Just for Kids 20

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

	"Just for Kids" Christmas Essays
	• Last year's essays

Christmas is a time full of messages.

The biggest message is love. God loved us so much that he sent his own Son to the world to be one of us. God said to us, "Here I am. I love you. I want to be with you forever."

What a message. And it didn't end there. With Easter, God's message revealed that God wants us to be with him - and one with him - forever!

During his life on earth, Jesus lived just like us. As Scripture tells us, "He grew in wisdom and age and favor" (Lk 2:52). Just like each of us, Jesus grew up. First, he was a baby, then a boy and, finally, grown up. He learned a lot along the way.

Each year, as Christmas nears, The Compass asks children, in fifth grade and under, to participate in our "Just for Kids" Christmas essay project. Every year, individual children, as well as students in school classes and religious education programs around the diocese, send in essays. Their perspectives add to our celebration of the Nativity.

This year, our 20th annual "Just for Kids" contest asks children to offer some advice:

If you could go back in time to Bethlehem, what advice would you give the baby Jesus? What would you whisper in his ear?

What do you think would have been very important for him to learn, pay attention to or know about, as he grew up?

Due to space limitations, please keep essays under 50 words. Children may include illustrations with their essays.

Entries, from individuals or classes, should include each child's name, address, age, school, parish, and grade in school. (Class submissions should include the teacher's name and class, since we often receive several entries from one school.)

Send all entries to "Just for Kids," attn. Patricia Kasten, c/o The Compass, P.O. Box 23825, Green Bay, WI 54305-3825. Entries must be received by Nov. 30 to be considered for publication in the Christmas issue. (All essays will be posted on The Compass Web site at www.thecompassnews.org during the holiday season.)

All entrants will also receive a prize from The Compass after the New Year.

Be creative. Have fun. We look forward to hearing your advice.