observations

i've spent the last few weeks shocked
that i see more hatred from Christians than from any other grouping of people
more judgment, more exclusivity, more "us and them" mentality

and it seems like that cycle is just spinning over and over
that it's getting faster and more and more out of control

until i wonder if anyone will ever hear
simply the name of Jesus
simply the message of grace
simply the love of the Father

how are they going to hear it if we're clamoring loudly
trying to be heard
about politics, other faiths, people within our own faith who we don't accept for who they are?

how are they EVER going to receive a gospel of grace
if we can't even show it to our own, much less the world who needs it?

when in the world did we forget that we're the forgiven
called to forgiveness?
when in the world did we forget that ocean of grace we're standing in
and start refusing to share even a drop with our neighbors?
how did we get to the point that we forgot what Jesus did for us?
because if we remembered
we would want everyone to know it!

when did we forget that not a one of us is better than anyone else?

i changed my facebook status this morning to the following:

Lora B supposes it's pretty easy to "reach your world" if your worldview consists only of those who look, think, and believe as you do

i was kind of surprised at the responses i got from that one. several agreements and affirmations that others were feeling the same pull.

and then within minutes of posting, i ran across something another friend had shared
and suddenly i was hopeful again
that maybe, just maybe
we can all "get it" again

the message is SO simple
why do we have to make it so complicated and exclusive?
God so loved the world
ALL of it
all races, all religions, all sects/denominations within a religion

we're the ones who've perverted it
made it something much more complicated than it is
made a system of red tape to cut through, and hoops to jump
and we are the ones who must return it to it's simplistic glory

God so loved

read the blog post that gave me that hope. it's worth every moment.

...commitment...

this past saturday
in a small kansas city church
two people stood before a minister
and pledged their love for one another
they were surrounded by family (more for one than the other)
friends
and a supportive community
words were spoken to bless their "commitment" and their life together
and hardly anyone seemed to notice
that they were both men

i noticed
after all, one of them is my brother
and i was sitting next to his children on one side
who love him dearly,
even if they still harbor hurt and pain from the way their parents split
and my boyfriend on the other
who had never been to anything like this ever in his life

there are few topics i won't touch on this blog
religion/faith
politics
the relation of the two
my opinions on a multitude of things
all those are pretty much fair game

but this is one
that i won't
(at least not that i can forsee)
because i would have a hard time talking about
something as if i knew how i felt about it
when i haven't got a clue

when you're raised to believe one way
but experiences share a different view
when you're taught one thing
but your heart...well, you have one.

this much i do know:
i love my brother
the man walking beside him is sweet, funny, and sincere
and there is a genuine love between them

this much i also know:
God loves them too
and they love Him

beyond that...
i don't have to know

and THAT
is an amazing release

ps in case anyone is all "reporting to the authorities" or whatever: this was a commitment ceremony, NOT a wedding or civil union. it was held in a sacred space to profess their commitment to each other in front of a community. that's all.