Think before You Gather

This has been a topic I have wanted to write about for a while now. Ladies and gentlemen alike need to take into account these ideas before they gather together with people who they are not intimately familiar with. Religious people are some of the worst people to hang out with if you have baggage or physical issues that affect your ability to be seen as "normal". The simple truth is that everyone is different. Of course we know this but how many of us judge someone when they aren't doing what we think they should be doing, especially if we can add that powerful word FAITH into the equation. By faith you will be healed, by faith you will be set free, walk by faith in the Spirit! We spew these truths out like Niagara spews out water. Were you there the year before when that person was deep in sin compared to now? Do you see the transformation that has already taken place? Do you know the tears they cry to be healed? Have you been in the room when they have locked themselves in in an attempt to keep themselves from digging deeper in the pit? Were you there when they threw out the computer because they didn't want to be tempted again? When you sit down to dine with them they are not perfect. They are blemished. We all are blemished, to the core. Women very often see other women not eating cake or comfort foods and they wonder why. They say things like, oh God gave us taste buds, EAT and be MERRY. Enjoy in FAITH! Guess what, what if by eating that crap it triggers something within them that sends them over the edge? What if they are choosing not to eat that BECAUSE they don't want to be tempted?? It's not that they don't have faith. They want faith more than they want food. What about the alcoholic who goes out with friends and doesn't drink. They make fun of him. Would you tell him to drink, in faith?? What sense does that make? The point I am trying to make is that we have no idea what someone has or is dealing with. Why can't we just enjoy the company and stop asking the question "Why can't you be normal?" Whatever walk you walk, you don't have to be in sync with someone else to enjoy the conversation.

So proud of Toby!

 Toby got his demo reel on Blender Nation! He has worked so hard for so long(I think he was around 5 or 6 when he started.). I remember when our computers were sitting beside each other and he would be listening to tutorials(very boring tutorials!!) and I would beg him to put his headphones on because it was making me sleepy. That was several years ago. Now he does his own tutorials. We are starting a beginners blender club at the house next week. It will only last a few weeks but it would give him a chance to get some other kids excited about blender. Jason is teaching it and Toby will be helping(cuz I honestly think Toby knows more about it than Jason...shhhhh). I know that I'm the Mom and I will be proud of him no matter what but, well, this guy is pretty special. I also want to be sure not to puff his ego up but to make sure that he believes that he still has long way to go, that learning doesn't end. I want to praise him for his diligence(which should never end), not necessarily the work ;) Be praying for him, that God would bless his diligence and that he would stay focused. Grands, thanks for encouraging him!!
Oh, and if you want to go see the demo reel, it's at http://www.blendernation.com/2014/01/06/reel-tobias-milliken/