not being the reality but pointing to the reality. This message has been utilized to drive home many points such as interpretations from the Scriptures all the way to ceremonies and rituals performed in the church. The overall message is that none of these ceremonies, rituals, symbols are necessary for salvation. However, it is important to acknowledge that they can be a means of grace for individuals.

It seems that the point we always seem to hit is where we no longer view the rituals as simply a means of grace and start viewing them as necessary for our faith. Then of course there is also the danger of doing them out of routine; the dreaded "that's how we've always done it" response. Now, don't get me wrong I'm not advocating tossing it all out the window. In fact I'm one of those annoying people that you have to work hard to convince to change anything....should I admit that in writing? I think there's enough evidence out there regardless. What I do advocate is the remembrance that these ceremonies, rituals, symbols are signs, pointing to the reality of God's grace, love and forgiveness in our lives. The knowledge that they themselves are not anywhere close to the reality because nothing we can do could ever possibly come close to showing the reality of God.

Well, that's me out on a limb for today. Hope everyone has a good one!

Big Days

Well the past couple of days have been a bit hard to believe. Yesterday I celebrated my birthday and what a great day. I was happy to spend it with some people who have become incredibly close to me over the past number of months and it was great to simply sit and have some great laughs. I received many messages on facebook and I realize for many these are a matter of rote but I had some that were very meaningful and touching written amongst those as well and I loved seeing them on my wall.

Today was another big day as I found out that I was elected the president of the cadet council here at college for next year's council. THEN on top of all of this was my road test. I have had my learner's license for awhile and was very slack about practicing and learning to drive but once I got here that was no longer possible. So, through some help from friends and lessons I began working more assiduously on my license and then - Ta Da! I actually passed it.

It was quite a bit to cram into two short days and by the time I went to bed last night I was ready to fall over from fatigue. It wasn't a physical labour but a mental and emotional one and in this case a very happy labour. So, a big shout out to all those who helped me learn how to drive - except my peanut gallery of a younger cousin if she ever reads this ;). THANKS