Dear Mrs. Sox, I get hurt a lot and I get a lot of infections. Emily
Dear Emily, If you wash your hands a lot and wash cuts or scrapes when you get them, you shouldn't get infections. Keep cuts and scrapes clean. A doctor told me that Vaseline is good for cuts and scrapes because it keeps the wound moist so it can heal. Healing slows way down when we get a scab.
Keep your fingernails short. Don't bite them, but use an emery board to file them or get your mom or dad to cut them for you. In fact, try not to put your hands in your mouth or on your face. Of course, you can wash your face with your hands, but in general keep them away.
If people in your house are sick, it is good to wipe off door knobs, handles in the bathroom, the telephone and other places everyone touches. Use a wipe with germ killer in it if you can. Be sure to put your toothbrushes in the dishwasher or into hydrogen peroxide while you're sick and afterwards. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs.Sox, I'm having a pretty hard time listening to my parents. I want to listen but for some reason it's just really hard. Camille
Dear Camille, Tell your parents you are sorry for not paying better attention. Ask them to try this: be sure you have stopped what you’re doing and have looked directly at them before they tell you what to do. If you’re really concentrating on something else, you won’t hear them even if you want to. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Why do we learn math? Jaleen
Dear Jaleen, Because you need it to cook, take care of your money, have a job like engineer or nurse or teacher. Math is in most of our lives most of the time so it is good to understand it. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My dog barks at stuff that isn't there. Why? Sean
Dear Sean, No doubt your dog is trying to protect you or your property. He/she may hear or see something that you don't. I read that if you go look at what your dog is looking at and say, "What is it?" and then "It's OK," your dog will feel like he/she has turned the problem over to you and will stop barking. We always made our dogs come into the house if they wouldn't stop barking. We didn't want them to bother our neighbors. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My mother says that when we praise and worship God at church we must be reverent and dress in dress clothes. A lot of the people who go to my church wear jeans, but Mother won’t let me. What do I do? Meckayla
Dear Meckayla, You obey your mother. She is right about showing your respect for God by wearing your best clothing. Of course, if a person doesn’t have anything better, that’s different.
Don't worry about what other people do. That's isn't your problem. Worry about yourself and being obedient. As Christians we are setting an example for everyone who sees us so we want to do that in our dress as well as everything else. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Will I be a grownup or a kid when I go to heaven? What's the first thing you want to do when you get to heaven? Abigail
Dear Abigail, You will go to heaven at whatever age you are when Jesus comes. If you are still a kid, you will grow into an adult in heaven. I will be so happy to see Jesus coming. I hope to meet Him while we’re riding on the cloud to heaven. The next thing I want to do is find my dad who died when I was ten. And then all the other people I love who I haven’t seen for a long time. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I want my 19-year-old brother to go to church. But he refuses. What should I do to help him see that he should attend church? Jack
Dear Jack, The best thing is to pray that God will lead him and to keep inviting him from time to time. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My sister has friends that used to act like good friends, but now they tease her. I love my sister very much, so I want to know what to do. Please help. Lisalet
Dear Lisalet, Your sister has to work this out for herself. But you can give her these ideas to help her. They come from my friend Suzanne Perdew:
What to Do About Fickle (Changeable) Friends
1. Keep being nice even though your “friend” may be acting mean and ignoring you.
2. Remember, your friend may not be able to explain why she’s acting this way—even if you asked her.
3. Jesus wants to carry your problems for you. When you can’t understand why things are the way they are, turn it over to Him.
4. Nothing stays the same forever. Next week you may be best friends again.
Remember how it feels to be left out so that when you’re not left out, you can be friendly to those who are. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I've been praying for ages for God to help me on this one thing and nothing is happening. I'm still praying, but I want to know if God answers everyone’s prayers? It takes a long time for Him to answer. Should I talk to God about this? I don't want upset Him. I really need Him to answer this one question for me. Samira
Dear Samira, You can't upset God by complaining to Him. In the Psalms and the book of Job both King David and Job talked very honestly with God and even got mad at Him. And it is obvious that God loved them all their lives.
Remember that God answers prayers Yes, No, and Wait. We need to learn to trust God to answer in the way that is best for us.
