Food for Thought

I once read that by the time we feel thirsty, we are actually too thirsty.

According to experts, it is advisable that we drink water long before we experience the symptoms of thirst. Those symptoms are nature’s way of telling us that we are on our way to dehydration, and that we have left it too long since we last filled up.

It’s much the same with a car, for example, or with the prize vegetables we are trying to grow down on the allotment. If we leave either without water for longer than is advisable, the car’s engine will begin to malfunction, and the vegetables will struggle and maybe even die.

I dehydrated once, when I caught a virus as a boy. The effects were dramatic. I would hallucinate as my body became unable to process the correct amount of fluid to my brain. All things considered, then, we can safely conclude that being deprived of water is not a good idea. Such deprivation weakens us, physically and mentally. Conservative Party leader David Cameron always drinks a mug of hot, sweet tea before Prime Minister’s Questions, working on the theory that hydrated brains function better.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus had a conversation with a woman who had come to draw water at a well. Jesus used the conversation to highlight our need of spiritual refreshment and sustenance. He said, “All those who drink this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring which will provide him with life-giving water and give him eternal life” (4:13, 14 Good News Bible).
For each of us, balance is important. We need to look after ourselves in order to maintain physical and mental wellbeing.

Our spiritual life, though, is also important. If we fail to nurture the spiritual dimension to our lives, there is a vital part of us, within, that suffers. Jesus alone can quench such a spiritual thirst. He wants us to take him up on his offer of life-giving water.

How about it? There is plenty for everyone. A chat with Jesus over a cuppa will do the trick, and will refresh those parts of us other philosophies and theories simply cannot reach. Consider yourself invited!

Major Stephen Poxon

The Brush

I'm a retired officer having worked, with my wife, on agricultural projects in Africa for much of my life. (I have a BSc. in agriculture). We now live in Perthshire. You may know Majors Stephen and Heather Poxon (at Paisley). Heather is our eldest daughter. We worked in Zimbabwe, Kenya (where Heather was born), Congo and Nigeria and retired in 1996. Both of us were new to the Army and just thank God for the wonderful way He has led us over the years. 

I still go to Africa quite frequently, last year I went with our youngest daughter, Carol and her family, and a group of school children from her school to Malawi to plant trees and put up beehives in four villages for the Army. Then in November I helped run a beekeeping training course for the Army in the Congo. Next month I will be going to Sudan to help with a beekeeping project run by World Vision.

Since retirement I have published several books for development workers in Africa (on plant uses, beekeeping and edible insects!). This work was paid for by doing dry-stane dyking for local farmers. I enjoy dyking, and it's a way of saying thank you to God for being able to live in this beautiful place.   

A few years ago I went to stay with my eldest daughter, Heather, who lived in the bush in the Congo. I remember when I woke up in the morning hearing all the wonderful sounds of Africa, the cockerels crowing, some women talking, I felt the warm air that came through the window which was wide open, and then suddenly I heard a pig. I looked out of the window but couldn't see it any where. Where had it got to? Then I suddenly saw it being carried on someone's shoulder.

While I was staying with Heather I was given my duties each morning. One morning she gave me this brush made from some grass stems bound with an old tomato tin.

It had been bought in the market for 10p.

My job was to sweep out the sand, dead cockroaches and ants each morning - all the bad things that had come into the house during the past 24 hours.

Each morning we need to ask God to keep us clean, pure and fit for his service - to clean out something unkind or untrue we might have said, some bad habit we've got into or some bad thought that's been bothering us.


Let us make the same prayer that king David made many years ago, each morning when we get up.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit in me".

Major Paul Latham (R)

Life is a Journey - Part 3

his article is the third of a series written by Major Ian Robinson, who is a local Ayr product. You can read the first article by clicking here and the second by clicking here.

Major Robinson and his wife Isobel are the Corps Officers at the Sheringham Corps in Norfolk.

Ian and Isobel are well-known all over the Army world as pastors, missionaries, and an incredible music and song-writing team. While they were stationed in Singapore, Ian and Isobel wrote a series of email "epistles" to the rest of the world entitled "Survivor Island". Those letters were always filled with poignancy, hope, and a love for the people for whom they worked so diligently to bring the love of Christ.

We are delighted Ian has agreed to write these articles for us and we hope you enjoy this journey!





