5 Rules For Using Audio/Video Media on Your Site

I don't create many sites that feature multimedia. Most of my customers don't have a need for audio or video on their site but we occasionally get a request to add an advertisement or webinar. That said, I've scoured the internet enough to have seen good, bad, and ugly uses of multimedia on the web. The following are my guidelines for using multimedia on a website.

Avoid Autoplay

Autoplay is a touchy subject. From my experience, autoplay isn't the way to go. A user could enter the page and walk away from their computer. The volume on the user's computer could be too high or too low and the autoplay could blast them out before they can adjust their volume. Additionally, autoplay could be a waste of bandwidth. Unless you run a video site like YouTube or MetaCafe, don't use autoplay.

Always Give Stop, Pause, and Volume Controls

I've actually found myself on websites that autoplay media and don't provide stop, pause, and volume controls. Needless to say, not providing media player controls is a terrible practice.

Make the Media Player Easy to Find

There's nothing worse than hitting a page with a lame song or video playing and not knowing where the hell to turn the thing off. Place your media players in an easy to find area on your site. Burying this media player on the page will only guarantee that your user sets the record for quickest "back button" click ever.

Quality -- Everything or Nothing

I can't stand when a video or audio snippet is placed on a website to support an article but the media is of such poor quality that they actually damage the article's credibility. Provide quality video, even at the expense of load time -- I'll wait for something good.

Among the finest SA videos shared by a corps were those of the ISS visit in October 2010. Credit goes to the camera man, editor and set designer (camera angles including stills). The equipment used was top of the line; cameras/audio) 

No one expects that corps sections be of the same quality musically or deportment, however, every effort must be made to represent the army with quality presentations. Shaky camera work, out of tune ensembles, brass and voices, do us all damage. Better to 'borrow' from other sources and give them full credit.

A FAITHFUL GOD - FAITHFUL WARRIORS (PART THREE)

The evening celebration encouraged us to look at what is happening now and was enthusiastically led by indigenous Officers and youth of the territory.  I found the youth of this territory to be an absolute inspiration and made me feel the Army is in very safe hands as I saw something of their passion, drive and enthusiasm.

Sunday morning brought the Commissioning and Ordination of seven cadets.  A very solemn congregation gathered as the Oslo Temple Band ensemble prepared our hearts and minds for worship with their playing.  Sensitively we were asked to remain seated as the colours were processed into the hall, followed by the Cadets.  Sven however, with a burning in his bones, could not remain seated for the colours and so I witnessed my disabled husband, refusing help, struggle to stand as I realized he could not remain seated for the flag and all it represents. His ancestors and others were prepared to die for our colours, and some did.  In hindsight, I wish I had stood too, but I guess many of us stood in our hearts and in gratitude to God for the beautiful sight of these soon to be Lieutenants.

As you would imagine testimonies were shared, Scripture, the recitation of our doctrines and the individual signing and ordination of each Lieutenant.  We then celebrated and rejoiced in God’s goodness and faithfulness in preparing the hearts and minds of men and women for future ministry.  Miracle, upon miracle, upon miracle … how much can you take in, in one weekend???  My heart and I know the hearts of those around me where absolutely overwhelmed as we wondered ‘How much more’ … and there was much, much more.

One of the new Lieutenants was the daughter of present day indigenous Officers … Two new Corps gained Corps status … 34 new Soldiers were enrolled … and 11 new Cadets were recognized as being ready to enter the new session of Cadets … 12 young people had completed a 2 year Battle School course and are now ready to consider further their future with God.

Throughout the whole of the weekend, in every meeting, the mercy seat was lined over and over again by precious, precious young people, as the rushing of the Spirit was so evident in our midst.  A call to Officership was made and numerous beautiful, intelligent, professional young people publicly responded and still others stood to their feet signaling their willingness to take on leadership positions within their Corps.

I was soooooo impressed with the quality of the indigenous Officers … with the commitment, passion and drive I witnessed in many young people as they prayed in wide open public spaces outside of the meetings … in the park … in the foyer … in the hotel and were quizzically observed by other non-Army hotel guests.  I saw an Army that is healthy, alive and dynamic.  I saw an Army with hope for a new generation.  I saw an Army blessed by God.  I saw ‘my’ Army and thanked God for it.

