November 20, 2017 Transgender Day Of Remembrance

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything and I do apologize. We get busy and try to prioritize but my goodness how time flies. Our beautiful garden at my church that I so love to tend has completed this year's crop and is now withering and going to seed. Time to clear the past and prepare for the new using some of the seeds left behind from the previous crop to start the new one. This is so metaphoric at this time in my life. Joan and I have both been so busy that we haven't been able to spend the time we'd like in tending to the needs of our precious life affirming project of growing vegetables for us, our church, and our community. But we do as we can.

Joan put on a beautiful piano recital at church. Curtis, although not a fully ordained minister, has been approved with limited standing to take over pastoral duties. I'm so happy. This just seems like such a natural thing for him. I did a 10 minute piece for our November 12 service on what it is to be both Christian and transgender exploring my faith and finding our wonderful church. I've also started helping with cleaning the church. I recently created and assigned myself the title, "Promiscuous Volunteer" since I get involved in pretty much any project that someone needs help with. I like doing these things and so much enjoy our little community.

Well there is a very important reason for me getting myself together and writing today. I do want to get back into the regular habit of posting here but today it's important to share this. It's getting little if any media coverage.

Today is Transgender Day Of Remembrance. Today we take time to recall the transgenders that have lost their lives due to violence. It's a very sad thing. There have been around 900 known cases of violence resulting in death against us in 2017 alone. If you've read my book, This Little Light Of Mine, you'll know that I was once left for dead in my own home and survived only by some sort of divine in intervention. What I've only recently started to share is how I was also the target of a stranger's handgun Fortunately for me  I got away unharmed but discovered a couple of very large bullet holes in my car. Another very troubling thing for me is the almost weekly mass attacks and killing going on right here in the United States. This is horrible and is getting to be more than I can wrap my mind around. But today we recall the transgenders whose lives have been taken from them. Please take a moment of quiet prayer as you know it to the God in your heart. Please take a moment of quiet peace and love for the transgenders who lost their lives for doing nothing more than being the beautiful creation they were meant to be.

I'm not real big on posting pictures of myself but today I'm going to as a show of solidarity with my transgender brothers and sisters. May we all be blessed. LGBTQ+ and cis-gender heterosexual as well. We all share this world. Let's share our love.

UCC - Simi Valley Transgender Day Of Remembrance