God has done great things for me: great to be gay !

Luke 1:39-57

           On face book yesterday, a friend posted a line from today's passage 'For the mighty one has done great things for me, and holy is her name'. Thank you Paul.  There is great joy in being what you want to be, what God made you to be.

            When my kids were growing up, I tried instill in them the belief that they could be whatever they wanted to be. They should follow their hearts and their God given talents and be what they wanted to be. I included professions, professions of faith (had they discerned a calling to be a Nun or Priest) and professions about their life and who they were. I said it was OK if they were gay. What I did not realize is I was trying to say it to myself. Good laugh on me.

            I imagine a person whose family decided for them what line of work they should go into and them being terribly unhappy at what they do. Probably not even being good at what they do.  I imagine it being like an arranged marriage, you may learn to love but the time of arranged marriages has passed hasn't it? I mean, you want to find your own true love, your soul mate, your muse, your best friend and lover don't you? I am blessed enough to have found mine and it is heaven on earth.

             So when I say that God has done great things for me I know from which I speak. There are countless ways in which God has done great things for me.  I try to fill each day with them, recognizing them and appreciating them. Some are easier than others. I mean, my husband, my kids, my grand kids, my profession, my faith are all pretty obvious to me. The setting sun has to have time set aside and time to look to be thankful and appreciated.  A simple post it pad might be easily taken for granted but it is appreciated none the less. Being born in the USA is something I appreciate and sometimes take for granted. 

              There is one thing I wanted to say though about a gift I truly appreciate because it completes me and makes me joyous.  I've mentioned so many already but the one that I probably appreciate more because I did not fully appreciate it for so long is being gay. Being able to say "I am gay" and being able to express it and revel in it and exude it is something I am humbly grateful for.  God has done great things for me and one of them is being gay.  If I was straight and acted gay, it would not be a gift but a burden and perhaps a sin. For me, it is a blessing and an integral part of who I am. Not all that I am, but a large part of who I am.

          This is gay pride month and what a great way to start but by appreciating who I am and you appreciating who you are, no matter who you are. Just certainly and most assuredly, just as you are.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,

where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?

For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.