"Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk.

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1 Thankful For The Thorns -- Author unknown Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come on her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "Had she lost a child? She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rearended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?" "Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. "I... I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra. "For Thanksgiving?" Sandra nodded. Do you want the beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?" "Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong." Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, "Hi, Barbara... let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers. "Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again." She said, as she gently tapped her chest. Sandra stammered, "That lady just left with, uh... she left with no flowers!" "That's right, said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet." "Oh, come on! You can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra. "Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do, today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery." "That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

2 "So what did you do?" asked Sandra. "I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?!" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others." Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God." Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement... twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator. "Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?" "No... I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us." As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!" "I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too... fresh." "Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns." Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out. "I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute." "Thank you. What do I owe you?" "Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first." It read: My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant." Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.

3 +Dear Parents, When I read through this reflection, I thought it was so true. What more can I say? Please be assured of our prayers this Thanksgiving. I pray that your time with family and friends will be truly blessed! Please know how grateful we are for all you do for us. It was so evident last Friday when you came to help us out so we could enjoy a Thanksgiving breakfast treat. We are grateful for our Home and School Board for preparing such a delicious feast!!! God bless you! Happy Thanksgiving! Sister Catherine Irene, IHM Looking Ahead STUDENTS MAY WEAR GYM UNIFORMS FOR MISSION DAY! November 25 Mission Day and Thanksgiving Prayer Service; Marks close for 1 st Trimester November 26 Faculty Meeting: NO SCHOOL for students; Thanksgiving Vacation No School on 11/26, 11/27 and 11/28! Enjoy your holiday! November 27 Happy Thanksgiving!!! November 30 First Sunday of Advent! December 1 Classes Resume! December 2 Safe Environment Lesson #1 December 3 and 4 Santa s Workshop: NO HOT LUNCH Lunch in the Classrooms PLEAE NOTE THE SLIGHT CHANGE OF DATES December 5 School Liturgy, 10:15 a.m. December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception: Holyday of Obligation, NO SCHOOL St. Joseph Skating Party; see flyer December 10 Christmas Band Concerts, 1:30 and 7:00 p.m. in the Gym December 11 School Confessions Open House 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. December 14 Chorus Christmas Concert in Church, 7:00 p.m. December 15 and 16 Pre-K Christmas Celebrations December 18 Kindergarten Pageant in Church at 10:00 a.m. December 22 Christmas Pageant at 1:00 p.m. in Church: PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE/TIME December 23 Christmas Vacation begins with NOON DISMISSAL: Bus Transportation is provided! World Meeting of Families: POPE FRANCIS WILL COME TO PHILADELPHIA! As you know, the World Meeting of Families will take place in September 2015 in Philadelphia. For all of the details, please visit the official website, Holy Hour for the Family, Mass, and Blessing and Distribution of Holy Family Icons: To help families prepare for the World Meeting of Families, Archbishop Chaput will bless and distribute an image of the Holy Family to every household in attendance at this special Mass on the First Sunday of Advent at 6:30 p.m. A Holy Hour for the Family at 5:30 p.m. will precede the Mass. All are welcome! Location: Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Philadelphia Prayer for the World Meeting of Families God and Father of us all, in Jesus, your Son and our Savior, you have made us your sons and daughters in the family of the Church. May your grace and love help our families in every part of the world be united to one another in fidelity to the Gospel. May the example of the Holy Family, with the aid of your Holy Spirit, guide all families, especially those most troubled, to be homes of communion and prayer and to always seek your truth and live in your love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us!

4 GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF THANKS GIVING at our Annual MISSION DAY FAIR! Tuesday, November 25th STUDENTS MAY WEAR GYM UNIFORMS! St. Joseph students join together in a fun-filled day that raises money for those in need! Games and other activities are planned for the morning! There are chances to win GREAT prizes for your class, such as Dress-Down Day, Popcorn and a movie, Ice Cream Treat, pizza lunch for the class, and more!! Students may wear their gym uniforms to school on this day! All activities cost $0.25 or $0.50! The price of admission to the gym is a canned good or peanut butter or jelly to be distributed to the IHM Family Literacy Center in Coatesville. Mission Day 2014 raised $1000 for charities including: IHM Family Literacy Camilla Hall Drexel Neumann Academy in Chester, PA Various charities as the need arose throughout the year

5 TO BE RETURNED ONLY IF CHILD/CHILDREN WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE SAFE ENVIRONMENT LESSON IN SCHOOL. St. Joseph School 340 Manor Avenue, Downingtown, PA (610) Fax (610) SAFE ENVIRONMENT LESSON #1 **PARENT/GUARDIAN REQUEST TO EXCUSE STUDENT FROM LESSON** In the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Article 12 calls for all dioceses to establish safe environment programs at all grade levels. This ongoing education is presented to the students in the parish and regional elementary schools of the Archdiocese as well as in the Parish Religious Education Programs (PREP or CCD) two times during the instructional year. This is a mandated obligation from the Archdiocese with the two lessons provided for our teachers. The lessons are available for you to review by visiting In the event a parent or guardian does not want this instruction for his/her child, we are required to have the parent/guardian sign off as a result of this request. Your signature on this form indicates your request to remove your child(ren) from this instruction. If your child is not going to attend the Safe Environment Lesson, then he or she will go to the library and be monitored by one of our librarians while his/her classmates are receiving the instruction. Parent/Guardian Signature Date Safe Environments lessons are scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, at the end of the day for most grades and on Wednesday, December 5, at 8:35 a.m., for Pre-K 4 and other grades. Location: St. Joseph School Student Name(s)/Grade Level(s) Prayerfully, Sister Catherine Irene Masino, IHM **Please return this form only if your child or children will not receive instruction in the Safe Environment Lessons.

6 Caln Skating Center 4533 West Lincoln Highway Downingtown, PA $5 per skater includes skate rental Please remember to plan Mass into your day on this Holy Day of Obligation Last Name: Total # of Skaters x 5.00 = $ Payment enclosed as: CASH or CHECK (payable to St. Joseph School HSA)