Merry Christmas

The holiday season is upon us with Christmas just around the corner. Decorations having been springing up since Halloween, and the weather has turned cool. The many activities in the community will begin such as the lighting of the Village Christmas tree, the Christmas parade and Once Upon A Christmas celebrated at The Museums at Lisle Station Park.

While many people associate December with Christmas, December is time many people of many faiths celebrate. The Jewish community will celebrate Hanukkah, the Muslim community will celebrate Ramadan, Eid al-Fidr, Eid'ul-Adha, the Mexican community will celebrate Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Swedish community will celebrate St. Lucia Day, some European countries and communities here will celebrate Boxing Day, and some African Americans will celebrate Kwanzaa.

In this diverse society we live in today, some people celebrate many times embracing their diverse heritage. Many communities offer celebrations and invite the public to come learn about their traditions and celebrate with them. As the world becomes a smaller place, this might be a good time to learn about the traditions and customs of another faith and/or culture this holiday season. As Christians, we embrace the birth of Jesus. Jesus gospel was to love our neighbor. If our neighbor is not Christian, then what better way to show love than to learn more about what our neighbor believes.

Peace and blessings.

A Month to Give Thanks

November is a special month as we reflect on many ways to be grateful and offer thanks. The two main days people reflect on are Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving. However, this month can be a time to remember that there is something to be thankful for each day. Did you know the month of November has the yummy distinction of celebrating the following:

November 4th was National Candy Day. After all the candy that has been consumed on Halloween, you can continue your sugar high on this day to celebrate your favorite sweet treats. What candy are you thankful for this month?

November 10th was National Vanilla Cupcake Day. If vanilla is not your favorite flavor - think again. You can put so many different types of frosting on a vanilla cupcake, and cupcakes make the perfect one serving size so you can have your own flavor of frosting. The link below provides some information about the cupcake. Yes, be thankful for the vanilla cupcake.

National Vanilla Cupcake Day

November 30th is National Mousse Day. No, not the animal, but the yummy, foamy food that just melts in your mouth. If you are looking for a way to be grateful today, make or find a mousse and just enjoy the dessert. Oh, thank you to the French for the mousse.

Now, on a more serious note, another time to be thankful in November is being grateful for the opportunity to participate in the election process. As Americans, we have the right to vote for any candidate on the ballot, and, more importantly, we have the right to participate in our government. Remember that exercising your voting rights can mean many things. Beyond voting, you can run for political office and/or know the facts about what is happening in your community. Are you aware of the open meetings that take place in your community? Do you know the people who represent your voice in the government? Just remember that as citizens we should be grateful for the opportunity to participate in government and voice our opinion.

Veteran's Day was Friday, November 11th. This is a day to be grateful to all the men and women and their families who have served in the military defending this country and the values for which it stands. Lisle unveiled a new Veterans Memorial located at 4721 Center Street on the corner of Center and School on the campus of The Museums at Lisle Station Park. Thank you to all the men and women who have served this nation.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner on Thursday, November 24th. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians did share a feast to celebrate the autumn harvest that is recognized as the first Thanksgiving. The celebration of Thanksgiving was not a national holiday, although celebrated in individual states, until 1863 when during the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that Thanksgiving should be celebrated in November. It was writer Sarah Josepha Hale (author of "Mary Had a Little Lamb - among other works) who convinced President Lincoln to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November a day of Thanksgiving to heal the nation and comfort the widows of the war. The date of Thanksgiving was moved up one week in 1939 by President Franklin Roosevelt to help holiday shopping sales during the Great Depression. People were not happy with the change and referred to the day as Franksgiving, and in 1941 President Roosevelt moved the holiday back to the fourth Thursday in November.

May you find a reason to give thanks every day this month. May it become a habit that continues with you so that you may find gratitude and thanksgiving in each and every day.

Peace and blessings.

Religion and National Celebrations

October ushers in two national celebrations: Columbus Day and Halloween. 

Columbus Day

Columbus Day is celebrated on October 12th to commemorate the landing of Christopher Columbus in the "New World" in 1492. The holiday became official in 1937 as a way of celebrating the achievement of Italian-Americans and Columbus; however, Columbus has had a controversial legacy. 