Major Ian graduates to Trombone!

Life is a Journey – Part Three

Life’s journey takes many twists and turns. Over the years since I left Ayr God has taken me to some incredible places and introduced me to many delightful friends along the way. Here are just a few:

- Santa Barbara – We spent seven and a half years in this beautiful Mediterranean-style community about one hundred miles north of Los Angeles. It was our first Corps appointment and we grew to love this wonderful city with the Pacific Ocean breaking on its shore and the mountains standing tall behind. We grew from rookies to seasoned officers here. In January 1999 we were commissioned as “full” Captains in the Corps with the Regent Hall Band led by Stephen Hanover accompanying us – they were in California for the Rose Parade!

- Singapore – Part of our hearts will always be there. It is a magical, enchanting island with everything ancient and modern. In just a few square miles you can be in England, or China, or India, or Malaysia, or Indonesia, or even the USA! We loved the people, the food, the pulsating, driving lifestyle, the convenience for traveling throughout Asia, and the ministry that God gave us among the people.

- Asfirrudin – He was a fourteen year old Malay Muslim boy with a brain tumor who was admitted to Peacehaven, the nursing home we ran in Singapore. When he came in he was not expected to live more than a few weeks. He could not move or do anything for himself – he was literally in a vegetative state. But the constant care and love that was showered on him by our staff saw him begin to respond, first with slight movements of his eyes, then with his hands. Soon he was sitting up and quite aware of his surroundings. I visited him often and was always surprised at the progress he was making. Our chaplain, Jimi, also visited him and kept telling him about the love of Jesus. One day, more than a year after his arrival, Jimi asked him in Malay if he wanted to accept Jesus into his heart. He told him to squeeze his hand once for “Yes” and twice for “No.” Asfirrudin squeezed his hand once and accepted Christ as his Saviour while Jimi prayed. He went to heaven a few weeks later. His doctors said that the quality of life he enjoyed was far greater than anything they expected. He was my special friend and I still miss him.

- Mui Lang – She was the cause of some of our greatest headaches in Singapore, but became one of our best friends! As the Assistant Executive Director for Nursing in Peacehaven she really ran the place. We called her “the matron” since that was her role. It was also her attitude. But we recognized her leadership and potential to help us achieve our goal of making Peacehaven truly a Salvation Army ministry. Over the years we saw her move from adversary to friend. She began attending the Corps, then became a soldier, and finally we commissioned her as our Corps Sergeant-Major! What a woman! A five foot nothing bundle of nuclear energy, she kept us running from morning till night. When we left Singapore, we proudly and confidently handed over the reins of Peacehaven to her, and she still calls us every week with an update!

- Kolok – Captain Tan Guat Hai, or Kolok as he is known, is the Corps Officer in Bintulu, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. I visited Kolok several times and was always impressed by his energy and compassion. One day, while conducting the Corps Review we were interrupted by a phone call. A longhouse belonging to an Iban family had burned to the ground. Kolok told me we needed to deal with this so the review was put on hold and we loaded his van with food, clothing and other supplies. Then we set off on a two-hour trip into the jungle where we found the family living in a makeshift tent alongside the ashes of their former home. We gave them the supplies and spent some time listening to their story. It was only later that I discovered that the Iban people used to be headhunters! Many still have the little shrunken heads hanging on their doorposts to ward away evil spirits. But this young officer and his CineseHong Kong wife bravely and regularly carry the compassion of his Christian faith into the heart of Borneo, because they love Jesus.

- Myles and Debbie – These two are among our newest friends. While we were attending our “home” Corps in California (Tustin Ranch), we met Myles and Debbie after a Sunday morning service. Myles was going through a very difficult work-related trial and although he was a Buddhist, he was looking anywhere to find some peace and help. They were Japanese-Americans from Hawaii who both worked as pharmacists. Isobel talked to them and quickly realized they needed Jesus in their lives. Led by the Holy Spirit, she asked if they wanted a relationship with Christ and to know His peace. They blurted out, “Yes!” and we led them into a small room where they both invited Jesus Christ into their hearts. We only had a few weeks with them before we left for the UK, but saw tremendous growth in their faith, and great joy and peace come into their lives. They now attend the Corps regularly, and we look forward to seeing them in a few weeks.

