Last night I had the honor of sharing in a woman's journey from this world into the next. She was surrounded by friends & family, all sharing with her words of love, hope, & strength. It was one of the most difficult, yet most beautiful experiences I've ever had. I am so thankful to her family, especially her beautiful daughter, for letting me be there with her. I love you, Seefus.
I haven't forgotten our talk; I will keep my promise to you.
Rest peacefully, Lizzy.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Nobody's Perfect
Now that my chicken rant is over (but not forgotten, I assure you), let's get back to some serious business....
80's hair bands. I love them.
"I'm real sorry 'bout the shape I'm in, I just LIGHT MY PHONE every now & then."
You guys, I am not even joking. I honest to CC Deville thought that's what Bret Michaels was saying UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO.
He does not say that.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
On Why I Won't Appreciate Chick-fil-A Today; AKA, The Chicken Rant
Former Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has deemed today Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. He has invited people to "eat more chik'in" & support the company's right to free speech. In case you've been living under a rock recently, I'll give you a brief overview: CEO of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, was recently questioned about the company's support of the "traditional family". He replied "guilty as charged", then went on to state: "We are very much supportive of the family --- the biblical definition of the family unit...."
Then everyone in the entire world went apeshit.
Some are angered the company allegedly supports the anti-gay agenda, while others are complaining the liberals & gays are just too dang sensitive. In the wake of Mr. Cathy's statements, the company posted this press release:
As we all know, opinions are like assholes....& here's mine:
The first, & perhaps most obvious, reason I will not be a patron of Chick-fil-A today is because I do not eat meat. OK, OK, seafood on occasion, but I pay for it later. Easy enough; no expansion needed. Right? Right. Moving on....
I will not be visiting Chick-fil-A today because I am a fatass. I do not need some sunglasses clad cow enticing me to eat waffle fries (although, admittedly delicious waffle fries) when I can pack on the pounds at home for free. Which I need to stop doing, but I digress.
I appreciate Dan Cathy for standing by his convictions & love that we live in a country where he is free to do so. However, I am saddened that his company's WinShape Foundation has chosen to give money to organizations that so blatantly work to deny a specific group of people rights & equalities. According to the Christian Post Chick-fil-A has given monies to organizations such as the Family Research Council, The Family Foundation, & Exodus International. I did a bit of research on each organization; I was, at times, appalled at what I found.
According to the Frequently Asked Questions page on their website, the Family Research Council believes our nation is "seriously threatened by the legalization of same-sex "marriage", this is our current priority when it comes to public policy about marriage." FRC also has advice & resources for you to fight against LGBT groups in your child's school, as well as referrals & information on what to do if you find yourself struggling with same-sex attraction. Hey, LGBT friends, apparently there are ways to help cure our wrongness AND stifle young people's identities! *insert GIGANTIC eyeroll here*
Over in Virginia, The Family Foundation believes marriage is "a lifelong union between one man and one woman, an institution of God and a foundation for civil society." The Family Foundation also has initiatives in place to oppose domestic partner benefits. According to their website, homosexual advocates have already worked to diminish the status of marriage by working to provide marriage benefits to every relationship. Really? At a fifty percent divorce rate do you honestly think anyone wants that "status"?
The most confusing website I visited was that of Exodus International. This organization has a program called "Love Won Out". Attending one of these seminars will help you better understand how to love your homosexual child without compromising your faith. You will also learn the steps to follow down the "difficult path" that will help you overcome your unwanted homosexuality. You will even hear from people who have reformed their gay lives & are currently living the heterosexual dream (my words). I wholeheartedly disagree anyone can "ungay" themselves any more than I can make myself not like "MmmBop" by Hanson. It's in my heart; I just can't help it. The confounding part of Exodus International is their Policy Statements. Their position is everyone, "....regardless of sexual orientation, is of inestimable and equal worth to God." They even state they will stand by the LGBT community in times of violence & will not support any legislation that deprives people of life & dignity. And yet, Exodus International's Mission is "To mobilize the Body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality." Testimonials on the website tell of parents' heartbreak at their children's homosexuality, but with the help of Exodus International they're able to understand all they can do is pray for God to reform their children's hearts. The Exodus International website seems, to me, to be fraught with contradictions. God loves you, but the homosexual lifestyle you lead goes against His graces.
