The Rural Voice, 2000-12, Page 8Exeter, Stratford
235-0996 273-7374
PERFECT
Office Solution
4.0 Val 4,
4' office
PCI
CD BURNER
with System
AMD Duron 700mhz
@ 200 mhz
128 MB SDRAM
@133 mhz
30 GIG UDMA
66 Hard Drive
32MB Diamond
Stealth S540
17" Monitor
WINDOWS MILLENIUM
EDITION SOFTWARE
Canon Printer - $79
with System
NL'y
$1
Capture The Moments
This Holiday Season
The AGFA
Ephoto 780C
Digital
Camera
Fi , kiedT .hi ]i:M1h. jt Nonce
4 THE RURAL VOICE
Gisele Ireland
Christmas is precious not expensive
While waiting for a prescription at
the drug store recently, I overheard
two women discussing the upcoming
Christmas events and one remarked
to the other that they were skipping
Christmas this
year because
they couldn't
afford it. She
proceeded to
explain that her
husband was off
sick with an
expensive -to -
treat ailment,
their youngest
son was in
university with
the next term's
tuition staring
them in the face
and they had to put a new furnace in
the house that still has a hefty
mortgage. Her companion recited her
list of grievances and reasons why
Christmas would be a huge cash
drain they couldn't afford either this
year.
My initial reaction was empathy
for their plight and then sympathy for
their misguided souls. Who out there
is not unsnarling some tricky knots in
the skein of life? It is my sincere
hope though, that few of you share
the sentiments these women
expressed If you do, read St.
Matthew again.
The only decoration recorded for
this momentous occasion was one
single, solitary bright star. There was
not a string of brightly coloured stars,
nor a cascading chain. There was
one. Those who knew what it meant,
followed it. Mind you, it certainly
wasn't a teeming throng of blissfully
expectant people.
The event that had been
prophesied for so long and had such
a profound effect on Christians ever
after, took place in a small town. It
was not a huge city of great
importance, but a fairly insignificant
town.
The actual birth took place in a
stable which was draughty and
smelly. Had the Almighty intended
it, I am sure he could have arranged
for it to happen in a huge castle, with
kings and queens in attendance. The
sheets would have been silk and the
swaddling cloths embroidered in
gold.
The parents of the Prince of Peace
could have been chosen for their
importance in that world of wealth
and pomposity. He chose a young
girl and a carpenter.
Those who witnessed the birth
were a stable boy, shepherds, animals
and angels. No matter how much
money we threw at the occasion, we
couldn't replicate it.
Those who realized the
significance of the Holy Child's
arrival brought gifts for Him that are
still considered priceless today. They
did not give them to each other. Food
was never mentioned, let alone a
seven -course turkey dinner. Bread,
cheese, olives and water were the
staples of the day and the young
parents would likely have been
fortunate to have partaken of even
that.
There was so much given to us on
that day and no Visa or debit card
was required. It still isn't ... unless
you make it That way. Both Brian and
I and our family wish you all the
things that are priceless and
important during the Holy Season —
it is a Gift.O
Gisele Ireland, from Bruce County, is
an author of several humorous books
on farm life.
Thanks to the farmers who have supplied us
with excellent wool
and to all our
customers who
purchased yarn for
their knitting projects.
Merry Christmas.
The Philosopher's Wool Co.
Inverhuron, 519-368-5354