Groups Can Get Along

So far I have signed up with 3 homeschool yahoo groups where I will be moving to. They are very friendly, welcoming and lots of activities planned. There are even more then that, but I have not had time to follow them. I did notice that they are all resource friendly, even with each other. On the groups link page, you will find the links to the other groups. People post other groups activities and what other groups have to offer.

I received a phone call from one of the board members of one of the groups. She was making sure we were a homeschool family, welcoming us, and did we have any questions. I found it to be a nice sweet change. She also volunteered that there were a lot of wonderful homeschool supports and that there was no competition between the groups, that they were very supportive and resourceful. Wow! My vision! It can be done! It's possible! It's feasible! It's normal! And it is the proper attitude to have - to be welcoming, helpful, and resourceful even among other groups. :)

Pat did a funny analogy this morning. Do you see Albertson's going to Safeway's parking lot and going up to the cars and telling them that they can't shop there or they won't be able to come back to Albertson's and buy their exclusive lean ground beef? Or do you see Boy Scouts telling one of their cubs that he can't bring his brother to the family banquet at the park, because he is part of the Camp Fire Organization. Don't we teach our children that they need to be friends with more then one person and to not exclude others? Don't we want our children to distance themselves from people who are controlling or manipulating? We don't want them peer pressured into doing the wrong things, even when they are very convincing. The serpent was very convincing to Eve about the apple.

Everything is not tolerable. Just because someone says they are doing things in the name of God, doesn't mean it is from God. Do you really think that God wants His people banned (branded, excluded, revoked membershiped, excluded, or what ever you want to call it) from fellowship with one another? And then when someone is banned or excluded, showing any emotion is chastised as unchristian-like. People are quick to judge the victim and tell them to be quiet and pleasing to God while they are being mistreated. Do any of these chastising Christians read Matthew 18:17? (If he still won't listen, take it to the church) or Matthew 21:12/Mark 11:15 and 16? (Jesus displays his anger and throws a tantrum in the temple, because they turn it into a market) Jesus even had boundaries and set limits. Don't be quick to judge, chances are your informer is leaving out important information. Everyone has a side of a story and it should be heard before taking sides.

I continue to pray for the homeschool community in Eugene. I really want what is good, moral, and peaceful. We are all adults and almost all of us want the same thing. But in order to achieve it, everyone needs to not only want it, but make it happen.

Stepping off my soap box now.

(and now after a couple of days of thinking and praying about it, I am posting it.)