According to www.history.com, it was in 1792 that the first Columbus Day celebration occurred in New York to honor the 300th anniversary of his discovery. The website writes,"taking pride in Columbus’ birthplace and faith, Italian and Catholic communities in various parts of the country began organizing annual religious ceremonies and parades in his honor. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation encouraging Americans to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage with patriotic festivities." The World's Fair in Chicago was part of this commemorative celebration. It was the Knights of Columbus who lobbied President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim October 12th a national holiday.

Since the 19th century there has been opposition to Columbus Day. For religious reasons, anti-immigrant groups did not want to honor the day because of its association with Catholicism. In more recent history, rejection of the holiday has come from people who claim Columbus treated the Native Americans poorly upon his arrival and his arrival began the European colonization and death to many Native Americans. Several states have adopted Indigenous Persons Day as an alternative to Columbus Day with celebrations that honor and celebrate the people who were in this native land prior to the landing by Columbus. 

Halloween

Halloween has a long history, according to www.history.com, where it was celebrated as the "ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts." When Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints' Day to honor the martyrs and saints, there were some aspects of the Samhain festival that were included. The evening before All Saints' Day was known as All Hallows Eve which became Halloween.

The festival of Samhain was part of the Celtic tradition which believed that on October 31st ghosts return to earth and upon their return they create chaos. The lighting of bonfires to burn crops and animals was a way to offer a sacrifice to the Celtic deities. During this celebration people wore costumes made from animal heads to tell the fortunes of people around them for the coming year.

Halloween was not widely celebrated in the American colonies due to the Protestant belief system except in Maryland and the southern colonies where the Halloween traditions were blended with Native American traditions. Some of the first celebrations were harvest related. The current Halloween tradition of going door to door for candy has roots from England when poor people went door to door begging for food. More information about the history and superstitions can be found in the link under "Sources."

These two celebrations show how religion has influenced how people celebrate in a variety of ways.

Peace and blessings.

Sources:

Columbus Day

Halloween

A Prayer For The Nation

Today marks the 15th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks on this country. As Alan Jackson wrote, "Where where you when the world stopped turning that September day?" For those of us old enough to remember, I doubt where we were and what we were doing will ever be forgotten. Those of a younger generation my guess is what the generation who fought in World War II felt like when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. My prayer is that another generation never have to remember an attack on this country, but that they are taught to always remember both of these historical events.

For those who remember, following the events of 9/11 it did not matter what race, gender, and religious or political affiliation a person had because the end goal was to come together as a nation to overcome the horrific acts of the day. People donated blood, helped families, and I specifically remember a time of people genuinely being extremely kind and civil toward everyone. This is my prayer for the nation - that we never forgot how to be kind and civil toward everyone. Let not hate, fear of the unknown and disagreements divide this nation for that is not what the Founders of these United States would have wanted.

Let us come together in peace to face any fears and disagreements and continue the work of this great nation for the betterment of the world.

Peace and blessings.

Labor Day

The Village of Lisle and the surrounding area was settled by people who farmed the land. As more people settled and the arrival of the railroad, people relied on the skills of each other. Jobs such as blacksmithing, store clerks, and doctors made up small towns. Some of the early businesses located in Lisle included several blacksmith shops, a dry goods store owned by the Yender family, a creamery which provided dairy products, a flower business and an ice business. Farming, whether for profit or necessity, was prevalent for many years. Living on a farm required working every day of the week. Animals need taking care of daily and crops need tending. Neither animals nor crops know what day of the week it is. People took care of these “chores” while taking care of their family, possibly working at another job, attending church and helping make decisions within the community. The idea of taking a vacation would have been foreign to a person who knew their animals and crops needed daily care as this was their way to survive.

Many people today do not have the responsibilities of taking care of farm animals and/or crops. For people in a “business model” job where work centers around an eight hour work day Monday through Friday, the reason behind the upcoming holiday of Labor Day has lost its meaning and significance. The first Monday in September is celebrated as Labor Day and according to the Department of Labor is “a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

The founder of Labor Day is disputed as either Matthew Maguire or Peter McGuire. Labor Day was first recognized in 1885 and 1886 by local municipalities. Congress passed an act on June 28, 1894, declaring the first Monday in September as the legal holiday to commemorate Labor Day. For many years Labor Day was celebrated with parades, festivals and speeches given by prominent members of the community. For many years, Labor Day was celebrated with people enjoying a day off of work with family picnics marking an end of summer. While that trend has continued, the retail industry has found that “Labor Day Sales” are a reason to bring people into their stores to purchase goods.

