Back to Quinlan

Today we were back to the Quinlan Art Center for another week of Art Camp for Madison.  As is our usual custom, the parents show up at 9:00 am with the children to hear the rules for the camp, along with pick-up details.  We sort of have these all in our heads by this point, having done this camp a few times by now.  Madison was very excited to go this time around - we reminded her about how hesitant she was initially to leave us that very first year we tried this out.  Now she's out the door, no problem!

As usual, Daddy designed another car tag for her and was waiting for her at 2:00 pm.  She was doing things with plaster today, so her hands were somewhat messy coming home.  But she loved it.  She's having a great time already.  This will go on for two weeks, along with some pottery classes coming up as well.  Lots of fun.

We were looking around the gallery this morning before the meeting, and got a chance to see some of the local artists' works.  You can see above the traditional Ferris Bueller pose, as Madison and Mommy look at some of the paintings on the wall.

While Madison was in camp, we were shopping a lot.  We had a few stops to make, including one to pick up "The LEGO Batman Movie."  Yes, that's the next and final movie on our Superflix series message list.  We sat down to watch it together tonight - and Daddy wrote this message for it as well.

“The LEGO Batman Movie"

     LEGO Batman works alone.  He says this himself time and again, always quick to shine the spotlight on himself, or at least the Bat Signal.  Everyone loves him – he’s blushing super hard under the mask.  

      Yet despite having friends who want to help, Batman prefers to do everything by himself.  Why?  Listen to him explain it to Joker:  “I don’t need you.  I don’t need anyone.  You mean nothing to me.  No one does.”

     Ouch!  It sounds like Batman needs to look at the man in the mirror.  His friend Barbara Gordon tells him, “You can’t be a hero if you only think of yourself.”  And she’s right – he’s full of pride.
     In our Bibles, Proverbs 16:18  tells us that pride will lead to a fall, and in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” we see that happen to Batman pretty quickly.

     Fortunately, we also see him learn quickly.  As he looks around at his friends Alfred, Robin, and Batgirl, he sees how much more they can do when they do it together.  Yes, other people have value.  And yes, each of us have skills, talents and ideas that others may not.  That’s why it was such a bad idea for Batman to try and work alone.  He wasn’t meant to.
     But neither are you.  You see, everyone else has good ideas too.  Just know that God Himself has made you to join with others to form a super team of heroes.  He’s the Ultimate Master Builder who has designed each of us to pull together to build something great enough to save the day.

“We’re just one big happy fraternity of people that did an awesome job together.” – LEGO Batman

“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.  Hoooo.” – LEGO Batman

“If you are proud, you will be destroyed.  If you are proud, you will fall.” Proverbs 16:18 NIRV

“He makes fun of proud people who make fun of others.  But he gives grace to those who are humble and treated badly.” Proverbs 3:34 NIRV

“If anyone pays attention to what they’re taught, they will succeed.  Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20 NIRV

“God’s grace has been given to me. So here is what I say to every one of you. Don’t think of yourself more highly than you should. Be reasonable when you think about yourself. Keep in mind the faith God has given to each of you.  Each of us has one body with many parts. And the parts do not all have the same purpose.  So also we are many persons. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts.  We all have gifts. They differ according to the grace God has given to each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it according to the faith you have.  If your gift is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach.  Is it encouraging others? Then encourage them. Is it giving to others? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:3-8 NIRV

“We will no longer be babies in the faith. We won’t be like ships tossed around by the waves. We won’t be blown here and there by every new teaching. We won’t be blown around by cleverness and tricks. Certain people use them to hide their evil plans.  Instead, we will speak the truth in love. So we will grow up in every way to become the body of Christ. Christ is the head of the body.  He makes the whole body grow and build itself up in love. Under the control of Christ, each part of the body does its work. It supports the other parts. In that way, the body is joined and held together.”

Ephesians 4:14-16 NIRV

“So, are you ready to follow Batman and maybe learn a few life lessons along the way?” – LEGO Batman

1. Your greatest enemy is __________.  Joker sums it up to Batman, “Your greatest enemy …is you.”  Look at the man in the mirror:  are you full of pride?  Barbara Gordon says what we all need to hear:  “You can’t be a hero if you only think of yourself.”  And as Batman soon discovers, pride goes before a fall.
   “If you are proud, you will be destroyed.  If you are proud, you will fall.” Proverbs 16:18 NIRV
   a.  Joker         b. Superman             c. Pride
   
   
2. Don’t go outside the ________.  Batman is warned not to go outside the law, and yet because he only thinks of himself, he does it anyway.  Of course, this leads to all kinds of trouble.  The law is the law, and there’s a reason rules are put in place.  God’s commandments are set up for a reason – to protect us from all kinds of trouble.
   “If anyone pays attention to what they’re taught, they will succeed.  Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20 NIRV
   a.  law             b. flip             c. lobster thermidor
   
   
3. You can’t work _________.   Everyone else has good ideas too.  God Himself has made you to join with others to form a super team of heroes.  He’s the Ultimate Master Builder who has designed each of us to fit together to build something great enough to save the day.
   “He makes the whole body grow and build itself up in love. Under the control of Christ, each part of the body does its work. It supports the other parts. In that way, the body is joined and held together.” Ephesians 4:16 NIRV

a.  hard                       b. alone           c. together

It's a funny movie.  We caught a lot the second time seeing it, things we hadn't noticed before.  It'll be a good service at KidPak for sure, as everyone loves LEGO Batman...

It was a good day today, another full one.  We dropped by Nana and Ye-Ye's house to pass along a Father's Day gift and spend a little while catching up.  The last few weeks have been obviously pretty busy.  Another place we went to after Art Camp was the library.  Madison picked up a few books that were being held for us, along with some other books and soundtracks.

It was raining a little today, although it seems to be raining more elsewhere for some reason.  We'll get rain eventually - it'll all even out.  Tonight after the movie, we went to bed early.  Daddy read from the devotional, and after that a few chapters from Squirrel Girl.  We're enjoying the book quite a bit.  And soon... we'll be enjoying sleep quite a bit!