Open Apology: Brother, Sister-in-law and in-law family

[fritterfae]

I received a call from my brother today, saying that my sister-in-law was crying because she read my journal. Specifically she probably was referring to this post from five years ago. I have done what I should have done now and locked the post from being totally public. I can't believe that anyone would actually take the time to go back over

Comments

[fritterfae]

Kristy,

Whatever you think about the means in which I had to obtain my ministerial license, I am in fact a minister. I chose not to go into all the details in this particular entry, but if you continue to read through the nearly 4,000 entries I have on this blog you will find all kind of devotional material, references to Pagan Leadership Conferences that I have not only attended, but presented panels at, and in fact been the active part of the planning process on multiple levels. I have lead rituals for groups of 300 people. I lead public ceremonies several times a year. I have served as a channel for the Gods and Goddesses to speak through me on multiple occasions. I have officiated more than one wedding. I am spiritually committed to the group I belong to, and I serve them. I am known in the Pagan community in this city, and my name is good.

You just don't understand what I do. And what I do is no less valid because I had to obtain a license over the internet to become a certified marriage officiant with the State of Ohio.

I said what I said in my journal, because your family's words hurt me. This journal is a place where I air the things that hurt me, that cause me joy, that make my life worth living and that make me want to think about how I've changed and grown.

This place is mine. Not yours.

And this was not about you. I have never had a problem with you. Never. You have been kind and gracious to me. You have been inviting to my boyfriends and you have been good to my brother, and you are mother to my adorable, wonderful niece. I have never had the occasion to take offense with you.

It was your family that I took offense with that day, and as I said before, I'm over it.

If you want my Uncle to renew your wedding vows that's fine with me. I have been to two of his services and I was grievously offended by both of them. During my father's funeral he completely disrespected my father's agnosticism by asking people to get saved during a funeral. I wanted to stand up and scream at him during that moment 7 years ago. Instead I bit my tongue. More recently during my cousin Stephanie's wedding he pulled out some extremely misogynistic language and went into the land of deference of obedience for a girl who I know has been anything but obedient her entire life. If Derrick agrees to this I would be surprised but fine with it. He's obviously more patient with Uncle Jim than I am.

As far as praying for me, save your time. My life is my own, my actions are my own, my words are my own and I stand by them. I feel I have done nothing but make a privacy error here, and I have corrected it. Save prayer for something more worthy of need. Perhaps to help my mother to get out of financial crisis, or to feed starving children, or to find an end to war. There are greater things deserving of prayer, and my fat mouth is not one of them.