I will not go to Chick-fil-A today, or any other day in the foreseeable future. Not because I don't believe in freedom of speech, "traditional" marriage, or delicious waffle fries & sweet tea. I am not going to Chick-fil-A because I cannot bear the thought of my family's money being used to promote exclusion, discrimination, or the denial of anyone's right to marry the person they love.
To quote a person I will one day sing backup for: "Eat, drink, & be merry, for tomorrow we'll die." And, hopefully, the places in which you choose to do these things promote love & equality.
End Chicken Rant.
Then everyone in the entire world went apeshit.
Some are angered the company allegedly supports the anti-gay agenda, while others are complaining the liberals & gays are just too dang sensitive. In the wake of Mr. Cathy's statements, the company posted this press release:
"Chick-fil-A
is a family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in
which it operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he
began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business.
The
Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat
every person with honor, dignity and respect –regardless of their
belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this
tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent
Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy
debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.
Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."
Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."
As we all know, opinions are like assholes....& here's mine:
The first, & perhaps most obvious, reason I will not be a patron of Chick-fil-A today is because I do not eat meat. OK, OK, seafood on occasion, but I pay for it later. Easy enough; no expansion needed. Right? Right. Moving on....
I will not be visiting Chick-fil-A today because I am a fatass. I do not need some sunglasses clad cow enticing me to eat waffle fries (although, admittedly delicious waffle fries) when I can pack on the pounds at home for free. Which I need to stop doing, but I digress.
I appreciate Dan Cathy for standing by his convictions & love that we live in a country where he is free to do so. However, I am saddened that his company's WinShape Foundation has chosen to give money to organizations that so blatantly work to deny a specific group of people rights & equalities. According to the Christian Post Chick-fil-A has given monies to organizations such as the Family Research Council, The Family Foundation, & Exodus International. I did a bit of research on each organization; I was, at times, appalled at what I found.
According to the Frequently Asked Questions page on their website, the Family Research Council believes our nation is "seriously threatened by the legalization of same-sex "marriage", this is our current priority when it comes to public policy about marriage." FRC also has advice & resources for you to fight against LGBT groups in your child's school, as well as referrals & information on what to do if you find yourself struggling with same-sex attraction. Hey, LGBT friends, apparently there are ways to help cure our wrongness AND stifle young people's identities! *insert GIGANTIC eyeroll here*
Over in Virginia, The Family Foundation believes marriage is "a lifelong union between one man and one woman, an institution of God and a foundation for civil society." The Family Foundation also has initiatives in place to oppose domestic partner benefits. According to their website, homosexual advocates have already worked to diminish the status of marriage by working to provide marriage benefits to every relationship. Really? At a fifty percent divorce rate do you honestly think anyone wants that "status"?
The most confusing website I visited was that of Exodus International. This organization has a program called "Love Won Out". Attending one of these seminars will help you better understand how to love your homosexual child without compromising your faith. You will also learn the steps to follow down the "difficult path" that will help you overcome your unwanted homosexuality. You will even hear from people who have reformed their gay lives & are currently living the heterosexual dream (my words). I wholeheartedly disagree anyone can "ungay" themselves any more than I can make myself not like "MmmBop" by Hanson. It's in my heart; I just can't help it. The confounding part of Exodus International is their Policy Statements. Their position is everyone, "....regardless of sexual orientation, is of inestimable and equal worth to God." They even state they will stand by the LGBT community in times of violence & will not support any legislation that deprives people of life & dignity. And yet, Exodus International's Mission is "To mobilize the Body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality." Testimonials on the website tell of parents' heartbreak at their children's homosexuality, but with the help of Exodus International they're able to understand all they can do is pray for God to reform their children's hearts. The Exodus International website seems, to me, to be fraught with contradictions. God loves you, but the homosexual lifestyle you lead goes against His graces.
I will not go to Chick-fil-A today, or any other day in the foreseeable future. Not because I don't believe in freedom of speech, "traditional" marriage, or delicious waffle fries & sweet tea. I am not going to Chick-fil-A because I cannot bear the thought of my family's money being used to promote exclusion, discrimination, or the denial of anyone's right to marry the person they love.
To quote a person I will one day sing backup for: "Eat, drink, & be merry, for tomorrow we'll die." And, hopefully, the places in which you choose to do these things promote love & equality.
End Chicken Rant.
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