O Lord
two God-days
since you walked earth
fingertip dust on swirling galaxy arm.
billions, billions
rushing, rushing
tongues madly flapping
ears stopped with self
eyes closed to glory.
dare we ask?
mud-wipe eyes to clarity
unplug ears to rock cries
cease rattling bustle
melt hearts in shekinah blaze
do God-work in us.
Amen.

by a friend of mine, Aaron T. Hicks

So this morning as I'm walking out to catch the bus I find that someone has spelled out "FAG" on my front step. Probably they did it because I've got a rainbow colored wind-sock hanging outside my door. Not to make any point, but because it was colorful and interesting in a world of sand, cappucino, and taupe-colored townhomes.

This is so incredibly bizarre and troubling that I don't know how to respond. Should I be scared? Should I laugh? The only reaction I could come up with was to quietly ask my wife to come out and see it (quietly so my kids didn't know what had happened), wipe it away and then kiss her goodbye as I left for work. Oh, also it was written in mini-marshmallows.

So it's kind of weird that I might be a victim of a homosexual hate crime at some point in the future. Someone who obviously doesn't know me very well, hurting me or my family because of some pretty drastic assumptions.

Then, of course, there is the other side. This behavior only makes me have more compassion for homosexuals, who regardless of the morality of the issue, have a right to live free of this kind of threat. After all it is exactly terrorism to anonymously threaten someone, not involved in a conflict, whom you don't know, for no particular reason other than your own insecurity.

Life would be hard to bear without a strong belief in cosmic justice and divine control.

Uggh...I'm back from Africa and time to face the 532-unread-emails music....