weekly post from July 3, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

Better late than never is what I've always heard. I was too lazy to get all of my thoughts together over the weekend so I'm doing it now. On Saturday we spent the day rolling t-shirts for tie-dying that we will be wearing in the gay pride parade next weekend. We didn't stay for the tie-dying part (did I mention the shirts were tie-dyed?) but we left in time to see the spouse of the woman in charge of the event look worried as the people planned to tie-dye, in the house. This will be the third time since I've moved to the area that I have marched in the parade and the second year that I'll be out in front holding our sign. The girl that I'm holding it with and I are thinking of something scandalous we can do as we pass the inevitable protesters. It's so sad they don't have truth on their side. I almost feel sorry for them; ALMOST. I'm so glad I can just be myself and not be afraid or worried.

And speaking of being myself, I grew up in a church where stuffy was the norm and during community greeting we had the square handshake (or the four walls handshake). That's when the hands of your four immediate neighbors are shaken; the two to the left and right, the one behind and the one in front. No one else counted; we didn't move around as we couldn't care less about the others. It's bad enough we had to shake the hands of four people. That is, unless one was fortunate enough to sit in the very back then only three hands had to be shaken. Twenty seconds (if that) was all it took and it was over. It's so refreshing now to be a part of a church where I can be myself and not have to worry about people judging me or expecting me to act a certain way. And how wonderful that we can laugh and even clap in church. That was all but forbidden in the church I grew up in. I know some people who have come to our church have been scared away because it's not stuffy; it's anything but. Some new people seem to expect the same old staid and rigidity of their "old" churches. Community greeting is an event that seems to get longer and longer each Sunday and it seems to take the pastor more and more time to regain control (but he could regain it quickly if he really wanted to). I'm sure I scared a few people in church yesterday as I danced, jigged, praised and then some during service. It's so freeing and fun. I don't know why every church isn't like that. Who knew the little Miss. Lutheran boy had so much Pentecostal feeling in him?

I wanted to write something semi-deep this week and Jim commented last week, "Just write naturally." I was thinking and thinking about what I would write, however, and then on my way home from work this morning my mind wandered off; all on its own. And before I knew it I had passed three exits without even realizing it and I had my topic. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

Happy 4th and remember you ARE free to be yourself. Be safe, be happy, and be healthy.

love,

paul