God Keep Our Land Glorious and Free! By Nina Faye Morey

How Can You Tell Someone’s Canadian?

(Answer Below)

a) They like to finish their sentences with, “Eh?”

b) You accidentally bump them and they say, “Sorry!”

c) You say you went to Timmy’s and they don’t ask, “Timmy who?”

d) All of the above.

Celebrating Canada’s Creation

Happy Birthday, Canada! It’s hard to believe you’re 150 years young. A milestone called a sesquicentennial (SES-kwuh-sen-TEN-nee-yul). In 1867, the British North American Act united four provinces to form the Dominion of Canada and a new baby nation (now the world’s second largest) was born! It took its name from the Iroquois word Kanata, meaning “village.”

Canada’s National Flag

Until I was twelve, our nation proudly hoisted the Canadian Red Ensign on its flag poles. Like the majority of Canadians at the time, I saw no reason to change it. In fact, I’d already become quite attached to this national symbol. But after much controversy, our leaders of the day chose to replace it with the Maple Leaf. This simple, stark flag didn’t appeal to me at first. But over the years it’s grown on me, and I now proudly display it on Canada’s birthday and on my luggage whenever I’m travelling.

Celebrating Canada 150 in Our Glorious Land

Our family plans to celebrate Canada’s 150^th birthday by taking advantage of Parks Canada’s free National Park pass to visit the Canadian Rockies. I never tire of their majestic splendor.

I’ve Been Almost Everywhere

One goal on my bucket list is to travel across our glorious land. My son and I have taken three WestWorld Tours together. Our first was to Churchill in 2014. On a Hudson Bay whale watching tour, we enjoyed a frolicking pod of belugas. We also spotted some polar bears on the shore, although it’s unusual to see them in the spring. During a tundra buggy tour, we adored a seal sunning itself on a rock out in the Bay.

In 2015, we took our second tour to Victoria. It was my third visit to this glorious destination. My son hadn’t travelled there since he was three, so it was all new to him. We loved visiting the Butchart Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Craigdarroch Castle, and several other tourist attractions.

In 2016, we travelled with WestWorld to Haida Gwaii. With its unique flora and fauna, this archipelago is a fascinating destination to visit. A couple of highlights were the Golden Spruce Trail and Balance Rock.

Counting up the Canadian communities I’ve visited was fun and enlightening. I’ve been to many places in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. I especially enjoyed travelling through the Canadian Shield and the Canadian Tundra by train—two fascinating vistas.

Canadian Places I Still Hope to Visit

Newfoundland and Labrador (especially Newfoundland's historic Viking village, L'Anse aux Meadows, in honour of my Viking ancestors, and Gros Morne National Park—both UNESCO World Heritage Sites); PEI; Nova Scotia; Ottawa’s Parliament Hill & Parliament Buildings; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Quebec; the Yukon and NWT (Whitehorse and Yellowknife).

Incredible Canadians to Celebrate

Sir John A. Macdonald, Alexander Graham Bell, Dr. Frederick Banting, Laura Secord, Tecumseh, Billy Bishop, Tommy Douglas, Terry Fox, Michael J. Fox, Rick Hansen, Margaret Atwood, Alice Munroe, Roberta Bondar, Julie Payette, Chris Hatfield.

Canadian Principles to Celebrate

Canada ranks high in the international community for its democracy, multiculturalism, civil liberties, economic freedom, freedom of speech and religious freedom. US News & World Report’s annual “Best Countries” survey ranked Canada the second best country in the world for the second consecutive year and first in its “Quality of Life” category.

O Canada!

Answer: (d) All of the Above

Photo Credits: © 2017, Nina Faye Morey

An Unexpected Celebration - Tracy Krauss

I love Canada Day and this year I was especially looking forward to the '150' celebrations. I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes down to it. Every Canada Day since I can remember I've dressed in red and white (and made the rest of the family dress appropriately, too!) and gone to a parade, a community BBQ, a festival in the park, or whatever else was happening in the community we happened to be in that year. I've had the privilege of living in a lot of different places and each town or city puts their own unique spin on their Canada Day celebrations.

Who can forget the community fish fry in Fort Smith, NWT? White fish from Great Slave Lake served hot to about 2000 residents. Yum! One of the most special Canada Days I ever experienced was the year we took our family to Ottawa - part of a cross Canada tour. It was amazing to be part of the crowd at the concert on Parliament Hill and see the fireworks over the Parliament buildings - things I had only ever seen on TV.

This year our plan was to travel to Fort St John, BC (about two hours from our home) to spend the day with our daughters and grandchildren. There were lots of special 'Canada 150' events planned and we wanted to share it with our family.

And then our plans were changed.

The Sunday previous our son was in a serious car accident on the Pine Pass. (A particularly winding section of highway in northern BC.) His injuries turned out to be minor, although he is still dealing with various aches and pains while waiting for plastic surgery on his face and nose, which were badly smashed. The driver wasn't so lucky. He died at the scene - the single dad of a 12 year old son.

Dan was our neighbour from directly across the street. We often bantered back and forth, borrowed each other's tools, and generally had a good time teasing one another. He was just that kind of guy. Always friendly and willing to lend a hand.  In fact, he brought my son more than one meal while I was in the hospital in Vancouver this spring (another story entirely) and got my son a job working on a crew replacing old rail lines. They were on their way to work together when the accident happened.

My husband was asked to conduct Dan's funeral service, even though Dan had not been a church goer. They'd had enough conversations over the fence about God and spiritual matters that his family felt he was the only choice. The date they chose? July 1st.

Of course there was no way to refuse. We didn't want to refuse! Dan was a good neighbour and friend, and the fact that he was dead while our son survived, made us profoundly grateful.

We did manage to see some fireworks later that evening, but Canada 150 pretty much passed us by. In the end it was still a memorable day, although not for the reasons we had hoped. It brought into stark clarity how blessed we are, not only because we live in such a great nation, but because God is sovereign.

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?

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/