By Wesley Hague

Winter’s here, its cold embrace
land and sky, hands and face.
Snowy plains, and icy fields
frigid winds that they yield.

Winter’s here, it’s lonely song
piercing winds, echo’s along
Listen now, past the winds moan
even the trees now, creak and groan.

Darkness comes, without a sound
Not even light to heat the ground.
Yet as the night fades to day,
This winter, will eventually go away.

Our society favours the fair. Where we used to judge a person’s moral standard by their goodness, honesty, grace, all those wonderful things, the qualifications for the status of “good person” have become much more shallow. Today the good person is the one who best follows our universal code of fairness. If we are waiting for help from a salesclerk, and someone who asked for aid after we did is approached by the clerk first, in our minds something says “Oh dear, that’s not right.” If two people order a bowl of soup and one seems more filled than the other, something clicks; “Hey, that’s not how it works.” Where we were once under the impression that everyone should strive to be good, and try to be a moral human being, we now have a cosmic sporting match, where everyone may do what they want to serve their own motives, as long as they play by the right rules, don’t bother anyone else in their own search for self satisfaction.
This, I believe, is a major reason why so many people have been getting mad at God lately. Because God just hasn’t been playing the right game of pool. If God was playing by the rules, we wouldn’t be suffering, their be no wars. The problem of evil sees a great deal of steam in the fact that we’re always so troubled at God for not playing fair. Such important aspects of God’s character, such as love and justice, become secondary and useless if this need for fairness is not satisfied.
I think we need to remember at times like these how unfairly God is actually playing. If things went according to fairness, we would all be sent to hell, which we have done more than enough (each of us) to merit. Christianity is a belief-system that requires a lot of submitting. While the sceptic proves the connected innate nature of all religions by holding up the golden rule saying “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” watering it down to “be nice to everyone” (which is also the only remaining definer for this new innate code of fairness) it is the Christian only who admits that they had no part in being good. We admit that we are nothing without God. We submit to His will and also to His Word, the Bible, even when that Word confuses us or angers us.
So I ask of you all, as I try to work within myself, to remember how unfair God has already been. When you approach scripture you do not understand, when life throws a curb that makes you want to scream to heaven and curse the one who blesses you, remember that we are beneath God. We can never understand how God works, and He’s not playing our game of pool. He’s playing a better one, which we will not yet be able to grasp, but one which will ultimately work for good. Thank God he hasn’t been fair, at least by our standards.

From the Editor’s Desk

Welcome back everyone. I trust you all had a splendid first week back at school. The textbooks are all in bloom again and seeing everyones cheery “I love to be back in the books” expressions brings warmth to my innermost being. However, I know this glee is not to last, and the joys that classes and studying bring will soon fade. February and March can be pretty tough months for me. The weather, the monotony, other forces all seem to combine together to make the days seem long and the world seem tough. Be of good heart, say I. Like the cold winds, these feelings will pass. In four months we shall have triumphs and trials a plenty, but the world goes round, and God is always on His seat. I wish you many blessings this coming semester, and all the best in the Year of our Lord, two thousand and eight.

In This Issue

Aloha: Katelyn Unger

Creative Corner: Winter Cold: Wesley Hague

Devotional: A God who is Unfair

Opinions and Editorials: Surviving Winter: Wesley Hague

Photo Gallery: Aloha

By Katelyn Unger

Friday the 18th was a day of joyous laughter and happy smiles as the first week of school came to a close, however the day’s events were quickly forgotten when 7:00pm finally arrived. As I walked into the campus center I was transported to the island of Hawaii, everyone was dressed in their most colourful clothing and every neck was adorned with a lei. The tables were covered in flower peddles, bracelets and a small fish that would soon become a prize.
I walked up to the bar and ordered myself a drink. With glass in hand I wandered around the tables and finally came to sit at a table where there would soon be some very entertaining entertainment. There was a large assortment of fruits, snacks, sundaes and drinks for all. It was great seeing everyone playing cards and hanging out with fellow students, but the real fun began a short time later when the nights activities began.
Some of the games included the limbo, which was won by Jamie. Pineapple- chubby bunny, won by Matt Read a great game that turned into quite the juicy tale. The chair game that enables people to do awkward things that normally would not be done in society and there was also Simon-says, a great game in itself. All the games were well played and lots of fun to watch. There was never a moment of boredom and the night went off without any major problems.
Thanks to everyone who helped out- SLT you were great. Also, a big thanks to everyone who participated in the games and to those who just came out for some good ol’ fashion Aloha fun.