We can also ask Him to help us understand His answer. God isn't going to fix everything that is wrong right now. Some things will have to wait until we get to heaven. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I want to be a Christian but I think reading the Bible is boring. Eric
Dear Eric, A lot of kids like reading the Bible Story books. You can learn all the Bible stories by reading those books. If you don’t own them, perhaps you can borrow them from a friend or someone at church. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I'm a girl from Kenya and just cut my hair. When I went to school people say that I look like a boy. What do I do now? Michelle
Dear Michelle, Be happy that hair grows. At school smile and say, "I look like myself." Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, When people are new to your place and they are shy what can you do? Kaishani
Dear Kaishani, You can smile and be friendly and invite them to join you. Learn their name and be sure to use it. Eventually they will get used to you. Be
patient and ask Jesus to help you to know how to behave around them. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Whenever I preach to my friends, they always change the subject. It is like they don't want to hear the gospel. JoBeth
Dear JoBeth, The best sermons don't use words; they use actions. Being kind, going to church, and loving and trusting Jesus will be a sermon you preach without saying anything. Your friends will understand your sermon better than words and you won't bore them that way either. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My dad is living in England now and I miss him very, very much. He doesn't call often and I wonder if he is OK. What should I do? Name Withheld
Dear Friend, See if you can set up a time to call each week. Get his phone number so that you can call him. Use Skype--it saves a lot of money. Get his email address so that you can ask questions when you know he is sleeping or at work. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, What DVDs are good for Sabbath? Danielle
Dear Danielle, I just saw a bunch of interesting-looking DVDs on the adventistbookcenter.com website. All kinds of nature videos and true stories about Christian heroes. If you live close to an Adventist Book Center or have another Christian bookstore in your town, you will find all kinds of DVDs that would be appropriate for Sabbath. I hope you don’t just watch DVDs on Sabbath because it is good to get outside or visit friends or someone who is sick too, but there are certainly many good choices of Christian programs for Sabbath. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My friend thinks she is fat. I tell her God loves her anyway, but she doesn’t believe me. What do I do? Kayli
Dear Kayli,
Tell her Mrs. Sox is overweight too, and she knows that God loves fat people, because God says that we can’t do anything to make Him love us any less. He loves everyone with all the love in His God-sized heart. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, What will death be like and feel like when it comes? Nathan
Dear Nathan, I understand that death is just like going to sleep at night or for a nap, only you won't know anything and you won't have dreams. Unless a person is sick or has been hurt badly, death is peaceful. And, if the person is in pain, death is very welcome because the pain goes away.
If you have ever had surgery and been put to sleep, you know a little of what death is like. One minute you go to sleep and the next minute (it seems) you are awake again. Only from death you are going to wake up to see Jesus! Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My friends are nice but they play in church on Sabbath. How can I stop them from doing that? Tayla
Dear Tayla, The best thing is for you not to worry about what your friends do on Sabbath, but about what you do and what your parents want you to do. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, What are the ingredients in gravy and do you go to church on Sabbath or Sunday? Aria
Dear Aria, Vegetarian gravy is usually some oil, milk, seasonings, and flour. Sometimes it will have egg or vege-meat in it. I am a Seventh-day Adventist and am thrilled to go to church each Sabbath. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Is it a sin to wish the sunset would come on Sabbath so you could go home and play? Jordan
Dear Jordan, I believe that the happiest Sabbath keepers are the ones who forget all about the sun and just enjoy being together with God in a special way on His day. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I have nightmares all the time. What can I do? Alyssa
Dear Alyssa, Do you know that you can actually learn to control your dreams? Try this: Before you go to sleep, decide what you want to dream about. Get the picture in your head and concentrate on it. I think it’s fun to dream about heaven and the animals I want to have when I get there. Be sure you aren’t watching scary TV shows or movies. They can give us really bad dreams. Fill your mind with good things. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Is it true that if you sin you will go to hell? I need some help to control my actions. I can’t seem to live even one day without being naughty at school. Could you help with this situation? Jabari
Dear Jabari, I think you already know the answer to the first question (below) because you’re having trouble with wrong actions. See what you can learn about sin and being saved from the rest of the questions and verses.
1. Am I a sinner? The Bible says that “everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God's glory” (Romans 3:23, NIrV).
2. Do I need to be saved from my sin? “When you sin, the pay you get is death. But God gives you the gift of eternal life because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has one” (Romans 6:23, NIrV).
