Can it really be that it is only a week since we actually officially started this college? The almost frightening truth is that it is! Well actually today was day 9 if you are seriously counting, but that’s not quite as dramatic is it?
Anyway, in the last few days we’ve been well and truly inducted; have got study skills coming out of our ears; have attempted to learn our Sessional song which is ok but tends to get stuck in the mind a little; and have also been faced with a Practice Essay that was of such possible breadth as to blow the mind a little!
So far though the highlight was Sunday, which in college parlance was a Spiritual Day! The Training Principles were responsible for the day and they spoke on the need to be attentive to and orientated towards Jesus. Three things in particular spoke to me during the day: a song, a flag and another song!
First, a song! During the morning meeting we sang Graham Kendrick’s “Knowing you” which of course speaks about knowing Jesus. What came to mind as we sang was that the last time we had sung that particular song in the Assembly Hall was on our wedding day. I couldn’t help but consider how much has changed since that day just over 9 years ago. I certainly wouldn’t have expected to be stood there again as a cadet, in fact it wasn’t even on the radar back then. What I do know though is that I have never been let down by God in the intervening years even though I’ve let him down far too often.
Second, a flag! Yes, you’ve read me right and all those who know me really well can have a laugh at my expense! As part of the afternoon meeting, The Salvation Army flag of the Session is presented. Now despite being a 5th generation Salvationist, I can’t say that the flag has the same meaning for me as for some Salvationists. However, as the flag was marched down the hall and presented to the flag bearer, and then dedicated, a tear came to my eye. For the first time I suddenly realised that I was standing in the same hall in which my mum, dad and grandad has stood and witnessed a similar ceremony. For just a moment it seemed that the decades slipped away and I was stood shoulder to shoulder with them; that I was stood beside Zoe at the time just made it more wonderful. It is a moment that I will long remember!
Finally, the 2nd song! One of the officers on the college had written a song especially for the day with the title, “From this moment on…” and it spoke about the fact that from now on we were dedicating ourselves to the Lord anew for a new task. Again the significance wasn’t lost on me! Whilst my previous work for the Kingdom has been important I really believe that from now on the work I will be training to do and will eventually do as an officer is what God has been leading me towards for many years. I really do want to go for it from this moment on!
series of several races down the hall of the flat. Aivis took a number of photos of them and in the one you can see the sheer concentration that they put in before the obligatory “1, 2, 3, GO” command was given.
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