There have been a few occasions throughout my life when I have been absolutely, uncontrollably in awe of the presence and blessing of God.  I think the first time was as a fifteen year old at the International Congress in London in 1978.  The last time was this weekend at the Eastern European Congress and celebration of 20 years since the re-opening of Russia and ‘opening fire’ in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Romania.  God has blessed us, blessed us indeed and in faith we continue to believe:  ‘God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ever ask or imagine in our wildest dreams’

Can I urge you to pray for our brothers and sisters in Eastern Europe, ‘our Army’? I recognize the reality and continued hardship in these countries is far from easy for those who faithfully serve there, particularly in Georgia and Romania and the young Officers who give so totally of themselves. ‘Bless our Army, with Thy fire baptize us all.’

Glad Ljungholm
Major

A FAITHFUL GOD - FAITHFUL WARRIORS (PART TWO)

KIEV CENTRAL CORPS YOUNG PEOPLE'S LEADERSHIP TRAINING 1994

Saturday afternoon gave us much time to eat, share fellowship, meet old friends and for me, new ones.  I very soon discovered that much of the love, affection and high esteem the people have for Sven was eagerly expressed to me too.  People who seemed desperate to greet Sven, speak with Sven, have their photo taken with Sven and thank Sven seemed to come at us from every direction.  It was wonderful to meet with some of the very first soldiers Sven and Kathie enrolled, to hear some of their stories and to see them still faithfully serving God through the ranks of The Salvation Army.  We met some who were no more than children and now, young women bringing their own children to celebrate.  Others who had aged somewhat over the twenty years but nonetheless still gave sincere thanks to God for what seemed like their ‘forefathers’ Kathie and Sven, their heroes of faith.

Many different expressions of worship were shared during the course of the afternoon, out in the park in the heat of the day.  Young brass musicians playing jazzed up versions of familiar SA tunes.  Dynamic youth drama groups performed.  An Oslo Temple band ensemble sensitively fitted in to the whole weekend and added so much. Sven recalled leading them in the triumphant march as they opened fire in Leningrad, following the SA flag to the very place where his grandparents had been arrested.

Russian Cadets 1918 with Adjutant and Mrs. Otto Ljungholm (Cadet Zeligmann was arrested and scheduled to be executed; story follows in a few days)

However, I guess for us and particularly for Sven the highlight of the afternoon had to be watching and listening to the newly formed YP band from Yalta. They played enthusiastically having only been learning for the past seven months.  Sven and Kathie planted the Yalta Corps, and the Commanding Officer had been one of their young people sixteen years ago in the Kiev Central Corps Singing Company.

KIEV CENTRAL CORPS SINGING COMPANY (with a young Captain Ruslan)

Sven now greeted some of their early recruits from Yalta. The Officer invited Sven and me to return with a group next summer (2012) to conduct a ten-day music camp and to encourage the ongoing work there amongst the young people. No one seems to take notice of Sven’s disability… He doesn’t allow them to. They still see him as that strapping Captain that led them, the pioneers into battle in the years following Perestroika. Any interested volunteers reading this please contact either Sven or me.

The evening celebration encouraged us to look at what is happening now and was enthusiastically led by indigenous Officers and youth of the territory.  I found the youth of this territory to be an absolute inspiration and made me feel the Army is in very safe hands as I saw something of their passion, drive and enthusiasm.

Sunday morning brought the Commissioning and Ordination of seven cadets.  A very solemn congregation gathered as the Oslo Temple Band ensemble prepared our hearts and minds for worship with their playing.  Sensitively we were asked to remain seated as the colours were processed into the hall, followed by the Cadets.  Sven however, with a burning in his bones, could not remain seated for the colours and so I witnessed my disabled husband, refusing help, struggle to stand as I realized he could not remain seated for the flag and all it represents. His ancestors and others were prepared to die for our colours, and some did.  In hindsight, I wish I had stood too, but I guess many of us stood in our hearts and in gratitude to God for the beautiful sight of these soon to be Lieutenants. Sven has remnants of the flag his grandfather was holding as he was arrested in 1919. If these stories were told in the IFOT and corps, I believe every soldier, recruit, cadet and officer, including the ex-pats would rise as one in tribute and thanks to God for the true Eastern Europe early pioneers.

Glad Ljungholm, Major
UKT

Part Three will follow

FAITHFUL GOD...

