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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-05-24, Page 25PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1989. From the Minister’s Study God’s parallel thinking gives everyone a chance BY REV. DOUGLAS ZE HR, CO-PASTER, BRUSSELS MENNONITE FELLOWSHIP In his book, “New Think’’, Edward De Bono, an Oxford pro­ fessor and international exponent of lateral thinking, presents an interesting problem. Many years ago a businessman owed a huge sum to a money lender. The money lender, who was old and ugly, fancied the business­ man’s daughter and proposed a bargain. He told them he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag and have the girl pick out one of the pebbles. If she chose the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be cancelled. If she chose the white pebble, she would stay with her father and the debt would still be cancelled. If she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail and she would starve. As the money lender stooped to pick up the pebbles from the pebble strewn path, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked her to choose. Without hesitating the girl put her hand into the bag and drew out a pebble. Then, without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall, where it was immediately lost among the thousands of other pebbles in the path. “Oh, how clumsy of me!’’ she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag you will be able to tell which pebble I took by the colour of the one that is left.’’ Since the remaining pebble was of course black, it had to be assumed that she had taken the white pebble, since the money lender dared not admit his dishon­ esty. In this way, by using lateral thinking, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an advantageous one. The girl was actually better off than if the money lender had been honest and had put one of each into the bag, for then she would have had only an even chance of being saved. Many of us are very vertical in our thinking. We understand the dynamics or principales of the way the world works. We have been taught that for every action there is a reaction. Or for every act, a consequence. That is the way the world is. We are becoming more and more aware of it in the world. Insecti­ cides and pesticides deal with the. pests but result in environmental damage. Food preservatives have simplified our food preparation activities but they may turn out to be costly to our health. Industry has provided economic stability but may destroy our environment in the process. It also happens in relationships. Spend all your time on the job, refusing to take a vacation, working all the overtime you can, putting everything into your business and you may miss the most important things of life like your family - your spouse and children. Too late you discover you have taken them for granted. On the other extreme, wasting our time as couch potatoes may give us the latest scores in the sports world, the most recent updates to the soaps, or the currently popular suggestive one- liners from some situational com­ edy. But, we will not likely be leading the pack when it comes to success on the job, in our profes­ sion or with our family and friends. I would like to suggest to you that many of the individuals who interpret God for our world are very vertical in their thinking. When you hear them talk it sounds as if God is the great cosmic police officer handing out tickets and fines. Others speak as if to say, “God will get you for that!” Some see him as the great bookkeeper, keeping the accounts of our rights and wrongs. But the good news is that God is a lateral thinker. Like the girl in the Melville Presbyterian Church BRUSSELS May 21 - Carolyn McAvoy to be inducted into Melville, Brussels and Knox, Belgrave - June 29/89. 11 A.M. MORNING SERVICE SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:30 A.M. BELGRAVE SERVICE story, God is able to change what seems an impossible situation into an advantageous one. Your life may be in shambles, the result of your own poor choices or the direct result of influences and pressures which have been beyond your control. You may feel like giving up or have been told by others to give up. You may have been told you are a failure or simply feel like a com­ plete failure. You may be scraping the bottom or feel you are looking up at the world from the bottom of the barrel. God has another way for you to consider. God says, “I’ll give you another opportunity.” It happens through the power of loving, for­ giveness. That is the nature of God. Don’t just face the facts. Face the facts with God. Presbyterial hears missionaries Colourful banners and balloons with the theme “Go and Tell” formed the setting for the May meeting of the Maitland Presbyter­ ial Society of the Women’s Mis­ sionary Society in Knox Church, Ripley on Monday, May 8. Each of the 19 groups had been asked to bring a banner to be taken to the Anniversary celebrations which are to be held at London University, the end of May. Rev. Dick and Jane Paul, home on furlough from Zairi were guest speakers for the rally and showed slides of the area where they work. He is an accountant who has been serving with Mission Aviation Fel­ lowship for the past two years in Zaire and before that in Indonesia for three years. His wife is an R.N. who keeps busy helping, teaching, and entertaining the wives and families of the mission pilots who fly the small planes from the big airports. She finds it hard to adjust to living with walls around your house, bars on the windows, and a guard on duty at all times, but it is Nursing shortage threatens camps The Easter Seal Society urgently needs registered nurses to work with physically disabled children aged 7-19 at residential summer camps, from mid-June to late- August. One camp has no nurses, four others are understaffed and it is less than two months until the season is due to stan. The Easter Seal camps are located near Kirkland Lake, Perth, Collingwood, London and Port Colborne. Nursing salaries are negotiable depending on experi­ ence, full board is provided for the duration of the camping season and travel costs to and from camp will be reimbursed. Applicants must have a current Ontario Registration and a mini­ mum of one year’s recent clinical experience. Nurses who intend to specialize in paediatric, rehabilita­ tive or public health nursing will find the Easter Seal camping program a valuable career experi­ ence. necessary to protect yourself from the able-bodied men who have no employment, no moral values, and have never had the opportunity to realize their need for Jesus Christ. The new president, Isabel Ar­ buckle welcomed everyone and conducted the meeting. Mrs. Sadie McLeod of the Ripley W.M.S. gave us a warm welcome to Ripley. The Worship Service was in charge of Whitechurch with Dora Neilson reading the scripture, Mildred Purdon presenting the meditation on the “Power of God” and Kathleen Elliott leading in prayer. Alice Nicholson of Belgrave gave the offertory prayer. An Honorary Life Membership certificate was presented to Nina McDonald of Kinlough, and was accepted by Isabel Thompson in her mother’s absence. Kerry Nu­ Five generations Five generations - The recent arrival of Stacey Consitt in the Varnaarea completes five generations for the family of Beatrice Young. In theabove picture, Stacey, now four months of age is held bygrandmother Barb Consitt. Atthe back from the left are father Scott Consitt and great-grandmother Grace Evans with great-great grandmother Beatrice Young at the front right. gent of Ripley entertained with two beautiful solos “Joy is like the Rain” and “Love is Patient, Love is Kind”. Margaret Hamilton reported on the Children’s Rally to be held at Camp Kintail on June 13 and outlined the duties for each group. Highlights, from the synod held in Woodstock on April 27 and 28 were presented by Hazel Bateman, Mil­ dred Dickson, Rhonda MacKenzie and Alice Nicholson. Rev. Hugh Nugent brought greetings from Presbytery and the Ripley Congre­ gation. Wilma Clarke invited everyone to South Kinloss for the Presbyterial in 1990 and Helen Elliott of Brussels gave the cour­ tesy remarks. Blanche Needham had the closing prayer. A salad supper brought a very successful Presbyterial to a close. BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH King Street Sunday, 11:00 a.m. May 28 Morning Service Jesus with your Church abide, be her Saviour, Lord and Guide ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA May28 Pentecost2 HOLY EUCHARIST REV. PATTNUNN 887-9267 Trinity, Blyth St. John’s, Brussels 9:30a.m. 11:15a.m. “Nurtured in Christ, the Church grows HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY CHURCH AUBURN PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE 526-7515 10 a.m. - Family Bible School 11 a.m. - Morning Worship 8 p.m. - Evening Service Wed., 8 p.m. - Prayer and Bible Study