Giving Thanks: The Silver Lining
Submitted By Mrs. C
As I write,
it is a gorgeous mild late-October day. The sunlit gold foliage is brilliant
and breathtakingly beautiful against the intense vibrant blue of the lake.
The hens, such gentle and peaceful creatures, are outside, quietly cooing,
enjoying the day, one of them obviously and quite happily attempting to
scratch a hole to China.
In economic
times like these, it is easy to feel that there is nothing to give thanks
for. Folks have lost jobs, homes, perhaps their health. The evening news is
one story after another of terrorism, war, and horrific acts of crime, and
we wonder what this world is coming to.
Years ago
and as a young university student, I was fortunate to be introduced to the
works of Viktor Frankl. Philosopher, writer, author, and Auchwitz
concentration camp survivor, Frankl is best remembered for his book, “Man’s
Search for Meaning.”
What
impressed me most about Frankl was how he helped the men in the
concentration camps, men in almost total and complete despair who had lost
wives, children, sometimes entire families, men who were starved and
tortured and abused in every way imaginable. He taught the men that
everything could be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human
freedoms – the ability to choose one’s attitude in any given set of
circumstances.
He
instilled in the minds and hearts of the men the idea that, no matter what
incredible atrocities they endured, the one ultimate freedom they always
carried that no one could take from them was their freedom to choose how
they would view and think about their circumstances. He taught them that,
even in the face of extreme suffering, they always possessed within their
minds and their hearts the freedom to choose their own way, that while they
may not be able to directly choose their circumstances, they were free to
choose their thoughts about those circumstances, and in that way enable them
to shape their circumstances.
Haven’t we
heard a thousand times that for every dark cloud there is a silver lining –
the positive aspect, the unseen benefit. As we continue to grow and mature,
it’s easy to look back and pinpoint the hardships in our lives that
ultimately made us strong. What seemed so bad at the time was actually a
gift that blessed us with an inner strength and resilience that we could
always count upon and rely, depend. If you are yet to find that silver
lining, stay watchful and alert; hunt for it, seek it out. It might take
days or months or, in some cases, even years, but eventually you will find
it. Matthew 7:7: “Seek and ye shall find.”
During this
season of thanksgiving, remember to also give thanks for what you don’t
have. And always remember the silver lining, because once you find it, it’s
that which one day will come to prove among the greatest blessings of your
life. Email:
[email protected]
Gilmanton Library News
Gilmanton
Year-Round Library will present the movie “The Straight Story” at Monday
Movie Matinee for retirees and seniors Monday, November 22nd. The movie
begins at 1:30 p.m. with refreshments available.
The movie
will be presented at no charge courtesy of the Gilmanton Year-Round Library.
“The
Straight Story” is based on the true story of Alvin Straight, a 73 year old
who, in 1994, traveled 240 miles to reconcile with his ill, estranged
brother, making the entire trip on a lawnmower. Alvin hit the road for a
six-week, five mile per hour odyssey.
Visit the
Library’s Facebook page or website at
www.gyrla.org for
information on more upcoming events.
Stories And New
Books For Gilmanton’s Kids
On Monday, November 22nd, all the children at
Gilmanton School in Gilmanton will attend a lively and colorful book
delivery and storytelling presentation by the Children’s Literacy Foundation
(CLiF).
CLiF recently awarded a Rural Library Sponsorship to Gilmanton
Year-Round Library. As part of this grant, CLiF is donating $2,000 in new
children’s books to the public library. Gilmanton Year-Round Library is one
of 12 libraries in Vermont and New Hampshire to receive a CLiF sponsorship
for fall 2010.
To celebrate the arrival of the new books and reach out to
as many local children as possible, the special storytelling event will take
place at the Gilmanton Year-Round Library on Monday, November 22nd.
CLiF
Director Duncan McDougall will visit the library to display all the
beautiful books, perform stories, and share his love of reading and writing
with the students. More than 150 children from K-6 will participate. The
literacy program aims to inspire the children to discover the joy of reading
and to check out new books from their local library.
Gilmanton Year-Round
Library’s Jenny Stevens, Children’s Librarian says, “What a wonderful gift
to the children of Gilmanton! To add this many books to our collection
at one time is something we would not have been able to do financially.