Throughout this journey Isobel has been my constant companion. She is my best friend, my inspiration, and my soul-mate. Without her I would have been lost. Of course, the same is true of Jesus Christ, who brought us together and has kept us in His love. Together we travel through all the twists and turns and eventually will be united for all eternity. What a wonderful hope! Jesus says, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). And so we journey on singing the words of Fanny Crosby:

I must have the Saviour with me,
For I dare not walk alone;
I must feel his presence near me,
And his arm around me thrown.

Then my soul shall fear no ill;
Let him lead me where he will,
I will go without a murmur,
And his footsteps follow still.

Major Ian Robinson

Missing the Presence

MISSING THE PRESENCE

A man wanted to become a monk so he went to the monastery and talked to the head monk. The head monk said, "You must take a vow of silence and can only say two words every three years." The man agreed and after the first three years, the head monk came to him and said, "What are your two words?" "Food cold!" the man replied. Three more years went by and the head monk came to him and said "What are your two words?" "Robe dirty!" the man exclaimed. Three more years went by and the head monk came to him and said, "What are your two words?" "I quit!" said the man. "Well," the head monk replied, "I’m not surprised. You’ve done nothing but complain ever since you got here!"

My wife, Heather, could win any competition to find The World’s Quietest Person. Yet, when she went away recently, the house seemed silent. Paradoxical, really, as Heather contributes little to the levels of volume in our household. It was her presence that was missing. I wonder if it can sometimes be like that in our lives? Can we just carry on as usual (as I did, with my daily life, when Heather was away), but, occasionally, know that we have, somehow, missed God’s presence, despite everything else being just the same?

There are probably several reasons for that happening (and I guess it happens to us all): busy-ness, fatigue, distractions, responsibilities, cares and concerns, etc - the sheer hurly-burly of normal life. We can rely upon the fact that God is actually present. ‘Never will I leave you…’ (Hebrews 13:5). That ‘never’ is a strong word! Therefore, if we miss his presence, it behoves us to consider afresh, Psalm 42.

God knows about our busy lives, and understands. We have the indelible reassurance of James 4:8: ‘Come near to God and he will come near to you’ - not to blame us, or rebuke us, but to embrace us. When we take one step towards God, experience shows us that he takes ten towards us. The secret is to take that step. We need to acknowledge that our awareness of the promised presence is missing. Without that acknowledgement, we are in danger of simply going through the motions. The psalmist recognised his spiritual thirst (Psalm 42:1), and turned that thirst into a prayer. This week, if that presence seems to be lacking, it might be helpful to step back for a moment, and to sense him - and his love - close, once more.

Major Stephen Poxon

Life is a Journey - Part 2

This article is the second of a series written by Major Ian Robinson, who is a local Ayr product. You can read the first article by clicking here.

Major Robinson and his wife Isobel are moving back to the UK to take up an appointment at the Sheringham Corps.

Ian and Isobel are well-known all over the Army world as pastors, missionaries, and an incredible music and song-writing team. While they were stationed in Singapore, Ian and Isobel wrote a series of email "epistles" to the rest of the world entitled "Survivor Island". Those letters were always filled with poignancy, hope, and a love for the people for whom they worked so diligently to bring the love of Christ.

We are delighted Ian has agreed to write these articles for us and we hope you enjoy his journey as we publish it!




Major Ian Robinson

Life is a Journey – Part Two

The letter 'S' has played a critical role in our journey. We left Ayr in 1977 to live in Surrey, and five years later immigrated to the USA with our two girls. We had a simple plan – open an English pub to sell British drinks and food to Americans at extortionate prices, then retire to a Greek Island where we would write books in the Mediterranean sun! But as Burns once wrote, "The best laid plans of mice and men …"

