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Times-Advocate, 1983-12-21, Page 41 Poge 4 Times -Advocate, December 21, 1983 1111111111111111.11111111111111111.11111 imes - Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 INIIIMM.MONSIMNIMMIMINOOMV. dvocate Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited EORNE EEI)Y Puhlisher IIM BECKE E Adwrtising Manager BIL I BAE FEN Editor HARRY DI VRIES ( omposition Manager ROSS HAUGII Assistant Editor DICK JONGKIND Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 235-1331 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $21.00 Per year; U.S.A. $56.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and 'ABC' By Rev. Stanley C. McDonald Christmas is a time of giving. At no time in the year are we so kind, thoughtful, and generous. It was no accident that old Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol was changed from a miser into a generous person at Christmas. His heart, as cold as a winter's night, was warmed by the generosi- ty of Christmas. He was so different from the person they had known that the townspeople laughed at him. Dickens says of him: "His own heart lau ced; and that wa quite enough for him." We have such fine examples of generosity, at Christmas throughout our communities through service clubs, church groups, and social agencies. There are also the generous impulses of our own hearts that lie so close to the surface at this wonderful season. Giving helped celebrate the first Christmas. Matthew tells of the wise men's search for the Christ child. When they found him, they "fell down and worshipped him ; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh." They were very expensive gifts; there was nothing cheap and gaudy about them. They were appropriate gifts since they told something about who Jesus was and what he would do. Gold was a gift for a king. Frankincense was used as incense and therefore a gift for a Priest. Myrrh, used in one of the most ancient of arts, that of embalming, was a gift for one who must die. But it was God's gift, not those of the w;se men, that gave us Christmas. The wise men only celeL aced God's wonderful gift. It was at Christmas that God, so loving the world, gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God gave with unsparing love and he gave unconditionally. He didn't say to our world, "If you will grow up, get better, become wiser, and reform yourself, then I will give you my Son." What in effect he did say was: "I know how childish, broken, sick, and sinful you are. I'm going to give you my Son anyway." And he did. God was like the father in Jesus' story of the Prodigal Son. The boy, friendless and penniless, finally came home wearing a tat- tered robe, having no ring on his finger or sandals on his feet. The hri� tma� i� a •CNA time o giving father didn't say, "Prove yourself in six months and then I will see about accepting you back into the family." He accepted him fully and unconditionally then and there. Turning to a servant he said: "Bring the best robe and put it on him; and put a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry for this my son was dead, and is alive again; was lost, and is found." (Luke 15: 22-24). Christmas tells us of the meaning of grace. God has made a gift beyond our worthiness to merit or our ability to achieve. Real life begins when we come to God in our shattered pride, confessing that all our goodness is like filthy rags. We come with empty hands, wishing that we could come like the wise men with royal gifts for a king, and God does a wonderful thing. He looks at our poor, empty hands and says: "You don't need to bring anything. You couldn't buy your salvation if you had all the wealth in the world. It is a gift. It is grace. I have given my Son for your Salvation." We have been the recipients of grace and gifts, especially at Christmas. We have learned essentially from God and in some lesser degree from the wise men and the many generous people we have known that giving is one of the secrets of life. Therefore we can give, and in so doing we discover a key that giving is one of the secrets of life. Therefore we can give, and in so doing so we discover a key that unlocks life's meaning and power. Like the wise men we can do no better than bring gifts to Christ. He bids us bring to him what we have and are, be it big or small, and he accepts, blesses and multiplies. We need to be like the Little Drummer boy. He wanted to give something to Christ, but he was too poor, so he beat his drum and Christ accepted the beating of his drum. But Jesus often seems far removed from the objects and causes to which we give. If only we could give more immediately and directly to Christ. We can! That is one of the wonders of Christian giving. Jesus told how shocked people will be, who had given to others with no obvious connection with Jesus, when he says to them: "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethern, you did it unto me." (Matthew 25:40). Jesus is wondrously identified with people, all kinds of people. We give to a homeless child, a youth battling drugs, a man in the middle of life breaking beneath heavy responsibilities, an old per- son lonely and neglected, and Jesus says to us: "You gave it to me." There is a beautiful story of Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier, who was a Christian. One cold winter day, as he was entering the city, a beggar asked him for alms. Martin had no money, but the beggar was blue and shivering with the cold. Martin took his worn and frayed soldier's coat, cut in in two with his sword, and gave half to the unfortunate man. That night he had a dream. In it he saw the heavenly places and all the angels with Jesus in the midst