Let us be extra kind to everyone around us especially this time of year. There are those of us that are shedding tears of sadness even in the midst of the festive holiday season of Christmas, Hanukkah, and the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Let us remember –

• the poor
• those who are sick
• those who are afflicted with money challenges
• those who have lost their jobs
• those who are weak
• those who are lonely
• those who want to do more but cannot do more
• those who just do not know how to do better

• those caught in a war
• those in the hospital
• those who just lost a loved one
• those who are missing a loved one
• those who want to help others but cannot

My beloved brothers and sisters, please let us love one another. Please say a prayer for everyone here on this earth. This is our time, our place, and our chance to love one another as God has loved us.

Homeschoolers/Educators/Parents: sketch/color an illustration and label it. Theme: helping. Say out loud and write the word “helping” five times so you can correctly pronounce and spell it. Read a story in Learning to Read: New Testament Stories. Write about your favorite story. Give examples of how Jesus teaches us to love one another. Write a sentence describing how God has helped you in your life. Write down one thing you can safely do to help someone who is sad. Share our books with someone.  (Skills: identify, comprehend, apply, organize, creative, affective, analyze, synthesize.)