Wanderings: Psst… want to buy some chocolate?

When you are interviewing people for stories you listen to what they tell you and print what they are say. You write about what people are doing and why they are doing it. You may not agree with what they are doing or why they are doing it, but hey, your job is to write their story, not your own…like it or not.

Such was the case earlier this summer when I wrote the story that appeared in the July 20th issue of the paper under the headline: Parks Commission restores a clear path to local history. For that story, I met with St. Lawrence Parks Commission officials Dave Dobbie, manager of Upper Canada Village and Susan Le Clair, Corporate Marketing and Development Engineer.

I wrote what they told me…what they were doing at the Queen’s Garden and why they were doing it. Did I agree at the time with what they were doing? No. But I passed on the information they gave me in the story to you.

Last weekend, I pulled into the former beautiful, tranquil  Queen’s Garden/Rose Garden that has been cut down, chopped out and opened up for a better view of the Crysler Memorial. I was appalled. Actually, had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. What was once a beautiful, tranquil park, with trees that had been maturing for more than 20 years is now an ugly, barren grassland. What was once an area where people strolled, picnicked, snapped pictures or enjoyed the antics of the ducks and geese in the beautiful pond or just sat in the shade of a beautiful maple…is now mostly gone, totally uninviting.

I honestly don’t know how anyone can possibly think that what has been done to this former, beautiful, area is an enhancement to the Crysler Memorial. What had become a beautiful outdoor parkland that added significantly to the Crysler Memorial area is now, in this writer’s opinion an unappealing, chunk of grass.

But hey, when you are driving along County Road 2, at 80 clicks, be sure to look to the south because you can definitely see the Memorial Mound and Monument now. Unfortunately, it is what you no longer see that is so upsetting. What has been done is a shame…a real shame.

And we can’t get it back.

B. McNairn

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The Christmas Story

The scriptures teach that Jesus Christ is God, who came to earth as a man to make full provision for our eternal salvation. (John 1:1>14; 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 7)

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. – Isaiah 7:14 

This prophetic utterance by Isaiah, was spoken some 735 years before the birth of Christ. 

In the historical narrative, the virgins conception and bearing of a Son, is a sign of both impending judgment and the provision of salvation. Judgment for the unbeliever, and salvation for the believer. (Isaiah 7)

Immanuel, the prophetic name of this Son who will be born of a virgin, means “with us is God.” This Son is more than just a man, He is the Christ. He will possess the full nature of man; also possessing the full, unmingled, nature of God. (2 Peter 1:1b)

The Holy Spirit was responsible for Mary’s pregnancy. He created and placed an original seed in Mary’s womb. Therefore the Scripture records that, “she was found with child of the Holy Spirit,” and “that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18, 20)

The child to be born, will be a special Son; the Son of God; the only begotten Son being born to die a horrific and unjust death, to “save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21; John 3:16; Hebrews 10:5-10)

In Christ, God has subjected Himself to the human experience. According to Philippians 2:7,8, when coming into the world, Jesus “made Himself of no reputation;” kenoo Heautou, meaning that He “emptied himself,” that He divested Himself of His rightful dignity and privilege as God, subjecting Himself to the human condition.

He did not empty Himself of His essence as God; but He did set aside at least three aspects of the dignity and privilege He had eternally enjoyed as God. 

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. – 2  Corinthians 8:9

•Jesus, coming into the world, set aside His divine glory. (John 17:5) The glory He demonstrated in His earthly life is the glory of Original Righteousness, like that which Adam enjoyed before sin, and like the glory to be restored to man by Jesus’ victory over sin. (Hebrews 2:10) 

•Jesus, coming into the world, set aside the independent authority He had the right to as God. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane demonstrates His perfect submission to the will of another; i.e. God the Father. (Matthew 26:39; see also, John 5:30; 15:10)

•Jesus in coming into the world set aside His inability to be tempted by evil, or to suffer certain external results of Adam’s sin. Scripture clearly reveals God’s inability to be tempted by evil (James 1:13); but it also reveals that Jesus, in His human nature was tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:15) 

The Christmas story is much more than the circumstances of Jesus’ birth; it is the beginning of the great climax of history, and the confirmation of the purpose of creation. 

May your heart rise above the normal activities of the Christmas season to embrace the eternal significance of the coming of Immanuel; God with us; Jesus the Christ. 

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Let’s face it. The dating scene in 2013 has changed…just a little. 

If the last time you went out on a blind date, Elvis was just leaving the army, cars had huge chrome fins and Tommy and Annette were chanting “Meeska, Mouska Mousketeer” you may find the 21st century dating rituals a bit daunting.

Parents, well-meaning college room mates, your Aunt Tilly (“Have I got the perfect guy for you! So he’s a little short. And lumpy. And appears to be looking in two directions at the same time!”)  are no longer the source of introductions. No, today’s career man and woman must turn to a totally different kind of match maker.

This match maker has a screen, a wired brain, a lot of bytes and needs your credit card number. 

Just answer a few simple questions, punch the responses in, and a massive computer brain will sift through millions of contenders, then pop out the ideal match. (Couldn’t be any worse than Aunt Tilly.)

Why not, I thought? Let’s see who my perfect soul mate could be. After all, 50 million ads for dating sites running on television every day must mean something.

So I chose my site, and settled down to honestly answer the “let’s develop your dating profile” questions.

Sex? Well, isn’t that sort of why one wants to find a permanent soul m…oh, I see. Female.

Age? 39. Give or take a decade or two. (Don’t push me.)

Qualities you are looking for in the perfect mate? Easy question. Male. Breathing.

Geographical area you would consider for matches? Again, an easy question. Earth.

What is your favourite colour? Green. No, blue. Wait! Red! Yellow? Final response: plaid.

If you were washed ashore on a desert island, and you could only have three things with you, what would they be?

Easy one. A fully fueled 60 foot yacht, the Ottawa Senators and an unlimited bank account.

Which do you admire? A sense of humour? A sense of adventure? A sense of accomplishment?

You betcha.

What is your personal net worth?

Next question.

In which sports are you accomplished?

Next question.

Why have you selected this on-line dating service?

Aunt Tilly is out of town.

I won’t go into a lot of details on how this all came out. I will say I carried on quite an exciting computer conversation with one potential for a while…until I discovered “he” was a programmable digital toaster oven.

I still don’t know which of us finally broke it off. 

 

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