Rainbow Party

RAINBOW PARTY-- we blew up a TON of balloons (thanks to Addison for the balloon rainbow garland)  then we gathered in our rainbow attire and did Tye Dye t-shirts for Bear Lake, ate hamburgers and colorful food, then we learned about Inclusion, Compassion and Courage.  These are all big words for the grand kids-- but my 5 minute devotional while they are eating their burgers is the best way to teach.  Bite size chunks of awesome.   I read them the book "The Circles All around us" by Brad Montague.  Then we talked about including everyone, having compassion for those who are different than us and having the courage to speak up for the underdog.   We gotta start young and keep at it. 

 

Inclusion, Compassion and Courage:   Let’s treat other people with the same degree of respect we want to be treated with —regardless of color of skin or sexuality. All of God’s children should be seen and represented.   Watching a show with a gay character on Disney?—I say yay!  We can see someone else’s experience. My grandkids can see that their family is worthy of being portrayed.  It’s humanizing.  

Queer people don’t grow up as themselves.  They grow up as a “try to be accepted” version of themselves in a heterosexual world until they can’t do it anymore.

We are really good at living in a privileged bubble. But this bubble keeps many people out.  There is no room to develop empathy—to see life from another’s point of view.  We are all part of the human family. And every part is valued and needs to be represented.  Having a strong faith in Jesus Christ doesn’t mean we push people away.   

We can all use our own experiences of life to find and then share our empathy.  Recall when you have been left out.  - Picked last. -  Not invited. - Not cast in a show. Use that experience to imagine what someone else is experiencing 24/7 with systems of prejudice and people that exclude.  All lives matter but not all have mattered and some need to be put back into our moral inclusion. If you have privilege then amplify others voices, stick up for the marginalized and be a stone catcher.