My Love of Music

I think my love of music started at a very early age as both my Mum and Dad were always very musically minded.

My Dad is a big fan of jazz/big band music and as a keen musician has played in many bands over the years. He also spends a lot of time arranging/composing music for some of the bands/soloists he knows.

On the other hand, my Mum's side of the family grew up attending the Salvation Army and as such were heavily involved in both the singing groups and the bands - My grandfather having been the leader of the first singing group (Songsters) at Rutherglen corps!

I remember when I was very young, climbing up on the piano stool beside my Dad while he "tried out" some of his arrangements/compositions - Apparently I was a "great help"!

As soon as I turned seven I started piano lessons and continued this for a number of years, going through the exams up to Grade 8. It wasn't always easy but thankfully I stuck at it.

Although having been taken along to the Salvation Army at Rutherglen from a very early age, and giving my heart to Jesus at age seven, I never joined the junior band (Young People's Band) until I was about 11 or 12 as my piano lessons were the same night as the learners class! Even when I did initially join it was to play percussion!!!

After a short while I was given a trombone, a short lesson on how to hold it, blow into it and the various slide positions for the notes and the rest is history as they say! That was my one and only trombone lesson (and yes I know that explains a lot!) - My Dad and one of my cousins both being trombone players, then became the source of the rest of my trombone training.

Between learning the piano and trombone, I also learned to play clarinet, although I did continue to play my clarinet for a number of years, I'm afraid it's now been a while since I last played it.

After all this while I was still at Rutherglen Salvation Army, age 18, I became a uniform wearing Salvationist - during this time still in the Singing Company (junior choir) and  YP Band (junior band), but also joined the Songsters (senior choir) and Senior Band. Not long after becoming a Salvationist I became pianist for the Singing Company (junior choir), and then also for the Songsters (senior choir). A little later I took on the roll of Deputy Songster Leader and a little later again followed in my grandfather's footsteps by taking on the roll of Songster Leader for about two and a half years. After a short break from the Songsters I took on roll of Songster pianist for the second time. I also following in my Dad's footsteps, by composing several songs for the songsters and arranging music for several soloist.

In 2002 I transferred to Bellshill Salvation Army where I'm a member of the Senior Band.

So there you go, that's my musical background! Having had a grounding in music from an early age, I've also found music to be a very important part of my life and especially my Christian life. I've found over the years in so many situations that a piece of music or a song can say more to me than anything another person can say. Music seems to be able to touch my heart and emotions to a greater extent than anything else, so I do treasure the times when I get to just sit and listen to music.

So what's my favourite music?

That's very hard to say, because I often find it depends greatly on how I feel at the time I'm asked! I love a very wide variety of music and style, however it may not surprise you when I list several Christian or Salvation Army songs/pieces of music as my favourites:

- Lord I Come To You (The Power of Your Love)

- The Light of the World

- Just As I Am

- Milestone


I've used it before but here's an video of Lord I come To You which I find inspiring and emotional from the start of the video:

Peterborough Weekend

I'm in His hands, I'm in His hands,
Whatever the future holds
I'm in His hands.
The days I cannot see
Have all been planned for me;
His way is best you see;
I'm in His hands.

I shared those words with you last week, when I told you of some difficult days ahead for me. Well I've survived those days! It's certainly not been plain sailing but God has certainly held me in His hand during the last few day. I certainly wouldn't have got through them as well as I have without Him!

Our weekend visit to Peterborough Salvation Army was absolutely fantastic, and I'm delighted to say a number of people even knelt at the Mercy Seat during the Sunday morning service which was led by David Kendall. There was great atmosphere in the meeting - God was most certainly there, and working!

Well it was such an emotional meeting for me with Olwyn Mathie singing "Written In Red" which as always she sang so beautifully and with so much feeling, and the congregational song "The Power of Your Love" that both always really touched me, that I fell apart during the meeting and found myself kneeling at the Mercy Seat! I'm still not quite sure how I got myself there!

It was an emotional day for me not just because of the morning service, but during the afternoon service I didn't feel too well again so had to stop playing with band. I really had hoped I'd have managed to get through the weekend pain free, but at least it was the last meeting of the weekend before it happened I suppose.

Thank you God for holding me close these last few days, they've been tough but through your strength I've made it through.

Thank you to all of you who have prayed for me particularly over these last few days - I really do appreciate your prayers and your support.

I'd also like to thank those in Bellshill Band and Peterborough corps who offered their support during the weekend, I was much appreciated.

