Never Been More Proud

 

My son has a lot of social interaction. You see, he is a YouTube content creator. With his tips, tricks, and fun personality, he has made quite a name for himself.

The other day, someone threatened his good name. A silly incident on a mini golf course, yes, you heard that correctly, caused a man to call Matt out in the nastiest way possible. The man posted poisonous comments on his page which got a few "likes" and then a few comments that hurt my heart. As a mother, we hurt for our children especially when we see them doing good in this world, when we know they weren't in the wrong.

Right away I wanted to jump on the comment bandwagon and tell this man how horrible of a person he is. I wanted to rally everyone I knew to go and do the same. However, Matt asked his friends and family to let it go. I knew he was hurting badly over this, yet he didn't want to lash out and cause more grief.

We spoke a little yesterday about this. And of course, I have been praying about it as well. Lately, when I have wanted to act out irrationally, I've stopped and prayed instead. 

Last evening, my son wrote the most powerful post I have ever seen from him. Not one to share his emotions easily, this made a mother's heart full.

I am more proud of him than ever. Thank you to everyone who supports and follows my son. Our online family is "Goober Strong." You all rock.

Here is what Matt wrote:

"We're living in a world where everyone feels the need to "call someone out" by blasting them on social media and it's only going to get worse. A worker having a bad day "ooooh gotta film them and blast them on TikTok to get em fired" - a celebrity having a crash out moment? gotta "CALL EM OUT! EXPOSE EM ON FACEBOOK!".

Unless you live a 100% perfect life (I'd love to have coffee with you btw) - NOBODY has the right to do this. People have bad days, people make mistakes. Everyone's so obsessed with "BEING A MAN!!!!!!!!!!!" - there nothing less manly than trying to ruin someone by filming them and spew nonsense just to get your "likes".

Cyber bullying by kids and adults alike are something that all these platforms could sadly care less about. There's been adults that have taken their own life (Daryl from Storage Wars for example) over stuff like this when it gets to the extreme. I can't even IMAGINE being a kid in this time and having to deal with what peers are saying and posting about you on socials.

Learn to let petty shit go. I just watched a video of a woman recording herself going thru a drive-thru demanding warm fries and being absolutely irate and as if she's gonna EXPOSE the workers by blasting em on socials.

Just my opinion, I wouldn't want my kids, and I don't want my nephews and cousins growing up in this kind of world."

I Got An Arcade Game Made After Me!

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He was a shy, quiet kid. He was never sure what he might be good at. He had anxiety. But then.... he found something he enjoyed and made a living at it!

This is my son's journey and this arcade machine was made with and for him. It has sayings and his voice, it has graphics of some of the fun things Matt is all about in his YouTube videos!

This is one extremely proud and grateful mother. Son, I am beyond happy for you. May you always do what you love and make it a blessing in other's lives.

Let's All Have a Meet and Greet

I'm prompted today by a small stirring in my heart to write about something I witnessed yesterday at my son's Matt3756 meet and greet at the Replay FX event in Pittsburgh.

What is a meet and greet you may ask? Well, at conventions, they are celebrities of some sort sitting behind a table with their manager signing random autographs or taking photographs with fans. Most of the time if you are fortunate, some of the celebs are very kind and engaging, spending a little more time with you especially if you are the "fan girl" type like myself upon meeting Sean Astin from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Yes, sadly this fifty-something-year-old lady made a fool of herself but Mr. Astin took it all in stride and even told me how adorable I was. (I can live on that forever!)

My son, Matt is a YouTuber for those of you who don't know him. YouTube is the new television for young people these days. They watch hours upon hours of this, and Matt is very popular to the point that he has done meet and greet events nearby and out of state as well. Children and their families have come from several hours away to meet with him. When I am with him, it always makes a mom smile. For I see him spend quality time with each child and their family, as if they are the only people who matter in that moment.

Yesterday at the event, I was playing a skee ball type of game, when I saw a mother and son who had already visited Matt's booth for autographs. She told me that the only reason they had come to the event was to meet Matt and how much her son loves him. Her son is a special needs child. I wasn't sure she knew that they could go back and "hang out" with Matt at his booth. He encourages his fans to stick around, chat, and play games. She hadn't known that, and was very glad I told her. So I noticed that they came back to his booth eventually, almost in a shy way as if they were bothering Matt.

Not only did Matt engage the little boy in more conversation, he cheered him on when he played Matt's table top claw machine. He encouraged him and made him feel special. I secretly watched as Matt talked with others, his loud and crazy voice and zany ways, that the little boy was grinning from ear to ear watching his favorite YouTuber acting silly.

At the end of the day, the mother thanked Matt so much for his time and making her son's day. There was a glow in my heart for God giving me such a good son; for letting me help mold him into a wonderful human being even though he doesn't realize it sometimes.

You see Matt wondered when he was a young child what he was good at. And I honestly didn't know at the time when he posed this question to me. I told him "wait and see." A pastor friend of mine from several years ago spoke words of prophecy when Matt was in a particularly depressed time, "Hold on for the ride!" he said. We had no idea those words would come true in a major way. We had no idea that what Matt would be good at, was to be a light in the darkness for many children. Yes, it's wonderful that he's able to make a living with his YouTube channel. But for me, it's the fact that he is doing God's will in this crazy world, meeting and greeting kids all over, and helping them to feel special.

I'm reminded a little of Fred Rogers. I've often told my son this. That he is a cross between Mr. Rogers and Jim Carey. Zany and crazy fun, with a heart attached. I can only hope that I touch lives like he does someday.

