(be warned – liberal religious / social values content ahead – don’t read if this will upset you)

Have I mentioned how much I love my church?

Yesterday’s sermon and service was focused on National Coming Out Day. It was so moving and inspiring for me. Even when I was a teenager, in the middle of conservative Oklahoma, with socially conservative parents and church and school surrounding me, I just knew in my heart that my sense of justice wouldn’t permit the exclusion of GLBT people from all of society’s joys and challenges. This sense of what was clearly right to me came way before I would begin to describe myself as a social and religious liberal. Probably, in part, because one of my best highschool friends was gay, and came out to me before he came out to anyone else.

Two things stand out in my memory from the service. One is this quote from one of the early Unitarian ministers, Theodore Parker: “The arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” I can’t tell you how comforting I find that. The other thing that stands out is the name of one of the hymns we sang, “We are a gentle, angry people.” Both seem to sum up my feelings on this.

If Will or Ellen are not heterosexual, I would want for them full participation in the life of our society. It seems only JUST and RIGHT to me. And I truly thank God (yes, I believe in God) that my children will grow up in a religious community that embraces seekers of the Divine from all walks of life.

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So, my first week of my version of Callie’s 25 to Xmas was less than inspirational.

I lost no weight. I was down a bit in measurements. I met my calorie goals on only a few days. I did exercise 4 times, but didn’t get in Ripple’s walks. My new schedule at work doesn’t leave much (okay, any) time for walking with Ripple before dark. I went to yoga.

I know that I retained some water from TOM, but I also know that I wasn’t completely honest about my calorie intake on some, if not all, days.

So, I know how to fix that. It is just pretty depressing to know how exact I have to be. This should, hopefully, help to remind how much I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN. And to avoid it, I’ll have to figure out how to maintain.

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Regarding the mysterious septic system on our property. You would think that the inspector would have said, “Hmmmm. For the water from the lower level toilet and clothes washer to get to the tank just outside the middle level of the house (ie HIGHER UP), there should be a pump SINCE WATER DOESN’T FLOW UP HILL. Where is the pump? I can’t find a pump. There is no pump. So where is the water going?” We had to have someone with a camera come out and put the camera through the pipe to discover where the water is going. Oh, its to a tank buried 5 feet down in the middle of our wooded hill. And there’s a leak somewhere in the pipe and sand has fallen into the pipe. Hence the backing up of the water into our laundry room and bath room, which is what prompted Steve to start looking into all of this in the first place.

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I’ve been “having” to shop at thrift stores lately because the shirts that are in style right now and in all the stores are SO UNFLATTERING. The poofy sleeves are such a NO GO for me. And the “is she pregnant?” look doesn’t work for me, either. I can’t carry off anything except fitted empire wasted shirts or shirts with v-necks that are also a bit fitted. Otherwise I look like a pumpkin.

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There’s a blizzard happening right now. Yes, a snow blizzard. On October 12th. I’m as Minnesotan as the next gal, but this is too much even for me.