HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1986-03-05, Page 6Page 6 Times -Advocate, March 5, 1986
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Learn to receivegraciously
Most of us enjoy being on the giv - how to give graciously. but how to
ing end of things. It feeds ow egos and receive in the satt?e manner, as �velll�
makes us feel important that we can II seems hard to receive gracious -
hell) someone through a difficulty by ly especially if we feel the help is cont-
our counselling, listening, visiting or ing from someone who is not quite as
even by our baking a pie for them. smart or as spiritually strong as we
It Seems to me...
t
And there's nothing at all wrong with
that providing,' of course, we
recognize the fact that we are being
nurtured just as much by our act of
giving as is the person to whom we
give. It's when our giving makes the
person receiving our help feel inferior
that we manufacture trouble.
Just recently, a young woman I
know has been going through very
hard days, -and I have tried to help her
as much as I can. She is a person who,
up to now, has always had control of
her life, who has never required much
assistance or advice from anyone.
But, now, that so many things have
moved out of her control, she finds it
difficult to accept help from anyone,
believing it is a sign of weakness in
her part. What I have tried to explain
to her is that while most of us do ex-
perience smooth and strong periods
when we are able to be on the giving
end, sooner or later, we will also conie
upon hard and weak times when we
will have to receive help, whether we
like it or not. Since both giving and
receiving are part and parcel of our
lives, it behooves us to learn not only
by Gwyn Whilsmilh
are. It goes against the grain to ac-
cept assistance from someone who is
weaker then we are, or from a person
we don't even like. I remember hear-
ing a woman from Northern Ontario
tell about a time her little girl came
down with a rare and often fatal
disease that could only be treated in
Toronto, and over a period of many,
long months. The small, northern
community in which her family lived
rallied around and began to raise the
hundreds of dollars required to send
and keep the mother and child in
Toronto. The woman and her husband
were overcome with gratitude until
they learned that the largest contribu-
tion had come from their worst
enemy, someone to whom they hadn't
spoken to for years. They wanted to
fling the money back in his face, to
tell him the didn't need his filthy help,
until they looked at their sick little girl
whose life hung in the balance.
Swallowing their pride, they went tp
their old enemy and thanked him
humbly and graciously, so that not on-
ly were they able to accept his help,
but also allow him to receive a bless-
ing. When we refuse to receive, or
receive beligerently, we not only nips
a blessing for ourselves, but we rob
healing and eneouragernent from_ the
giver. <
Meet of us would believe we are
gracious givers, but Jean Vanier, well
known for his work with the mental-
ly.handicapped, warns us in his book,
The Followers of Jesus, that giving
can be a tteacheroua"jhing, because
by giving we dominate. He says we
must fiever stifle people no matter
how weak , or 'handicapped we
perceive them to be, and we must
learn to receive in humility, love and
thanksgiving the gifts they have to of-
fer to us.
Vanier points out how terrible it is
for some people who are always on
the receiving end, and that we must
learn how ,to receive their slightest
gift with joy, precisely because it is
a gift of love. By learning how to
receive, we learn how to give. How
often we crush when we give, desir-
ing recognition. How often we think
we are doing something wonderful
when we give. But Vanier concludes,
"To give should not be regarded as a
luxury for us, it is our first and fun-
damental duty. It is something so ob-
vious that we shouldn't even speak
about it."
We must learn to give with humili-
ty, but we must also learn to receive
with love from the great, as well as
the small, from the highly intelligent,
as well as the handicap , from the"
strong and the weak, for each has
something valuable to share with us.
So, it seems to me, we would do well
if we shared what we have with others
gladly with no sense of our impor-
tance, and shared what they have to
offer us with thanksgiving and love so
that we are all blessed.
WINNING SPEAKERS — Winners in the public speaking contest at Precious Blood Separate School were
presented with cash prizes from the Exeter Legion. Intermediate Division winners, back left, Michelle
Birmingham, 1st, Chrissy O'Toole, 2nd, and Robert Verberne, 3rd, stand beside Clay Murray, youth chair-
man of Exeter Legion Branch 167. Junior division winners are Jason Coalman, 1st, Jacob Petersen, 2nd,
and Anne Marie Mittleholtz, 3rd.
