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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-12-22, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, December 22, 1987 Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Imes Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S0 Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 519-235.1331 cn Bill BATTEN Editor DON SMITH Business Manager PCNA ig TIM BECKETT Publisher & Advertising Manager ROSS HAUGH Assistant Editor HARRY DEVRIES DICK JONGKIND Composition Manager Vice -President SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $25.00 Per year; U.S.A. $65.00 Mixed Christmas emotions with Bill Batten and Rev. Darrell Shaule, Lucan United Church . "Silent Night, Holy Night All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child Holy infant, so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace." Recently I read a Times -Advocate column written a year ago by o Bill Batten. In that end -of -the -year column, Bill compares the jobs of columnist and clergyman. A columnist meets the deadline for a weekly paper for his Wednesday audience much like the minister gets his message refined for the Sunday morning congregation. Acquainted with Bill, I went to visit him the other day to talk about combining our talents for a column this year at Christmas- time. So what follows is written both by a columnist and a clergy- man, but in Bill's words, "primarily the latter". The farm where Bill and Barbara Batten live is nestled in off the road in London Township behind some huge maple and spruce trees. To the absolute delight of Bill's heart, a whole flock of sheep have congregated in the -front yard. Wrapped warmly, Bill sits in his favorite chair in front of the Franklin fireplace, keeping up in his reading or taking a break and looking at some of the many sparrows, bluebirds, golden finches or nuthatches eating from the bird feeders in the front yard. We're talking about Christmas and the meaning of Christmas, especially this ycar. Bitl has been suffering from the effects of cancer for several months. In our conversation, Bill shares the mixed emotions he has as Christmas approaches. Like others, this Christmas is special for Bill. For him it is difficult to be happy and joyful in the midst of the pain and discomfort that he has had. Because of his own situa- tion, Bill says, "my situation just helps me to identify with all. those others in our communities who are having difficulties whether it be poor health, pain, grief, guilt or fear". Bill doesn't stop There though. He goes on to share that the Spirit of Christmas, the joy of this Christmas season, is so strong that' it "combats these other feelings". And in spite of all that's happening, Bill expresses his gratitude to his family, friends, co- workers, neighbours and others who offer their help and who stand right behind him. As we look at the birth of Christ in the Scriptures, we see the Joy on Mary's and Joseph's faces. How happy they must have been to sec that a Saviour was born. The angels sang their hearts out in praise to God. It was glorious! When the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, they were terrified. They didn't know what was happening. How relieved they must have been to hear the words, "...today in the Town of David a Saviour has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord." This is the reason we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus Christ offers thc very same thing to us as He has done down through the ages. Jesus who is the Light of the World continues to shine. His Light shines right through all joy and pain, all sickness and adversity, even death itself. And the words we hear from the Scriptures are true: "...a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." Our Saviour wants us to reach out and receive Him into our lives. And then to tum and share Him with others. This is the Spirit of Christmas. For my own personal life, I know God's power and love in even a greater way this Christmas then ever be- fore. My wife'Jewcll passed away earlier in the year. With God's help and with the victory of Jesus on the Cross, and thc support of family and friends, Christmas is going to be a very special time in our household too. We join together, a columnist, Bill Batten and a minister, Dar- rell ShaulcA,and our families to wish You a most special Christmas celebration too. We conclude this article with a verse from the Christmas carol, Joy to the World: Joy to the World! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room and Heaven and nature sing. • 1 cate Serving South Huron, North- Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited BLESSINGE3 TC)ALL At this holy time, we extend the blessings of the season to you and yours. May the peace of Christ abide within every heart. r.' } Christmas Spirit alive and well When I was finally ready to do my Christmas shopping, I decided it was time to look for the Christmas spirit. I had heard rumours that it was dead. Reliable sources claimed that the world was going materialistic. Because of my doubting nature, I had to check it out myself. Q There was mass hysteria at the shopping plaza. Everybody was trying frantically to find the right present for the right person at the right price. Was this where the Christmas spirit was hiding? I found long lineups at the cash registers, and I heard Silent Night piped over the muzak speakers. I saw signs advertising Christmas bargains, Christmas sales and Christmas gift opportunities. But there was no Christmas spirit. - Next I searched for it at a pre - Christmas party, whgre people showed off their cocktail dresses and pinstripe suits, their new hairdos