By Wesley Hague

Despite the fact that people see me in short sleeves most of the year round and they think I am totally nuts I have learned a thing or two about how to survive the cold weather, and even go so far as enjoy it, regardless of the temperature.

1. Hat- This is the first and the biggest no-brained. If you don’t have a hat get one. You loose a lot of your body heat from your head. Even a cheap four dollar one at Walmart will be infinitely better than not wearing anything. Yes I know some people don’t like wearing them, cause of the time they spend on their hair. Yet if they are more concerned with looking good, than staying warm, well that’s your own fault then.

2. Mitts - Wear something on your hands. Hands are one of the first things to get cold, and are also the first things to start hurting because they are cold. Again, for about four to five dollars you can by a pair of gloves.

The amount of people who complain because of the cold, and do not even do these two things is just plainly ridiculous. If you can’t wear hat and mitts then you do not even have a reason to complain about being cold, its your own fault. Now to the advanced steps.

3. Layers - aka “Scott Dennison” When it doubt, just put on more clothes, a T-shirt, with a long-sleeve shirt, under a sweater, under a spring jacket, under a winter jacket, and you will not get cold, well not as likely. Even gloves can be layered, and a headband while rather useless on their own, can easily fit nicelying down you may feel its warmth a little easier. Or at night, doing something as enjoying the sight of the moonlight reflect on the falling snow flakes, might just help you forget that actually temperature.

4. Keep moving - If you find yourself getting cold, then keep your moving, especially if you are wearing all the clothing that I have suggested, then the very act of keeping moving while wearing all that clothing will help keep you warm. If you have to stop, then face your back to the wind. Its better to have the wind blast against your back, then against your face.

5. More Layers - I can’t stress this one enough. Scarves, double gloves, turtle necks, hoods. Even doing your coat zipper up fully so its covering your face will help you stay warm if necessary. All of this can easily be undone or remove if you actually manage to heat up. Heck layers will also make you a lot warmer when your inside as well.

6. Attitude - While this may be the weirdest one on the list, it can also make or break all the rest. If you step outside thinking about the cold, looking at the snow, listening to the blistering wind then you most likely are probably going to be cold. If you step outside not paying any attention to the snow or the weather. Focussing on the bright sun shining down you may feel its warmth a little easier. Or at night, doing something as enjoying the sight of the moonlight reflect on the falling snow flakes, might just help you forget that actually temperature.

Well I hope you all the best when dealing with this Winter. Its no joke how cold it is out there, and that the cold can do serious damage and pain. Yet with a little bit of thought and preparation perhaps people can stop complaining about the temperature and perhaps enjoy the unique sights that Winter brings.

Student Satisfactory Inventory

In November, 2007 the Thursday Morning classes and a few others participated in the completion of the Student Satisfaction Inventory Fall 2007. Initial results have been compiled and are available in paper format at the Front Desk, and Library Circulation Desk, or online at this address: http://www.ebcollege.on.ca/students/assessment.php

A more detailed analysis is in the planning stages and will be carried out over the next few months with hopes for the Executive Summary to be available by the end of March 2008.

The initial results from the Fall 2007 Student Survey along with Executive Summary are available at the above address.

Focus Groups

Focus groups will be taking place soon to discuss results of the recent Student Satisfaction Inventory. If you would like to take part in a group, contact Tim Grace (tgrace@ebcollege.on.ca or 519-894-8900 x270 or stop by his office in the Student Life centre)