See bread dough art
Hurondale Women's Institute was
held in Trivitt Hall on February 26.
Members enjoyed a dessert lunch at
1:15 with Clara Harris' group in
charge. Vice president Erlma Keller
opened the meeting reading "Do a lit -
Bridal Photography
The latest appreciation in wedding
photography, is to have your wedding
professionally recorded on to live ac-
tion video tape.
I specialize in wedding photography
and invite you to join the fun, colour
and excitement of the video
revolution.
William Mason
Studio of
Photography
Exeter 233-0134
tle kindness".
An interesting roll call "Name
ways of using bread" revealed many
good ways of using bread.
Marion Dougall convener of
Agriculture Canadian Industries
presented the program. Motto "What
is a farmer" was given by Marion.
This was amusing and true. She then
introduced her daughter-in-law; Judy,
who very capably demonstrated
dough art. This was very interesting.
She had many lovely creations on
display. June Stewart read a poem on
Country Living.
Summary day for Home Decor
course is April 14 in Legion hall in
Clinton, afternoon and evening.
Theme for the'Exeter fall fair is Best
of Beans. Activities at Agriculture
Museum, Milton were presented.
Several members told of interesting
trips they have had during winter
months. Helpers for Sportman's din-
ner were thanked and a committee
was put in to arrange for the annual
meeting in April. Next meeting will
be held in the Parish Hall March 26
at 1:15 p.m. with Family and Con-
sumer Affairs committee in charge.
Please
Excuse our
Mess
We're renovating to serve you better:
The work will be done soon and we'll
have a much larger store for your shop-
ping convenience.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
AS USUAL
WutrtL)'s
SHOES
eaExeter 235-0611 mai
Ovality a S«vie• Since 19311
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4
WINN PEAKERS — Clay Murray, youth chairman of Exeter Legion Branch 167, presented the win-
ners of the Exeter. Public School public speaking contest with their cash prizes. Shown (back left) are
Pam Homer, ,1t and Julia Merner, 2nd in the intermediate division, Murray, and (front) junior division
winners Derrick Beckett, 1st, Fred Steciuk, 2nd, and Michelle McDonald, 3rd. Missing: Becci Farquhar.
MAKE DONATIONS
The l;.adies Auxiliary of the R.E.
Pooley Br. 167, Royal Canadian
Legion -held their regular meeting
February 24 with 46 members
present.
President Esther Hillman chaired
the meeting. Cathy Arbo and Karen
Snell were initiated into the Auxiliary
and welcomed by all.
Jennie Tinkler won the 50-50 draw
for January and Angie Alexander for
February. Isa Smith won the mystery
prize,
One team will be participating in
provincial euchre in North Bay
March 22 and three teams in district
bowling in Preston, March 8.
A $100 donation was made to the
Heart and Stroke Foundation and $300
to the Ontario Provincial Bursary
Fund.
Monday, March 24 will be the Pen-
ny Sale for Bunny Bundle. Wednes-
day, April 2 is the date set to play
Bingo with our veterans_ in
Westminster Hospital in London.
Lunch was served by Shirley Snell's
group at the conclusion of the
meeting.
RECEIVE LETTERS
The February meeting of the
Women's Ministries of the
Pentescostal Church was held at the
home of Mrs. Hilda Eizenga with 12
.members present. Mrs. Dorothy
Cooper offered prayer.
Roll canvas answered with a scrip<
tuce verse,-eentaipipg . the word
"Church".
Letters were read from the pastor
of our home Missions Church and also
from the Austins. The financial report
was read by Mrs. Mary Blanchard.
The missionary reading was read by
Mrs. Estrella Finkbeiner. Mrs. Mary
Blanchard then gave a short special
number.
The message of the afternoon was
read by Mrs. Jean Jolly on "How to
discover the dynamics of prayer".
Prayer time followed. with each
member participating.
We then enjoyed a tasty lunch pro-
vided by Mrs. Connie Donnan and
Mrs. Ruth McLaren assisted by the
hostess.
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