and their Christmas corsages. I saw men drinking too much wine and spilling cheese dip over their silk ties. I heard gossip about politicians and crude jokes about minorities and chitchat about absolutely nothing. There was no Christmas spirit. I drove through the city, slowly, not to miss the Christmas spirit, should it suddenly appear on the sidewalk. I saw gaint Christmas trees on the roofs of tall buildings, and coloured globe lights in the streets. I found store windows sprayed with white foam, spelling out "Merry Christmas", and I saw plastic reindeer in doorways. In the suburbs some houses had flashing coloured lights, others had styrofoam stars in b a y windows. I saw one speeding ambulance; two tow trucks, three articulated buses, four snow ploughs ... but no Christmas spirit. I walked through the streets of -our small town, hoping to discover the Christmas spirit oictoottattommesso- Let's keep the Christmas spirit 365 days each year there. I saw cedar boughs draped over shop doors, decorated Tight standards, and a "Season's Greetings" sign over the entrance of a tavern. I saw a bumper sticker that read "Drinking and Driving Don't Mix". But I saw no Christmas spirit. I heard an electronic carillon competing for attention with the rock 'n roll sounds coming from a record store, but the hooting of a train slowly rumbling through. town drowned them both out., Still I tried to find the Christmas spirit. I went to church .and enjoyed PETER'S POINT the choir. There were lovely evergreen branches, white and red candles, and the December sun filtered through the stained glass windows. The minister spoke of love and peace, and I thought for a moment that the Christmas Spirit had entered and filled t h e sanctuary. But when I looked around me, I saw that it had been an illusion. The people were listening and thinking and praying and singing and reading and -standing up and sitting down as on other church days. And there was no Christmas spirit. I walked through the bush, where the fresh snow made the trees appear like frosty giants with their arms extended. I discovered the tracks of squirrels and foxes and deer. I listened to the silence as I stood still, and to the squeaking of the snow under my boots as I walked on. I thought how lucky I was to have such a walk through nature, yet unspoiled. I found solitude and tranquility. But still t h c Christmas spirit had not =nude itself known to me. Were the rumours true after all? Was the Christmas spirit dead? Was I born too late? Should I have been here a century and a half ago, when the settlers celebrated their simple Christmas in their log cabins, when they visited their neighbours• miles away in cutters pulled by shaggy, steaming horses? When they walked to the little log church, through snow drifts that reached up to their knees? Had the Christmas spirit fled when the old pine furniture was traded in for plastic and chrome, when the logs were covered up with vinyl siding, when the homesteads were abandoned, and bush grew up again where men, women and children had once cleared acre after rocky acre? Was I a fool looking for the spirit of Christmas in the age of the VCR and the compact disk, international terrorism a n d neutron bombs, fast food' and yuppies? That evening I put the children to bed and got ready to do some work at my desk. But Stephanie couldn't fall asleep. "Just one more good -night kiss, Daddy, please." "Alright, one more, and that'll be it. I must get some work done." She threw her arms around my neck and whispered: "Daddy, the reason I can't sleep is because I'm so happy it'll soon be Christmas." ' And as I looked into her brown eyes, 1 realized that at last I had found the Christmas spirit. Alive .and well and living in the hearts of little children. I sincerely wish all my readers a very happy Christmas. May you find hope and love and peace in the eyes of children and in the eyes of those who can be like clljldren. Myfamily wants to send you their good wishes, too: Peter, Elizabeth, Alexander, Duncan, and Stephanie. As we write this final column before Christmas we woutd like to suggest that all of us extend the Christmas Spirit not only at this time of the year, but to every day during 1988. For most of us who have all we need in the material sense wouldn't it be nice to help the needy of our community and county all year-round. :,i '!•� Here at the T -A, employees have helped with the Christmas Bureau and the Koats for Kids program along with help for indi- vidual families. We know that many other busi- nesses in the arca have done the same thing, but how about carry- ing that same sense of responsi- bility to the less fortunate through right 366. It's a leap year. We should all be like children by Ross Haugh l s when it comes to Christmas and realize thc true meaning of De- cember 25. We should take time to realize the significance and truc meaning of the humble birth of Baby Je- sus some 2,000 -years ago and as we so often sec in children's time at many arca churches, thc youngsters do realize why we celebrate Christmas. • For many of the boys and girls they have been taught Christmas is a time of sharing and giving. Unfortunately it's truc that somt people come to the end of the year and the way they gauge their success is in the amount of money they made: Wouldn't it•bc better at the end'' of the year to cherish and !mem- ber thc good things you did dur- ing 1987 and then the same atti- tude this coaling year will make 11 the best one you ever had. Let's take the Christmas Spirit to thc fullest and we can all say like Tiny TO ,"God Bless us everyone." May each of our readers have a very happy, Joyous and most important, a Blessed Christmas season. 'OW r.