3. How do I get rid of my sins? “Turn away from your sins. Turn to God. Then your sins will be wiped away” (Acts 3:18, NIrV).
4. How did God make a way to save me from my sin? “Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, NIrV).
5. Can I be saved any other way than through Jesus? “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, NIrV).
6. What must I do to be saved? “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all the people in your house” (Acts 16:31, NCV).
If you know you are a sinner who needs to be saved (1, 2) and know that Jesus is the way to salvation (3), confess your sins to Him (3) and ask Him to be your Savior—the One who saves you from sin (4, 5). Once you accept Jesus, His perfect life stands in the place of your sin and you are SAVED—right then (6)!
Then, ask Him to help you grow to be more like Him. Growing to be like Jesus takes your whole life. But the whole time you are growing, you are still SAVED! The only way you cannot be saved after accepting Jesus is to reject Him later. Sinning won’t do it. Making mistakes won’t do it either. Of course, just like we tell our moms and dads we are sorry when we do wrong, we must also tell Jesus because that’s what you do when you hurt someone you love. And saying we’re sorry helps us feel so bad about the hurt we have caused that we never want to do it again. The cool thing is that Jesus promises that the good work He began in you when you accepted Him, He will finish. “The One who began a good work in you will carry it on until it is completed. That will be on the day Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6, NIrV).
Once you accept Jesus, it is as if you have climbed onto a bus to heaven with Jesus driving. Lots of things may happen on the bus. You might get into fights. You might make a mess of your life, but as long as you choose to be on the bus, Jesus won’t kick you off and you will be going to heaven.
So, instead of worrying about going to hell, remind yourself every day that you are God’s child and are going to heaven. Then ask Him to help you behave on the “bus!” Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I would love to know why don’t you use the King James Version of the Bible. That is what my mummy teaches me. Kolbi
Dear Kolbi, I’m so glad you have your mummy to teach you what the words in the King James Version mean. That is the Bible I learned when I was your age, and I love it, but we didn’t have special Bibles for kids then like we do now. Now, besides loving the King James Version, I also love the International Children’s Bible. The words are easy and clear.
Since a lot of kids have trouble with the words in the King James Version, the General Conference Sabbath School Department chose to use a version with easier words.
Most of the time, when people compare the different translations of the Bible, they find very little difference in the meaning between them. I think it is wonderful that God has taken such good care to protect the words in the Bible so that we can keep trusting that they are God’s Word to us.
Did you know that the Bible was not written in English? It was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Aramaic is the language Jesus would have spoken.
I have a wonderful book, How the Bible Came to Us by Meryl Doney that tells the history of the Bible. I’m sure an encyclopedia also has that information. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I really don’t like wearing dressess that much. Are we supposed to wear them all the time? Is it a sin to wear pants? Lisa
Dear Lisa, When I was a little girl a very long time ago, we wore dresses almost all the time. On a cold day, we wore pants under our dresses when we went to school.
Now, girls and women in the United States seem to wear pants most of the time. Even women who would like to wear dresses more often have a hard time buying them. It seems the whole world has gone to wearing pants!
Your parents or the adults taking care of you are the ones who need to help you make these choices, but this is what I think: clothes should be modest and chosen for the activity. If you're going to play, pants are modest. Pants are modest and appropriate for school. Dresses are what I choose to wear at church and to weddings and special events like concerts. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, When I pray to Jesus and tell Him something I want Him to do, He won’t do it. Why won't He listen? Karen
Dear Karen, He always listens and He always gives us what we need—and that isn't always what we want. The best thing is to tell Him about your problem and say, "This is how I would like You to answer this prayer [and explain what you want], but I don't know everything like You do so please answer me in the way that You see is best." Mrs. Sox
PS: When I sent my answer to you, it didn't get to you. That's usually because of a problem with your email address. I hope you see my answer here.
Dear Mrs. Sox, I sent some prayer requests and dear Mrs. Soxes but my prayer request didn't show up and my dear Mrs. Soxes didn't get a reply! Heream
Dear Heream, You need to be absolutely sure that you give me the correct email address. I have replied to you twice today, but the messages bounced back to me as undeliverable. I’m sorry, but there isn’t much I can do to fix that! Click on the picture of Jesus to see an answer to one of your emails. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, When was God made? Destiny
Dear Destiny, The Bible tells us that “Before the mountains were born and before you created the earth and the world, you are God. You have always been, and you will always be” (Psalm 90:2, NCV).
