Perspectives with Rev. Schiebout

How Does That Make You Feel?

Lately I have found myself talking to a lot people who are at crossroads in their lives. Everyone has told me that they are experiencing something akin to frustration, but that’s not exactly how they feel. They can’t describe it as sadness, either.

When we do approach a crossroad in our lives we generally plan how we are going to proceed. We seldom think about how or what we feel when these times in our lives happen.

Attempting to describe how we feel about something is one of the most difficult things for human beings to do. Often when I ask someone how they feel about something they just read or they just heard, that person will tell me what they saw or understood. 

Seldom will they immediately tell me how they feel. We do not like to talk about our feelings – it makes us vulnerable.

Have you ever been asked to share your feelings with another person? You know, sit together in a room and tell that other person how you feel inside?

It’s really hard to do. You don’t want to say the wrong thing. You don’t want them to take it personally. You don’t want to upset anyone. So instead of honouring our feelings, we do that famous “stiff upper lip” thing. 

I often wonder how Jesus felt when the disciples were sitting and listening to him teach and when all was said and done, they didn’t get it. Did he feel frustrated with them? Was he sad that they couldn’t grasp what he was telling them, no matter how clearly he told the story? How did he feel when they finally got it? Elated? Joyful?

Feelings are a gift from God. Joy, sadness, happiness, anger, frustration – all are feelings that we each experience in our lives, and so many more. 

The next time you read a passage from scripture, ask yourself, “how does this make me feel?” 

Don’t try to ignore them. Don’t try to sidestep around them. Face them squarely and you will find the stories in scripture pull you into them in a whole new way.

Rev. Sue McCullough

Anglican Parish, Morrisburg

Irouqois and Riverside Heights. 

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Welcome Home

If you’ve ever been away somewhere for a long time and come home, you will know what it’s like to have that “Ahh… I’m finally home!” feeling. 

I really enjoy getting away with Sarah, and it’s always nice to visit somewhere different. We have taken different holidays over the years and visited a number of places. Sometimes places that actually aren’t far away at all, but it always feels good to get home.

It was about eight years ago now that we were talking about getting a pet, and a short time later we came home with a little puppy named “Molly”. That puppy grew into a full sized dog. Who would have guessed that was going to happen? 

The joys of that dog besides the walks, picking up the left behinds and finding piles of golden retriever fur everywhere, is that we have a great family friend. 

It didn’t take us long to discover that Molly loved to have us home, and hated to see us leave. When we would leave the house she would sit by the door and wait for our return. 

Naturally, over the years she got used to the idea that if we left, we would soon return. The assurance Molly felt allowed her to live out her day, and do whatever dogs do while everyone is away. 

When we would return from either a day away at work, or even a vacation over a number of days, the response from Molly was always, and has always been the same. She would rush from whatever part of the house she was in, and greet us at the door with her tail wagging her whole body.  You don’t think twice about that greeting, until it doesn’t happen. 

There is something wonderful about being greeted when you arrive at a place and are made feel welcome. 

Sarah and I are thrilled to make our new home in Iroquois.  It didn’t take long for our neighbors to come and give us a warm welcome to our new community. 

Sarah and I have also been blessed by the kindness and love shared by our new church family at Morrisburg Pentecostal Tabernacle (M.P.T.). 

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to you to come and visit us on a Sunday morning. When you arrive, I’m sure you’ll be made feel right at home. 

Rev. James Tripp

Morrisburg Pentecostal 

Tabernacle

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Dear Editor

In reference to our issues with South Dundas over our drain problem, we would like to think we can depend on our township to supply us with information and follow proper procedures. Seems we are being held more accountable than they are.

The form that was brought around to Jake’s neighbours had a list of names on the front. Most were printed, one was even written by one person to include their spouse as in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”. Jointly owned properties had only the name of one owner represented. 

When the office staff in charge of drainage received this form, they should have rejected it from the start. But they chose to send it ahead to their engineer without having it properly filled in.

The engineer then gets his crack at it. When asked at the township meeting about the necessity of ALL property owner’s signatures his response was “as long as he saw one name it was good enough for him.” 

When asked about the fact that most names were just printed, his response was “they could have signed with an “X”. (Wouldn’t signatures of witnesses be needed?)

Mr. Byvelds indicated he requested a letter from the engineer to see how he validated the petition. In his response he did not address any of our concerns about the missing joint owner signatures, but continued to use them in his calculations.

By doing this he was able to reach 65 per cent representation of the land needed. He needed 60 per cent for the petition to be valid, but if you remove the names of properties with missing joint owner signatures, the land represented falls down to 47 per cent. Not enough for a valid petition according to the Drainage Act.

To support the requirement for these signatures here is a quote from a Superior Court of Justice in the Court of the drainage referee case: “The first matter is whether all signatures of joint owners, co-owners and partners are necessary on a petition. The answer is they are. If land is held by husband and wife, whether jointly or as co-owners, both have to sign the petition… this is for purposes of the Drainage Act.”

I attended a drainage meeting held in Avonmore this spring, searching for information, where I asked Sid Vander Veen, the Drainage Coordinator from OMAFRA, questions about joint owners both having to sign for a petition to be valid. He confirmed that yes they do and on viewing this petition said it was invalid and suggested I retain the services of a lawyer.

Mr. Byvelds was also at this meeting so once again was made aware of the need for all signatures. He also was sent the above  court case, but still continues to support his drainage engineer.

I have attempted to speak to council about this issue, but have been refused and told the issue is closed. 

My lawyer has contacted this township but they continue to ignore him. He has indicated “there never was a valid petition executed in the proper manner by petitioners and therefore section 10 of the Drainage Act has no application to these proceedings.”

What if the engineer is wrong, Mr. Byvelds? What if the drainage staff at the township did not complete the simple task of having forms filled in properly? 

The Superior Court of Justice and the Provincial Drainage Coordinator seem to have views different than you and your staff.

We as individuals seem to be held much more responsible for knowing the ins and outs of these drainage issues than those being well paid to do this.

Bert Geertsma

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