Is love alive?

The days are short. The nights are long. It's cold and dark.

Winter is here and I dread it. Many people embrace winter by cross-country skiing, skating, or power-sledding ... but I just can't go there. Winter is the season of death.

They say that things just cannot grow
Beneath the winter snow,
Or so I have been told.

The human race lives in a winter age. It's been winter ever since we left the Garden. Paradise lost. Cold and darkness is our way of life. We've adjusted to it, but when spring finally arrives, we'll realize how cold and dark it really was.

I still believe in summer days.
The seasons always change
And life will find a way.


On a cold, dark winter night a long time ago, Light came to earth and brought good news of great joy -- the promise of spring and the resurrection of life.

My love a beacon in the night.
My words will be your light
To carry you to me.


The Light has left us for now and the winter goes on. But every once in a while, the Spirit puts a song in my heart to remind me that someone will be waiting for us when spring returns.

This is my winter song.
December never felt so wrong,
Cause you're not where you belong;
Inside my arms.


Christmas Eve candlelight service at Central Baptist Church on Wednesday, December 24, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Worship in the quiet darkness. Reflect on the Light. All welcome.

---

Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson recently recorded Winter Song for the Hotel Cafe album entitled "Winter Songs". Check out their live performance of the song on the Tonight Show.

The speech Harper didn't make ...

Some people never learn. (I might be one of them.) After launching a neo-con sneak attack last week that backfired terribly, Stephen Harper got on national television tonight and took more potshots at the Liberals and NDP. I don't get it.

FWIW - here's the speech Harper should have made tonight:

"On October 14, Canadians elected the Conservatives as a minority government. In so doing, they affirmed our previous term as the governing party and gave us a clear mandate to lead Canada into the future. Canadians did this, however, with the expectation that we earn the confidence of Liberal and NDP members of the House of Commons. Last week, we failed to meet that expectation. This was a regrettable deviance from our previous course of action.

I pledge tonight to return to a more cooperative approach to government. I look forward to recognizing the contributions of the Liberal Party and the NDP as we provide peace, order, and good government for all Canadians. Good night, and here's to a bright tomorrow for our great country."

The world's coldest banana republic ...

Full disclosure: I've voted Liberal, NDP, and Conservative in various elections for various levels of government. I even had Green Party signs on my lawn during the last two federal elections. So, I'm not a hard-core political idealogue.

But I do agree with National Post columnist, John Ivison, who suggests that the imminent defeat of the minority Conservative government gives Canada the prospect of becoming the world's coldest banana republic.

Other pithy comments from Ivision:

The most likely scenario will see Mr. Dion become Prime Minister at the head of an alliance so unholy it would have been burned at the stake for heresy in the Middle Ages.

The inherent contradictions of this coalition will be exposed sooner or later. The accord signed by Mr. Dion, Mr. Layton and Gilles Duceppe says that "within the limits of common sense, the partners agree to work on a 'no surprises' basis." But common sense is in short supply in Ottawa these days, and it will only be a matter of time before one or other of the leaders springs a surprise on his partners.


What was Harper thinking?

I have no idea why Stephen Harper decided to push an agenda last week that would have created serious problems even for a majority government. I am stunned by the incredible lack of judgement he demonstrated.

In typical Canadian fashion, we elected Stephen Harper to provide middle-of-the-road direction for this country. He did so successfully as a minority government leader prior to the last election, and we awarded this mediocri ... er, moderation ... by sending more Conservative MP's to the House of Commons on October 14.

Canadians did not give Harper free reign. He had no mandate to put a hardline Conservative agenda on the table last week. Admittedly, Dion, Layton, and Duceppe are three of the most ill-equipped leaders I have ever seen, but did Harper really think they would give him a pass?

Harper's indiscretion has let Canadians down. By refusing to function as the leader of a minority government, he has forced us to face the possibility of moving from mediocrity to outright ineptitude in the House of Commons. The prospects are dim.

Back to the polls

I don't relish the idea of spending another $30 million on yet another election, but it's time to go back to the polls. (And this time, Canadians need to show up and vote.) Harper did not respect the will of Canadians to govern as the leader of a minority. Now, a coalition of incompetents think they can hijack the House of Commons and impose their agenda on Canadians. Voters need to make their voices heard. Demand an election. Don't ever let politicians think they can bypass the will of the people. It's too cold in Canada to enjoy the fringe benefits of a banana republic.