The Knightly News – Council 11091
From the Grand Knight’s Desk
My Worthy Brother Knights!
November is a transition month, as we leave behind our cookouts, golf, camping, biking, and many other outdoor activities. Our region has shed its colorful leaves, preparing for a sleepy hibernation in anticipation of a long winter followed by a rebirth in the spring. Our seasons are part of the charm of our Midwest lifestyle.
Fortunately, our KofC council does not hibernate. In fact, November marks the beginning of the holiday season. Many of our activities revolve around Thanksgiving and Christmas. We’re very blessed to be able to expand the Adopt-A-Sailor program this year. We are preparing to host up to 30 sailors this year. The committee has been planning the event for weeks, and now the planning moves into the action phase. We’ll need a lot of help on Thanksgiving Day to make this event even more special than last year. Keep an eye out for emails from Ray Mueller regarding how you can pitch in.
The Christmas Tree Lot also begins in November. We need lots of manpower to set up the fencing, lights, trailers, tree stands, and much more. I also encourage everyone reading this to sign up for at least one 4-hour shift over the course of the 20+ days we are open for business. It’s a great way to connect with your Brother Knights, and raise a lot of money for our council. Other dates to save coming up include our Flag Football Trilogy (starting Thanksgiving) and Christmas Party/Breakfast with Santa on Dec 6 and 7.
Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings. This can be somewhat difficult for anyone who has recently lost a loved one, is out of work, has health issues, or is experiencing other difficult setbacks in life. It can lead one to ask questions. How could God let this happen? What did I do to deserve this? Will things ever get better? Some things are a direct result of our actions, and we have to own at least part of the results. It’s easy to go to a dark place in our heads and hearts. It’s easy to be angry, spiteful, and jealous of others. God is always there, walking with us, no matter how deep we are into personal despair. We are not alone. In fact, no matter how perfect someone else appears, even they have failings and difficult times. Some things happen that are beyond our control. They blindside us, but again, God is there to help and comfort us.
In the darkest times, prayer can be a major step in the journey back into the light. Prayer is powerful, but it’s not just about asking God for something, such as a job, a better relationship, recovery from health issues, or answers to our most important questions. It’s OK to ask God for something. We should pray for what we need. It’s also OK to give ourselves to God and put ourselves at His mercy. We can pray for the strength to go on, for the wisdom to make good choices, and for peace, love, and tranquility in our hearts – to focus on the solutions to many of life’s problems.
I, too, have had to deal with countless setbacks in life. Many of the wounds are self-inflicted, and some are beyond my control. However, I am so very grateful for the people in my life. My family. My brother Knights and their families. My fellow parishioners. My clergy. My friends. You make a difference. Thank you for being in my life. Hope to see you all Thursday night at our General Meeting. We start promptly at 7:30pm.
Vivat Jesus!
Dan Limbach, Grand Knight
