I will add parts of the letter that I am referring to at the end..





Letters to the Editor for Wednesday, December 12, 2007



Love is a word with many definitions



Editor:



In response to David Bowerman's December 8 letter, "Church shouldn't encourage sinners," I would like to say first that I am glad he is seemingly a loving Christian. We do need to love everyone, whether we agree with what they are doing with their life or not.



However, for someone to say that you should "warn others strongly" is, in my opinion, another way of saying that you are trying to convert them to your interpretation of the Bible or trying to change them.



You are not going to make a gay person all of a sudden become straight, just as you could not make a straight person become gay. It just does not work that way, even with the fear of eternal damnation. If you fear they are wrong, and you are a good Christian, then I would think that all you need to do is pray for them.



Love is one of those words that has many definitions. To speak the truth in love, as Bowerman put it, would be something that, based on each individual's definition of love, would be their own personal truth. With that said, each person would then be correct if they base their truth on their definition of love.



Maybe, just maybe, the gay person that Bowerman's letter was referring to is speaking their truth in love.



Live and let live.



Angie



Parts of the letter that I referred to:



Church shouldn't encourage sinners

Editor:



I'm writing in response to Marty (???) Senior Pastor of St. Paul's United Church of Christ, who wrote that he believes that Bible verses condemning homosexuality are taken out of context and that it's OK to be gay and call yourself a Christian, even calling on the church be tolerant of gays or risk future splits.

Let's test his claim. Everyone is familiar with the Old Covenant's stand calling homosexual sex an "abomination," but what does the New Covenant that Jesus established say about it? 1 Cor 6:9-11 is one very clear statement that speaks for itself, "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

If that's not sufficient, read Romans 1:26-28.

Is there any doubt about the context of that Scripture? None that I can see. Kuchma tries to twist Scripture to persuade us that homosexual sex is OK, but it's not. God still calls it sin and tells us that those who refuse to repent from it will not inherit eternal life in Heaven. If I were Kuchma, I'd be very worried about Isaiah's warning "Woe to those who call evil good."



Kuchma argues that it's not loving to speak or write this way, that it hurts feelings and wounds. I agree that we need to love everyone, gays included, and must never use sexual orientation as an excuse to harm anyone. But if you truly love someone that you believe is on a path to Hell, shouldn't you warn them strongly? Isn't that speaking the truth in love? God's will is for no one to perish, but all have eternal life in Christ Jesus. But to embrace Christ, we have to first surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to make us into a new creation.

Oh I found this while looking for something else and I was ROFLMAO!!!!!



I just LOVE AC/DC to begin with!

Of course, anger can always be justified, Angie.



But then, so can forgiveness.



Just depends on how much more you want from the adventure.



The Universe









Perfect for a Monday, huh, Angie?

Here's to T-bone Steaks, Yellow Roses and Friendship





READ THIS!!!! and then reread it. Especially the last part...



I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 57 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.



He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands.



He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on.



Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.



Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved his steak.



Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones, dropped them in her basket.. hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.



She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know."



I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes.



"My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."



< B R>She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away.



I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone.



I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile! I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.



As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. "These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they will know these are

paid f o r." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision.



I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone.



Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.



Every day be thankful for what you have and who you are.

The greatest predicament of living in the jungles of time and space, Angie, is learning to be happy while still having unfulfilled dreams.



The greatest challenge, is not looking to the illusions for meaning, definition, and answers.



The greatest mystery, is figuring out who you really are.



And the greatest reward, Angie, of living in the jungles of time and space, is having predicaments, challenges, and mysteries that you have absolutely aced, crushed, and unraveled.



Lucky you,

The Universe









Angie, you are me. You really are.