What can you expect from a weekend away?  It was a Salvation Army Congress but in another territory: The twenty year celebration of the Salvation Army re-opening and opening fire in Eastern Europe.  I always look forward to traveling with Sven, it is always eventful, and leading up to this weekend was no exception.  Journeying to a new country for me, Ukraine, an old but very special one for Sven.  The thought of meeting new people for me and old and very precious ones for Sven.

I had heard the stories over and over and over again of Sven and Kathie’s early days in Russia; Leningrad, Moscow:  in Kiev, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova,   I had seen the photo’s … watched the video’s, had Sven’s Grandad’s diary read to me of his early days in Russia too and I had been moved deep in my soul and thanked God for their love, commitment, faithfulness, what appeared to be blood, sweat and tears and sheer hard work to bring about God’s will in what I understood to be hard, hard countries.

Then we arrived at the airport in Kiev and I found people to be warm, friendly and prepared to go out of their way to help me and my disabled husband.  (This is not always the way when we are traveling and arriving in different countries)  At our hotel we very soon met some ex-pat Officers whose brief conversations of their past work began to tug at my heart strings.  On listening to some of their stories I felt as if I was amongst some spiritual giants and I felt both humbled and privileged to be in their midst.  As I continued to listen to and observe these people throughout the weekend the words: ‘faithful, committed, unchanging, inextinguishable’ kept coming to mind and I thanked God for their stubborn determination to help bring about the will of God in what appeared to me to be against all odds.  BUT GOD!

It wasn’t long before I found myself being introduced to some ‘miracles’.  Some had joined our ranks twenty years ago, initially knowing little of God and nothing of The Salvation Army but had turned their backs on communism and the Red Army to join the ranks of the Yellow, Red and Blue Army.  Others will be able to repeat their stories far better than me, but I know I witnessed row upon row of miracles as I sat in their Officers Councils on Friday evening.  The leaders for the weekend were The Chief of the Staff Barry and Commissioner Sue Swanson.  The challenge they brought to the Officers that Friday night was the concept of ‘Immeasurably More’ … ‘God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ever imagine or ask in our wildest dreams’ … ‘Immeasurably More’ as this young territory move into adulthood,  maybe having been through the rebellion and difficulty of teenage years  and now ‘growing up’ into Christ and moving forward with Him.

I asked Sven about the ’new’ pioneers, those who left home, (SEE PART TWO) family, and the comforts of ‘the west’ in the early to mid 1990’s. The names numbered 20 or so, those Sven himself hold as pioneers and defenders of the faith. Today’s pioneers are mostly the indigenous Officers and soldiers who continue to plant, nurture and serve in new fields of harvest.

Sven shared with me the story of how visitors to St. Paul's Cathedral in London will gaze at the third largest Cathedral in the world in awe. The architect commissioned to restore the Cathedral following the Great Fire of London in 1666 was Sir Christopher Wren, and chose as his them RESURGAM, 'I shall rise again'. Visitors to St.Paul's are often surprised to learn that there is no statue honouring Sir Christopher.  Instead, next to Sir Christopher’s tomb in St. Paul’s there is a small plaque placed there by his son and is inscribed; “Reader, if you seek his memorial – look around you.”

I saw the living memorial to those early nineties pioneers, first and second generation Salvationist…

My heart was overwhelmed as I rubbed shoulders with fellow Officers from Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia and Ukraine and recognized our common calling, ‘Called by God to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ through the ranks of The Salvation Army, all our days.  Called to save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity whether we find ourselves in Eastern Europe, USA or UKT or wherever in God’s vineyard.

Captain Ruslan was enrolled as a Jr. Soldier by the Ljungholms. He and his wife Marina are the Commanding Officers of the Yalta Corps, Ukraine, planted by the Ljungholms. Captain Rusland is pictured with his children, Anna and Daniel.


Saturday morning found a packed hall as five countries of the Eastern Europe territory gathered together in Congress.

We were encouraged to ‘Celebrate the Past’ and how.  How my heart ached … how my heart ached as I thanked God for those faithful servants who had served no matter what the cost to make possible what I saw before my very eyes that morning.  With pride that morning I carried the name ‘Ljungholm’ although none of this was anything to do with me in the slightest.  However, I do recall as a very young Officer in Councils in the UK being challenged by the then TC Commissioner Dinsdale Pender to pray for something ‘big’ and how he wept as he shared his prayer for the downfall of the Iron Curtain and then beginning to join him in prayer for Christians in Eastern Europe.  Ironically, I also recall hearing stories filtering through of the ministry of Captains Sven and Kathie Ljungholm in Russia and praying for them.  Prayer however, is the only part I have ever played in this amazing story.  And now, I found myself right in the midst of it celebrating the past as I recalled just some of the stories I was aware of.

