I stood on the upper deck of a mall recently and watched the people on the lower level walk feverishly from one store to another. Some were carrying bags, some were carrying cups of coffee, and others looked as if they were deep in thought – probably looking for that perfect Christmas gift.

I remember a few years ago speaking to someone who was hoping for a perfect Christmas. I asked, “What would that look like for you?”  Is there such a thing as a Perfect Christmas?? Everyone is bombarded with advertisements showing impossibly perfect people, buying the perfect gifts, and preparing the perfect party or being with the perfect family.

I once heard a pastor speak these words, “We take all the joy out of the holidays by trying to make them perfect.”

Everyone has expectations for this season such as the perfect gift to give someone you love, the perfect gift to receive, the perfect meal prepared, the perfect weather, just enough snow to enjoy some outdoor activity at just the right temperature, the perfect family dinner, with everyone enjoying the meal and having good conversation…. The list could go on.

The reality is, we don’t live in a perfect world. We are not perfect people… but we have been given a perfect gift, the gift of God’s son that came allowing us to experience the gift of salvation.

I don’t know what your expectations are this Christmas. Are you expecting everything to be perfect? What would make this season perfect for you?

I read a verse the other morning that sums up my hope for this season and the year to come.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NIV

Take some time today, and look for way that you can make this a memorable Christmas. It may not be perfect as the advertisers will depict, but there will be those opportunities to share the love of Christ and the spirit of Christmas with others who may not understand the perfect joy and the perfect peace that we have in our lives because of the gift that was given to us in the person of Jesus Christ.

Click on the present below to watch a movie, “The Best Christmas Present Ever”.

John McAlister writes … “The Salvation Army’s College for Officer Training was everything I didn’t expect…

I’ve come to The Salvation Army’s College for Officer Training (CFOT) in Winnipeg to shadow the cadets in their training. My plan is to get a feel for what life is like at CFOT so that I can share it with other Salvationists. Within minutes of arriving, I realize this isn’t the college atmosphere I had anticipated.

Perhaps I’m expecting something older or run-down, but the college immediately presents itself as being in touch with the outside world. The large gallery windows in the main foyer serve as a bright and visible link between the training of Salvation Army officers and the external community. But there are also important connections to the past, such as the stained-glass windows taken from the former college in St. John’s, N.L., which now feature in the main lobby. From classrooms to the cafeteria, the CFOT facility is both stylish and practical.” 

To continue reading this article follow the link below to Salvationist.ca…

http://salvationist.ca/2011/01/college-out-of-the-box/

Cadet Tonia Street has prepared an update on how their summer is progressing so far.  Click here to read what she has to say.

Cadets Chris and Tonia Street are appointed to the Moncton Citadel Community Church in the Maritime Division.  Christ and Tonia entered training out of the Green’s Harbour Corps, Newfoundland and Labrador Division.

The opportunity to form relationships has been very rich.  While the town is a good size and in close proximity to St. John’s, the people have retained the hospitality and openness that I know smaller, more isolated communities to be famous for.  Through visits in people’s homes, coffee times at Tim Horton’s, and a Bible study BBQ I have been given the opportunity to enter into people’s lives and hear about their lives and spiritual journeys.

A huge highlight of my summer so far was the week of VBS ministry.  I was able to join the team that led the week and was given responsibility for the Bible time and working with the summer student to facilitate the technical end of things.  Working within the team was a real blessing, as I was able to learn from members of the corps who have been involved in this ministry for many years, as well as catch a glimpse of the enthusiasm of new Christians for their new found ministry.  It was a real joy to watch the children learn and have fun throughout the week, culminating in a closing event on Sunday morning with the church filled with corps members as well as families who do not normally attend.

I am very excited to see what new blessings God has in store for the remaining weeks!

Cadet Jason Waters the Bay Roberts Corps in the Newfoundland and Labrador Division for his summer assignment.  Jason entered training out of the Edmonton Temple Corps in Edmonton, Alberta & Northern Territories Division.