After eighteen months in our California paradise our relationship was in trouble and our Catholic faith was failing to meet our spiritual needs. The dream was crumbling until one of Isobel's nursing friends suggested we read the Bible. Trial and error led us to the Living Bible and when she read the Gospel of John she was utterly convicted by the Holy Spirit and surrendered her will to God. Seeing a dramatic change in her I did the same. We then knew that we needed to find a church where we could develop this new relationship with God, so I made a list of churches in the area and suggested we visit one each week until we found one we liked. Isobel, ever the pragmatist, looked over the list and, seeing The Salvation Army at the bottom, said, "We'll just go there!" So I returned to the Army and we went to the Santa Ana Corps. Within six weeks I was in uniform and playing in the band. The girls loved Sunday school and we made many new and lasting friendships. Most importantly, we grew spiritually and our family bond was strengthened because of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our journey was very pleasant and comfortable. We had a wonderful church home, a nice house, good jobs and a growing family. I played piano at the Corps and began writing music. We taught an adult Sunday school class, started a home Bible study and were increasing our understanding of God's will and purpose for our lives. Then I was made redundant and spent several months trying unsuccessfully to find a new job. I was told by more than one company president that I was the one they wanted then never heard from them again! It didn't make any sense until one day Isobel came down to breakfast and asked if I had been talking to God about Salvation Army officership.

"Don't be so absurd!" I said, utterly shocked.

"Well," she said, "I've just been arguing with God upstairs and He told me I was stopping you from becoming an officer!"

She had been praying and asking God why her talented and intelligent husband – her words, not mine – could not find a job. God answered that it was because she was stopping me. At first she was confused, and then she realized what He was saying. "You don't mean THAT job?" she asked incredulously. And God said, "Yes, that job!"

Isobel never wanted to be an officer so that avenue of service appeared closed. Now it suddenly opened up and within a few months we were appointed as Auxiliary Captains to Santa Barbara on the Pacific coast about ninety miles north of Los Angeles. After seven and a half years we were moved to Santa Rosa, forty-five minutes north of San Francisco in the Northern Californian wine country. Then in 2004, two and a half years later, the Army sent us to Singapore where we served for four and a half wonderful years before reluctantly returning to California. Now, following a few months at THQ we are ready to leave for Sheringham, the sixth 'S' in our journey.

We never achieved our dream but received something infinitely greater and more valuable. Instead of serving alcoholic drinks we have helped people overcome their addiction to alcohol. Instead of serving British food we have given out the bread of life to those who need it most. Instead of making a lot of money we have stored up for ourselves treasures in heaven. And instead of retiring to a Greek island we will spend eternity in heaven with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! We have riches beyond our wildest imagination and the journey's not over yet!

Wheee!

Webmaster note: The following article was written by Major Clay Gardner who is the Corps Officer in Concord, California, a sister corps to Ayr.






Weee!
by Major Clay Gardner

When Pam was pregnant with our daughter Joy, we flew from San Francisco to Orlando, to visit her parents. Pam was still in the morning sickness phase of her pregnancy. We were concerned with the flight and for good reason. We flew all the way across country in a Boeing 737,  one of the smaller airliners. On the way home we had a layover in Dallas.
Approaching Dallas it got real bumpy. I began to get concerned for Pam. I would have been more concerned except that I was afraid if I concentrated too hard on any one thing, I might get sick. Pam on the other hand (who gets carsick driving across town) was fine.
I read a story recently by a man who was on a really bumpy flight. The plane was getting tossed about pretty good. Next to him was a young boy who was obviously terrified of the whole ordeal.
The man gripped his armrests, looked over at the young traveler and said "Weeeee!!!" Then he said to the boy, "Are you scared?" the boy nodded. "But this is fun!" Suddenly the boy's expression changed and the man and the boy spent the rest of the flight enjoying the ride.
I daresay that you won't find too many people enjoying the ride on an airplane being tossed about by a windy day. Overall it really isn't a pleasant experience!” and most of us have a hard time enjoying unpleasant experiences. It takes a person of deep, inner joy to find a reason to be happy when life isn't.
Now the Apostle Paul and his disciple, Silas had plenty of reason to be happy. When they visited Philippi they had started a small Bible Study and more and more people were coming to know God through it. People were being delivered from idol worship, from sickness, from all sorts of problems; they even cast a demon out of a slave girl.
Of course the slave girl's owner had used her and her demon to tell the future for a price and he wasn't too happy about the loss of income. Likewise the idol makers were losing business. So these businessmen gave Paul and Silas the business by concocting some lies that got Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in jail.
Personally, right about here I would have gotten a bit perplexed, perhaps even discouraged. To think, the reward for all the good they were doing was a back ripped raw with a whip and being thrown in jail. I think that most of us believe that good deeds are rewarded with goodness. But what happens when it's rewarded with evil? That's when we get grumpy!
Except Paul and Silas didn't get grumpy, they got happy! The inner joy - the joy that lived deep within them - surfaced in that jail. They realized that they were being punished for doing the work of God and that if they weren't doing it very well, no one - including Satan would have cared. So they rejoiced!
1 Thessalonians 5:16, "Rejoice always," and John 11:35, "Jesus wept." are the two shortest verses in the Bible. Jesus wept has fewer letters and so technically it is the shorter verse. Except, in the original Greek, the verse Jesus wept consisted of three words while rejoice always only had two - making it the shortest verse in the Bible.
As short as these verses are, they speak to a huge truth. You see, it is when we realize that it was His great love for us that caused Jesus to weep, that we really have something to rejoice about.
Now, perhaps you're thinking, "Boy, I wish I had that kind of inner joy." Well my friend, I have good news for you: Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. We don't need to work on being more joyful or happier people - we just need to work on being more like Christ - and the joy will come.
Because "...the fruit of the Spirit is...joy!" (Gal 5:22)  So enjoy the ride!