of them, and Jesus was wearing half of a Roman soldier's coat. One of the people said to him: "Master, why are you wearing the battered old cloak? Who gave it to you?" And Jesus answered soft- ly, "My servant Martin gave it to me." St. Francis said: "It is in giving that we receive...It is in dying that we are born to eternal life." It is true. Let us not forget that in giving life, life is given back to us. Christmas is a good time to learn that secret. Christmas is a good time to begin. The best of times, worst of times Through a precedent set several years ago. the Christmas issue has traditional- ly carried the final column of the year for the editor of this newspaper. For some unexplained reason, the isssue that comes out between Christmas and New Year's has been devoid of the wit and wisdom to which readers have become accustomed; no doubt in keeping with the practice followed by area in- dustries to close things down for a week. Never one to disturb tradition, especial ly if it means escaping some work, the writer welcomes the brief hiatus to regenerate the systems in preparation for embarking on a new year with increased vigor and vitality. Ilowever, the initial task is one of look- ing back, and there's little doubt that that is an extremely beneficial exercise at any time, and perhaps even more so as one takes a cursory glance at the past 12 months. Each of us, of course, will have a dif- ferent view and it would be rather presumptuous of any year-end reviewer to make some sweeping comments in terms of the collective "we" in assessing the highs and lows of any given time period. Many people can probably subscribe to the "it was the hest of times, worst of times" theory, given the fact the passage of time dulls our recollections. Yester- day's joy and happiness can be clouded by today's sorrows or frustrations and vice versa. Time does continue to play the role of the healer, although unfortunate- ly it can also dull memories or ex- periences that had positive aspects. Looking back at time that can not he retrieved or circumstances that can not be changed has value, primarily because 4 it can serve as the basis on which we tackle the future. So, what of 1983? Well, for those able to look back, it attests to the fact they have been survivors. That in itself is no small feat for some and is even a major ac- BATT'N AROUND with the editor complishment for others, particularly from an economic standpoint. In fact the now concluding year may be one in which many people will recall the fight to survive. it was a real fight for some, imagined for others, as industry, agriculture and business limped through the harrowing difficulties of high interest rates, low returns and uncertainties. Some of those economic difficulties re- main as a new year dawns, but with the evidence of better things to come and the knowledge that survival is possible even if some of them fail to come to fruition, the doom and gloom with which the cur- rent year was greeted should certainly be diminished considerably as it concludes. No review of the past year would be complete without a comment on the weather. it wasn't perfect, hut it came about as close as anyone could hope, par- ticularly when that experienced elsewhere is considered. It created wor- ries here, but few problems. 4 In a previous column i had occasion to suggest that the almost ideal conditions affected most people positively and was reflected in the general atmosphere of the area. In compiling the.year-end review for next week's publication, the major news stories in general were of a more positive note than in many previous years. That appears to be in rather stark con- trast to the media which cover provincial, national and international affairs. That could lead to the conclusion area residents are oblivious to that which goes on around them, but probably it is more correct to suggest they have become rather immune to the problems being experienced elsewhere and don't allow it to spoil the outlook on their daily, lives. The past year was one in which it would have been extremely easy to become a pessimist. Few did. The annual celebra- tions held throughout the area found record crowds enjoying themselves, ma- jor building projects and business expan- sions were undertaken in many com- munities and in general the prevailing at- mosphere appeared to be one of getting on with the job of living and to heck with all the negatives. A consensus on the past year would therefore be that this area was clearly out of step. Sure, some of the positive aspects were due to good luck. .hut winning teams generally make their own breaks and take advantage of them. That's how they get to be winners and stay that way. And now, to you and yours, my wish for a full measure of all the joys, fellowship and love of the season. ..v 1AO. ▪ t —mow ...Mir /110, May .4V *two ,,74411 vault Ago .400 4000. .T W OW 4.40 4411p .,` r 1101# 41110 Nikr 4004.0 041.1119. Aro eras arAgie '`,ww'' dttiwso tot— 41.r airy WSW- ralott• ewer Staab ...4040 "Say, this looks like fun!" Who's for a Lastember? December is a trying time. For one thing, its so dang SUDDEN. There you are, tottering along a day at a time, thinking it's still fall and you must get the snow tires and storms on one of these fine Satur- days, and throw some firewood into the cellar and get some boots and replace the gloves you lost last March. Christriiias is away off there. And then - bang! - you look out one morning and there's December, in all it's unglory : a bitter east wind driving snow, and a cold chill settles in the very bones of your soul. Winter wind as sharp as a witch's tooth sneaks in around uncaulked doors and windows. One's wife complains of the terrible draught from under