I thanked God for Farfar & Farmor (Grandad & Grandma) Adjutant Otto and Gerda Ljungholm and for the part they played in and around 1917 as with others they initially brought TSA into Russia from Sweden.  I wept as I recalled the young Cadet Seligman who was arrested at an open air meeting in Leningrad and taken to his death by the Red Guard for his faith, and as I pictured Otto Ljungholm praying for the right words to share with his young wife, a mother of two toddlers, of how her husband and been captured.  And how on arriving back at the compound where they lived heard her crying on hearing the news:  ‘Lord, I thank you that I have been chosen to suffer like this’.

I sobbed as I considered a young Lieutenant who had been found dead and on going to identify her body at the morgue the Swedish Officers exclaimed:  ‘She is not here, she was blonde and there is no-one here of that description’!  Then the guards wafted away the solid black mass of flies and the Captain correctly identified the young, dead, blonde Lieutenant.  And I heard the words again ringing in my ears:  ‘Be faithful and true to the very end’ … what a challenge!

I recalled being told of how the young Officers from Sweden and Norway were forced out of Russia.  The Salvationists in Moscow marched to the Baptist church where they were eagerly accepted and welcomed into the fellowship. Many became prominent in the church’s leadership.  However,  many continued to meet in secret in nearby forests, their fear was the result of the early day pioneers being arrested, persecuted and some never to be seen alive again. Nevertheless they met and in their own way kept The Salvation Army alive.  In their bid to ‘Never let the old flag fall’ they created their own SA banners made up of anything they could lay their hands on in Army colours. As a tribute to those early day pioneers one always stood to their feet on seeing the army colours.

In our home we have a very precious portable mercy seat that was woven together with remnants of old woolen jumpers by Sven’s Grandmother and I imagine the depths and strength of prayers and tears that have been prayed and wept on that mat. It was carried secretly hidd en in a ruck sack to SA soldiers’ homes in and around Moscow where prayers were shared subsequent to the Army’s official expulsion and the Ljungholm’s departure.

The heart wrenching stories go on and on of what has happened down through the years to make it possible for me to have stood in the midst of this congregation of ‘saints’.  I know there have been many, many ‘faithful, committed, unchanging, inextinguishable’ Officers, soldiers and friends for whom I thank God for, but just now I ask you to indulge me as I thank God for the ‘Ljungholm’s and of whom I am now a part of and proud to bear their name.

And so the stories go on and on of what has happened down through the years to make it possible for me to have stood in the midst of this congregation of ‘saints’.  I know there have been many, many ‘faithful, committed, unchanging, inextinguishable’ Officers, soldiers and friends for whom I thank God for, but just now I ask you to indulge me as I thank God for the ‘Ljungholm’s’ and of whom I am now a part of and proud to bear their name.

Major Glad Ljungholm
West Scotland DHQ

A short time after the Corps was without Officers, the young lady was allowed by the corps to drift away. 

A few weeks later she entered hospital.  Apparently without anyone from the corps noticing.  However, she had maintained contact with the previous officers via e-mail, texting and the occasional un-announced visit to the quarters.  So when it came time to enter the hospital she turned to them and they followed her stay with daily follow ups.  

During her healing period she visited the quarters often and even made two Army visits with them to their new Corps.  Months went by and without any follow up from the Corps she dropped off the map.  

The Corps Officer couple maintained regular contact with both the young girl and her family however, in that the officer now had an appointment elsewhere, time constraints forced the contacts to become less and less frequent.  Nonetheless, it was the loving, supportive relationship that had been established between the former CO and the young lady was more than the Corps could handle and objections were shared, and as is so often the case, based on rumours and gossip to the point where DHQ intervened.

Today, the young lady lives 200 miles away from home in a sheltered environment where it is hoped that the depressive experiences she suffered since the Corps deserted her can be reversed.  We have every hope that in four weeks she will be joining us on a mission trip to Latvia paid for by her parents and an anonymous Salvation Army supporter.  The Corps has made every effort to thwart this potential life changing experience for her. However, in that it is a privately arranged venture and one in which the girl's parents have whole heartedly endorsed TSA's blessing is not needed. Nonetheless we shared the circumstances of the mission trip and the young person's contributions and THQ has sanctioned her involvement. Needless to say perhaps, except to some, we are adhering to Child Protection guidelines and Safe from Home.

