I received a lovely compliment from Mother Laura at Junia's Daughter today -- she named mine as a blog that makes her think (see here for the origin of it all) and challenged me in turn to name five blogs which make me think. So, herewith:
1) Just Plain Foolish, who makes me think, and makes me cry.
2) Helwen, with her clear, cogent and inspiring thought on making her life simpler and more sustainable.
3) Earthchick, at the Seven Things Project, who's also simplifying her life and has provoked me into attempting to do the same.
4) Is it tacky to name the person who tagged me? Laura, I'm doing it anyway, because you make me think, make me feel, you've helped me come back to the Christian perception of God/dess, and I think it's your fault that two nights ago I had a dream about entering the priesthood.
5) Dee, at Devi Shakti, who's done much the same thing for me when it comes to Hinduism that Mother Laura has for Christianity (except for the 'coming back' part, of course, having never been gone".
And many others, of course, but I could go on all day and not name them all or even come close. Please check them out!
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5 comments:
Oh (((Kate))), you are such a sweetheart. Thank you for all the prayer support for our discernment, and for this and the earlier mentions of how I have had the privilege of helping you see Christianity in a non-abusive light--my greatest goal in the universe. And for re-tagging me--not sure if I'll post five more, but it's quite an honor.
I was so happy to see "Christian" and "Hindu" added to your header, and to visit Dee's place when you first mentioned it. You might also like Wulfila's blog, The Lonely Goth's Reflections on Independent Catholicism (I think that's the title--I click on him off Chris Tessone's blog, Even the Devils Believe, which is on my blogroll). He is very into interfaith and Eastern stuff, including a lot of Tibetan Buddhism, which he relates to his Christianity/Catholicism in a fascinating way.
May I return the thanks, and make an accompanying confession? (Deep breath, and I hope I can do this gracefully and appropriately--but trust you'll be patient if I falter). First the thanks: Your writing about the relationship development and discernment has been incredibly powerful and enlightening to me, especially as balanced with all the other cool stories and parts of you. Thank you for sharing your truth so bravely, and opening my heart and mind about sexual minority experience. I pray a lot for y'all and look forward to hearing more as you are comfortable sharing it.
The confession: I should have linked to this blog--in the post and in my blogroll--instead of Seeking Chivalry. It's cool of course, but the personal one is even cooler, and the one that you update more regularly--as I know perfectly well. I told myself that maybe you wouldn't be comfortable having everyone read this but obviously if that were the case you wouldn't be blogging. It was my own prejudice and phobia, and I'm sorry, and hope you can forgive me.
(Not immediately if that doesn't feel right, of course. Feel free to come back at me with whatever you're feeling about all this, here or by email, as you are moved).
Feel free also to assign me however many Hail Mary's (or Om Ganeshas, or whatever) you want. But I'm thinking that the most appropriate penance is changing my blogroll so people can directly access all your wonderfulness, and I'm off to do it right now.
Namaste, sweetie.
P.S. Glad to see pagan, too of course, no hierarchy intended--just didn't have the header in front of me while writing comment so left it out.
Kay, Laura, you now realize I am bawling like a little girl, right?
But totally in the good way.
No need to post five more, hun, I just wanted to tell you how very much you've helped me figure things out (even if one of them is how very much more I still have to figure out!) and how much I appreciate it. I find myself very much wanting to find an Independant Catholic church in my area, and not having the faintest idea how, and being nervous about it anyway, and ... and and and.
I'm glad I've been able to help you see a bit how things are in the queerer side of the world. That's a lot of why this blog exists (along with other reasons; I don't want to be a Look Queer's Okay Too Honest blogger, at least not solely).
Honestly I was worried when I started this blog - I moved here from LJ with my more personal stuff, because there were certain people I didn't want reading things (the ex and his variety of lovers, mainly). But I did want it available for other people - you definitely included, but also people I didn't know at all and would likely never reach any other way. So locking my LJ posts just wasn't enough for me.
Well, they found it, and I've gotten a ration of shit for some of the things I've dared to say here. And so I stopped posting for a while, and when I started again I wound up concentrating on the religious aspects instead of the relationship ones. Even that took some courage - the ex is so anti-Christian it's just silly. Yes, he was raised Catholic in the bad way, but y'know? Get over it.
Okay, it's not that easy; it took me a long time. But I never got to the point where I gave anyone else a hard time about what religion they were, and that's a difference, I suppose.
You're forgiven (not that I entirely think forgiveness is necessary, mind you, but if you do I don't want to withhold it). If I'm going to assign you a penance at all, it's this: a link to my favourite Hindu chant. It's a chant to Ganesha who's been an awfully huge help the last while: http://blessingsonthenet.com/temple/aplay1.asp?avclip=namogajanana/ganeshmahamantra.rm&ty=God&tempid=G0004
Hope the link works. I'm on right now (as I note you are, having just commented again) and if you start it up soon, we can listen to it together.
(((Mother Laura))), you are a wonder.
Okay, and I see I totally lost my train of thought partway through that. I've been working on deciding this anyway, but your comment has tipped me over. Ex and girlfriends aside, whatever they decide to say to me about this blog, I'm going to speak my truth here anyway. Even if my voice trembles.
Give thanks to our God/dess, for she is good; for her mercy endures forever!
Thank you, thank you, Mother Kate.
(The dream sounds very cool and was clearly prescient of your graciousness today)
*kisses your hand, as a Nigerian priest friend does whenever someone hears his confession*
I wanted to link right away and listen with you, but the kids were tugging at my skirt--well, pajamas, actually--to get dressed and over to the spring brunch in the community center before all the good pastries were taken. And then we did house mass when we got back, so I listened/prayed as my thanksgiving instead. I mostly do Goddess stuff for my interfaith prayer, since my male divinity needs are pretty thoroughly met by Jesus and his buddies, but Ganesha is such a cutie with that elephant head--and, as I learned from your intitial post on him, mouse steed to boot. And removing obstacles is a wonderful thing--I'm so glad he has been helping you in that regard.
Sorry to hear about the garbage from the ex and posse, but yayy for you for standing strong and speaking your truth--and never question what a tremendous gift it is to the world. It is so important for me to balance my usual feminist challenges, and attempts at LGBTQ advocacy, with recognition of my own straight (and white of course) privilege and participation in/benefiting from oppression, even if I oppose it. And questioning whether I should be doing more to live out my beliefs on that, and etc.
Anyway, if you email me with more details of your location I might be able to point you to an IC church in your vicinity, though they vary widely in about every respect, including quality. I may also be able to scope TEC webpages for likely candidates--you could too, of course, but I might get more of their code words. I will pray for the right community to make itself known to you as your brave and chivalrous quest continues.
Thanks again, dear sister-friend, and I hope your Sunday is very joyful.
(((you)))
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