Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia is fear of Friday the 13th, for those of you not familiar with the term.  Back in the 80's, I guess there was more of a legit fear there, thanks to a fellow named Jason.  Every so often, there's be a movie by that name and everyone would be reminded:  "Oh yeah, bad luck on Friday the 13th."  Although the people in the movie probably experienced a somewhat greater degree of bad luck.

Nowadays, it seems a lot easier to go a Friday the 13th without even realizing it is a Friday the 13th.  That sort of thing happened today with the family.  Daddy remembered later, but didn't really bring it up.  Why bother?  Madison has no idea about this concept yet, and it'll probably be later if it ever comes up.  It's just one of those things like walking under a ladder or having a black cat cross in front of your path.  Is it going to be bad luck if you don't actually know it's supposed to be bad luck?  Let's say you have no idea that these are bad luck, and you happen to throw salt over your shoulder or see a black cat cross your path while walking under a ladder indoors with an open umbrella.  Will it still be bad luck?  Or do these things cancel each other out?  Or by doing these things, does it signal the onset of some sort of apocalypse?  We dare not test this out, of course!  Of course, I'm kidding.  Ours is not a spirit of fear.  The whole Friday the 13th stuff was just goofy fun growing up.

So what happened today?  Let's start with the weather:  It was cold, cold, cold.  And cold.  And we may not be out of the woods when it comes to frozen precipitation.  That's due next week, possibly.  Our attitude in Georgia is typically, "we'll believe it when we see it" though.  So there's that.  But speaking of "Frozen," Daddy finished writing a message to go along with clips from the movie - we'll be talking about that this weekend.  Also, we'll have visits from Elsa and Anna, who this time are returning together for photo opportunities, and a bit of meet and greet.

Madison's homework came back today with her, and oh boy.  She nailed everything.  Absolutely stomped on all that classwork and homework and testing, and made it submit.  Seriously, she got everything right with her multiplication table assessment test - so she advances with about six other kids there.  She got all fifty math problems right with addition and subtraction, all in under three minutes.  She's been consistently doing that for weeks.  And she got all her spelling words right too.  Additionally, there have been other assignments, and they're all looking fantastic.  She's been a great student, and we can't wait to bestow some rewards upon her tomorrow for Valentine's Day.

We're celebrating a bit early - we watched "Madly Madagascar" tonight, and prepared read some of the cards from Madison's haul at school.  She got a lot of candy and cards today, bringing it all home in a big basket.  Dinner tonight was perfect for the cold weather, a tasty chili and a delicious soup as well.  But we all went to bed a bit earlier today, just a tad tired, and also ready to take on a big day tomorrow.

It was a fun day for Madison though, obviously at school.  She had our poem read to her, and figured it out earlier than others - hiding her head in embarrassment behind her desk.  In a fun way though.  Everyone had something read about them in class by the teacher, and it was a fun little Valentine's Day assignment for the parents.  In the end, she went home with candy and surprises - this is always a nice day in the midst of the bleak mid-winter.

As we close out for the day, here's the message for Sunday - the one Madison will hopefully be hearing at KidPak:

KidPak Adventures:  Northern Lights
“Frozen”

CUE SLIDE:  SNOWY BACKDROP

HOST:  "It is the season of Valentine's Day, and love is in the air!  Everyone is giving out cards to one another, or flowers, or chocolates.  All the guys in this place are shrugging at that though.  If you want to impress me, then forget the chocolates, flowers and cards.  Get me some video games!"

CUE SLIDE:  VIDEO GAMES

HOST:  "Am I right?"

Let audience answer

CUE SLIDE:  "NORTHERN LIGHTS"

HOST:  "We all know that Valentine's Day is a day for the girls, and that's okay.  Guys, we just had Super Bowl Sunday a few weeks back, so I guess we can let them have this one.  So it's kind of like Christmas season out there in the stores - but instead of green and red, we're seeing pink everywhere.  Instead of Santa and trees, we're seeing pink hearts.  And we're seeing this one word over and over again:"

CUE SLIDE:  "LOVE"

HOST:  "Valentine's Day is all about love.  But that's a tricky word.  In fact, it's one that many people get completely wrong.  And that's why we're heading to Arendelle today to visit with Anna and Elsa."

CUE SLIDE:  "ANNA and ELSA"

HOST: "Because in the movie 'Frozen,' these two figure out exactly what love is.  Now everyone knows this movie.  How many of you have seen it?"

Let audience answer.

HOST:  "These two are sisters, and quite a bit different.  Anna is a free spirit who wants to try and do everything.  Elsa is afraid.  She has ice powers that her parents have told her to conceal, don't feel.  Don't let it show.  And yet she can't control it fully.  And in order to hide these powers, she hides herself away, locking the doors to their castle, and keeping away from everyone."

CUE SLIDE:  "Frozen"

HOST:  "It's a great movie!  There are talking snowmen, giant ice castles, and an adventurous journey across the frozen wilderness.  But if you cut to the heart of this movie, you'll find a moving story about the true meaning of love.  And in this part we're about to show you, Anna thinks she's found it.  Let's watch together... and follow the bouncing snowflake!"

CUE VIDEO 1:  "LOVE IS AN OPEN DOOR"

CUE SLIDE:  "HANS and ANNA"

HOST:  "Love is an open door!  She thinks she's got it all figured out just like that.  This may be because of what she's always heard.  And this may be what we've seen on television, or read in books, or have seen in movies.  But is that the real definition of love?"

Let audience answer.

HOST:  "Not really.  But this chance meeting with Hans brings the story of Frozen to a crucial moment.  It changes everyone’s lives for good, as you’ll see for yourself right now."