The children will be thrilled to see so many new books! I look forward
to their reactions. Thank you CLiF!”
Before the presentation
at the library, Mr. McDougall will visit Blu Bear Daycare in Loudon to tell
stories to the children and give each child the opportunity to choose a book
to take home and keep. CLiF will also donate an additional collection of
children’s books to remain on-site. A new part of a Rural Library
Sponsorship, childcare visits give CLiF the opportunity to nurture a love of
reading among the younger children in the community and to help the public
library establish a relationship with a local childcare center.
“The
local public library is the primary source of books for thousands of
children who live in rural communities,” explains McDougall. Unfortunately,
due to shrinking budgets and rising book costs, many of these libraries
possess only limited collections of children’s books, and what volumes they
own are often falling apart from over-use or are out-of-date. Library
Director Claudette Gill was able to choose the new books from the CLiF
booklist, which includes more than 850 titles -- classics, Caldecott and
Newbery award winners, recent titles, and a wide selection of books by local
authors and illustrators.
Gilmanton Year-Round Library’s sponsorship is
made possible by a donation from Jockers Family Foundation. The
sponsorship is part of CLiF’s Rural Library Program, which awards support to
24 rural libraries throughout New Hampshire and Vermont each year. The
program was started in 1998 in an effort to boost the children’s book
collections of small libraries with the hope that increased exposure to
great books and inspiring storytelling will go a long way toward improving
children’s literacy across the Twin States.
A 12 year old nonprofit
organization, CLiF’s mission is to nurture a love of reading and writing
among rural, at-risk, and low-income children throughout New Hampshire and
Vermont. As of this past summer, CLiF has served 100,000 children across the
two states. Since its inception, the foundation has given literacy programs
in almost 400 Vermont and New Hampshire towns and has given away more than
$1 million worth of brand-new books. CLiF delivers more than 175 free
programs annually.
CLiF receives no state or federal funding, and relies
solely on the generosity of individuals, local companies, social
organizations, and foundations. To find out more about CLiF or make a
donation, please visit www.clifonline.org or contact CLiF Executive Director Duncan McDougall
at: Children’s Literacy Foundation, 1536 Loomis Hill Road, Waterbury Center,
VT 05677, (802) 244-0944,
[email protected].
Santa Plunge
On December 5th, the Gilmanton Community Church will be sponsoring a Santa
Plunge as a fund raiser for the Dominican Republic Mission Trip. The plunge
will take place at Varney Road Beach on Crystal Lake at 1:00 P.M.
Take
pledges and then take the plunge! There will be free Santa hats to all who
plunge and free hot chocolate to all who attend.
Also, get your picture
taken with Santa. Purchase various Christmas items and/or baked goods.
Registration begins at 1:00 and the plunge at 2:00 P.M.
Plunge sheets
are available on our website
www.gilmantoncommunitychurch.org or by contacting Bethany at 267-1934.
Gold Buyer / Vendor Night
Turn Your Gold Into Cash $$$$$
On Wednesday,
November 17th from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M., the Gilmanton Community Church on
Route 107 will be sponsoring a fundraising activity for the LaRomana,
Dominican Republic Mission Trip.
You will have the opportunity to turn
your gold into cash or to do some early Christmas shopping. If interested
you may check out Gold Siena, Inc.’s website at
www.goldpartynewengland.com.
The following vendors will provide a variety of shopping opportunities:
Silpada (fine silver jewelry), Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, and Avon.
Light refreshments will be available.
Black Friday
Babysitting
Do your day after Thanksgiving shopping without the kids!
On November 26th, from 5 am to 5 pm, the Gilmanton Community Church will
offer babysitting for adults to go shopping without the children at
Gilmanton Community Church on Route 107, Gilmanton, NH.
There will be
CPR trained adults and Red Cross certified youth available to entertain the
children. Your child can purchase a variety of gifts to make for friends and
family while he/she is with us. Meals and snacks will not be provided.
Pre-registration is required.
All proceeds will benefit the LaRomana,
Dominican Republic mission trip sponsored by the Gilmanton Community Church.
For more information on any of these events, please contact Bethany at
267-1934 or 267-1992 or check out our website at
www.gilmantoncommunitychurch.org.