Day 10 - WARNING: This is NOT an Art Blog… This is a HEART blog.
There has been something haunting me lately.
I want to warn you right up front that this blog has to do with Religion, Gay Rights, and of course MY OPINION.
I do not wish to debate with anyone about the subject, so please leave your negativity at the door. I only wish to express my opinion.
Some things you may not know about me:
I was born and raised Jewish.
I am now a Christian. …Although I hesitate to use the term due to the radical implications that go along with it… I am a Born Again Christian. This does not mean I wish to shove my beliefs down anyone’s throat, this means that I choose to live my life biblically. I wish to reflect the LOVE that God has shown me to others. I do, however still swear, drink, and I am usually the first to make dirty jokes at inappropriate times. ( I learned this from my Grandma!)
I have been married more than half my life to a man I am MADLY and PASSIONATELY in LOVE with!
I am 50 years old and LOVE being 50!
I have two daughters whom I LOVE and am SO PROUD of both of them! … One of my daughters is going to become a Vet and is working hard at finishing her 3rd year at URI. One of my daughters is a hairstylist who has to work a second job to make ends meet while she builds her clientele .
One of my daughters is Gay and is currently living with her girlfriend. THIS is what today’s blog is about. Being a Christian mother of a gay child in a state (Rhode Island) that currently legalized Gay Marriage.
So… If I’ve triggered any of your negative buttons… PLEASE READ NO FURTHER! I do NOT wish to upset anyone… I merely would like my opinion heard.
When my daughter first came out to me in the parking lot of the art supply store, I was in total shock. I turned white and a million questions were rolling through my head! I was upset that she had “chosen” this life style for herself. Life just got a whole lot more complicated for my family, especially my child… The child that I loved and adored, the child who wanted nothing more than to be a great Mom since she herself was just a small child. A child who had not only chosen to be a Christian, but begged me to find Jesus myself.
How could this be? I never once asked God WHY this was happening to my daughter. No… My first question was this… “Have you talked to Jesus about this? “ MY greatest fear was not that my child was gay. My greatest fear is that she had chosen to leave her relationship with Jesus. Her answer, “YES! And He still LOVES me!”.
Three years and a handful of girlfriends later, I’m still not comfortable with her being gay. I like her girlfriend now… but there have been some I did NOT like at all! Although I am still waiting for Prince Charming to come and sweep her off her feet, I am content to leave this in the hands God and my daughter. It is HER life! I will support my daughter no matter what, even if I don’t understand her choices, I realize they are her choices to make.
What do I want for my daughter? Happiness, safety, health, and most importantly for her to maintain her relationship with God! I can’t be there to always protect, provide, guide, … but I believe that God CAN and God IS! HE LOVES her no matter what… and you know what… I DO TOO!
So when I hear people making statements about Rhode Island being a Godless State… it is offensive. It HURTS! Do they think my child chose to be gay? Someone compared her being gay to choosing to watch pornography. I believe that watching pornography IS a CHOICE… Being gay is NOT a choice.
If you are still with me, I challenge you to watch the following video on YouTube.
I warn you, it is very UPSETTING to say the least! The combination of having friends making judgments about my daughter, and watching this movie provoked my need to express my opinions.
So what do I BELIEVE?
I BELIEVE we are ALL called to LOVE one another.
I BELIEVE that GOD LOVES ALL HIS CHILDREN.
I BELIEVE that we need to leave Judgement to GOD, because who is without flaws and sins of their own?
I BELIEVE that every word in the BIBLE is TRUE.
I BELIEVE in LOVE!
So please do not judge me for being a Born Again Christian. Please do not judge my daughter for being GAY. PLEASE DO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU WOULD LOVE YOURSELF.