Thank you all.

Harvest

Today at our services at Bellshill Salvation Army we celebrated harvest time. What images does that conjure up for you?

Here's the dictionary definition of "harvest":
1. the gathering of a ripened crop
2. the crop itself
3. the season for gathering crops
4. the product of an effort or action

Traditionally we always think of farmers, crops and food when we think about harvest.

This harvest I'd ask you to pray for those who are starving...not just in foreign lands but here in this country. We all can be very guilty at time of taking our food, possessions and our family and friends for granted, so I'd also ask you to thank God for all you have, all He has given you.

But harvest need not just be all about the crops and the food being harvested, it's also a time for us to think about bringing others into a knowledge and understanding of God's love...to "harvest" others lives into God's will.

We must all be examples for Christ, after all something we say or do may be the thing which brings someone into a relationship with God. We may not always see any results of what we do/say, but if we a simply word or action may be the seed that lands in someone's heart and develops into a heart full of love for God.

2 Corinthians 9:10
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

In conclusion, pray today that God might use you to plant a seed in someone's heart so that they might come to know God as their friend and saviour.

New Look BSAB Website Launched

Tonight I launched the new look Bellshill Band of the Salvation Army website. (www.bsab.co.uk). The band has had a website for a number of years now but we felt it was time for a freshen up!

Over the last few days while I've been doing all the work to get the new versiion of the website up and running, I've found myself overwhelmed by the responsibility that comes being the person who updates/maintains a website especially one with such a powerful message to give.

As a member of Bellshill Salvation Army Band, I often remind myself that I must only be part of the band if I'm doing it "for the right reason" (this is the band's motto). So the last few days I've found myself thinking "I am looking after the band website for the right reason?" - I certainly hope I am, as I certainly do not expect (or want) praise/thanks for the work done - It was done in my own time because I want to promote what we as a band at Bellshill are all about, and if that means we can help bring one person into a relationship with God that would be wonderful!

I pray that God will continue to help me in the work I do with the band website, and that it may become an even greater outreach to others for the band.

Remember to go checkout the Band's website now - www.bsab.co.uk

If you find any problems/issues please notify me via the Webmaster contact option.

Thank you and God bless.

His Provision

At our morning service we had the retirement of two officers (ministers) who have served as Salvation Army officers (minister) for 38.5 years! We celebrated there many years of faithful service and the love and teaching they have passed on to all they met during their service.

This all got me to thinking about my own service, obviously not as a Salvation Army officer (minister), but simply as a follower of Christ who is serving Him as a soldier in the Salvation Army at Bellshill. What I started thinking about was my own service. If this were my "retirement" today, would I be celebrating my service to God, confident I had served Him well all my life?

This is a very tough question, and an even tougher one to answer honestly! So what's my answer? Well, I could tell you that I have served God as well as I possibly could and done everything He's asked of me, but I'm afraid that would not be the truth. I have done something in my life that I am not proud of, I've done some things in my life that gone against God's plan for me and I've said and done some things which I am ashamed of.

However, I am so thankful to God that despite all of this, He has forgiven me for all my sins, because He still loves me and cares for me and wants me to serve Him.
So how about you - If this were your"retirement" today, would you be celebrating your service to God, confident that you had served Him well all your life?

Whether your answer is positive or negative, rejoice, because God still loves you, and will always love you no matter what your sins.

On Thursday night at our band practice we practiced the beautiful Ivor Bosanko piece "His Provision" which was originally published in in the 1985 Musical Salvationist as a songster (senior choir) piece. The words of that piece are very relevant to where my thoughts have been today, and in fact we played this piece during our morning service.

Please consider the words of this song, and try to see how they fit with your life:

His Provision (Ivor Bosanko)
At the moment of my weakness,
When my need for pow'r is plain,
And my own strength is exhausted once again,
Then my Lord has made provision
For the day of my despair,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
Then my Lord has made provision
For the day of my despair,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

Holy Spirit! Promised Presence fall on me.
Holy Spirit! Make me all I long to be.
Holy Spirit! Holy Spirit!
Give your pow'r to me,
O Holy Spirit.

