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I’m in one of my favorite places this morning, sitting on the couch in my pajamas with my laptop. I feel so at home in this cozy little house in Berkeley. For the last three and a half years, since that life-changing day in May of 2016, Annie and Victoria’s house has been a safe and sacred place for me. For all the laughter and the tears and the prayers and the meals and the love that I feel in this place, I give thanks.
Last night I saw Hamilton in San Francisco with my twins, Emily and Zachary, and with their mom, Luanne. For my beautiful children, for their amazing mom and for groundbreaking art that brings tears to my eyes and takes my breath away, I give thanks.
It’s been a really relaxing and fun week. I have time off from teaching, so I’ve had the opportunity to do some things I wouldn’t normally have time for. On Tuesday I went on a great wine tour in Sonoma with my friend Jaime. And yesterday I spent time at the church I co-pastor, The Quest, decorating for Christmas while new friends from the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art hung beautiful art all over our bare walls. I even had the opportunity to visit with a 96-year-old woman in hospice care. I sang some hymns to her, and we chatted about life. She said she talks to God all the time and that God talks back, saying that He loves her and that He is with her. I started reading Psalm 23 to her, and she jumped right in, reciting every word with me in the King James Version. It was an unexpected and beautiful moment, and it reminded me of the gifts God has given to me and the pastoral call on my life. For the gifts of employment and time off and wine and food and VW buses and generous friends and paintings and Christmas decorations and faithful elderly saints and a beautiful faith community that embraces me as pastor even on this side of the closet door, and for a God who loves us and is with us from our first breath until our last, I give thanks.
This morning I’ve been messaging with friends and family from all over the world. Checking in on guys from my last three support groups, trading updates with dear old friends, sending and receiving words of support and encouragement from other queer Christians who find themselves in challenging family situations this holiday season, exchanging words of gratitude with friends from The Journey Center and The Christian Closet, planning for my breakouts and performances at the Q Christian Fellowship Conference in January… For technology and social media and exciting plans and friendships and kindness and siblings and children and cousins and people who get it, I give thanks.
And finally, I’ve been dreaming and planning with trusted friends and colleagues about the launch of my nonprofit. It’s really exciting, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it. Stay tuned. For hope and a future and for the possibility of helping to change lives, I give thanks.
I could probably write all day, but it’s almost time to eat. Happy Thanksgiving with so much love. ❤️
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