I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve stopped by here.  Life has been busy.  Time is flying by at the speed of light.  Seriously…how is it the end of January already?!   I like the “memories” feature on Facebook for this reason.  It gives me a chance to relive some moments that have gone by so fleetingly.  Sometimes I’ll read something that I posted and for the life of me I can’t remember what I was referencing.  Many times it’s from a movie or commercial that made me laugh (smile).  And then there are the memories that bring a smile to my face, while others bring a tear.  Every once in a while, there is a memory that is like a smack in the face.  Like this morning when I clicked that memory button.  This was one of the memories:

“Just in case you don’t check my wall….Monday is perfect unless I get called into work.  I will call you if I can’t make it but as for now 9:30 sounds great. Can’t wait to catch up!”

Seems pretty harmless right?  This was a post from a good friend…at the time.  When my son came out and I supported him, she decided that she just couldn’t be friends with someone who was ok with those people.

Unfortunately it’s a familiar story to many.  Friends, and in some cases our own family, decide that relationship with us is just too unbiblical.  Sigh…

This is why the trip I took to Raleigh, NC last weekend was so important.  I got to spend the weekend with 11 souls that get it.  We found each other in a private group on Facebook because we shared something in common….LGBTQ children.  Our bond formed over that common ground, but it grew into so much more.  We support each other online in so many ways.

We pray for each other…
We are there to offer advice on all sorts of things…
We offer support when loved ones are sick or get a scary diagnosis…
We are there when pets cross over the rainbow bridge…
And so much more…

Online support is great.  It’s needed especially for those who live in states where it’s so difficult to be LGBTQ and getting support in person is often so difficult.  But man oh man when we can get together in person I swear a little bit of heaven reaches down to earth.  It truly is a sacred time for us.  We get each other in a way that others can’t.  It’s a completely safe space.

Some of us have had experiences where we mention we have a gay child and the person looks at us with pity like it’s the worst thing that could happen.  They offer to pray for us.  To be honest…we don’t need those kind of prayers.  Some of us have had experiences that when we mention we have a gay child the person will just outright say, “I hate gay people.”

So…being in an environment where you know you won’t have to explain, or educate, or quite frankly try not to throat punch the person in front of you is a true blessing.  All of the virtual hugs offered online are now able to happen in person.  And as we embrace each other we heal the broken pieces that we’ve endured while being apart…so that when we see a Facebook memory that smacks us in the face…we are able to brush it off a little bit easier.

These are my soul sisters and I just wanted to come here today to tell you how incredible they are to me and to the world.  Many have left the church because they have either been asked to or they just couldn’t stay where their child was not welcome.  I’m here to tell you that we are the church.

I love these ladies.  We love our kids, and all of our “adopted” kids that have been tossed aside by their families.  These hands have wiped many tears.  We love hard…and love matters.