Canada Through Fresh Eyes, by Bob Jones

Canadian freedom and security is glorious, just like our national anthem says.

On Canada Day, values that Canadian-born people may take for granted are best treasured through the eyes of those celebrating their first Canada Day.

In April 2017 two Syrian refugees landed at the Edmonton International airport and were welcomed to Canada with hugs and Tim Hortons. They are now happy residents of St Albert, Alberta.

Four years ago they were forced to leave everything familiar and flee the bombings in their city of Damascus. They made their way to Jordan where they were interned in a refugee camp. The couple were eventually taken in by a group of Jordanians living north of Amman. 

For three years they repeatedly applied for refugee status in Canada. Only when a Christian organization in Canada guaranteed their sponsorship was their application considered.  North Pointe Community Church waited for fourteen months to meet the couple they had fallen in love with from a distance.

Since April, their time has been invested in learning English, enjoying BBQ’s, meeting new friends and getting ready for Canada’s most famous season by stocking up on winter supplies at a Canadian staple - garage sales. And during the playoff run they learned to cheer for the Oilers. Not everything has been easy.  There is the emotional stress of leaving behind family who are still in danger, fitting in socially, getting jobs and establishing a new life. They love their new home country.

Not only does Canada have so much to offer them, they have so much to offer Canada. Volunteering in a UN Humanitarian Aid organization in Jordan provided one of our new friends with useful administrative skills. Our second friend is a skilled goldsmith, just waiting to use his talent in a Canadian context.

People from North Pointe have been shuttling them to appointments and the afore-mentioned garage sales. Strangers have been so kind. When one owner heard about their flight from the civil war in Syria she packed up a bag of mitts, a scarf, very expensive warm knee highs, a hat and a few other items.  Our Syrian friend was thrilled and her face absolutely beamed with appreciation.

Sitting on a deck and enjoying a cup of tea at sunset one evening the couple remarked how safe they felt. Safe. Secure. Canada, eh?  Thank God for Canada.

Canada is a one of a kind nation. One hundred and fifty years ago the dominion of Canada came into being – named from the text of a Psalm. “He shall have dominion from sea to sea.” A mosaic of nationalities. Unconquered by foreign invaders. A nation bonded in battle at Vimy Ridge and burgeoning with opportunity and possibilities.

When you engage with people new to Canada let their appreciation for all we may take for granted give you a fresh perspective and gratitude.

This summer be Canadian - drink a Horton’s double double. Bar-B-Q. Be grateful. 

And sing with hope and humility, “God keep our land glorious and free.”

Bob is a recovering perfectionist, who collects Coca-Cola memorabilia and drinks Iced Tea. His office walls are adorned with his sons’ framed football jerseys, and his library shelves, with soul food. He writes to inspire people to be real, grow an authentic faith in Jesus, enjoy healthy relationships and discover their life purpose.

Follow his writing at Pointes Of View.

Celebrating Faith During #Canada150 - By Ruth L. Snyder

In 1977 our family left Southern Africa, where my parents served as missionaries, and settled in Three Hills, Alberta, for what we thought would be a one year furlough. Instead, we stayed in this small town on the prairies, which provided many opportunities for my personal faith to grow and flourish. Along with memorizing hundreds of Scripture verses, studying the Bible, listening to world-renowned missionaries like Dr. Helen Roseveare, and experiencing majestic music nights, I discovered not everyone wanted to follow Jesus Christ. (In grade 7 some of my classmates gave me the nickname, "Saint R.B.") During my grade 8 year I renewed my commitment to Jesus Christ and was baptized.

In grade 9, I entered Prairie High School. That year our language arts teacher asked us how she could pray for us. I was shy, so I asked her to pray that God would give me boldness and help me welcome all the new classmates who had joined us. I also joined the high school band. Our conductor was a former RCMP member who walked through the halls of our school with no emotion 😐 on his face. I made it my goal to make him smile every time he saw me. After several attempts, I was successful 😃.

High School provided many more opportunities for me to grow in my faith. I enjoyed the weekly youth events, including the "Sing-and-Share" nights where we were encouraged to share what God was teaching us. In grade 10 I thrived under the instruction of my volleyball coach. I related well to her because she wanted to be back in South America where she had served as a missionary, and I was still working through not being able to return to Southern Africa. At the end of grade 10, I spent the summer at Ross Haven Bible Camp as a junior counsellor. The campers challenged me to explain my faith clearly. I also learned how to play almost any chorus by ear on the piano as I was the only pianist at camp and printed music was not always available. One week I received a phone call from my parents, informing me that our family was moving away from Three Hills. I was devastated! I prayed that God would allow me to stay at Prairie High School. He answered by having my grandparents offer to host my sister and I so that we could attend school there.

However, the next year my parents wanted us home. My sister and I attended Hines Creek School - a small K-12 public school north of Grand Prairie. What a culture shock! I was the only one who had not been in the class since Kindergarten. I missed my friends. I grieved not being able to graduate with them. I cried myself to sleep. I prayed that God would bring at least one person to saving faith that year. God answered when one of my sister's classmates accepted Jesus Christ as her Saviour.

There are many more memories I could share of Canada and opportunities to grow in my faith. However, my prayer is that God will help each of us to continue to grow in our faith, that we will be lights, and that God will keep Canada glorious and free.