When the darkness falls around me,
When bewildered and afraid,
When I feel the most deserted and betrayed,
Then my ev'ry need is answered
By God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
Then my ev'ry need in answered
BY God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

Nothing now can rob God's servant
Of the peace that He bequeaths,
Nothing take away the strength His presence breathes,
Of the EVERLASTING ARMS OF LOVE I'M DAILY MADE AWARE,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
of the everlasting arms of love I'm daily made aware,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

In conclusion I just want to leave the highlight me favourite words in this song:

When the darkness falls around me,
When bewildered and afraid,
When I feel the most deserted and betrayed,
Then my ev'ry need is answered
By God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

These words are so reassuring to me, I hope they are reassuring to you too.

Spiritual Home

What kind of weekend have you had? Have you been busy or have you just been relaxing and chilling out?

Well I've had a busier weekend than I've had for a wee while, having been a 3 meeting at the Salvation Army - 1 at Bellshill and 2 at Rutherglen!

For those of you who have not been reading my blog here's a wee bit background - I attend the Salvation Army at Bellshill, but I was brought up at the corps in Rutherglen and transferred to the corps at Bellshill in 2002.

My cousin and his wife are the Salvation Army ministers (officers) at the corps in Keighley, and this weekend they came "home" with the Keighley Salvation Army Community Band, to lead the services at Rutherglen Salvation Army. As I don't see my cousins and their family very often, I went along to Rutherglen last night (Saturday) and this afternoon (Sunday).

Although I've been back at Rutherglen Salvation Army since I left, it was still strange being back there, particularly as I played in the Rutherglen band! It was just like old times, especially with a number of my family also being there.

There were several times during the two meetings I attended at Rutherglen when I must admit I felt a bit emotional, not just because my cousin was back home and leading the meeting, but because spiritually this was my home too. So much of my Christian learning and experiences happened at Rutherglen, it was where I committed my life to God and publicly declared my love and desire to serve Him all my life.

This weekend, I've found myself reflecting on past times, but also the present and the future. I realised for example that without the basis to my Christian faith that I gained while I grew up attending Rutherglen Salvation Army, I would not be the person I am today. While I am happy in my service at Bellshill Salvation Army, I will be forever thankful to those at Rutherglen who taught me all able God and influenced/inspired me to be who I am today. Some of these folk still attend Rutherglen Salvation Army, others are now with God in heaven, others no longer worship at Rutherglen.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation

So today, take a few minutes to think about those people who have had an influenced on your life (for the good of course!). If you are still in contact with them, thank them for the impact they've had on your life, after all they may not be aware of it! Say thank you to God too for these people as He is the one who is responsible for it all.

Have you influenced anyone or had an impact on their life?

With God's help and guidance each one of us is capable of making a difference in someones life.

I pray today God will help you to make a difference in someones life.

It's Thursday Night!

...and for me that means band practice night. No I'm not in a rock band, I am in fact a member of the Bellshill Salvation Army Band, where I play trombone. So today I thought I'd tell you a wee bit more about me and the Salvation Army.

My Mum's side of the family has always been in the Salvation Army so I was taken along to the services at Rutherglen, from a very early age. When I was 7 I gave my heart to Jesus. I joined the Singing Company (which is the junior choir), and about 5/6 years later I joined the Young People's Band (the junior band) playing percussion for a few months before moving onto trombone.

When I was 18, after a number of years of doubt and soul searching, I decided that I wanted to continue serving God through the Salvation Army, so became what we call "soldier" - I wear Salvation Army uniform. From then I sang in our Songster Brigade (senior choir) and played in the Band.

I continued to attend the Salvation Army in Rutherglen until 2002. Since then I have been attending Salvation Army in Bellshill where I play in the band and also look after the band's website (www.bsab.co.uk).

I have been very priviliged to travel with the band to a number of place in Scotland, England and further afield. Our Easter Tour in 2003 to the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium was a particular high for all of us in the band. You can read more about all the places we've visited in the band's website.

The band has recorded 4 CDs, the last of which we just recorded a few weeks ago and has not yet been released. It was really hard work recording the CDs but I'm sure those who have listened to them will tell you our hard work has been well worth it! Again if you want more details please visit the band's website.

So there you go, that's a very brief history of my time in the Salvation Army. If you want to know more, I have two testimonies listed on the band's website, plus if you keep reading the blog I may tell you more about me in the coming weeks. :)

Today I've been thanking God for the allowing me the opportunity to play in the band again - for several years I was unable to play much due to some health issues. Music has always been a big part of my life and so I find it a great way of expressing my faith and praising God's name.

I'd ask that today you say thank you to God for the wonderful music that He has inspired many to write, and for those use their musical talents to share God's message by singing/playing the music.