LOOK AHEAD A LITTLE

This time of year is busy. In September, you started school; in October, you decided what to be for Halloween. Now you're thinking about Thanksgiving dinner, and even Christmas and New Year's!

With so much to do, it might seem silly to think about all the things coming up. You're busy enough! But Jesus told us that sometimes, it's good to plan in advance. He said so in this week's Gospel (Matthew 25:1-13).

When Jesus talked about the girls with lamps, He was really talking about the people in the world -- and Jesus is the one we're waiting for, as impatiently as a kid waits for the next holiday to come.

It's not good to spend all your time worrying. If you worry about Christmas now, you'll miss the fun of Thanksgiving! But you have to think about some things. If you want to make turkey decorations for everyone at Thanksgiving dinner, you can't wait until that day. And what if your family didn't buy a turkey before Thanksgiving? You'd be stuck without one!

Just like that, some people are planning for when they see Jesus in person by praying and trying to be good. They know that while people shouldn't worry all the time, it's good to think a little about seeing Jesus.

You don't want to be left outside!