Posts Tagged ‘Family’
“I Am Loved Right Where I Am”: Ensuring Our Children Feel Belonged
I am a certified special education school teacher who has taught various grades and subjects in the states of New York, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. Prior to teaching I was a youth counselor for many years, where I worked with youth diagnosed from moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, behavioral and emotional challenges, autism/Asperger’s syndrome, and…
Read MoreWeddings Gifts From Allies
On the way to my wedding shower, I received a picture of a gift someone had dropped off at my parents’ house for the event. Yay, our first gift! It had been neatly wrapped in a pattern covering every square inch of the box—in bride and grooms. Teeny tiny men in tuxedos and women in…
Read MoreThe Family Secrets In My Grandmother’s Bible
My grandmother’s Bible is in remarkable shape, considering it’s spent almost 20 years shuttling between cardboard boxes, garages, and basements, and traveled more than 1,000 miles from Florida to New York. Its soft leather cover is free of cracks, its maroon handles show no strain, and its zipper opens smoothly. But the book inside is…
Read MoreFinding God In Transition
From my teens to my early twenties, I was a good Catholic boy. I went to mass several times a week, which included playing guitar with two different church choirs. In college, I even went to Protestant Bible studies to hear the Word of God. When I was 18, I began to explore becoming a…
Read MoreMy Roots: Reflections On Metropolitan Community Church’s PAD Conference
Whenever I think about my experiences over the years at the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Conference for People of African Descent, Our Allies and Friends (PAD), I can’t help but think of the Tree of Life. Perhaps you’ve encountered this tree (pictured above) before and just didn’t know it. Remember Rafiki, the old and wise mandrill from The Lion King,…
Read MoreChristianity Made Me Bisexual
I grew up in the church and prayed the sinner’s prayer at least a dozen times between age six and sixth grade. As someone who grew up in the church, I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering how much my life has been shaped by my parents’ religion. With a different upbringing, I might have…
Read MoreA Mormon And A Lesbian Walk Into A Bar…
That could be the opening to a great joke, but the story here ends with something better than a punch line. My sister Sharon and I could not be more different. In high school, she was the super-popular and uber-cute homecoming queen, student officer, and North Ogden Miss Cherry Days. I was immersed in debate,…
Read MorePraying For Our Enemies
I remember the first time I heard the name Fred Phelps. Five days before I turned sixteen, Matthew Shepard was brutally attacked in Laramie, Wyoming. One day after I turned sixteen, Matthew Shepard died. Like many of you around the country, I was glued to the news reports. Enter: Fred Phelps. The first I heard of…
Read MoreAn Open Letter To Sunnie Kahle (And Christian Tomboys Everywhere)
Dear Sunnie, You don’t know me, but this morning I read an article about you. Ever since then you keep crossing my mind. As I went around town today in my jeans and button-down shirt and sweater, I thought about you. As I came home from the gym tonight, I prayed for you. And all…
Read MoreMy Loneliness Led Me To God
Simply writing the title makes me feel over-exposed. Just now walking our dog, Hobbes, I found myself contemplating my lifetime need for God. I felt extremely lonely as a child. Hard to believe in a loving household of a family of five with pets living in a small tract house with a single bathroom, sharing…
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