CUE VIDEO 2:  "INTRODUCING HANS to ELSA"

CUE SLIDE: "ICE BARRICADE"

HOST:  "The secret is out.  Anna has been trying to get Elsa to open the door for years – why won’t you let me in?  And now, Elsa won’t let her marry the prince, and even tells Anna to leave the castle.  Anna could feel pretty upset at her sister here.  But what does she do?”

Let audience answer.

HOST:  “Right.  She goes after her sister anyway.  She doesn’t hold a grudge.  In fact, there’s your first point.  Let’s take a look at it.”

CUE SLIDE:  “LET IT GO”

HOST:  “Let it go.  You see, love is forgiveness.  Anna kept on loving her sister regardless of all that happened.  And that’s the way we should live too – forgiving.  We need to make ourselves better, not bitter.  It’s so important that Paul spelled it out for us in the Bible.”

CUE SLIDE:  “EPHESIANS 4:32”

HOST: “ Be kind and tender to one another.  Forgive one another, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.”

CUE SLIDE:  “Northern Lights”

HOST:  “Anna let it go, because love is forgiveness.  But it’s something else too:  love is constant.  Without any soldiers or help, Anna left that castle to go find her sister in the snow.  Nothing would stop her.  Along the way, she met Kristoff and a snowman named Olaf.  And together, they got to Elsa’s new castle of ice.  Let’s see how that went.”

CUE VIDEO 3:  ANNA confronts ELSA

CUE SLIDE:  “MARSHMALLOW”

HOST: “It did not go so well.  In fact, something terrible has happened in this clip:  she was hit by a chilly blast of cold – and now Anna is slowly turning to ice.”

CUE SLIDE:  “ANNA”

HOST:  “But if there’s one thing we learn about Elsa in this story, it’s that she’s persistent.  She would not give up.  And that’s the way love is.  Let’s take a look at our next point.”

CUE SLIDE:  “THROW A LITTLE LOVE THEIR WAY”

HOST: “Throw a little love their way.  The trolls in this movie said that.  They should know – they’re the ‘love experts.’  They know that’s the way love works.  Check out this scripture here.”

CUE SLIDE:  “1 CORINTHIANS 13:7”

HOST:  “Love always protects.  It always trusts.  It always hopes.  It never gives up.”

CUE SLIDE:  “Northern Lights”

HOST:  “Sure, someone else may be a fixer upper, but as Christians, we need to keep pouring out our love, and never giving up.  Anna does not give up.  And we need to be more like her in that respect.”

CUE SLIDE: “ HANS”

HOST:  “But here’s how we need to be different from Anna.  This guy right here.  Anna learns the hard way that the world has a very different idea of what love is.  It just about ruins her life, in fact.”

CUE SLIDE: “Northern Lights”

HOST: “A lot of people don’t know what real love is.  Like Hans, there are a lot of people out to use others to get what they want.  That’s not love.  Love is what Olaf said right here.”

CUE SLIDE: “Olaf – Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours”

HOST: “Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.  Hans is only out for himself – he is using everyone to get what he needs.  He wants to rule the kingdom, and end this winter storm.  And in order to do that, he’s got to get rid of Queen Elsa.  Meanwhile, Anna has to see what love really is.”

CUE VIDEO 4:  ANNA’S SACRIFICE

CUE SLIDE:  “ANNA and ELSA”

HOST:  “Anna got it.  And so did Elsa.  In that one amazing moment, they both got the final piece of the puzzle.  They both now know what love really is.”

HOST:  “Love is sacrifice. Sometimes we need to give up something to help others:  our time, our effort, or our pride.  Anna gave up all of these things, and was even willing to give up her life for her sister.  And that’s all you need to know today from this message, and even from this movie:  love is sacrifice.  Say it to your neighbor.”

Let audience respond.

HOST:  “Say it to your other neighbor.”

Let audience respond.

HOST: “Olaf was right on.  It’s putting other’s needs first.  And when we do that for others, we show real love.  Listen to these words from Jesus.”

CUE SLIDE: “JOHN 15:13”

HOST: “ No one has grater love than the one who gives their life for their friends.”

CUE SLIDE: “Northern Lights”

HOST: “When you give of your time, you’re giving of your life.  You’re showing others that they are loved and worth it.  And they are.”

CUE SLIDE:  “OLAF”

HOST: “ Olaf may have been pretty goofy, but he had some very wise things to say.  Our final point is a quote from him, and a famous one from the movie.  He said that some people are worth melting for.”

CUE SLIDE: “Some people are worth melting for”

HOST: “That’s our final point.  And that’s also just the way that Jesus feels about every single one of us.  We are worth giving his life for.  Like that scripture we just said, he showed us the greatest love that can be given – he gave his life for us.  Because you are worth it.”

CUE SLIDE:  “CROSS”

HOST: “You are worth it.  And so are you.  And you, and you, and you.  The world may think otherwise, and the world has a very different idea of what love really is.  But you know what it is.  You know love is forgiveness.  You know love is constant.  And you know love is sacrifice.”

CUE SLIDE: “Northern Lights”

HOST: “As you go about the rest of your week, remember how Jesus showed the greatest love for you – and everyone else.  And do your best to show that very same kind of love.”

CUE SLIDES:  “1 Corinthians 13:4-7”

HOST:  “Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud.  It does not dishonor other people. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people’s wrongs.  Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken.  It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up.”

CUE SLIDE:  “NORTHERN LIGHTS”

HOST: “Lord, help us to show us the greatest kind of love, the very kind of love that you first showed us.”

HOST:  “Let us pray.”