HAPPENING NOW

 

COMMENTARY

 It has been quite a week, a good one at that. Last Sunday the youth ran the service. Later, the was the annual community Thanksgiving dinner. On Monday, the Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil was held at SAGE. On Thanksgiving Day my wife and I enjoyed a luscious dinner. It is also the beginning of my time for reflection.

There were many moods expressed during the week. Gratitude. Joy. Sadness. Hope. Longing. There is so much to be grateful for. I pray that many folks will come to a relationship with the person whose birth will be celebrated. 

GIVING THANKS

 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

You can scream, you can holler, you can protest- which are all good things because we have to be heard- but no real, significant changes occur without rolling up your sleeves and getting into a fight.

~Isaac Wright, Jr.

TRANS WEEK

 

A GRATEFUL THANKS

This is the cap I wore to the Veteran's Day parade today. It was good being there to honor the men and women who served. I'm mindful of the LGBTQ+ troops who served though they may have had to suppress their identities.

I was a spectator watching the marching bands, floats, and veterans marching in perfect order. Some folks came up to me and thanked me for my service. They didn't look at me strangely or insult me. They were thankful that I served the country. That's what this day is about. 

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

VETERAN'S DAY

 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

~Francis of Assisi, Saint (1182-1226)

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE COMING

 

Transgender Day of Remembrance will be here soon. Still working on where it will be held and how we should do it.

I am going to add it to time of reflection (usually from Thanksgiving to New Year's). There's much to reflect on. There's also much to be thankful for.

I WONDER

I wonder if people hate transgender, non-conforming and nonbinary people because we are living our authentic lives.

NEVER

 I will never, ever vote for someone who is anti-LGBTQ+!

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, and wisest self. 

~Karen Salmansohn

GRATEFULNESS

 

LGBTQ IN PALESTINE

There are LGBTQ people in Palestine. Many would be killed if they display their affections publicly. When they go into Israel they can live openly. LGBTQ people are hated in Palestine.

GENEVIEVE INTRODUCED

Fifteen years ago, I entered this church for the first time as Genevieve. I stumbled into a mid day service. During the passing of the peace there no disapproving looks and stares. I was treated like another worshipper.

This was quite touching as another hurdle was crossed. God accepted me as I was. This would lead to something good that would happen weeks later. I'm so grateful.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

God cannot give happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

C. S. Lewis, writer (1898-1963)

SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

 I would dearly love to have an audience of people who know little or nothing about trans people. It seems this is the populace the anti-LGBTQ haters are targeting.  If I had such a captive audience I would pose two questions:

1. Who knows someone who is transgender and nonbinary? 

2. What do you know about what it is to be transgender?

There is fear and confusion about me and others like me. People fear what they don't know or understand. w want the same thing everyone else. does. We want to live our lives in peace. Recently a cis woman was because the attacker thought she was transgender. 

I live my life openly. I put it that if someone wants to know anything about my being transgender all they need to do is ask. I don't know if I will ever get the opportunity to speak before such an audience. If it does come up I will be ready.   

A REMINDER

Terrorists do not care about the people they hurt. They care more about their ideology. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

 

A RISE IN ANTISEMITISM?

With all that is happening in Israel, I wonder if there will be an increased rise in antisemitism here in the US and around the world? I pray not.