Most of my time here at WordPress has been spent expanding my creativity through photography. But there is another side of me that you all may not have seen. 

I have a Facebook page called 365 Days and Counting. On that page I tend to share my thoughts about what is happening in my world. I try to keep it uplifting and with a positive spin. I use to post daily….but over the last 6 months its become more like weekly. However, with the recent marriage equality ruling….my brain has really been spinning and I seem to have a lot to say right now! I decided I wanted to share some of these thoughts here at Conversations Around the Tree….so here is the post I put up tonight on 365 Days and Counting. 

Apparently not everyone is as happy about marriage equality as I am!
I heard several different news programs today that featured Christian Pastors warning their flocks not to be fooled. One pastor stood in front of his congregation and told them they had to choose between the Bible and the Supreme Court’s decision.
I know most of you are aware that I am a progressive Christian and a lesbian. And I know most of the people that follow this page are supportive and somewhat like-minded. However, I feel the need to try and explain my thoughts on homosexuality being a sin.
The reason I consider myself progressive is mostly because I don’t believe any one religion has THE answer….so no, I don’t think you have to follow Christ in order to “go to heaven.”
However, I am quite traditional in my personal beliefs. I love “high” church….incense, kneeling, Holy Eucharist, and so on. And there was a point in my life that I actually prayed (regularly)….”If this isn’t who I am supposed to be, please help me see that.” Not because I didn’t like myself….but because I wanted to be open to God’s calling for me….whatever that was.
Instead of “seeing” my way to a life of heterosexuality….I found a deeper faith in God and a deeper belief in me being exactly who He made me to be.
Despite what pastors say, as they thump on their Bibles, this life is NOT a choice. Also, homosexuality is NOT a sin.
The sin is in my actions….no different that everyone else. If I am disrespectful to my partner, that is a sin. If I am unfaithful to my partner, that is a sin. If I am hurtful or even abusive to my partner, that is a sin. But loving my partner is NOT a sin. Sharing my life with my partner, is NOT a sin and sharing a bed with my partner is NOT a sin.
God gave me the gift of love and the desire to love someone of the same gender. I believe strongly that God will not punish me for living in a loving and committed relationship. I also don’t believe God will punish the United States for legalizing same-sex marriages.
What I believe God may judge us harshly for is the overwhelming amount of poverty people in our country live with….yet we walk away and judge them as lazy.
I believe God may judge us harshly for starting unjust wars.
I believe God may judge us for our brutality toward animals.
I believe there are many things God may judge this country for….and rightly so….but love isn’t one of them!