To begin our summer we had the privilege of interviewing, hiring, and training staff for the Kid’s Kamp at HPT.  We have gone into the surrounding neighbourhoods and hosted barbeques and games.  Although HPT is located in a beautiful area surrounded by beautiful houses, there are also those struggling with the challenges life brings them.  In the Thursday after school program and Friday drop in night at the corps I have had the privilege of meeting precious children who were so willing to get to know me.  Now that the camp has started I get to see them every day and I am getting to know them a little more each day.

Major Julie Slous, Corps Officer at Heritage Park Temple adds some additional comments about the Kids Kamp:  Heritage Park is a buzz with busy campers! We have welcomed 39 campers into our midst this past week (which puts us at 99.9% capacity) and HPT is alive with energy and enthusiasm!  We are thrilled to see the contacts that are being made through this program and we continue to believe that God is using our camp to make a difference in our neighborhood.  As the kids worship together in the morning, what a blessing it is to hear their young voices lifting their songs to the Lord.  Under the skilled leadership of the camp team, later this week the children will be given the opportunity to think about how they will “live out” all they are learning about Christian faith.  Pray for our team as they strategically invite the children into a deeper experience of Christ.

This summer Peter and I look  forward to working together in ministry.  I’m learning very quickly that working together is more than doing the same things together all the time.  Peter delivered his first sermon this past Sunday and left for Yorkton Saskatchewan to minister through the flood relief.  These days I hold the Lord’s words even closer to my heart and believe that “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) while I take care of my three children and engage in this wonderful ministry.

It’s hard to believe how fast each day is going by lately.  As we are all working for His Kingdom I’m reminded that “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4)

Cadet Grace Kim and her husband, Cadet Peter Kim are appointed to the Heritage Park Temple Corps in the Prairie Division for their summer assignment. They entered training out of the Korean Corps in Toronto, Ontario Central East Division.

Tuesday morning was not wasted.  I woke up and had breakfast with the officers Majors Calvin and Loretta Fudge, and then we toured the Temple and then I was taken down to meet everyone at Community & Family Services!  I had some fun at lunch with a great bunch of people serving soup and hot drinks to everyone who came through the doors. The rest of the week was filled with hiking, sitting in on a pre-marriage counseling session, men’s fellowship prayer lunch, and countless other ministries.

I have now had a chance to meet many of the corps members, as I gave my testimony on Sunday.  What a warm welcome I have had by everyone I have met, whether walking down the streets of Corner Brook, or taking some mail to the post office and striking up a simple conversation with people and letting them know I am from the mainland.

I went on a boat tour of Bon Bay where I was able to see a whale for the first time – what a magnificent sight. This past week has been filled with many blessings that I can not thank God enough for.  Please keep the city in prayer as we have just received a call that a fellow soldier has been promoted to glory and will be remembered on Thursday, July 1^st.

Yesterday, while I was looking after the food bank, a gentleman came in and sat down for a minute. He looked excited and full of energy as he told me that he has been sober for a month and never wants to go back to the life he had.  He said he wanted to stop by to thank the Army for supporting him throughout the past couple of months. During his time of sobering up – the Army had provided him with food, clothing and sometimes an ear to listen, and so he just wanted to thank us and to say ‘God bless’ before going on his way. I am excited to see what will happen in ministry in the next 7 weeks as I continue to worship and experience the work of God in Corner Brook, NL.

Cadet Joshua Downer is appointed to the Corner Brook Temple Corps in the Newfoundland and Labrador Division for his Summer Assignment.  Joshua entered training out of the Mountain Citadel Corps in Hamilton, Ontario Great Lakes Division.

What has struck me during the first couple of weeks here can be summed up in the lyrics of the song, “People need the Lord.”

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost
For sharing Life with one who’s lost?

Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the Words of Life
Only we can share.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
For people need the Lord.

And regardless of location, irrespective of people’s ages or backgrounds I realize – life is tough.  As I have journeyed with my officers on a number of visits to hospitals and into people’s homes, I have been touched by the way people continue to lean on the Lord through their struggles and their difficulties.  Psalm 62:2 says, “He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”  God is our rock and our fortress, He is our strong tower.  And those who live on the Rock seem to have a keen sense of understanding of how to lean on the only Rock who is never shaken and who can sustain us.

