Following Your Dreams : Our main character Flint Lockwood knew at a young age what he wanted to do in life and was determined from that young age to not let anyone deter him from fulfilling that dream of being a great inventor. He always pressed forward no matter what anyone around him did or said. He also kept a very positive attitude even through the bad times.
Never Giving Up :Towards the end of the film when it looked like all was lost and Flint Lockwood was just about to give up his on dream, his Dad (Tim Lockwood) just had to remind him of who he was by giving him back his Inventors White lab Coat and he was ready to go forward again.
Going The Extra Mile :Just when everything was going great for Flint Lockwood and his greatest invention ever had just saved the town of Swallow Falls. Everything then suddenly went very wrong and at that moment Flint Lockwood had a choice to make. Do I just give up and let everything and everyone around me dictate what I will now do or do I decide to still move forward and make the best of a very bad situation. I am so glad that he decided to go that extra mile because in the end he truly was the hero that he was meant to be.
Following Your Dreams:
1.What is a dream and how do we have one or get one to follow?
A dream is a goal for the future—it can be a physical one, (a dream job), or an emotional one (stability and comfort). For Christians, I guess our dreams are actually “callings” from God, “clues” of what we are supposed to do with our time on earth. They stem out from our God-given personalities, our talents, and our capabilities.I believe that true dreams are God-given. Of course, we all have our “possible careers,” and “practical choices,” but those might only be a result of our own efforts to “create” a dream for ourselves. True dreams are the things that we feel passion for, the things that we know God wants us to do. Sometimes, our dreams/callings are very specific, other times they are vague, and sometimes, we don’t know what they are! If I’m not feeling sure about what my “dream” should be, the best thing to do is to pray, pray, and pray some more! by Echo Lu
To me, a dream is what someone seeks to achieve or pursue, an ambition, a goal. But many people are just dreamers, not doers. Their heads are up in the clouds, dreaming dreams, but not pursuing them. Flint had one from the very beginning of his life, and knew what he was going to grow up to be. He had an interest in inventing and a motivation. To get one to follow, think of something you really want to be. Imagine yourself achieving your dream, then go for it! If you have many talents, another way to really seek out what you want to be is to pray to God. As you grow up, God's will or plan for you will be made clear. by Cassandra Hsiao
A dream is your goal in life; something you wish to accomplish, achieve, or earn. We get a dream when we set our minds on doing this one big goal in your life. Also, God may be the one that plants a dream in your mind. by Miriam
Something you want to become in the future or what you think of. We maybe read books or think of the future. by Tiffany
A dream is what you want to do with your life in the future, and as soon as we have a goal in life, or anything that we want to do with our life, that’s a dream. by Jacinta
A dream is a goal to set in life, or legacy to leave behind. There really is no way to "get" one; however, in my personal experience, it is something to be discovered, not something to choose. The choices you make in life determine what this dream, goal, or legacy is, but I believe it is not something you can ultimately choose. by Brian
2. How can we follow our dreams even though we may not know all the details?
As a student, (a person who is still enrolled in school), the best thing for me to do is to get good grades so that, when God reveals His plans for my life, I’ll be able to “follow my dreams” without being hampered by the limits caused by a insufficient education. Right now, as kids, our goal is to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually—sort of like a training ground before the battle. Also, if I have a vague idea of what my “dream” might be, I can pursue extracurricular activities in that area. (Ex. Dream= writing, EA= blog, journal, etc.) by Echo Lu
You can pray to God. The future is unpredictable-only God knows what will happen. Philippians 3:14 states I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high by calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us run with patience to the end of the race He has given us. Pursue your dreams! by Cassandra Hsiao
Just trust God to lead you through everything, and do anything (and possibly everything) you can to bring yourself closer to your dream. by Miriam
Just do what you think is right. by Tiffany
As long as we don’t give up, we can push on, doing whatever possible to achieve our dreams. (such as research, info from others, etc.) by Jacinta
Sure, we may not know all the details in our lives, but we do know that God more than knows all the details, he even created and planned them, and therefore we have two choices: One, to rely on our own finite, near-sighted foresight, or; Two, to trust God's infinite wisdom, and his knowledge of what we need.
