Monday

It's Monday and quite honestly, I have nothing to say. I'm writing this just before the season 7 premiere of Game of Thrones. I love this show. But other than that, I have nothing.

A Gay Christian Life

Lewis is a 19 year old gay man who just came out to his family. He's also a Christian in a very Christian family. Lewis started a new blog called "A Gay Christian Life." He hasn't been too encouraged to write a lot because he hasn't gotten many hits, but let me assure you that his story is worth reading. He has two posts up so far, one about coming out and the other about a meeting with his pastor. It's a story that is familiar to a lot of our coming outs, both the ups and downs of it. So please go check out Lewis's blog "A Gay Christian Life."

Moment of Zen: Grilling

Research, Day 2

I read so many old letters yesterday that by the end of the day, my eyes were crossed. People had such bad handwriting. Some had beautiful handwriting but most did not. Today, is going to be no different. I will still be reading letters, hopefully though the later they are in time, the more often they are typed. Hopefully more will be typed than not. We also haven't found what we are looking for, but maybe something will turn up.

Research

Today will be a day of research. Thankfully, I won't have to drive far. Traffic was horrible yesterday. At one point I had two cars merging into my lane where I was occupying said lane. Luckily, I squeezed on through and managed to avoid a wreck. With so much traffic plus the rain, and accident would have been a major disaster. All I have to do today is drive into Providence (11 minutes from the hotel). Hopefully traffic will be better.

Rhode Island

Unless something changes in the morning, I will be spending the next few days in Rhode Island. It seems that my boss needs an extra pair of eyes to help with research at the historical society in Providence. So, I will be spending the next two days plowing through old letters and documents, and essentially looking for a needle in a haystack.

Bed in Summer

Bed In Summer

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

-Robert Louis Stevenson    

Thank you, Susan, for another great suggestion.

The Invention of "Heterosexuality"

The 1901 Dorland’s Medical Dictionary defined heterosexuality as an “abnormal or perverted appetite toward the opposite sex.” More than two decades later, in 1923, Merriam Webster’s dictionary similarly defined it as “morbid sexual passion for one of the opposite sex.” It wasn’t until 1934 that heterosexuality was graced with the meaning we’re familiar with today: “manifestation of sexual passion for one of the opposite sex; normal sexuality.”

If the above paragraph interests you, which it did me (thanks Susan for sending me this), then it's well worth your while to read the whole article by Brandon Ambrosino:

You can find the article here: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170315-the-invention-of-heterosexuality

Just a Closer Walk

Just a Closer Walk with Thee

I am weak but Thou art strong;

Jesus, keep me from all wrong;

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Thro' this world of toil and snares,

If I falter, Lord, who cares?

Who with me my burden shares?

None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

When my feeble life is o'er,

Time for me will be no more;

Guide me gently, safely o'er

To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

In this song, we acknowledge our human inability to live righteously, but we also express awareness of the grace and strength that God gives us in our daily walk. Even such an esteemed saint as the apostle Paul acknowledged his need for this grace: “But he [God] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9a, 10b ESV)

This song is one of my all time favorite hymns.  Though I was raised in the church of Christ, my mother was raised a Baptist.  She and her sister played the piano and the organ at their church growing up.  Mama always loved to sit and play hymns at the piano in our living room.  More frequently than any other song, mama would play "Just a Closer Walk with Thee."

Moment of Zen: River Boys

During my vacation home, I got to spend nearly the whole week on the river. While sights like this aren't exactly common, there is still a lot of eye candy to be had.