Remember and give thanks: But also resolve

		Notes from the  Vicar General  Msgr. Paul J. Swain

November is a month of remembrance and giving thanks. May it also be a time of resolve.

We celebrate All Saints Day when we remember those who have gone before us. One of my favorite definitions of saints is that they were ordinary people living ordinary lives in an ordinary Christian way, which only seems extraordinary to those who do not. May we resolve to better live ordinary Christian lives.

We also celebrate All Souls Day when we remember and pray for those who await the fullness of God's love, especially those who do not have anyone to pray for them. May we resolve year round to pray for those who need our prayers, those who went before, and those who are in our midst this day, especially those who do not have anyone to pray for them.

Saints, family, blessings

This month we remember as well, and pray for, those from our families, our parishes, and our communities who have died and whom we miss. We give thanks for the many ways in which they touched our lives. Their memories encourage us each day. May we resolve to live lives worthy of those who have loved us, who guided us, and who often sacrificially shaped who we are.

On Thanksgiving Day, we as a nation take time to give thanks to God for the blessings we enjoy. Among them is the freedom to practice our faith. There are many places around the world where practicing the faith requires courage.

With the Middle East in such turmoil, we pray in a special way for Arab Catholics in the Holy Land. They face challenge from Arab brothers and sisters because they are Christians, and from non-Arabs because of their ethnicity. May we resolve to appreciate our freedom of religion, for which others daily risk their lives, by seriously accepting the responsibilities of practicing the faith, including regular Mass attendance.

Abundance, faith, natural beauty

We also should give thanks for the abundance and comfort in which we live.

Have you been annoyed standing in line at the checkout counter in the grocery store because it is taking so long? Instead of fuming, perhaps we might survey the bounty in our baskets. One in four children in the United States goes hungry each day. Starvation is one of the greatest causes of death in the world. May we resolve to more regularly share what we have with those who have so little.

We also should give thanks for the beautiful natural environment in which we live.

Each seasonal change is a gift to be treasured. Recently I was in another state. Its geography is flat and without many trees. Remembering the rolling hills, the flowing streams, the varying shades of green year round which is Wisconsin, I could not help but reflect on how fortunate we are to live in what some call 23rd psalm country. May we resolve to better appreciate and be better stewards of God's marvelous creation.

As we remember and give thanks, may we do so as people of prayer who humbly acknowledge that all is a gift from God beginning with life itself. In return for all we have received, may we resolve to be living witnesses of God's love.

All I want for Christmas: A heifer in my stocking?

		Grand Mom  Audrey  Mettel Fixmer

I wonder what my children will say when I tell them I want a heifer for Christmas.

Since I do not now nor have ever lived on a farm, their reaction will probably be, "That's it! Mom has finally become senile." I will need to explain quickly my perfectly sound reasons before they begin checking out the nursing homes.

Christmas traditions

Once again, Christmas traditions need to change in our family. We are beyond the days when everyone could buy a gift for everyone else in the family.

It was wild enough when all 10 children lived at home and each received and gave multiple gifts. We fought our way through mountains of gifts and a blizzard of wrapping paper.

But when they all married and had children of their own, the chaos soon forced us to agree on drawing names at Thanksgiving and setting a limit on spending.

Not everyone could make it home in later years, but all of them seemed to think they had to buy gifts for their parents in addition to the person whose name they drew. By the time we reached Christmas Eve the tree resembled Gimbel's basement, and still they came streaming through the door laden with more gifts.

Cut back on 'things'

Here's the problem. When we get to middle age and beyond, we find ourselves wanting nothing more than to cut back on "things." We have learned that the more we have, the more responsibility we have to take care of it.

This was brought home to me recently when our Woman's Club held a silent auction. The donated items were beautiful and valuable treasures, but too many remained gleaming on the tables when it was over, forcing the donors to take them home again.

The problem was not in the donations, but in the customers. We were all older women, and older women are not into acquiring, but rather into "declutterizing."

This experience caused me to latch onto one of the dozens of catalogs that are stuffed in my mailbox each day. It was from Heifer International with the bold title, "The Most Important Gift Catalog in the World." Inside I found out why they can make this boast.

The perfect gift

First there are the heartwarming pictures of grinning children in Third World countries. They are hugging baby goats, heifers, sheep, or other livestock.

The copy inside the front cover explains that when you order one of the modestly priced animals from this organization, the person you name will receive a gift card from you and they will have the satisfaction of knowing they have personally set a poor family on the road to financial security.

Heifer International will train the family in the care of the animal, and have them agree to pass on the first female offspring to another family. The second family also agrees to pass on the gifts, etc.

"You can see that your kind gift is much more than one animal - it's the gift of hope for an entire community. Even a small donation can make a difference," the organization says.

They suggest a gift for a teacher (who does not need another engraved Christmas tree ornament): a $20 flock of chicks for families from Cameroon to the Caribbean. There are trios of rabbits for $60 or a gift of sheep or a pig or a goat for $120. A heifer costs a whopping $500, but this, like all others, may be bought in "shares" for as little as $10-$25.

They say, "Change comes slowly - often piece by piece - for impoverished people . . . But with patience and perseverance - plus some help from Heifer animals - families all over the world are realizing their dreams for a brighter future."

A great idea

What a great idea! No wonder President Jimmy Carter says, "I have long been proud of the fine work of Heifer International."

Maybe if I tell my kids this, they will postpone looking for a nursing home for me and stop searching for something I "might like."

I hear there's an epidemic of "Affluenza" in this rich nation of ours, so perhaps some of my readers out there would also appreciate cutting down on their Christmas clutter, while making the world a little better place. Here's the address: Heifer International, P.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 72203-8058; or on the Web: www.heifer.org; or phone 800-422-0755.

"Grandmom" likes hearing from other senior citizens who enjoy aging at P.O. Box 216, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538.