To put it in the words of Leo Tolstoy, "It is not given to man to know his own needs."by Brian
3. When it gets hard to follow our dreams what should we do?
The best part about our dreams is that, if they are truly from God, there’s no way we can fail! The assurance that God is supporting me is enough to make me grit my teeth and persevere. God never promised an easy life, but he did promise his help when we have troubles. by Echo Lu
God will put you in trials to test your patience and endurance. We must trust the Lord and he will help you. Those trials are to build up your character. Have faith in God, and you can do the impossible. Pray to him, trust him, and he will help you through. by Cassandra Hsiao
You can ask for help from people you trust, (of course) pray, and just keep on persevereing! by Miriam
Don’t give up and NEVER! by Tiffany
We should pray and ask God to help us along by Jacinta
In three words: Don't give up. More than that, work harder to do your best in order to continue by Brian
Never Giving Up:
1. What are some practical ways that we can be faithful to God and the dreams that he has given us?
Writing my dreams and goals down helps me a lot. A year from now, I’ll be able to look back and compare notes, modify my dreams, and clarify my goals. I can also work hard in school, because in order to succeed in this world, I have to get a good education. by Echo Lu
By being faithful in small things that God has given us, we are being faithful in the big things God will give us. For those who are dishonest in small things are also dishonest in the big situations. God is OK with whatever career you choose-as long as it follows God's rules. Be honest in your career. Love the Lord. Pursue your dream with God's help. And DON'T GIVE UP, no matter the hardship. He will help you through. by Cassandra Hsiao
Well, we can pray, read the Bible, talk to God constantly; to be faithful to your dreams, just trust in God (and yourself) and believe you can achieve whatever you set to mind to. NEVER, EVER, EVER EVER, EVER GIVE UP!!! by Miriam
Pray, Worship him, and read the bible. by Tiffany
Not to give up, and to follow the dreams according to what is right by Jacinta
Don't be discouraged by others who mock your ways. They benefit no one, especially themselves, by making it their own life's dream to deprive the world of someone who can create something to further the advancement to the welfare of humankind. Giving in to their mockery would only give them victory to no one's benefit; besides, they're already mocking you, don't you want to see their faces when you finally succeed?by Brian
2. What could some of the rewards be in our lives for not giving up on God and our dreams?
Despite the guarantee that following our dreams won’t be easy, I believe that it will bring true satisfaction, pleasure, and joy into my life. It may sound cliché, but if God is God, then the plan he has for my life has to be the best. I may not become rich, or famous, or even successful, but I’ll be happy and on the path God has chosen for me by Echo Lu
Towards the end of the movie, Flint Lockwood was about to give up his dream when everything around him was chaos. But his Dad presented him his Inventor's Lab Coat, and he was ready to go forward again.He always pressed forward no matter what anyone around him did or said. He also kept a very positive attitude even through the bad times. Soon, at the end of the movie, he achieved his dream- being an inventor and was well-liked. He was truly the hero that he was meant to be. I think not giving up on your dream will give you satisfaction, and you will enter into the joy of the Lord.If you have faith, you can do the impossible with God's help. by Cassandra Hsiao
For not giving up on God, some rewards would be that you'll feel safe and secure that God is protecting you. For not giving up on our dreams, you will most likely achieve that dream and will have the satisfaction and happiness that results from your success (unless that dream wasn't a very good one O_O) by Miriam
Your dream comes true or god made you have a happy day. by Tiffany
We might achieve our dreams, and although the way would not necessarily be easy, we will build a good relationship with God along the way. And, of course, there are heavenly rewards. by Jacinta
Not giving up on God and the dreams he has given us means that we will eventually succeed, which, of course, brings success. The success of our works will reward us with the respect of the ones who didn't mock us, and maybe even the ones who did, which in turn will bring influence. In our example of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The influence he was rewarded with ultimately led to pride, and then led to his downfall.
Vice from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: Pride by Brian
Going The Extra Mile:
1.How can we show love to those around us even if they don’t show us that same love in return?
