When the world seems upside down what do we do?   Is there any way we can get our country turned around and right-side up?  It boggles my mind with what is coming out of politicians and leaders across our country and the world these days.  It seems the world has gone totally mad and is void of any common sense.  Here in Saskatchewan, we are enjoying the summer holidays and some sense of normality that we lost over the last 18 months and we do not want to hear any more bad news.  I am trying to keep on top of what is going on in the world and in particular with the Delta variant that is gaining momentum across the world.  What I see does not look encouraging.  I think we are headed for another rough winter. Let’s pray this variant is headed off from coming into Canada.  My encouragement is for everyone to take vitamin D, which is proven to help build immunity.  With the Covid drama unfolding, one thing I am convinced of is that much of what we are hearing from the media is not truth.  One person told me once that a half-truth is a lie.  In my opinion, the media is good at spinning half-truths.  Truth is difficult to discern with respect to all the issues we are bombarded with today, whether it is lockdowns, mandates or bills pushed through parliament that will forever change the way Canadians live. 

The Residential School issue continues to come to my mind.  I know it is a very serious and disturbing subject that everyone would like to avoid—except the media.  The reason I am writing on this subject is because I believe the media are using it to stir up hatred and animosity that will only bring more harm than good.  I have followed the news on the stories that have come out about the several unmarked graveyards across western Canada.  I believe the media are spinning this issue in a very dangerous direction which will accomplish no good for any side involved in this matter.   

Thoughts about the residential school issue have been on my mind lately as it has been for many in Canada over the past few months.   What really happened back there?  Were all residential schools really evil?  I am going to share my perspective and maybe it will help someone.   

This past week we had some very interesting guests visit our church.  This husband and wife were on a working trip going across Western Canada.  Mrs. Arbo shared her testimony how her family found freedom in Canada.  To hear and understand what people will risk and go through to gain freedom makes one appreciate the freedoms we now have.  Whenever I hear a story like this, I realize we do not appreciate what we have in Canada, that is, until we may lose it.  Then we will tell our suffering grandchildren what we used to have.  Freedom is a precious principle.  It allows people to pursue their dreams and fulfill them in countries like Canada and the USA where we have differences of governance but one thing in common and that is freedom. 

The Scriptures (books of the Bible) were given to mankind to help him find the right track in life and keep on it.  They were also written so that governments could have some moral wisdom and guidance in the affairs of state.  The Scriptures give the ministers of justice wisdom and guidance over the affairs in the courts of a free and democratic nation.  Without the Scriptures man becomes a floundering fool going from this to that solution. Until he gets back to the solutions God provides everything will be in vain, a dismal failure. This has been proven over and over throughout history.  When the principles and the laws of God are reverenced and upheld a nation will be blessed.  When a nation veers away from those laws, which all do eventually, then the blessings veer away too.  We first see this demonstrated in the Bible object lesson nation of Israel.  Israel was given to the world for an object lesson to learn from.  The New Testament makes this point very clear: “Now all these things happened unto them [Israel] for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).