An open letter to my GLBTQ friends

Hey.

Umm... I'm sorry.

I think that's probably the best place to start.

I'm not trying to apologize on behalf of all Christians ever or anything like that, I'm just saying sorry from me.

I haven't always been the not-that-bad guy that I am, and in my younger, dumber days, I said some things that were probably very hurtful. And I kinda said those things a lot. Loudly. (That's really the only way I know how to say anything, sorry.)

Some of you reading this might not have heard me say anything hurtful, and that's awesome. Thank God. Hope I can keep it that way.

But as the years go by and Facebook continues to update me on the lives of people I haven't seen in at least a decade, I have found out that I have way more GLBTQ friends from way, way, way back in the day than I thought I did... and man, I was a dumb kid.

Also young adult. I was a dumb one of those as well.

I think it's a good thing that there wasn't ever any kind tie to my faith with whatever hurtful things I was saying... I was just a dumb jerk. I didn't tell gay jokes because I thought gay people were going to hell, I told gay jokes because I also still told jokes about midgets in Las Vegas brothels.

Dirty jokes were still funny. Gay jokes counted.

So I grew out of that. Thank God.

I do want to let you know that not all Christians are Westboro Baptist members. Some of us are trying to take Jesus very seriously on that whole "Love others" stuff He was always going on about.

Also, to any of my GLBTQ friends who are following after Christ with me... Hang in there. I love you. I feel a little weird around some groups of Christians because our interpretations of Genesis 1-11 differ. I cannot even begin to imagine what your experience must be. I hope we can one day share a communion of Love and Truth and rejoice in each other's company as children of God. I hope that in the meantime you're in a place where God's showing you things and surrounding you with His people.

There are other things that I want to say, but it really feels like I'm being told to shut up, so... I will.

Words

I don't know what to say anymore.

I feel like writing is the only thing* I'm very good at, and I also feel like I've completely forgotten how to do it.

I used to update this once a week, never missed a beat.

I used to write a humor column at least once every two weeks for my college newspaper.

I also used to pray daily.

I don't really do any of these things anymore.

It's so... humbling to remember that God isn't the one who left.

I'm facing some crossroads in my life, trying to find a new direction for Annie and I to go in. (This new direction will hopefully include gainful employment for me. Also, I got fired back in October.)

But the biggest thing I've got to do, no doubt, is regain my focus.

I have allowed the detritus of the world to distract me from the Glory.

Sooooooooooooooooo...  Gotta stop doin' that, I guess...

Pray for me.

* - Well, OK, the only thing that isn't, you know, totally useless. Somebody find me a job as a never-ending source for entirely useless trivia, and I'll be set for life.