The Latvia Mission will provide our young friend the opportunity as a salvationist to help a young person in an abandoned Latvian village to say, ‘Jesus lives in my home’.

Sven and Glad

IF JESUS LIVED IN MY HOUSE... Part One

A few years ago Major Joy Webb came for a week-long visit to our home in New York.  It was the NY Central Citadel Corps’ centenary weekend.  In addition to many public meetings we also spent many hours in private conversation. Joy Webb is known as one of the Army’s most prolific song writers and she had written a song called:  ‘If Jesus lived in my house’ and the song included the words:  ‘What a happy place it would be’.

I have only heard the song sung once and that was by Jacqui Proctor former soprano soloist of the ISS who had also spent a week with us in New York in the late 1980’s.  Somehow she had become aware of the song and it had apparently touched her heart as it did mine.  It is a song that can be described as one that is the foundation of many a Salvation Army Corps. Joy tells the story how she had heard about a family whose children were coming to a corps she visited in the Yorkshire area. She learned that the YP soldier’s home lacked every comfort including beds and mattresses.  She asked the corps' YPSM if she could visit the family and on doing so found that the children lived in the most squalid of conditions and their only joy in life was attending youth meetings and being part of the youth music sections at the Corps. The sad conditions prompted Joy to express her thoughts in the song, "If Jesus Lived in My House"...

As I reflect back on my own Salvation Army genesis the beginnings were identical except that my mother came from a rather well-to-do family.  But the traditional Lutheran home could not be described as one where Jesus lived. It was in the early 1930’s when she and her siblings were introduced to the Girl Scout movement at the Salvation Army in one of the four Corps in the small town of Orebro, Sweden.  From there their interest moved them into the YP sections and Junior Soldiership.  Next was joining the string band, Corps Cadets, but what was key in their formulating such a keen interest in the Army was the interest shown in them by the Corps locals. The Scout leader, YPSM, Singing Company Leader, and Corps Officer all made regular visits to my grandparent’s home some 20 minutes by bicycle from the corps.  This was an era when the average Swede didn’t own an automobile so in order to insure the children’s safety it was common practice that a senior from the corps would walk the children home the three or four times a week they were at the corps for some practice or other.  Perhaps you, a parent or grandparent came to the Army under very similar circumstances.

I know of a Corps, not a very large one and one that should have as its priority, recruiting soldiers, young and old, not so much for corps growth purposes but because there are people who are needing to experience ‘Jesus in their home’ in their town

In that town there is a home just a mile away from the Corps where two young girls crying out for attention found their way to the Army.  A short time later one found fellowship in a youth organization in town but her sister kept coming to the corps.  Her sisters and parents showed little interest themselves but were pleased that their daughter made friends with the officer’s family and through whom her Army activities were encouraged.

The young girl attended youth activities, singing company practice and attended Sunday meetings.  With the change of appointments came a childless couple who opened their home to the young people Sunday afternoons in an attempt to maintain the bond that had been established.  They also visited the family which resulted in the sister coming to the Corps albeit for a brief period of time as she was mistreated by one of the uniformed corps teenagers.  


A short time later the Corps was without Officers and the young lady was allowed by the corps to drift away.  


Yesterday, Sunday, when the telephone rang we thought it'd be our young friend ringing to ask if she could stop in. But instead, she was ringing from 200 miles away, in England, having been expelled from her home...


(to be continued)

Dr. Sven Ljungholm

Kaari Ljungholm Owens          £650 (USA)

Major Marianne Ljungholm     £500 (USA)

Major Goran Larsson               £200 (Sweden)

Claire Durant                            £100 (England)

Helen McLaughlin                   £100 (Ireland)

Ann Carruthers Grigor             £100  (Scotland)

Govan Cit Corps                      £  95  (Scotland)

            Wilson

            Tyrell

            Ljungholm

Reg Thompson                        £  50  (England)

Sharon McKenzie                    £  50  (USA)

Exeter Corps                            £  40  (England)

Southport Corps                       £  30  (England)

Barrhead Corps HL                  £  26  (Scotland)

Nicki Hawker                           £  20  (England)

Mark Robb                               £  15  (England)