May we all be a "meet and greet" type of person. May we help the friend sitting near us telling us their troubles to feel like they are the only person on earth as we listen, truly listen to them. May we meet others with a cheerful greeting and enthusiasm. May we greet each day with the opportunity to be a blessing in a world that sometimes seems a little darker every day.

God, please use us to be your light.

This young man recently interviewed Matt. His name is Colton DeBiase and he has begun a movement that encourages people to "Live Like Fred." (Rogers, that is.) I love the idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2PzUYBOrjU&t=47s

Matt's YouTube channel:

 https://www.youtube.com/user/matt3756

Our Shining Star

Count your blessings, they say. Think positive. Easy enough for people who aren't going through major life changes or depression.

I left for work this morning sulky and downcast. Though inspirational music played cheerily on my car radio, I couldn't muster one good thought. I arrived at work and the day began. Little by little, the routine began to settle me. I found that being busy was good for my spirits. And when a co-worker and I took a long walk during lunchtime, I turned my face upward to the shining sun and whispered a prayer of thankfulness.

As we returned to the office, I received a phone call from my son. He was going to spend a little time with my mother, his grandmother today. She had a doctor's appointment and he had volunteered to take her. He had questions for me, and I could hear in his voice that he was a little agitated, but he patiently answered the receptionist at the clinic while being respectful to my mother who kept talking in the background. My heart cracked in half as I thought of my son's goodness. It can't be easy for an almost thirty-year old to "hang out with grandma" one day a week. It can't be easy watching her mind failing, and answering her questions over and over, or listening to stories he's probably heard hundreds of times by now.

He took her out to eat after the appointment--something he does each week. He made sure she took her afternoon pills, knowing how much I worry about this every day. My mind could settle a bit as I relaxed and knew that Mom was in good hands. Matt is my mother's shining star, you see. She adores him and still refers to him as "My Darling." This is a name she has called him since he was a baby. I would walk into the house with Matt in my arms, and the minute he'd hear her say those words, his little feet would start kicking and he'd get the biggest smile on his face.

When she asked the other day who Matt was to me, my heart sank. But then I thought: at least she knows him. But I couldn't believe she didn't realize he is my son.

Matt is my shining star too, though. He is the blessing I am most grateful for every day of my life. His name, Matthew means gift of God, and it is appropriate. Any time I'm really down, I think of Matt and smile. His good heart, his infectious grin, his passion for causes that are right. Such a good young man. The best.

I am proud of him for more than this. He is someone who picked himself up from his own bout of depression. He cast off shyness that he'd had as a child, and did something about it. Matt took his passion to a whole new level and began doing what he really loved. Playing crane machines and making kids and their families happy. His YouTube channel and popularity have skyrocketed and I cannot think of a more deserving person.

I watch him at meet and greets when fans line up to talk with him. He takes time with each and every one of them, asking where they are from, and still humble enough to be amazed when they say they've come from out of state to see him. I see the looks on the faces of the children, the excitement of meeting their idol, and the joy from being there with him and it warms my heart. Matt gives of himself going above and beyond to make sure each child and family get plenty of attention. He's helped several kids who have been depressed as he shared a special story on his YouTube channel called "Draw My Life." And he donates his many wins to special charities and events. Yes, I cannot help but smile and feel very, very blessed when I think about the amazing person my son has turned out to be.

God, thank you for Matt, this gift you've given, this shining star for so many of us. And if anyone should be a true star in every sense of the word, I pray that Matt's popularity would grow and flourish even more in the years to come.

Hey, if you have a minute, check him out. Subscribe to his channel. I think he'll make you smile, too.

Matt's YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMe8Y3zO7_la3uHaWR3OVrg

Matt's Facebook Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/matt3756official/

Matt's special story: Draw My Life:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkpgB9BNQNY

We just want to be loved

Hello everyone. I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Piggy, and yes, I'm a cat. Some of you may know me from Facebook and others of you may know me from my human, Matt3756 YouTube videos. If you've never met me before, then welcome, and glad to meet you.

I'm choosing to write on my grandmother's blog today to tell you a little bit about me. 

A few years back, oh, maybe seven or eight, a wonderful human named Rick adopted my sister Vision the cat and I. We were rescued from a neglectful situation. There wasn't much food where we came from. Rick was very kind to us and gave us a warm home and all the food we could eat. Before you knew it, I'd gained some weight, well, quite a bit actually, but began trusting humans once again.

It was around that time Rick's young nephew Matt moved in with us. We hit it off right away, he and I. Time went by and we became inseparable. I enjoyed cuddling with him, even let him film me as he made his crazy videos. 

My sister Vision became sick and left us to go over the rainbow bridge. It was at that time I really bonded with Matt. He and I moved into our own home almost a year ago now and I have lots of room to play, lots of great food and treats, and wonderful windows to look out of at all the pretty birds.

One day Matt came home with a wriggling gray kitten. I took one look at it and told him to bring it back to where it came from. But getting into the spirit of things, I decided it would be best for all involved if I'd at least try to be nice to it.

Her name is Goober, and she is now my adopted sister. We enjoy plotting destruction together, and she even lets me bathe her, which is kind of nice.

My grandma is a writer, and asked me one day if I would mind if she wrote a fantasy story about me. I thought it would be a great idea. So gram's been working on a manuscript, and we're hoping to get it out as a book very soon. We had a lot of fun collaborating on ideas. I hope you'll enjoy a "tail" about me and my adventures and let us know how you liked them.

For now, I want to thank you for your time, and remember: your cats, dogs, birds, bunnies, all your pets and your dear friends and family are much like me and you. They, too, just want to be loved. 

Love, Piggy