Opening Question: What’s the best promise someone can make?

“Promises, promises, promises,” Jesse fumed. “Everyone makes promises, but no one keeps them!” Jesse was waiting for that special day his parents promised him. It was Christmas vacation, and his parents promised they would go up to the mountains so he could play in the snow. But, then his parents got a phone call from their aunt who surprised Jesse’s family with a visit. Suddenly, his parents changed plans and Jesse felt ignored.

Jesse’s older brother promised him he could play with the new video game. “You’ll get a turn,” his brother said. But Jesse never got a turn. His brother hogged the game.

CONTINUE READING

Bridging Question: Do you get anxious, excited, or scared when you’re surprised?

Sunny’s German Shepherd would soon have puppies. The dog was already big, but the pregnancy made her super-sized. When Sunny took the dog for a walk, she could hardly control the animal.

Toward the end of her pregnancy, the dog began to get nervous. She would sharpen her nails. She seemed to prepare for the worst, even when the best was about to happen. The dog’s nerves began to bother Sunny. “What’s going on with our dog?” Sunny asked her father.

“This is her first litter, Sunny,” her father responded. “The dog knows something is happening, but she doesn’t know what to expect. This is going to be a surprise for her.”

CONTINUE READING

Closing Question: How can we say “yes” to God this Christmas? How can we make this holiday a little better for others?

SOURCE: Word-Sunday.com – All materials found in word-sunday.com are the property of Larry Broding (Copyright 1999-2022). Viewers may copy any material found in these pages for their personal use or for use in any non-profit ministry. Materials may not be sold or used for personal financial gain.

This is one of the best re-tellings of an age old story. The illustrations themselves help to convey a story of inner beauty and not something that is solely on the exterior of a person. It is clearly a story of believing, of having hope and faith, even in the midst of dire circumstances and immense odds. This story might well be used in conjunction with the fairy tale unit which is often part of the literature program for early readers. Although it would be a story well known to most children, it allows the opportunity to take a piece of well known literature and put into a faith perspective.

Anne Frank is a Jewish girl living in Holland during World War II. Though she had been born in Germany, her family emigrates to Holland to escape the racial hatred of the Third Reich…

This diary is a masterpiece. It is not a work of genius like some Shakespearian play, but rather is a story about the greatness of humanity. Anne Frank could be anyone’s daughter. Her fears, joys, struggles and courage are common to most adolescents. She writes with a simple beauty and honesty. Anne is not afraid of herself and freely discusses her shortcomings, fears and hopes. 

I didn’t think I would enjoy reading the autobiography of a 13-year-old girl, but I found the story compelling. It is also heartbreaking, since we know how the story ends. Though Anne will die at the age of 15 in a concentration camp, her story still resonates. She was an unusually talented girl living in brutal times. Her descriptions of her thoughts and feelings could be expressed today by many young girls. 

Though she doesn’t realize this, Anne Frank is a hero. Her humanity and courage shine forth throughout the diary. For this reason, “The Diary of a Young Girl” is just as relevant today as it was when Anne Frank wrote it in the attic in Holland during World War II. This is a must-read for high school students. I wish I had realized this sooner. An exceptional story.

SOURCE: Southern Nebraska Register, Catholic Diocese of Lincoln (The image and link to the video embedded above are not part of Terrence Nollen’s review.)