The Simple Faith of Sir Leonard Tilley - guest post by Violet Nesdoly

Sir Leonard Tilley still had the previous day’s meeting on his mind when he picked up his Bible one morning in1866 to read his customary chapter. The Confederation fathers’ discussions about what to call the new union of territories they were forming had gone no where. The question of what to call this new country laid heavy on his mind.

His Bible reading that day took him to Psalm 72. Verse eight snagged his attention: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth” - Psalm 72:8 KJV. 

One word jumped out at him. “Dominion.” What a splendid name to give Canada!

When he made that suggestion at the meeting that day, the others agreed. And that’s how our country came to be called the Dominion of Canada.

However, the presence of that Scripture passage in our Canadian heritage doesn’t stop there. In 1921 the architect of Ottawa’s Peace Tower, John A. Pearson, commissioned the words “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea” be engraved over the East window (along with engravings of Psalm 72:1 and Proverbs 29:18 over the South and West windows). 

As well, Canada’s coat of arms includes the Latin words: “A MARI USQUE AD MARE.” This  is a phrase that comes from the Latin Vulgate translation of Psalm 72:8. 

Sir Tilley’s story speaks to us of how God’s word can impact our lives. I love how this founding father of Canada retained his simple faith. It included reading the Bible every day and paying attention to what it said to the extent of applying its words and ideas to the problems and challenges of his life. 

I love too how the Scripture he claimed for Canada that day is now part of our story, engraved on one of our most iconic buildings, and woven into our very identity on the Coat of Arms. 

Let’s similarly read the Bible regularly, and then take God’s words with us into our daily lives. Let’s look to them for answers to everyday challenges. Who knows the effect they will have as they ripple through our lives and through us to our families, neighbourhoods, cities, provinces, country, even the world!  

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Bio: Violet Nesdoly lives in Langley, B.C. She blogs daily devotions at Other Food Daily Devos, and shares book reviews and a weekly article about Bible art journaling at VioletNesdoly.com.

Sources:

Canada: Portraits of Faith - Michael D. Clarke, Reel-to-Reel Ministries, 1998, p. 61. 

Samuel Leonard Tilley - wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Leonard_Tilley

“Canada’s Parliament Buildings Remind Us of God” by Douglas Cryer

https://www.christianity.ca/page.aspx?pid=12262

“Ad Mari Usque Ad Mare” - Nathan Betts on Canada 150 (RZIM regional Canadian blog)

http://ca.rzim.org/regional-blog/canada-150/

Canada: My Great Outdoors by Sharon Espeseth

Free Photos

For this topic, I'm recalling some of my outdoor experiences somewhere in Canada. Although I am not an outdoor guru, I've enjoyed some wonderful times and special moments en plein aire.

My Family Home
* Making mud pies
* Using mud to make our skin dark
* Ice skating with bob skates on our lake at Lake View Farm
* Snow angels and snowmen
* Playing with my sister

Free Photo: istock.com

Homesteading in east central Saskatchewan
* Evening walks with our Dad while Mom helped out teacher with personal care
* The raft Dad made for us that we poled around our small, fresh-water pond
* Trying to build a log cabin out of skinny poplars
* Riding toboggan behind our horse
* Swinging from tree to tree on our way to school

Edmonton
* Bike riding through Glenora where streets were paved
* Big family picnic in Victoria Park on Victoria Day
* Horseback riding in White Mud Valley
* Late evening skating on the oval or at White Mud
* Playing ball in our front yard and batting the ball through the picture window

Camping with our daughter, Jenny and her family
Blueberry picking near Lac la Biche

Bible Camp at Pigeon Lake
* Campfire
* Rugged cabins and outdoor facilities
* Swimming, walking by the water, boating
* Being outside much of the day

Nordegg
* Camping before there were campgrounds
* Hiking to Horseshoe Falls
* Wading across mountain streams
* Mountain climbing

Dunvegan to Peace River on a Home-made Raft
* Labour Day Weekend with church youth group
* About 140 km from Dunvegan to town of Peace River
* Eating on board
* Camping in the hills beside the river
* Singing; bass fiddle made from inverted tub, hockey stick and cord, guitars

Camping at Okanagan Falls, B.C.
* Free camping but no amenities
* Bathing and shampooing with cold water
* Cheap holiday and good weather after six weeks of summer school at U of A

Camping Across Canada with Teaching Buddies
*All the way to Maritimes
* Pitching our tent in the pitch black
* Wind came up through night and water was rising
* Morning light shows we are on the very edge of the Bay of Fundy
* Niagara Falls--say no more

Camping with the Norwegian and the Kids
* Heinz Creek Crossing
* Slave Lake after the Flood in the 80s
* In the mountains

Visiting Alberta's National Parks
* Waterton, Jasper, Banff

Sunset Through the  Jackpines

* Nature's playgrounds

Camping with 7 Kids and without the Norwegian
* Discovered why Thunder Lake is so named.
* Didn't get to relax as I had planned

Farming with the Norwegian and the Kids
* Lots of outdoor activities
* Sunrises, Sunsets
* Gardening--vegetables, fruit, flowers, enough to supply friends and neighbours
* Shovelling snow
* Quad and skidoo rides
* Walking
* Bird Watching

Skiing in the Mountains
* Shutting down the mountain when I didn't get off at Easy Dismount

The five of us beside Maligne River

* Skiing with our kids whizzing past me

Family at Black Cat Ranch and Maligne Canyon
* Horseback riding in the foothills
* Hiking
* Walking

Vancouver, Victoria, Vancouver Island
* With and without the kids
* Butchart Gardens
* Ferry rides

Closer to Home
* Calaway Park
* Calgary Zoo
*

Grandkids Caleb and Logan make their own style
teepee of lodgepole pines

Passion Play in Drumheller
* Parades

Adventures with the Grandkids
* Blueberry picking north of Lac la Biche

Blueberry Picking--Yum!