As the lyrics of that song suggests, our responsibility as believers is to lead people to the open door, to keenly feel the grief in our hearts along with those who are encountering it first-hand - but also to encourage others to trust God and to carry those burdens and broken dreams to the foot of the cross and to leave them there with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  We are each called to be salt and light, and I see that light shining brightly around me every day – not only from those in leadership within Gander’s expression of The Salvation Army, but also from those who they are ministering to.

I look forward to and continue to feel the responsibility of sharing Words of Life during my time here.

Cadet Joyce Wilson is appointed to the Gander Corps and Family Services in the Newfoundland and Labrador Division for her Summer Assignment.  Joyce entered training out of the Sunshine Coast Corps in Goderich, Ontario Great Lakes Division.

I’ll never be able to sing the founders song frivolously again.  Those words now mean more to me, after seeing the vastness of the ocean.  God is good!

When I was appointed to Seal Cove Fortune Bay for my summer assignment, I immediately began to hear from people.  Everyone told me how blessed I would be to come to this community.  Seal Cove has a reputation for legendary hospitality.  The folks here have proven that reputation true in the week that I have been here.  I have been welcomed with open arms, and I feel like I am part of such a loving family already.  I have experienced handshakes, hugs, and lunch.

God is at work in this community and this community is full of people who love him and want to serve him.  You can hear this in their singing on Sunday.  Never before have I experienced such passion in worship, such deep devotion to prayer, so many people rising during the testimony time to share what God has done in their lives and how thankful they are for his love and salvation.

I love it here in Seal Cove Fortune Bay, I am so glad that God appointed me here.  I look forward to a summer of blessings, and seeing the work of the Lord carried out.

 Cadet Jaclyn Wynne is appointed to the Seal Cove Fortune Bay Corps in the Newfoundland and Labrador Division for her Summer Assignment.  Jaclyn entered training out of the Heritage Park Temple Corps in Winnipeg, Prairie Division.

“Father, Into Thy hands I commend my spirit”

“Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep;

If I should die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

Do you remember your childhood and praying those words before you went to sleep?

Hebrew children were taught a different prayer. Each evening, as mother helped her child prepare for bed, she taught him to pray “into Thy hands I commend my sprit.” No doubt Mary taught it to her children so we should not be surprised that Jesus reverts to the prayer of His childhood as He takes His last breath.

The final prayer speaks of a presence and personal and relationship. Jesus approached death as he had done throughout His life….acknowledging His “Father”. In the four Gospels taken together Jesus refers to God as “Father” 184 times! Luke, who reported Jesus’ last word, also recorded his first. In the Temple at the age of twelve Jesus told his parents, “I must be in my Father’s house” (Luke 2:49). At the start of the Gospel and now at the conclusion Jesus was acknowledging the personal relationship he had with His Father. They enjoyed each other’s company. Jesus began in his Father’s house and ended in his Father’s hands.

The final prayer speaks of a protection He knew he could trust. When He prayed “into thy hands”, He understood the security within the Father’s hands. The Hebrew child prayed this when in danger. (Psalm 31:5) Those were the final words from Augustine; the final words of the Protestant reformer, John Hus, as he was being burned at the stake; the last words of Christopher Columbus before he died.

Commend is a banking term and means “to deposit,” or “commit” in confidence to another that which is precious. Jesus was acknowledging the absolute confidence he had in His Father and so committed the safety of His spirit into the Almighty’s trustworthy hands.

With that, in the simplest and most blessed, loving act of all, He was able to submit and yield to His Father.  Jesus died the way He lived… with total submission, ever conscious of His Father’s presence and incredibly confident in His Father’s protection.

I recall my Mom teaching me that early prayer and somehow even as a child it was meant to assure me that I could trust God….and it did! I no longer pray the words my mother taught me. However, I hear this final prayer from the Cross and somehow it too is meant to assure me that I can trust God – and it does!

Major Sandra Rice