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Manny,

I respect your belief and you standing by what the Bible says. You have said that you do not agree with same sex relationship as is your right. No one should be mad at you or hate you for expressing your belief and your faith. You will now be forever branded as a bigot, narrow-minded idiot, and a hypocrite. Stand strong in your faith. Remember this too shall pass.

However, you drew the line at making gay people look like they do not deserve an ounce of humanity or dignity. Your belief should not make you feel superior to everyone else.  You cannot cast judgment because you do not have the right to do so. You cannot put someone down in order for you to be lifted higher.

Like you, I have also been saved by grace which is the gift of God. With this in mind, I am humbled every day and reminded that I need to be forgiven just like everyone else. I examine myself and try to see my faults before I can say I am holier than the rest of mankind.

All have fallen short; no one is better than the other. This kind of thinking turns people away instead of drawing them near. Who made us judge and jury? We need to show love to all people regardless of color, orientation, beliefs, or disposition in life.  Exemplifying the love and grace of God in action is what we need to do instead of resorting to reactionary judgment. When we pass through this life and on to the next; we will stand before God and be judged for the life we lived.

I leave you with this in mind:

1 Corinthians 13: 4-13

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

It has been a hectic day and it is almost time for bed. This word just popped into my head as I sit here working at this post.

There is time for everything. Right now, it is time to decompress, relax and take it easy. This morning’s reading was very relevant– good times and bad times are twin existences that cannot be denied. When times are good, be happy and when times are bad, take refuge in the fact that this too shall pass.

As I asses today’s events, I should have remembered to pause, appreciate, and live. These words help me remember and cope with the ever pressing demands of life, work, motherhood, and being alive which is a gift that should be treasured.

Here are some thoughts to share with you if you feel like everything is closing in on you like I am feeling right now. You just need a much needed break at the end of the day. I recommend that you find a spot in your house where you will not be interrupted. If your house is the source of your stress, go to your car. The key is finding a place where you can hear the quiet response of your heart.

Take a deep breath – right now, close your eyes. Inhale deeply and hold it for 3 seconds. You need to do it again until you feel your nerves calm down. I just did.

Let go – Let go of everything that makes you mad at the moment. If you are still stewing on today’s unfortunate events, it is time to stop.  The day is over and we cannot undo what has been done. They are in the past and we need to live in the present.

Calm down – Find out what will help you calm down. Is it a book? Is it listening to music? Is it meditation? Exercise? Do what works best for you. I know what works best for me – I find solace in music and writing. We need to lay our worries down because it will not add a day to our lives. We have to live our lives with a purpose.

Think positive – Yes, we were not our best today at work, at home, at a date, whatever the case maybe so what? There is room for growth. We can be better starting now. Identify your hot buttons so that you can respond better.  I should have known all of my hot buttons were being pressed all day. I realized that I should have reacted differently but I will not let the bad events of my day today stop me from believing tomorrow is going to be great.

Act Intentionally – When you start thinking positively then act with the best intentions. Speak power to yourself. Declare what you want to happen and act on it. The last two nights after I got home from work were very stressful. I am going to be intentional starting tomorrow and ensure that I leave the stress of work behind as soon as I get inside the house. My husband and I are usually good at this but January is a frenzied month for both of us at work.

Give Thanks – You are still alive and have hope. All is not lost yet. You will find your way.

I hope these simple steps have helped you. I hope you will sleep soundly tonight and wake up with a promise of a better day.  As always, I want to leave you with this:

I have to start somewhere and it might as well be today. As I was driving today, this old Chinese proverb came to mind – a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Here I am writing my very first personal blog entry while my two boys are arguing and working on their homework.

I sit and ponder where this blog will take me or what should I write about. Who would listen? Do I even care if someone will eventually read my entries? What is my motivation? Fame? Fortune? To what end?

So I say today, none of that matters. I am doing it for myself because I have all these thoughts in my head of the things I want to write. I have to find the time for the things I love doing. No more excuses. I can do this!

I have to deal with the interruptions that life constantly throws at me – just like two minutes ago when my six year old son, Joshua, came in to show me his homework. Oh, not to mention the constant back and forth questions whether can they snack, can they have candy, can the dog go out? Kids do not understand the value of parents trying to have a quick five minutes so they can pause and be themselves.

I told my family that for 2016, I have an expectant heart. I just have this feeling deep within me that it is going to be an exciting year. I am calling it a year of breakthrough for me and my loved ones. So I am taking this step, a giant leap of faith to a journey that I do no where it will lead me.

As I end this post, this quote from Benjamin Franklin resonates within me: Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.