Blowin' in the wind

"How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?" Those lyrics were meant to refer to the deaths in the Viet Nam war, and perhaps in all wars -- so I was told, anyway. But on the Journey to Freedom for my gay lesbian brothers and sisters, too many have died -- by their own hand, and by the hands of those whose minds have been filled with hate from those who claim to speak in the name of Jesus.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who never turned away anyone who wanted to follow him (though he made no bones in telling folk what that meant), weeps at these needless deaths. My Journey to Freedom will be incomplete until all are free. My journey is incomplete until the war against the GLBT community is over.

Chuck

Alone again, naturally

I've said it before and here it is again: The journey is not meant to be taken alone. However, there may be times when it feels like you're alone and friendless in the world, when no one seems to care, when people misunderstand you, or understand you and reject you because of who you are. People disappoint us, acting in ways we don't understand, in ways that don't fit the pattern of what we have come to expect of them. When people don't even treat us with common courtesy or with respect, we can get angry or feel hurt, or both. These reactions are normal. If such people are important to us, we can express our feelings to them, but not in an angry or hurtful way, but in a way that invites continued friendship and dialogue. If these persons aren't important to us, we can choose not to show our anger or hurt, but to go on without them, without getting ugly.

This is easy to write, but much harder to put into practice. I know I don't take disappointment well. I tend to ask myself what's wrong with me, but in fact there's nothing wrong with me. I need friends to travel this road with me. If I have but one friend, that will be enough. The truth is, there are many out there on the journey with me, but I haven't met them yet. And I confess, I want one special friend to share this journey with. But that will have to wait a while.

Chuck

Snow and Hot Chocolate

It's snowing in downtown Milford. I can look out my window and see the clouds rolling past the full moon; it's quite a sight. And I am drinking hot chocolate, just like when I was a little kid, after coming in from making a snowman or having a snowball fight. Ah! to be young again! I can hear the words of Jesus, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14, NLT)

Part of my journey includes going to that place in myself that is still childlike and setting that little boy free, comforting him when he hurts and giving expression to his pain, as well as his joy. I need to LET GO and allow myself to be silly, when the time and place are right; to let go of being so SERIOUS all the time. And I need to trust in God as a child trusts his/her parents.

On the journey to be free,
Chuck

Freedom is Relative

Freedom is relative. In the US, we have freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean we are free to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater when there is no fire. We are free to let others know exactly who we are, but there is a price to pay for that freedom and it may mean the loss of our livelihood. So we don't tell everyone everything about ourselves. And that's the way it is. But it can be different. The more open and honest we are about ourselves, the better off we will be. In terms of mental health, that is. And if more people are more open about who they are, our society as a whole will be much better off. I am working towards being more open about who I am; that's one of the aims of this blog. And sharing my thoughts here has indeed been liberating for me and I hope liberating for others as well.
In the struggle to be free,
Chuck

Thank you GFA

I was at the GFA meeting Thursday night and shared part of journey with the group and rceived a great gift from them, one I didn't expect. Oh, I knew I'd receive support, but when the group gathered around me, laid hands on me and anointed me with oil, I was overwhelmed with emotion. This group was a great comfort to me, and I am so glad to be a part of it, a part of them, and I just had to express my gratitude here. I reiterate, the journey is meant to be shared. It's so good to know I am not alone. Never have been, actually, but the reminder I received that night will go a long way with me as I travel my path.
Peace,
Chuck

Lord Jesus, YOu Shall Be My Song

I heard this hymn for the first time today, and I just had to post it!

Lord Jesus, you shall be my song as I journey;
I'll tell ev'rybody about you wherever I go;
you alone are our life and our peace and our love.
Lord Jesus, you shall be my song as I journey.

Lord Jesus, I'll praise you as long as I journey.
May all of my joy be a faithful reflection of you.
May the earth and the sea nd the sky join my song.
Lord Jesus, I'll praise you as long as I journey.

As long as I live, Jesus, make me your servant,
to carry your cross and to share all your burdens and tears.
For you saved me by giving your body and blood.
As long as Ilive, Jesus, make me your servant.

I fear in the dark and the doubt of my journey;
but courage will come with the sound of your steps by my side.
And with all of the fam'ly yousaved by your love,
we'll sing to your dawn at the end of your journey.

Words translated by Stephen Somerville

Somebody To Love/White Rabbit Jefferson Airplane

OK, so most of the music I listen to has first been sung on Broadway or by people such as Michael Buble and Harry Connick, Jr., and Sam Harris (Thank You, my friend) but Somebody to Love is one of my favorite songs. I don't have to let others put me in a box and think they know all about me! Enjoy!
Chuck

Sam Harris: Over the Rainbow

In Gratitude

I am so thankful to be blessed by friends who love me just as I am, who don't judge me, even when they don't understand why I do something. I am grateful to them, for the shelter they provide me in the storm of my life--they provide umbrellas...or a place for respite from that storm. I cannot imagine my life without them. To have one such friend is a huge blessing, but I have been blessed with several. Among them, I can put aside the shoulds of my life and be who I really am. I am so blessed that I could cry tears of joy right now. When I feel absolutely needy, they remind me of my strength. So I thank God for them. And my prayer for those reading this is that they will have the same sorts of friends that I have. I cannot thank God enough for them. And I cannot thank them enough for their love and support. They know who they are, especially if they are reading this. Thank you.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE: You gotta have friends...Bette Midler
MUSICAL INTERLUDE 2: That's what friends are for...Stevie Wonder et. al.

With love,
Chuck

No Static Cling, Please!

Beginning this blog was an admission that my faith cannot remain static. The Jesus I learned about in second grade is not the same Jesus I believe in today. And the Jesus I believe in today will not be the same Jesus I believe in three years from now. Take note: Jesus does not change, but my understanding of him does. Just as my understanding of God changes. The problem I face is a group of people who are clinging to the Jesus they knew as a seven year old! I am not the same person I was in 1964, so why should my faith be the same as it was 44 years ago? It shouldn't. We should all be growing in our faith, daring to go beyond what our Sunday School teachers and parents taught us so many years ago.

I believe in God who loves me just as I am.
I believe in Jesus Christ who invites all who believe in him to have eternal life.
I believe in the Holy Spirit who speaks to me in many ways.
I believe eternal life has to do with how we live our lives in response to God's love, for eternal life is about an abundant life.
I believe in life after death.
I believe in spiritual realities that are beyond what I can see.
I believe God wants all to know God and love God and one another.
I believe that there is that of God in every person.

Right now, I don't believe in hell, except for the hell we encounter right now.
I don't believe in condemning people because their view of God is diferent from mine.
I don't believe in condemning people because they desire to love those of the same gender and do so.

I do believe that this is enough for this post.
On the journey,
Chuck