How are you celebrating Canada150?

With Glowing Heart ... by Glynis M Belec

"Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds." 

Isaiah 55:8 (NB)

Last week was indeed  a true Canada Day 2017. Not at all like I had planned, but a fabulous one, nonetheless. 

A month ago, I had my agenda tidily filled in and my plans were in place. I had been asked to help organize, or at least participate in a local Art in the Park event for Canada Day. I thought that would be fun and I could perhaps help some of our local writers promote their work too, so I jumped in. The plan was also for me to have a book table decorated to the nines with my newest publishing hurrah - a story in Chicken Soup for the Soul Spirit of Canada. Perfect timing for my new Canadian title. I was excited and hoped to sell a lot of books.

Shortly after I had said 'sure thing,' though, I found out my daughter was going to be moving that very day. So I had to break it to the organizers that I was backing out. I felt bad but it was a case of priorities and I had to help. 

However, my plan was to pop by and enjoy Art in the Park later in the day, and help out if I got back in time. So all seemed well, all things considered. 

Then, wouldn't you know it, things switched again. Plans fell through for my daughter. I felt badly but then I thought perhaps I could recommit to helping out on Canada Day. I didn't jump in head first this time. I merely mentioned I might be able to come to help out on the day, in case things turned around for my daughter. The gal who had contacted me was so kind and told me to come if I was able. She would save a spot. So I planned again. 

But I shouldn't have bothered. 

It's not that things turned around for my daughter. 

It was my Dad this time. He had a bit of a turn - well a succession of turns and the short story is he ended up being put on a heart monitor. So there went any plans of my own. This was just prior to Canada Day. And I knew that I couldn't leave Dad for any extended time so it looked like I had to cancel everything. I did. 

As we did our devotions that morning, I remarked to Happy Hubby, who was also heading out to do some catch up on some work of his own, how differently the day turned out to what I had planned. 

"That's sometimes how God works," he said, kissing me farewell and leaving me contemplating. 

It was a good thing I stayed home, too. Dad ended up having a dizzy spell and his heart was racing just as I was helping him up. Right away I had to get him to lie in bed for a while and follow the doctor's instructions. Eventually things settled down and all was quiet in paradise. 

Later, once Dad seemed okay and I had given him breakfast and got a few things done in the kitchen, I went to the back patio door and stood quietly for a minute looking at my garden and the impending black clouds that loomed near. I was feeling a little frustrated and thinking about how my plans didn't work at all. I didn't get to help my daughter move. I didn't help with Art in the Park. I didn't get to set up my table and sell all those books that I had planned on selling. I didn't get to partake in typical Canada Day celebrations. And it looked like rain. 

Then I heard it. At first I thought I was imagining it. 

It started out soft and low. A solitary sound of a trumpet playing O Canada - and it drifted across our subdivision to my back porch. I opened the screen door and stepped outside, still in my pjs.  My heart stood to attention. My body followed suit as O Canada got progressively louder. Three times the distant trumpeter played it. For three minutes I stayed still. Smiling. Listening. Appreciating. 

I thanked God for sending me that special gift Canada Day morning. It seemed to focus me. Reminding me about my glowing heart and how God keeps our land glorious and free! 

The rest of my day was not at all as I had originally planned. I did the laundry. I wrote a little bit. I cleaned our bedroom, and sorted through things I had kept putting off. I cleaned the pantry. Wrote some more. Ran an online Oh Canada Trivia Challenge. Made some muffins. Smiled a lot. Counted Blessings. 

Not a day that I had planned. But it was such a peaceful, fulfilling, relaxing kind of day that I had not experienced in a long time. I kept thinking about the trumpeter. And O Canada. And the way God's plans are not our plans. Gratitude. 

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

                                     Glynis

Welcome to Canada! - Ramona Heikel

This month our Canada Day celebrations put us in the spotlight, so we look out to the world and say “Welcome to Canada!” And each year, many new Canadians who do feel welcome take part in the citizenship ceremony on Canada Day, which excites me, because I believe each one enriches a community in this country.

I feel fortunate to be surrounded at work by men and women who have come from all over the world to live here. It is interesting to learn about their native lands, and the customs, religion and foods, which they frequently share with us. I also am happy to meet newcomers in my neighbourhood, but am sad to see that many are not finding life as easy as my co-workers. Many struggle to learn English so they can find work and help their children adjust to school and a new home.

But even though it isn’t much, I have been able to help neighbours, coworkers and friends to learn English as their second language. It has been a joy to practice English as we share our lives, review grammar or spelling for an email or resume, work on homework, discuss Canadian laws and culture, and even write letters to government agencies. I thank God for bringing us together because they give so much to my life.

As an avid reader and educator, literacy is important to me, and I applaud the many volunteers and organizations that assist newcomers to Canada. Thank you, Calgary Public Library, for your free literacy programs. Thank you, too, Calgary READS, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, YMCA LINC Program, and ESL Cooperative Ministries. As a writer, one way I have attempted to support new citizens and organizations like these is by writing articles or blog posts, but I’d like to do more. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

As a Christian, I am also aware that God is at work in the lives of Canada’s newest citizens, delivering many from difficult circumstances. My prayer is that through all of us, He will draw each one to himself, and help them thrive, not only culturally, socially, economically, but most importantly spiritually.