The Orlando shooting is NOT about the gun.

I am not someone who likes to post about "hot topics" on social media. It creates too much drama, and I try to dodge enough of that in my "real life," I don't need it on the interwebs. But there has been a lot of talk about gun control after the Orlando shooting.

First, let me say how deeply grieved I am that precious lives were lost, and that my heart is hurting for the friends and family of those victims-- I cannot imagine the pain and the fear that they may be feeling right now. And I want to say that I am so sorry. There are no words that can undo what has happened and the lives that were lost. Nothing that will take this pain away. This was an act of injustice and a cruelty beyond measure. There is absolutely NO way to justify this shooting,as there never is for any shooting. This world needs a lot more love to go around, and a lot less hate and terrorism.

Secondly, I want to offer the LGBTQ community an apology on behalf of the Christians. I
am sorry for how you have been treated. For the words that have been said to you. And the disapproving looks you have received. We have been in the wrong. And I am sorry for that same people who have passed these judgments and given you those glares in the past are #prayingforOrlando now. We should offer you love at all times. And pray for you at all times. Not just when there is deep hurt and deep loss happening.

I serve a God of love and grace and forgiveness and mercy. He always welcomes home a wayward son. He wants to meet you with open arms. And while the Bible teaches against what you believe and live does not mean that I am not commanded and led to show you that same love and grace and forgiveness and mercy that my Father gives to me. The Bible gives Christians two commandments that are above all else--- to love God and to love others. To love God AND to love OTHERS. It does not say "to love others, unless..." It simply says to love them. And the Bible is not talking about just some plain love-- the kind of love that you refer to when you are saying how much you love pizza or doughnuts-- it is talking about Christ- like love-- agape love. An unconditional love. A love that does not have ANY prerequisites or standards.

The church may have hurt you deeply in any number of ways. But they may have thrown the "sin" card in your face (and while sin is an important thing to be aware of and to repent of it is not the first thing we should tell someone to draw them into love. You were not "scared" into salvation, if you were I am sorry. I was shown love and grace and then learned about sin and repentance not long after). Anyhow, if the church has hurt you, I am so sorry. As a Christian I am appalled that Christians throw shade before showering you with love, because I know that I need the love and grace of Jesus just as much, if not more, than you do.

Lastly, these are the words that I fear are going to get a lot of bad "mojo" sent my way... there has been a lot of talk about gun rights and restricting those rights, etc...

But... a gun is a gun, just as a pen is a pen. Both objects can be used to hurt and kill others, but neither one of those things will hurt or kill others without someone picking it up and using it for that manner.

I am a gun owner and I have a permit to conceal and carry. My gun has never hurt anyone, and it never will unless I pick it up because I feel as if my life is in immediate and serious danger. And I feel as if I have the right to own that gun.

It pains me to know that guns have been used to kill innocent people. To commit horrific acts of terrorism. Guns should be used for very few things in life-- to hunt, the protect yourself if your person is in immediate and serious danger, and the occasional shooting at the range to train and brushen up your skills.

Do I believe that background checks should be done to buy a firearm? ABSOLUTELY. Do I think that an EXTENSIVE background check should be done? YES, YES, YES! Am I for those who are one terrorist watch list should not be allowed to purchase a firearm? That's where it gets tricky--- the terrorist watch list consists of first and last names. I know people who have he same first and last name . Several of them actually. And so if someone has the same name as a person on the terrorist watch list they cannot buy a gun.

In example, if my law-abiding, permit-owning, friend, Sarah Smith wants to buy a firearm for self defense (because she was raped, assaulted, she feels a threat of that sort, or she just wants to be cautious), but Sarah Smith three states over is on the terrorist watch list, my friend cannot purchase that firearm for self defense.

In Pennsylvania you are required to have an ID that has your name, picture, birthday, and a few other details to even undergo background checks to purchase a firearm (I an unfamiliar with other state policies). Why can't the terrorist watch list include a birth-date, a social, something to decrease the denial of rights to law abiding Sarah Smith, but restrict those rights of suspected terrorist Sarah Smith?

The Orlando shooting is NOT about the gun. Not even by the skin of the teeth. It was an act of violence, of hate, of fear, of terrorism. An injustice done. It is about grieving those precious, precious lives and souls of those victims. About tending to those wounds and showing love-- lots and lots of love during this trying time for friends and families of those lost. Let's come together as a community, no matter how diverse in belief or appearance, come together and grieve together.

Give hugs and dry tears. Affirm pain and just show up for those in the LGBTQ community-- no matter where you are.

Traffic doesn't move any faster if you lay on your horn.

I went out to eat with some people the other day and we ordered our food. About 15 minutes had passed and one person I was with started to get impatient that their food wasn't here yet. And it got me thinking-- you cannot cook 3 different meals for three different people in 15 minutes when you are at home-- so what makes us think that they can do it that fast in a restaurant?

Which had me thinking about the bigger picture. As Americans, we are very impatient. We are always striving for bigger, better, stronger, and faster-- we want instant gratification and when we do not have our full three course meal in 12 minutes we start to freak out. Or when we have to stand in a line longer than three people long we start to let out sighs, make remarks to the other people in line in hopes to get some agreement, and we stand with annoyed posture to try and give the other employees a not-so-subtle indication that we want another register open. We get annoyed with the cashier when they make a small mistake, or yell at the pharmacist that has the "pleasure" of telling us that our insurance company won't pay for a refill until Saturday.

I am a fairly patient person, but I feel like I am an exception rather than the rule because I see the people around me. I see their postures and hear their chide comments.

Or I hear the cashier apologize four or five times when the credit card machine restarts itself. Or I see that expecting-the-worst face when the pharmacist says that my insurance company won't pay for my prescription for another two days. But I also see that wave of relief wash over their face when I say, "No, you're fine!" and then followed by a "Have a nice day!" when my transaction is complete.

I may not know a lot with only 21 years under my belt, but here is what I do know:

You are not better than the janitor or the cashier.

You are not entitled to anything.

Just because someone else is cooking does not mean that our food is going to be done in 5 minutes.

A line of five people will NOT kill you.

A smile will not damage your face.

A delayed payment by insurance is not the pharmacists problem. Don't shoot the messenger.

Being nice to someone doesn't take anymore time out of your day than being mean to someone.

We seek connection from others as people.

Eating a meal without looking at your cell phone isn't going to kill you. And neither will a walk without headphones.

A smile uses less muscles than a frown.

People love getting random surprises-- don't be afraid to buy someone a gift just because they cross your mind.

What you give is what you get.

Just because society thinks that "resting bitch face" is cool doesn't mean that you can't smile.

Traffic doesn't move any faster if you lay on your horn. Take that time to listen to your favorite song. Or to jam out to some Taylor Swift!

Rain won't stop just because you complain that you want sun.

Someone who is nice to you, but mean to the waiter, is not a nice person.

Even the offenders need a listening ear, the love of Jesus, and rehabilitation.



I could go on and on, but you get the point.


What happened to patience being a virtue? Just because it is a virtue does not mean that we should not be working to obtain that virtue. Why is southern hospitality reserved for only the south? Show other people some love. Be kind when the whole world is throwing shade every direction. And open your heart to others-- when you put a cage around your heart, you may keep that pain out, but you also keep the love out.