“Family Fun Time: Forgiveness,” Friend, Mar. 2015, 6
Family Fun Time
Read “Calvin’s Awesome Space Jet” (page 4). How did forgiving help Calvin and his mom?
Forgiving others is hard sometimes, and it might not make you feel better right away. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean that what he or she did is OK, and it won’t always make the problem go away. So why should we forgive? One reason is that Heavenly Father forgives us and has asked us to forgive others (see Matthew 6:12). It also helps us feel less upset and more peaceful.
Building Forgiveness
Cut out squares of colored paper to look like bricks. Write each tip below on a brick. Take turns talking about each tip, and then glue it to a poster board. When you’re done, you’ll have a strong foundation of forgiveness. Draw a house on top of your foundation as a reminder that forgiveness helps make a happier home.
What can you do when you feel sad or angry with someone?
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Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then repeat.
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Try to think about why the other person might have done what he or she did.
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Walk away and come back when you’re not so angry.
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Tell the other person how you feel about what he or she did. Speak calmly, without yelling.
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Say, “I forgive you.”
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Do something kind for the person you’re upset with.
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Remember that there are times when you need to be forgiven.
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Pray for help to forgive when it’s hard.
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Remember that sometimes the person you forgive might not be sorry. But we can forgive anyway.
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If you’re upset with something you did, forgive yourself and try to do better next time.
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What else can you do?
Juice Cups
Be sure to get an adult’s help. Makes 4 servings.
2 cups fruit juice
1 .25-oz (7-g) envelope unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup berries or cut-up fruit (canned, fresh, or frozen)
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Put 1 cup of juice in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top.
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Put the other cup of juice in a pot on the stove. Heat on medium until the juice starts to boil.
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Carefully pour the hot juice into the bowl with the gelatin. Add the sugar and stir for about 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
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Put 1/4 cup of fruit in four glass cups or bowls. Then add 1/2 cup of the juice mix to each cup.
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Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.
Tip: Don’t use fresh pineapple, mango, or kiwi. They’ll keep the gelatin from turning solid.