* In the Sandhills by Barrhead
* Near Fort McMurray

Bus Tour of Maritimes with the Norwegian
*Sight seeing

At the Highland Village in Nova Scotia with the Norwegian

I have not exhausted this list, but it reminds me how much I enjoy being outside, how much I need to be outside, and how blessed we are to have freedom of moving about. In every one of the activities above, I could include appreciating the beauty of God's creation in the land, sea, sky, wildlife, and people. Most of all nature encourages me to  commune with the Creator of this planet and of Canada, the place where we are blessed to live.

* Research is showing that our moms were right when they encouraged us to go out and play
* Being outside can improve our health in every way: physically, emotionally, spiritually, and
   mentally

With a friend I met while walking Fisherman's Wharf in Victoria

No matter where you live in Canada, nature is waiting for you. I am writing this to remind myself that I can improve my focus, my memory,  my heart rate, my productivity, my mental health . . . by getting outside where I can enjoy what Canada and the Good Lord have to offer us.








God is present in our outdoor ventures. He can restore our souls, if we let him.

Oh, Canada! - Shirley S. Tye

Canadians have much to cheer about.  Besides being known world-wide for our politeness and friendliness, we have many inventions of which to be proud.  To name a few; the foghorn (1854); basketball (1891); insulin (1922); snow blower (1927); walkie-talkie (1942); pager (1949); electric wheelchair (1952); ski-doo (1959); and the Canadarm (1981). Canada is a vast and beautiful country with many nationalities joined together, working together.   

My father emigrated from Finland in searched of work.  He was on his way to Thunder Bay, Ontario (originally known as Port Arthur and Fort William) because he heard that there was employment and many Finns had already settled there.  But on his way, he stopped in Sudbury and discovered that the mines were hiring.  He landed a job and called for the family to join him.  My mother travelled by ship to Canada with one suitcase and three children to tow; a thirteen-year old girl, a boy of seven, and another boy of five.  It was March 1952.  I like to joke saying that my family arrived by boat in 1952 and I arrived that year as well but not by boat.

If I had been born in Finland, I’d be proud to say I was Finnish.  Finland is a wonderful nation as well; a small but strong and determined nation.  Many Finnish inventions have improved life for others.  A few of their inventions are; Nokia mobile telephones; sauna; heart rate monitors used by athletes, IRC (Internet Relay Chat – chat rooms); and the Finns are world leaders in research and development of water use and purification.

But I am Canadian, living in Sudbury Ontario; a city comprised of many different nationalities.  We have many talents and inventions that we’ve contributed to the world. We have a bridge in the city that is lined by flags which represent the various ethnic groups residing within the City of Greater Sudbury (Ontario).  The bridge is named The Bridge of Nations. 

Oh, Canada!  A great place to live and work!  Thank you, Lord!   

Stars in the Canadian Constellation - Dayna Mazzuca

Don't ask me about Confederation or the CPR. Let's not talk about founding fathers or the famous five. Forget about the inventions (e.g. garbage collection bins) and lack of architecture (Winnipeg and Montreal exempted). I cannot name the wars we've won (or the islands we've lost). I do not know the 2nd and 3rd Prime Minister. Or whose treaty land I occupy.

Ask me instead about trails I've hiked, rivers swam, road trips taken. Ask me about Saskatoon berry pie and hot dogs over an open fire. Ask me about friends and where they live and how they make it work, here in the land we call home after so many generations away from our countries of origin (that we've never seen).

Ask how these points of brilliance make us one. How so many stars shining can make a picture in the sky we are privileged to share. Look up.

Canada, a constellation:

inhabiting the West. prairie mavericks. mountain shadows. coastal lines and northern lights. answered prayer.

blackberries growing wild on the West Coast. stopping to pick some (lots!) on a bike ride with my family. scratching all the way. bursting with joy.

hiking around Emerald Lake. hearing later there was an avalanche. feeling lucky. drinking tea in the outdoor hot tub.

sailing in the Gulf Islands. catching the ferry to Saltspring. listening to the water's wake. and seagulls. feeling free.

walking through a field of rye. knowing it's in the family. rolling wheat between my palms. looking up at the sky. falling in love.

visiting Diefenbaker's grave. at my old stomping grounds at the University of Saskatchewan. on tour.

picking up a green canoe to venture out. finding I can barely lift it. thinking about the voyageurs. paddling. longing for water.

complaining about price spikes at Fort Edmonton, Calgary Zoo and Telus Science Centre. wanting the world to be accessible for everyone. not understanding the attraction of money. being angry.

surviving a downturn. a housing bubble. about to burst. pricing out RVs. the last generation of snowbirds. helping to load the moving truck. feeling distant.

Rev. Rundle's church. imagining him preach. thinking of the people I met up north. in the Arctic. missionaries everywhere they are needed. residential schools. what happened?!

hearing Stuart Maclean died. remembering hearing him tell his stories live and being surprised how much he moved his body. how at home he was in own skin. then the cancer. grateful for voice.

staying in touch with friends across the years. where they live. and call home. Canada.


thinking what to write. I find this is a land of individuality with a shared sense of what it means to explore, discover, enjoy, protect and pass along—as a Canadian writer I trust my voice will find a place, as there lots of room to be and grow together. And so bravely, I write.


www.daynawrites.com