Life is a Journey - Part I

This article is the first of a series written by Major Ian Robinson, who might truthfully be described as a "local boy made good"!

Major Robinson and his wife Isobel are moving back to the UK to take up an appointment at the Sheringham Corps.

Ian and Isobel are well-known all over the Army world as pastors, missionaries, and an incredible music and song-writing team. While they were stationed in Singapore, Ian and Isobel wrote a series of email "epistles" to the rest of the world entitled "Survivor Island". Those letters were always filled with poignancy, hope, and a love for the people for whom they worked so diligently to bring the love of Christ.

We are delighted Ian has agreed to write these articles for us and we hope you enjoy his journey as we publish it!




A worried-looking Major Ian Robinson


Life is a Journey – Part One

Some of you may remember Malcolm and Connie High. They were Corps Officers at Ayr during my teenage years and I recently had contact with Malcolm because of our move to Sheringham. That’s his home town and our new appointment. As I reminisced about those distant days I began to recall just what a rotten and troublesome teenage Salvationist I was! Yet, more than forty years on, I am now a Major and soon-to-be Corps Officer at Sheringham. How did that happen? That’s the story of my life journey and there is a certain irony to it. In fact that’s a good way to explain it; I-R-O-N-Y!

Insensitive. It began with my insensitivity to my parents, Corps leaders, and most of all to God’s Holy Spirit. I must have sat through countless sermons, hours of Bible study at Corps Cadet Class, umpteen altar calls and yet all I thought about was me! I just wanted to live life my way; Romans 2:8 describes it perfectly – “Other people are selfish and reject what is right in order to follow what is wrong” (Good News Bible).

Rebellious. My insensitivity quickly led to rebellion against my parents, my leaders and God. I was trapped in a spiral of ever-increasing sinfulness. The Bible says that rebellion is as bad as witchcraft, and arrogance as sinful as idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23). My sin and arrogance were dragging me away from God, as well as the godly influence of The Salvation Army, and closer to Hell.

Open. I thank God for spiritual people who never gave up praying and encouraging me. It was the incredible witness of Isobel’s changed life that led me to read God’s word again. Suddenly all those old Corps Cadet classes with Malcolm and Connie came flooding back and began to make sense. Finally, I opened my heart to Christ and my journey took an amazing u-turn.

New life. With new life came a new direction. I couldn’t keep going down the old road – God was showing me a different way. I had grand ideas of how to find a new church, but Isobel’s pragmatism cut through all that and led us to the Santa Ana Corps of The Salvation Army where good officers and new friends helped me to grow into my new life. I learned again how to study the Word, pray and to worship. What a difference it was to know Christ and not just to know about Him!

Yielded. Now that God had my attention, He began working other miracles in me as I yielded myself completely to his will. Not easy but necessary. Paul says, “Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him” (Romans 12:1). Having committed to follow Him wherever He led, I began to go along with His wonderful plan for my life.

An even greater irony is that all the effort I poured into rebelling against God is now being used to serve Him! Paul says, “At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes” (Romans 6:19).

Surrendering to Him has taken me on a journey I could never have imagined, as well as to places and to people I will never forget.

More about that next time.