Do not fold, spindle or…

South Dundas council is now more than half way through its month-long series of municipal matters meetings, dubbed “Coffee with Council” and so far, it is a been a good exercise in community engagement. In […]

Preparing for Joy

This afternoon I received a long distance call from Alberta from a long time  friend of mine that I haven’t seen for a few years. It was so good to hear her voice again!

It wasn’t long before we were on to familiar topics of discussion and updates on our families. That conversation was a time of joy in the course of daily work, and personal preparations for Christmas. 

The season of joy and light is not necessarily that for all people.  Even in the midst of Advent and Christmas preparations, our real life stories enter in and attempt to draw us into the dark places of our lives.

Parents become ill. Younger couples are  having rough times in their marriages. Some one is laid off work. A little child ends up in the hospital. The great unknowns in our lives can present us with doubts and darkness.

That is why I feel that it is important to take time to remember that God is our joy and our light. 

The Christmas lights we see in our neighbors’ houses can cheer us momentarily. The Advent candles we light in church remind us that God’s light changes the darkness in our personal worlds and transforms that darkness by grace into a path where fear is no longer necessary.

Remember the story of the shepherds who were overwhelmed with fear. 

Luke 2: verse 10  and the angel said to them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all people. That means for you and for me. Let God handle the darkness, and prepare your heart for little joys this Christmas season.

Pastor Norine +

Rev. Norine Gullons  

South Dundas Evangelical

Lutheran Parish

Morrisburg/Williamsburg

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So this one scary night….October 31st…Halloween….my sister and I were just about to head out for our annual trick-or-treat, equipped fully with our Laurel and Hardy costumes and pillowcases. 

One thing you should know before we get too far into the story is that we grew up across from a cemetery, and to us, it was never a big deal as it was just always there.  As a matter of fact playing in the park and playing in the cemetery was an everyday thing for all the kids who lived on our street. 

Anyway, back to the scary night…..so off we set on our trick-or-treat adventure, it was  always a bit of a competition between me and my sister who could get the most stuff, which now as I think back seems a bit funny since we went to every house together and got the same things.  

As we were leaving our house, we couldn’t help but notice the odd smell in the air.  But to two little girls, taking note was about all we did, as getting candy was our main priority!

As we crossed the park to head over to the next street for goodies, something else strange happened.  Just as we were passing the swing set all the swings started to swing on their own.  We were a little freaked out to say the least.  

My sister grabbed my hand and yelled “run”!  And run we did, all the way to the creek (Stewart Drive did not exist back then).  Once we finally stopped to catch our breath we realized that I had dropped my pillowcase that was full of goodies from all the fine folks on Orchard Way.  

So after a few minutes of consultation, we decided we were brave enough to head back (plus it was the only way to get home, so we really had no choice).  As my sister led the way, I stayed close by her side.  As we reached the edge of the park, we thought we could see the outline of my pillowcase right near the swings.  

Just at that moment, a group of kids we knew where coming down the street, so not to look as though we were scared out of our wits, we stopped to talk to them for just a bit.  Once they were gone, we very slowly headed into the park.  

As we approached the swings my pillowcase was nowhere in sight!  OMG!  Where did it go?  We looked around, by the play structure, in the tube (the black tube for those of you that remember), by the merry-go-round, it was nowhere.  But we knew it had been there…we saw it!

All of a sudden, that smell returned.  It was an odd smell, not bad necessarily, just odd…cold wet dirt, mixed with that forest kind of smell.  Almost in perfect sequence Laurel and Hardy turned towards the cemetery, and there it was….laying just beside a tombstone….my pillowcase!  Aaawwww!  RUN….probably never so fast in all my life!  Pretty sure my sister knocked me down trying to get through our front door!

At the time we were fairly certain that something had risen from the cemetery and taken my pillowcase. Looking back some time later, we cam to the conclusion that someone had played a prank on us. To a little Laurel and Hardy though, it was the spookiest thing every.

Although I have never been afraid of living near a cemetery, every Halloween, I remember that very eerie night.

Leanne Sullivan

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