Labor Day will be celebrated this Monday, September 5, 2016. Whatever your plans are this year, take time to think about the first settlers and the meaning of the holiday.

Peace and blessings.


Source: https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history

It is “Back to School” Month

The calendar has turned to August which means summer vacation is winding down and a number of children will be returning to school this month. Many people have heard that the history of schools closing down for the summer began when children were a large source of labor for their families because farming families used their children to help out during the summer months. Actually, according to Kenneth Gold, historian at the College of Staten Island, schools had two short terms occurring in the winter and summer because farming needs were needed in the spring for planting and in the fall for harvesting. It was in the late 19^th century when educators wanted a school calendar that was the same for both urban and rural areas which resulted in the summer vacation many students now enjoy.

This church was part of a rural, farming society. Many of the families who attended and built this church were farmers. The church has a history with education. According to church history, in 1860 the members of the church met at the Goodrich School for their meetings and services. The church history also notes that in 1907 the local school held classes at the church after it burned down.

So, in 1833 when the first religious society of the area was formed that would eventually become First Congregational Church of Lisle, what did women (the main people in charge of educating children) think about education? One point of view can be taken from Lydia Maria Child the author of The American Frugal Housewife which was first published in 1828 and was a popular manual for women during this time. The book contains recipes, remedies, and advice on parenting and housekeeping.

Ms. Child devotes an entire section on education and specifically young girls. She makes a point of stating that girls should not be focused on getting married. She says that young girls who focus on getting married do themselves harm because they are not equipped to handle a household and end up getting married just to say they are married whether they are in love or not. Child writes, “Leave the affections to nature to truth, and all will end well.” She advocates that young girls should spend several years with a wife and learn how to care for children and a home before taking on her own household.

Child notes that “modern girls” were in school until the age of sixteen. She believed that their education learning science, among other things, were a waste of time. She did not think that spending time and money on cultural graces such as music were wise. In her opinion, a girl’s education should have consisted of the “inelegant, every-day duties of life. Thus prepared, they enter upon matrimony. Those early habits, which would have made domestic care a light and easy task, have never been taught, for fear it would interrupt their happiness; and the result is, that when cares come, as come they must, they find them misery. I am convinced that indifference and dislike between husband and wife are more frequently occasioned by this great error in education, than by any other cause.”

What a difference in thinking of education as today the goal is make sure all students have the same opportunities so anyone can achieve their dreams. Let us all remember how thankful we are for the opportunity for all children to have an education, and be sure to watch out for school crossings as more children are walking and/or boarding buses.

Peace and blessings.

Sources:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/debunking-myth-summer-vacation/

Child, Lydia Maria, The American Frugal Housewife. Applewood Books: Bedford, MA, 1832, 91-96.

Independence Day

July usually brings the heat of summer, thoughts of ice cream and ways to cool down as the national celebrates the 4^th of July with picnics, parades and fireworks. This year may we pause for a moment and think about what we, as a people of the United States, are celebrating.

The 4^th of July, also known as Independence Day, became a federal holiday in 1941 and has been celebrated since the American Revolution. Representatives of the thirteen original colonies came together in June of 1776 to write a resolution declaring their independence from Great Britain. A vote was taken by the Continental Congress on July 2^nd favoring independence and on July 4^th the delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence.

The wording of the Declaration of Independence can be seen at the link below:

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

If you ever find yourself in Washington, D.C., in my opinion it worth everyone’s time to take a trip to the National Archives and see the original document. The signatures are fading and there may come a time when it is declared the original document is too fragile to be in public so be sure to go see it.

So, how we make Independence Day personal? Do you have an ancestor that served during the Revolutionary War? The Daughters of the American Revolution have a great website that you can search to see if a member of your family is already listed as a patriot. Their website is

www.dar.og

The land for both this church and the Lisle Cemetery were donated by James C. Hatch. James was the son of Capt. Azel Hatch who served during the War of 1812. Capt. Reuben Hatch and Joseph Hatch, the grandfather and great-grandfather, respectively, of James Hatch served during the Revolutionary War. Reuben’s records state he was a civil servant from the state of New Hampshire. Joseph was a soldier from Connecticut. I can imagine that James grew up hearing many stories about the war and assume the 4^th of July was an important holiday for their family.

So this 4^th of July, think about what our Founding Fathers went through writing the Declaration of Independence and all the people who served in the war and continue to serve in the military today.

Grace and blessings to all.