bought "as is"

Well... I doubt I'll be online tomorrow. LW has ENCOUNTER. A... "themed worship experience." I don't know how else to describe it. This one will be "many ages 1 voice". So every worship band they have will be playing. From 56 band [made up of 5th & 6th graders] all the way up to the Sunday morning worship team & the Choir. Good? they're ALWAYS good. Can not wait. If I can get things to line up right, I'll be helping to photograph the event. Using a camera I haven't ever used before. Nervous? [shaking] who me? nah.

Don't think I'll post much else here tonight. Though, I just saw a new trailer for
THE HOBBIT: The Desolation of Smaug [1st trailer]
Several things pop out at me with just this trailer.
Tauriel: "When did we allow evil to become stronger than us?" 
Somehow this speaks of an unwillingness to fight/ rage against it. An unwillingness to bring it into the light. [evil, that is] I also like her defiance of it. Her willingness to engage against it.
Legolas: "It is not our fight."
Tauriel: "It IS our fight." 
this seems like it ought to be a TWLOHA shirt. It's so easy to let others fight for someone. Rather than getting involved ourselves. To see a struggle... & only to see it. rather than to risk stepping into it. So we can aide the correct side... in winning.
...

Radagast the Brown: "What if it's a trap?"
Gandalf the Grey: "It's... undoubtedly... a trap."
...and then there is the realization that getting involved may mean stepping into a minefield. It might mean the unthinkable. Stepping into a train wreck. On purpose. Why would anyone, willingly do that? People matter, everything else can be arranged.
New Trailer
While there are other reasons why I like these Tolkien films. There are two running themes that grab me the most.
1. As a post on TWLOHA [& a shirt from there] says: People need other people. I get to see the characters grow to respect & help each other. Celebrate together, laugh together, cry together, stand in fear together, journey together. I get a reminder that no one really makes it alone. this dovetails with the second...
2. I have often remarked that Lord of the Rings is "The Journey of Faith". It is long. Sometimes, you don't want to keep going. Thankfully, hopefully, you have some people who help you to keep going anyway. In spite of your inadequacies.
Blessings. Enjoy those in your "company", who walk with you through the storms.
May His grace drip from your fingers,
B