That means God wasn’t made or born! And that is hard for us to understand because everything else we know about was made or born. But the Bible says God was forever and will be forever and I believe it! Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I need to save my allowance to have four hundred dollars, but it is very hard. Philip
Dear Philip, Try this: put your money into three envelopes: “Save,” “Spend,” and “Give.”
Then, if you get ten dollars, put four into the save envelope, four into spend; and two into give. One dollar in the give envelope is tithe. The rest can go to church or Sabbath School offerings or to other good causes you support like the humane society or Red Cross.
The save money is for you to put aside and not spend until you get to your goal.
The spend money is to buy things you need or really want. If you don’t spend your spend money, you can put it into the save envelope and save that much quicker.
For most of us if we feel like we can spend some of our money, we are usually more eager to save it—really! Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, What happened to the Joseph Anderson Donetti stories? I really loved them. Tanisha
Dear Tanisha, I really like them too.They will be back in January. There are some Joseph stories right here in the stories section.
Meanwhile, the Far Away Friends stories are about some pen pals of Joseph’s. I hope you are enjoying them. I think they are a lot of fun also. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, When I pray it feels like I’m talking to nobody. And I have a hard time knowing if God is real or not. And I want proof that He is real or not. Skylar
Dear Skylar, God tells us that when we search for Him with all our heart, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13). How do you search for God? First, pray that you will find Him. Ask Him to show you that He is real and that He loves you.
Next, study your Sabbath School lesson every day. That is an organized way to study the Bible and the Bible is God’s own words for us.
Then, memorize your memory verse or other verses in the Bible that you like. A Bible promise book is very inexpensive and is full of the wonderful things God has said He wants to do for us and give us. The more we put God’s words into our hearts, the more we will know Him and trust Him.
Memorize music about God. Many hymns and praise songs are taken right from the Bible so memorizing that music is memorizing Scripture too.
Any time when you have spare minutes, (on the bus, doing dishes) repeat your memory verses and songs over and over. (To yourself is fine if there are people around.) Doing this thoughtfully will help you get wonderful new ideas from God.
Get a notebook or journal to write down your special Bible verses, prayers, and the answers you get. The more specific your prayers are, the easier it is to know that God has answered. Write down at least three things every day that you are thankful for. Doing this will help you look for God in your life and let you see that He does answer your prayers.
When Satan tells you that God isn’t real, tell him to go away and ask God to fill your mind with faith. Repeat your favorite texts and sing your favorite songs.
These are all ways to get to know God. The better you know Him, the more real He will become to you. Getting to know God isn’t easy at first, perhaps, but you won’t be able to go without talking with Him and praising Him after a while.
Just like the food we eat three times a day keeps us alive, the spiritual food we put into our minds and hearts keeps them alive.
God wants you to find Him, to know Him, to love Him, and to trust Him. This week try just one of the things I’ve suggested and tell me how it goes. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I love Primary Treasure. I look at the letterbox each week and wish I could be on it. I collect Primary Treasures. I have two binders of 2006 and 2007 and I’m starting to collect 2008. I hope on Sabbaths when I grow up and have kids that I can read them the Primary Treasures I have collected. Lindsey
Dear Lindsey, Thank you for telling me. I love sharing good stories with primary friends. I’m glad you’re planning to read good stories to your children too! Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, How do you pick the letters on the back of our primary book? Can you use mine? Nick
Dear Nick, Good to hear from you. I pick letters to put on the back of Primary Treasure that I think will interest a lot of people. For instance, it interests them to know how I pick out the letters! Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Do all the kids in the world get to write you? Isabell
Dear Isabell, Any kid can write me. I hope not all the kids in the world will because I wouldn’t be able to answer them all! Mostly the kids in North American who get Primary Treasure know me and so those are the ones who write. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Every time my parents say no, I pout. What should I do? Malik
Dear Malik, Moms and Dads have a lot of reasons for saying No. They say it to keep you safe; because they don’t have the money; because it isn’t a good thing; because it isn’t your turn to get something; even because you make them cranky because you whine and beg and pout. Whining and begging and pouting are very hard to bear!
