If any of y'all are prayer warriors out there ... if you pray ... I would appreciate your prayers for my aunt, Cynthia. She has been battling cancer for a while now and we were just notified that it has spread to her spine. Please pray for healing ... she needs all the prayers she can get.
Thank you.
Well, Sir Elton, I'm sure that the right way to go about garnering compassion for homosexuals is by telling the gabillions of people who believe in an organized religion that their faith should be banned. Yeah, that should do it. You hate me, so I hate you. That's the maturest response, yes? Have you ever read these teachings of Christ that you so admire? Because, if you had, you'd probably have read the part that says "Love your neighbor as yourself." There's no part of Christ's teachings that advocates hatred, at least, none that I've ever read. Yes, I am one of those people whose faith should be banned. And no, I don't hate gay people. Never have. I have friends that are gay and bisexual. I have loved ones that are gay. I love them all. Yes, my faith says that homosexuality is a sin, but it also says lying, cheating, drunkenness and greed are sins and I don't hate liars, cheats, drunks or greedy folk!
I am sick of what today's world has become, as far as faith is concerned. Christians (or Jews or Muslims or whatever) can't be vocal about what they believe without being deemed "hateful" or being labeled as a backward right wing conservative (none of which applies to me). But it's perfectly alright for people like Elton John (and others - some of whom have even said stuff like this to my face, though they know I'm a Christian) to say that religion should be banned! I am not one of the people trying to get people's rights restricted - I am not in favor of an anti-gay marriage amendment. I am Pro Choice. I am a feminist. I am for affirmative action. There are others of us out there who feel like I do. Having bassackward White men who claim to speak for me and others like me in charge of the White House and the Congress (not anymore - ha!) is not my doing, honey. I voted against their asses. So when you tell me that my faith and the way I personally want to serve my God should be banned??? Well, this may not be very Christian of me (and forgive me, Lord, if I'm wrong), but you can go to hell!
I wasn't feeling too well this morning, so I decided to sleep in a little later before leaving for work. Because I was home later than usual, I got to watch part of the Today show. One segment of the show was about the community of Amish people in Pennsylvania which was so horribly invaded by that madman who lined up several young girls and shot them, execution style. I've been in shock since I heard of this news. I mean, really? It's awful enough that the man killed people! But to attack the Amish! The freaking Amish!!!! Who does that???? What have the Amish ever done to hurt anybody???
The segment focused on how the families of the people who've been murdered have announced that they have already forgiven the murderer. Matt Lauer interviewed a rabbi and a Presbyterian minister about the importance of forgiveness in human society - how it is both psychologically and physically healthy and how it allows the person to stand in a place of power. Matt admitted that he doesn't believe he could forgive the murderer of his child and I understand how he feels.
Watching this segment made me ask myself: Would I be able to do the same? Would I be able to forgive freely the man who had taken my child's life? If I say, No, am I really the Christian that I say I am? Hasn't my whole life's experience with faith been one that has taught me that my Lord requires that I forgive those who wrong me, regardless of the manner of offense?
Thankfully, I've never been one to hold grudges. I pretty easily forgive in my every day life. But I've only really had to forgive small things, or, at least, those things have been small in comparison to something like the murder of one's child. So, I searched my heart to see if I found any unforgiveness there. And, I did. I held unforgiveness in my heart towards my in-laws, particularly my mother-in-law and my grandmother-in-law. I allowed myself to feel that - the hurt and the anger that I've held towards them for several years now. And I asked myself if holding on to those feelings has helped me any, whatsoever. Have they stopped hurting me because I'm angry with them? Do they even care? Is my life any better from holding on to this rage? I found myself ashamed that I could talk the talk, but not walk the walk when it comes to this particular situation in my life. I have often told others how they need to forgive, but if I am not willing to do so, in every situation, then I am a hypocrite.
So, today, I am giving myself the freedom of forgiveness. I forgive them for what they have done to hurt me. And the lightness of this feels so good. I choose to forgive. I choose to love. That gives me power and control over my own life and my own emotions.
My mother-in-law and I agree on one thing - we both think Kaysar is a hottie. Last night, while watching Big Brother: All Stars, she said, "Umph. That man is fine." I replied, "Well, at least we agree on one thing" and we looked at each other and burst out laughing. Imagine: finding that my MIL and I like the same kind of men ... is there light at the end of the tunnel? ... NAH!
BTW - I rewound Marcellas' tirade on how much he loves Kaysar, twice, then saved the episode to my TiVo.
