You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April, 2008.
Boy, if I’ve ever had to be cautious about blogging it is today. I totally understand that what I am about to write about it a delicate matter but I feel that something has to be said here.
As some of you know, Highway Church was placed strategically between two towns. Hagersville (yes… the Hagersville Tire Fire) and the other town has been in the news a little lately… Caledonia. When Kerry and I moved here we bought a house around 300m from the disputed land claim site and within months were thrown into a whirlwind of police, natives, residents, power outages, helicopters, roadblocks, violence precipitated by anger, rage, bitterness, arrogance, racism, and ignorance – on both sides. We have subsequently moved; not due to the land claims issue – we actually live closer to the Grand River than we did before, we just found another house we liked.
These past 2+ years have been extremely eye-opening for me and I have been very surprised as to how people act… and react to what they perceive and perhaps do not know. I have seen people during the height of the stand-off bent on ‘taking the law into their own hands’. I have also seen our provincial police officers do the best that they can with the mandates that they have been given.
I guess the reason why I am writing is because of the latest article I saw on the CBC website see link where our Aboriginal Affairs minister noted that “peace is being restored in the southern Ontario community of Caledonia.” I don’t know much about the power and authority that Michael Bryant has but I can tell you that in the years that I have been here, I have yet to see someone (or someones) who have the ability to control the chaos that is going on here… on the streets, on the highways… and most of all in the hearts of BOTH communities thrown in the middle of the ring here… native AND residents.
I think that most Canadians would agree that unfortunately, for whatever reason, our government has made agreements that they have not fulfilled with some native land claims. This is unfortunate and really, our government needs to fulfill their obligations. It’s the right thing to do.
I do however find it hard to send my kids to school where on every wall and on every piece of literature sent home we see ‘anti-bullying’ paraphernalia yet it seems to me like that is exactly what our government is tolerating – and just like bullying, nothing changes until SOMETHING changes.
In my humble opinion, I feel that Mr. Bryant’s words would be better translated “we’re taking down this barricade and we will see some semblance of peace until such time that persons (from either side) will react to something again and start the whole process all over again.”
If you are going to ‘bring peace’ then both parties need to ensure that there are qualified, and mandated peace-’keepers’ as well as if the conditions warrant them, peace-’makers’.
Through it all, I believe in the power of prayer. I have learned in life that many of the things that concern me are also things that cannot be changed by me. So, I have turned to the One who can change not only circumstances, but how ‘I’ react to those circumstances.
It is unfortunate that I disagree with Mr. Bryant. I do not believe that the removal of these barricades will bring peace. So, instead of putting my faith in him, or others, I choose to put my faith in Christ. Last time I checked, they referred to Him as the ‘Prince of Peace’.
At least, that’s how I see it.
Craig
John Wayne, one of Hollywood’s more inspiring actors had this to say about ‘tomorrow’: “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”
To me the difference between a person who makes a mistake and a person who chooses to be a failure is that the person who fails doesn’t get up when they make a mistake. We all make mistakes. It’s in those mistakes that we have the opportunity to change or stay put.
Romans 5:3 says that ‘we can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to endure.’
Midnight is a great time to recognize that yesterday is gone. It cannot be redeemed or relinquished. Nothing will bring it back. But ‘today’ is a perfect opportunity to make the changes necessary to ensure that tomorrow will be better. That comes by building on the mistakes of yesterday and the momentum of yesterday’s victories as well.
At least that’s how I see it.
Craig
I grew up never hearing about terms like “Earth Days”, “Earth Hours”, and “climate control’. When we had garbage, we took it all out to the end of the laneway and the garbage crew would pick it up… all up. There were no blue boxes, grey boxes, clear bags. Garbage… was garbage. Simple as that. As soon as it left our driveway, we never had to worry about it again.
But we were apparently mistaken. People who knew more than us starting telling us that our selfish decisions were having a negative effect on the Earth’s conditions and that if we didn’t make changes soon, we would affect our planet and civilizations to come forever. We were faced with the decision: live carefree and let the future suffer or make changes now to save our future. Actually we still are.
In Mark 8:36 Jesus talks to his followers about the cost of living carefree, “how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process?” One can make the choice to live however they like, with no regard for how it will affect the future (just like we put out all of our garbage when we were younger because it was easy and ignorant) but it comes with a cost; a cost that many don’t take the time to assess before they make the decision.
What is the future worth to you? Are you ‘thinking green’ when it comes to your spiritual life? Are you making decisions today that are going to benefit you tomorrow and the generations to come?
At least that’s how I see it.
Craig
I’ve read in the paper and on different news-sites about Gen. Hillier’s announcement that he is stepping down as the current Chief of Defence Staff for the Canadian Armed Forces. The words are hardly out of his mouth and people are already asking him if he is planning on running for politics.
If you listened to the man, you would notice that he is talking about doing things like hunting, fishing, relaxing after all of the service that he has brought to the Canadian Forces and this country of ours.
I know some of Gen. Hillier’s extended family personally and success has followed them well and though I have never met the man before I can tell you that even from the fringe you can see that this person is a leader.
I’ve been trying to think of someone who was incredibly influencial yet at the same time extremely unnoticed. Someone who had the ear of the people when they spoke yet could never be found when they were needed.
I think that the Canadian Forces are losing a great leader and the uncertainty that comes from the rank-and-file is noticed mainly on the fact that Gen. Hillier did an incredible job of standing at the front to lead the way, stand at the side to encourage the men and women who proudly wear our uniform, and stand at the rear to make sure that no one was lagging behind.
Heroes are hard to come by. We need more heroes.
At least that’s how I see it.
Craig
Do you remember that? Growing up, on Sesame Street there was that sketch where the kid had to go to the grocery store so he made up a little song with his list, “A loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick o’ butter.” Maybe you hear it now too and like me, won’t be able to get it out of your head,
That’s what the writer of Proverbs is doing here. He’s giving a ‘shopping list’ so-to-speak of what one needs to get by in life. “Get the truth and don’t ever sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and discernment. (23:23).”
If you make sure those things are in your life’s ‘shopping cart’ I can assure you that you will be well on your way to living a life full of blessing and contentment. Remember Jesus told us that ‘the truth will set you free (John 8:32).” Now get out there and go shopping!
At least that’s how I see it.
Craig
When I got married (a ‘few’ years ago…) I remember my father-in-law, as he was giving his toast he said, “People who know me, know that those that I don’t love I… tolerate.” The room exploded with laughter. He is not the most ‘affectionate’ person but there is never a question of his love… it is truly genuine.
In the book of Romans, Paul tells the church to “love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other (12:10).” In a world that rejoices with those that mourn, and mourns with those who rejoice, I think Paul is onto something.
We need to champion, encourage, and honour those around us. We need to stop worrying about how good ‘we’ look and instead, genuinely concern ourselves with the bettering of others. They will be noticed, and I can guarantee you, we won’t look bad in the process either.
At least that’s how I see it,
Craig