To get parents to say yes, it is wise and polite to ask them when they aren’t busy or tired. And then, instead of begging and whining, ask them to just think about it. A lot of times people will say No right at first, but if they take the time to think about it, they will say Yes. So, you don’t want them to say anything at first except that they will think about it. Give them an hour at least to think about it too. Longer if you can. If they still say No, thank them for thinking about it, smile, and walk away. You can say that you are disappointed, but the less you pout, the more your parents will think about saying Yes the next time. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My mom is going to China on January. I'm afraid I will miss her. Will you please help me? Simone
Dear Simone, Why don't you write your mom a special note for every day she will be gone? Number the envelopes for each day and put the same numbers on your calendar so that you know which note she is reading and know how many more days she will be gone.
Agree that every day at a certain time here and the same time in China you will pray for each other. That will help you feel connected to her and to God.
Remember that God is with us wherever we go so your mom will have Him right beside her the whole time she is gone. And so will you! Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Why do Moms and Dads say No everyday? I hate when they say No. I wish it was always Yes and never No. I have to go to bed now. I asked to stay up longer, but No! Cassidy
Dear Cassidy, Moms and Dads say No to keep you safe, to help you learn, to teach you how to deal with frustration. I hate to tell you, but you are going to hear No your whole life. So, when you hear No, say inside your head "Yes, I can obey even if I don't like it." That way you're also hearing Yes. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs.Sox, My dad isn't a Christian. I really want him to turn to God. What should I do? Name Withheld
Dear Friend, Keep praying for him and loving him. He needs to know how much you love him and appreciate him. The better we are loved by other people, the better we understand that Jesus loves us too. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox,
Every time I see my sister she jumps on me. It makes me mad.
We share a room and she's really messy so our room is a disaster. Sometimes she asks to play with one of my toys. When she's done, she throws it and then it gets broken. What should I do? I don't like to hit her. Kelly
Dear Kelly,
It sounds to me as if your sister is young and wants your attention but doesn’t know how to ask for it. The first rule is, No hitting—ever. Use your voice.
Instead, sit down with your sister and say, “I love you and I love playing with you, but you hurt me when you jump on me. Just tell me that you’re happy to see me and that you want to play.” If you tell her that, then you have to play with her. I'm pretty sure that if you play with her nicely the way she wants to play for ten or 15 minutes, she will be able to do something else by herself for quite a while.
Also, before you go to bed, say, "Let's clean up the room." While you're cleaning say things like, "It's sure easier to keep things clean when you put them away right after you're done using them." Or "We put shoes with shoes and toys with toys so it looks neater." Also, if your toys are all in a toy box, your sister and you probably have to dig to the bottom to find any small things you like to play with. Maybe your mom could get you some smaller bins or baskets to keep small things in.
Remember that little brothers and sisters want to copy everything their older brothers and sisters do. You are their hero. So you need to ask Jesus to make you worthy of copying. Ask Him to help you be patient and kind while your sister is learning to behave better. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox,
Here are some Sabbath activity ideas. We went on an Adventurer campout, a nature hike, and a bike ride. We went on a long hike last Sabbath to where an old fire lookout tower fell down. I walked back down the mountain and I visited with one of our friends.
Nathan
Dear Nathan, Thanks for sharing! Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox,I have big problems with my little sister. Sometimes she ruins or loses my toys or my other stuff, and when she does, she makes me really mad. What should I do? Jazmin
Dear Jazmin,
Your sister is still very little to understand about not touching things that are pretty or interesting. You can help her and you by picking your things up and keeping your bedroom door closed. If she can open the door, work with your parents to put a latch on the door. If you share a room, perhaps you can latch your closet or a toy box.
Remember that you are a hero to your sister and she probably wants to copy everything you do. So play with her with your things that she can't hurt. Have her into your room too. She needs to learn about leaving things alone and not breaking things, but learning those things take time. Ask God to help you work this out and to keep your temper when your sister annoys you.
Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox,
My brother is so ugly. People make fun of him. What should I do?
Name Withheld
Dear Friend,
If you hear anything, say, "He's my brother and I love him and I don't want to hear people talk like that about him." That will usually stop people. Also, people often grow into their looks so what looks "ugly" now will probably only look unusual someday.
Aren't you glad that God looks on our hearts instead of just our outsides? We can all be beautiful inside where it counts if we walk with Him.
Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox,
I want a puppy, but my mom doesn't want me to have a puppy. What can i do?
Leslye
Dear Leslye,
Ask your mommy to explain her reasons and listen quietly and respectfully. If she says that she doesn’t think you will take care of it, you need to figure out a way to prove that you will do what you are asked to do without forgetting and needing to be reminded over and over.
If she thinks they are too expensive, you need to understand that even a "free" puppy costs a lot of money—probably ten thousand dollars over its whole life.
If you don't have a place for a puppy or a regular routine all the time, a puppy would suffer so it is kinder not to get one.
If someone is allergic to pet fur or hair, you can't do much about that.
Sometimes cats are better pets and sometimes hamsters or guinea pigs are. Sometimes fish are the best!
Anyhow, you may not hear Yes from your mommy, but if you listen to each other without fighting, you can at least find out the reasons.
Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox:
I want to help my doggies by walking them every morning. But my mom won't let me go by myself. She says I need a adult to go with me. Everybody in the neighborhood is nice. Why won't she let me go?
Myranda
Dear Myranda,
Most kids who are hurt by people are hurt by someone they know. Usually those people seem very "nice." So you must trust and obey your mom in this. She's doing everything she can to keep you safe. Instead of worrying about walking your dogs, play with them in the back yard. That will give them exercise too.
Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox,
I want to ask you whether I should have a rabbit. Where I live we have an adoption center where you can adopt unwanted animals. I feel so sorry for them and I want to adopt one.
Jevan
Dear Jevan,
Animals are a big responsibility, but I think it is good for kids to have them and learn to take care of them. If your parents say No, I suggest you see about giving something the adoption center needs to take care of the animals. Money can help the adoption center take better care of even more animals while they are waiting to be adopted. Ask at the adoption center to find out other things they use there that you already might have at home.
We don't always get everything we would like to have, but there are usually ways we can be involved while we're waiting to see if things work out later.
Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My grandma gets drunk a lot. What should I do? Name Withheld
Dear Friend, First, pray for her every time you think about her and her problem.
It can help families of alcoholics to go to Al-Anon or Alateen meetings. In the meetings people share their experiences and share hope and ways to cope with each other. Meetings are often held at churches. The phone number is usually in the phone book white pages. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, Will everybody go to heaven? Will people in our family who passed away be in heaven? Charles
Dear Charles, The Bible tells us in John 3:16 (NIV) that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Believing in Jesus and giving our lives to Him every day is the key to going to heaven.
God is doing everything He can to save as many people as He can, but only He can decide who will be saved. We might think we know what will happen to certain people, but we won't know for sure until we get there.
Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, How do you know the answers to everything people ask you? Danielle
Dear Danielle, If I don't know the answer, I know how to look it up or who to ask. Knowing how to find the answers is one of the most important things you can learn in school. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My cousin is very slow and fat. I try to help her stay from junk food. What else should I do? Name Withheld
Dear Friend, I think it is super that you care about your cousin. You can help by not eating junk food around her and by playing in ways that keep her active. Don't pester her about food, but do set a good example. And pray that she will make better choices. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I know there will be hard times before Jesus come. How can I be ready and brave? Matthew
Dear Matthew, The more you concentrate on Jesus and His love for you, the more safe you will know you are. So, read Bible texts about Jesus helping you and keeping you safe. Memorize them. Here are some of my favorites:
• When Joshua took over as leader of Israel after Moses died, it would be his job to lead them to fight the Canaanites. Joshua was worried that he couldn’t do the job. Here is what the Lord told him, “ ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go’ " (Joshua 1:9, NIV).
• The apostle Paul tells the Philippians in a letter that “ ‘I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength’ ” (Philippians 4:13, 14, NIV).
• King David wrote this one, probably when he was still a shepherd: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4, NIV).
• And here are Jesus’ own words to His disciples: “ ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’ ” (John 14:27, NIV). Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, How can I love God more than I love anything else? Faith
Dear Faith, The more you know God, the more you will love Him so ask Him to help you put Him first in your life. Spend time with God studying your Sabbath School lesson and praying.
Read the book of Mark in a modern Bible version. Mark is the shortest Bible book about Jesus’ life.