Bite our tongues. It’s so easy to try to argue with people when I feel like I’m right and they’re wrong, but often, it doesn’t accomplish anything. (Usually, it just makes things worse.) It’s so much harder to just bite my tongue and stop talking, but, looking back, avoiding the conflict is worth it. Besides, wanting to prove myself right usually stems out of pride—which isn’t a good thing anyway. by Echo Lu
The Bible says to love your enemies and pray for them. It sometimes is hard to love those who have wronged us, but you need to care for them. And caring takes comission and sacrifice. Christ died on the cross for our sins, even though we sined against him over and over again. He knew we would still sin after he died. But he did it anyways, and he prayed for those people who called for his cruxification. Love your enemies and pray for them, and you will be acting like your Father in Heaven. by Cassandra Hsiao
Like the Bible says, "Love your enemies; be kind to those who hate you (simple translation)." We can draw strength from God and ask him to help you do the right thing and be helpful. If we keep on being nice and doing the right thing for 'unresponsive' people, sooner or later that kindness WILL affect your/his/her life. by Miriam
Pray for them or help them. by Tiffany
Remember that we need to love others just as God loved us. It will be really hard sometimes, but if we pray and ask God for help, we can do it. by Jacinta
Showing love to those who do not return the love we give them can be expressed through acts of random kindness, in little things, such as buying a meal for them, or even just listening to them. by Brian
What are some practical ways that we can go the extra mile in helping hose around us (school, neighborhoods and communities)?
Some ways I, personally, can go the extra mile include doing extra chores around the house. In our family, we all have assigned duties, but there is always extra work that needs to be done. Vacuuming the living room or putting in an extra load of laundry isn’t required, but it’s a way to “go the extra mile.” Another way I can go the extra mile is to go beyond what is expected when it comes to my responsibilities. It takes extra work and extra time, but doing an extra good job is worth it. by Echo Lu
By just doing one nice thing for people you dislike, you are spreading Jesus' light. You can pick up a pencil that they dropped, not calling them bad names, and keeping a positive attitude throughout their taunts. But sometimes the best way to go the extra mile is to steer them back on course when they are doing something wrong. For ex: If you know your classmate is doing something wrong, like cheating on a test, you can tell him gently that it is not the right thing to do. But its hard! What if it's your best friend who's whispering the rumours? Are you going to tell him or her that it is not the right thing to do? You're probably thinking, "But I might loose friends! They may not like me!" That's true, they may think you ask the outcast, but you've done your part, telling them that it is not right, and you can leave the rest up to God.byCassandra Hsiao
School: you can help people who are having trouble with homework, comfort those being picked on, and generally be a good friend to everyone. Neighborhoods: If there is someone who needs help (for example, and old lady tediously taking care of her garden, and stressed-out mom with way too many kids, etc...) you can go and help them with whatever they need. Communities: see an old lady crossing the street with a heavy grocery bag? You can go the extra mile in helping her by assisting her across the street AND carrying the bag for her. by Miriam
Invite them to Jesus Christ, read ahead in the bible, pray more and more everyday, worship the lord, and sing songs about GOD! by Tiffany
Picking up trash off parking lot floors, even though it’s really dirty, never refusing to help someone who needs it, and volunteering for helping in activities in the community. by Jacinta
Personally, what I do for others around me is pick up random litter I see lying around. Yes, it is a small thing, but if everyone were to do this, everyone would benefit from this. Interesting to see how small things can accumulate to clean streets and places in general.by Brian
Extra Questions from Echo Lu :
How can we tell the difference between our personal desires and God-given dreams?
God-given dreams will never go against God’s word. If pursuing a “dream” causes me to fall away from God, forget my responsibilities, or weaken in my faith, then it’s probably not from God. Also, a God-given dream will last far longer than a momentary whim, and will probably be supported by your personality and gifts. After all, God equips us to complete our God-given dreams.
Why is following God-given dreams so difficult?
When I follow God-given dreams, I automatically become a threat to Satan. After all, Satan doesn’t want me to fulfill God’s plan for my lives. Also, we live in a fallen world, which means being honest, faithful, and kind will often hurt us financially. People, instead of respecting good people, often take advantage of them, which makes following God-given dreams doubly difficult.
Often, people won’t thank us for going the extra mile. Sometimes, they won’t even notice! What do we do then?
We’re supposed to do things for God’s glory, not for the praise and/or admiration of people. Actually doing this, though, is super hard. Everybody wants to be recognized for their work, and when we aren’t, it’s really difficult to keep “going the extra mile.” Still, eventually, it’s worth it, because God’s blessings are more important and valuable then appreciation anyway.
For me, a practical way to “go only for God’s glory” is to remember that, even though it seems as if no one is paying attention, God sees my efforts, and he’s proud of me. This really gives me a boost and encourages me when I feel down.
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