Make New Friends

This November, like every November, we will hear the story of the first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims, having survived their first year in a new land, will give thanks to God and share the harvest bounty God and given them with their Native American neighbors. Squanto is there to translate and the table to filled with fish and game, fruits and vegetables. The story we rarely hear is the difficulty these two peoples had in relating to one another. Friendship, especially friendships with people very different from ourselves is difficult. Kind gestures are often misinterpreted. Words that mean one thing to one person can mean something entirely different to another. Teaching our children how to be a friend is key to helping them to live lives open to the wide world. Jesus tells us that one of the great commandments is to love our neighbor, whoever they may be. Open hearts and open tables can lead to that kind of love and friendship. Perhaps this Girl Scout song says is best, “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.”

Book
Saint Felix and the Spider by Dessi Jackson
Saint Felix befriends a spider. Felix saves the spiders life, and the spider saves Felix’s life.
 




Activities (choose one or more)

For your family-
Invite someone new to dinner. Involve your child in the preparations including a discussion of how to make your guests feel comfortable.
 
Outdoors
Take a walk and look for spider webs
 
Craft
Cut a circle out of cardboard. Notch the edges of the cardboard. String yarn across the notches creating a spidery web.
 
Prayer
Thank you God for our friends
God bless (names your friends)
Thank you God for all the creatures
God bless (name the creatures)
Thank you God for them all.
(Say the Lord’s prayer together)
 
 

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