After you’ve read Mark, try another one of the Gospels. The Gospels are the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I like science but it is kind of hard. What should I do? Joe
Dear Joe, Ask Jesus to help you study and keep your mind fresh; ask your teacher for help; ask questions in class; read your assignments a couple of extra times.
Ask your mom or dad to help you go on the internet to find out more about what your book or teacher is talking about. Sometimes when a different person explains something to us, we understand better. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I really love the letters on the back of Primary Treasure, but how do you decide which letter to put on the back? Marlee
Dear Marlee, I usually pick the one that asks something I think a lot of kids want to know about. I also put letters here on our Web site. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, I seem to have pink eye. I am using eye drops. And I prayed, but up to now God did not take it away. Ose
Dear Ose, God will heal your pink eye, but it takes a little time. Use your medicine. (I hope it is medicine you got from the doctor. Remember that God uses doctors to help heal us.)
Wash your hands before you touch anywhere near your eyes. In fact, the best way to keep from getting it again is to wash your hands often and carefully. Keep them away from your face.
How do you know if you’ve washed your hands carefully? Keep scrubbing them while you sing the whole happy birthday song to yourself. Mrs. Sox
Dear Mrs. Sox, My aunt and uncle drink beer. Will they die? My parents say that my brother and I can’t smoke or drink alcohol or beer. Isabella
Dear Isabella, God tells us that our bodies are His temple—that means that He wants to live inside us and wants us to keep our bodies as healthy as possible. So, people who want to be like God need to be careful of what we eat and drink. We need to get enough exercise and sleep and do everything possible to keep our bodies in good shape. Since both smoking and drinking can kill you, you will want to stay away from them. You won't even want to try them once since you don't know what they will do to your body. You will want to stay away from drugs like meth and heroin and marijuana. You will even want to be very careful to take drugs that doctors give you in exactly the way the doctors tell you and never take any drugs not prescribed for you.
Here’s what Kids’ Health (www.kidshealth.org) says about alcohol: “Alcohol is actually a depressant. That means it’s a drug that slows down or depresses the brain. Like many drugs, alcohol changes a person’s ability to think, speak, and see things as they really are. A person might lose his or her balance and have trouble walking properly. The person might feel relaxed and happy and later start crying or get in an argument.
“When people drink too much, they might do or say things they don’t mean. They might hurt themselves or other people, especially if they drive a car. Someone who drinks too much also might throw up and could wake up the next day feeling awful—that’s called a hangover. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can kill a person. Over time, someone who abuses alcohol can do serious damage to his or her body. The liver, which removes poisons from the blood, is especially at risk.”
Alcohol can take away a person’s ability to see right from wrong. Anything that takes away our ability to see right from wrong puts us in a dangerous place where Satan has power over us. Some people become alcoholics with just one drink so we never want even to experiment.
Here’s what Kids’ Health (www.kidshealth.org) says about smoking: “Fewer people are starting smoking than a few years ago.
“Maybe that’s because more and more people have learned that smoking and tobacco use can cause cancer and heart disease. But sometimes kids can’t really think that far into the future to worry about an illness they might not get for many years.
“So let’s talk about the problems that might affect kids more quickly:
• bad breath
• yellow teeth
• smelly clothes
• more colds and coughs
• difficulty keeping up with friends
when playing sports
• empty wallet—cigarettes and tobacco
products are very expensive!”
Most people who smoke wish they had never started. They don’t feel good much of the time and they know that they can die of a horrible disease like lung cancer or heart disease. But the nicotine in tobacco is very, very addictive and so the people who start have a terrible time stopping. People with experience in these things say that is almost harder to quit smoking or using other tobacco products than it is to quit using heroin.
When our bodies are full of disease like the diseases that come from smoking, we cannot live here on earth as God has planned for us to live. That’s because when you are really, really sick, it is hard to think about anything but being sick and miserable. When you’re sick and miserable it can be hard to stay connected to God even if you want to. Satan is always very happy when our lives are miserable—partly because so many people blame God for the problems in this world instead of blaming Satan. Satan likes it when God gets blamed for the problems that Satan causes!
Pray for your aunt and uncle to understand that their bodies are holy and that God wants to help them take care of their health. And listen to your mom and dad about smoking and drinking and the other things that will steal away your health. I know you want to be a person who helps show everyone around you that living God’s way keeps you safe and happy and healthy.
Mrs. Sox