the basement door. You in- vestigate and find that one of the basement windows has been blown in and has smashed on the woodpile. You clamber up over the wood, knocking pieces off shins and knuckles, and tam some cardboard in he gap. Creep cautiously out- side, ar'd nearly bust your bum. There's ice under that thar snow. Make it to the garage, and find that your car doors are all frozen solid shut. Beat them with your bare fists until the latter are bleeding and your car is full of dents. Finally get them open with a bucket of hot ater and a barrel of hotter language. Slither and grease your way to work, arriving in a foul mood and with bare hands crippled into claws, bootless feet cold as a witch's ether appendage. Come out of work to go home and find a half-inch of frozen rain and snow covering your car,.and no sign of your scraper, and another deep dent where some idiot slid into your car door on the parking lot. 1 could go on and on, but Sugar and Spice Dispensed By Smiley it's only rubbing salt in the wounds of the average Canadian. Get home from work and find that the fur- nace is on the blink, and the repairman is tied up for the next two days. And your wife is also fit to be tied up over your dilatoriness. Surely there is some way around this sud- deness of December. Is there not some far-seeing politician (if that is not a contradiction' in terms) who would introduce a bill to provide for an extra month between, let's say, November 25th and December 5th. I wouldn't care what he called it. It could be Lastember, referring to your fast -dying hope that there wouldn't be a winter this year. Or Last Call, or Final Warning, or She's Acomin! Anything that gave us a good jolt. It would be a good thing for merchants. They could have special Lastember sales of gloves and boots and snow tires and ear muffs and caulking guns and weather stripping and antifreeze and nose warmers, before plunging into their pre -Christmas sales, which are promptly replaced by their January sales. It would be great for the Post Office, which could start warning us in June that all Christmas mail must be posted by the first day of Lastember if we wanted it delivered before the following June. It would make a nice talking point for all those deserters and traitors and rich people who go south every year. Instead of smirking, "Oh, we're not going south until Boxing Day. Hate to miss an old- fashioned Canadian Christmas," they could really Shove it to us by learing. "Yes, we thought we'd wait this year until the last day of Lastember, you know. Avoid the pushing and vulgarity of the holiday rush. If nothing else, it would give us a break from the massive nauseating volume of pre -Christmas advertising, which begins toward the end of Octobet and continues, remorselessly, right into Christmas Day. Best of all, perhaps it would give dummies like me a chance to avoid look- ing like such a dummy. Procrastinators, who flourish during a sunny November, such as we had this year, would have no more excuses. All their wives would have to do is point to the calendar and say, "Bill, do you realize it's only th, ee days until Lastember. Isn't it time you did {your Lastember chores?' In fact, if that fearless politician who is going to introduce the Lastember Bill in the house wants some advice, here is a codicil for him. Somewhere in the Bill should be the warning, in bold type: "Pro- crastinators will be Pro- secuted!" Jeez, why not? They prosecute you for everything else. If such a month were added to the calendar - maybe we could start it with Grey Cup Darr - peo- ple like me wouldn t go on thinking that Christmas is weeks away. Instead, on the last day of Lastember, with all their winter chores in hand, they'd know that Christmas was practical- ly on top of them, like a big, old horse blanket, and they'd leap into th . proper spirit, lining up a Christmas tree, laying in their booze, tuning up their pipes for the carols. As it is now, we know that Christmas is like a mirage. It's way off their somewhere and no need to panic. Tien, with that startling Suddeness it's December 22nd, all the Christmas trees have been bought, the only remain- ing turkeys look like vultures, and the liquor store is bedlam. Who's for a Lastember'' Help people, too Most of us in Southwestern Ontario haven't got too excited about a recent ban in Europe of fur coats made from seal fur. After all, you might say, what pleasure can anybody possibly get from killing those cuddly little seals with their appealing eyes? That was the basic 'line' that the Green -peace movement took in a very effective program to shut down the seal industry. As well, they put their little boats in front of large vessels, sprayed red paint on some of the seals in order to wreck their com- mercial value, and generally interfered with very clearly or if they were, it would appear that Perspectives By Syd Fletcher the seal hunt. Very suc- cessfully, i might add. it's interesting in this case though that, all of the problems that may have resulted from this ban were not thought through ViCATA this group is more in- terested in protecting the interests of some seals than of the Inuit who made their living from this hunt and who may be on the brinkof starvationbecause of this new development. In the case of many fishermen the loss of the seal hunt may well be the difference between self- sufficiency and being on welfare. Now that the Greenpeacers have achieved their goal of sav- ing the poor neglected animals i suggest they throw their political force behind helping some poor neglected people. 1 doubt if they will. It's always easier to destroy things than to come up with reasonable alter- natives which are mutual- ly satisfactory to both parties.