Businesses who use video to get more online traffic find it to be an effective tool.  Visually connecting with your market is one of the best ways to catch your customers interest.  In fact, your competitors are probably already using video to their benefit.  Therefore, I am sure that you can see the importance of being able to harness the power of video editing.

In fact, video is used for connecting individuals together for business, family and for entertainment.  So, it is important to know how to, not only capture those moments on video…but, to be able to know how to edit those videos effectively & professionally; and, to preserve them in formats that are useful to the increasingly technological world that we live in.

Understanding how those cameras work and how to render and upload those videos can appear to be overwhelming.  Reading manuals isn’t for everyone…some people learn better from training tutorials and this program called Video Editing Simplified, VES, is done in a wonderful way that breaks down tips, techniques and transitions or special effects into usable videos that actually make it easy to understand.

Each of these 40 training tutorials are from 2 to 14 minutes in length.  They show you what to do with the files and how to edit them to make them interesting and to smoothly showcase your videos in a way that accomplishes your goals whether it be for preserving personal family moments, entertainment, or for business purposes.  Check out the VES program and see if it doesn’t provide you with the information that you need for editing your digital videos; this program can make you look like a technical genius.

I thought that he appeared to have his emotions under control…but, he became evasive in his eye contact and his body language definitely became more rigid.  He was angry, you could see that…but; he tried to redirect the line of questioning back towards his music.  It was uncomfortable to watch; I thought both he and Robin were uncomfortable.  In fact, Robin appears to hold herself away from him through her body language.  I felt the barely concealed hostility directed towards her from my computer screen.   Robin is always so natural on the television screen and yet I sensed that she was very uncomfortable.

Robin has interviewed him in the past, regarding the abuse issue; in fact, I thought that the previous interview was much more at ease than this one.  They seemed to have established a fragile balance in their roles of interviewer and interviewee.  That is what is so puzzling about the new allegation that arose after the interview today.  With his new music being released, this interview could have been a, turning the corner kind of interview.  One where he never again would have had to address the past…it is unfortunate that it did not turn out to be that kind of moment.

It is alleged that he went to his dressing room and busted out a window that crashed down on the road and sidewalk, in Times Square, below the building in a rage over the interview.  As far as I know, there were no injuries…however, there could have been.  Unless members of his entourage saw him do it…there were no witnesses to what actually took place behind his dressing room door; even though GMA staff allegedly became concerned over some loud noises and called security.  Chris Brown was photographed leaving the studio shirtless.

If it IS true that Chris did in fact bust out that window in some sort of uncontrolled rage over this interview…I would say that this young man has done himself a lot of damage.  He was on probation after the domestic violence situation with Rhianna.  I wonder if he is off of probation or if this alleged incident at Good Morning America will come back to haunt him legally.

Some are saying that Chris Brown agreed to the questions that Robin Roberts was going to ask him regarding the past BEFORE the interview.  Even if he had not though; he certainly had to be aware that interviewers would address the whole subject because the restraining order forbidding contact with Rhianna that was just recently lifted.

Sherry Shepard, from The View, seemed to communicate that she thought that IF he did in fact lose control and bust the window that the public would be pretty unforgiving regarding his behavior.  I tend to agree.  I think he appeared to have worked hard on himself after the original loss of control with Rihanna and he came across in the media as someone who was trying to relearn how to conduct himself more appropriately when angry.  In fact, in the interview with Robin he said that he didn’t think it would be a problem (bumping into Rihanna in public now that the restraining order was lifted); that all of that was in the past and he was beyond all of that and moving forward with his music.

The truth of the matter is…IF he did in fact lose control today…he comes across as a person with very little improvement over managing his anger.  Some witnesses said that he appeared livid after the interview.  He probably was doing a slow burn inside of his head.    Those who exhibit patterns of domestic violence towards others really have very little control over themselves and therefore their behavior is really an attempt at controlling their immediate environment and those in it.

Another truth here is that, Robin Roberts is a sensitive woman.   I would be willing to say that she has to feel awful that this talented young man possibly fell back into old patterns of behavior because of his interview on her morning news show.  Robin is a Christian…and, I do not believe that she would deliberately take joy in seeing Chris Brown fail and fall due to their interview.  I think of Rihanna too…she must be cringing inside thinking of all of the attention that this moment in time will re-ignite over a part of the past that she and Chris shared.   She cared for him at one time and maybe she still does.

It is all very sad and concerning.   What will happen in this young man’s life to bring him to a place where he can handle conflict and anger and to a place where others in his life feel confident that he will not repeat old patterns of violent behavior.  Update:

Since I wrote this post…I read news accounts saying that Chris Brown is still on probation…but that ABC will not prosecute Chris.  They have offered to let him come back on GMA and let him tell his side of the story.  Just a short time ago, I saw Gayle King had done an interview with Robin Roberts telling her side of the issue.   I found the interview very informative.  I am posting a link to it here:  Gayle King

That show, called Two and a Half Men, has stopped production on their show for the rest of the season; since Charlie has made a public statement on interviews that disparages the producers of the show, television show creator Chuck Lorre, Alcoholic Anonymous, his ex wife, and women in general.   He says horribly vile things about Chuck Lorre and shows nothing but contempt for women, in my opinion, when he says things about women such as he has fame and those women have nothing and that all they will ever have is that night with him and that he will forget about them as soon as they leave.  He says that he is “special” and will never be one of the AA because they are a “bootleg cult”.  Seriously? 

It comes across through many of these examples that he considers himself above everyone else.  He believes that he alone cured his (in his opinion) so called disease with his own mind.  He has made recent statements to the fact that he is in control of his partying.   The truth of the matter is that he couldn’t be more wrong.  He has been in legal trouble for alleged domestic violence, he has had custody issues with his ex-wife who does try to support him in public while at the same time  tries to shield their daughters from the horror of these out of control antics that are harming him physically, emotionally, spiritually,professionally, and financially. His young sons with his second wife are very young…but they will grow up with the legacy of their father’s public displays as well.

People who work with individuals who struggle with addictions will give you all of the facts on how addicts fool themselves into thinking that they are “in control” and the rest of the world is the one with a problem.  Charlie may not live on the streets, he might not be homeless, he might not be stealing to support his habits…but he is in denial about his lifestyle choices and the effect that it is having on those who care about him (meaning his friends and family).

He has children that are growing up; and they are now, and will continue to be affected by his behavior and the choices that he makes.  He has a famous brother Emilio Estevez and then of course, there is his father Martin Sheen they have stepped up and said they continue to love him, support him and pray for him.  He has ex-wives who love him enough to try to work through their issues to maintain some sort of relationship for their children. Who can help an adult who is in a situation such as this? Can he be forced to get help through an emergency order? Is he having some sort of emotional breakdown or is he just acting out because of the damage caused by his partying?  He appears to feel all powerful and that no one has the right to tell him no, or draw a line in the sand regarding his conduct.   He has fans that he asks to support him; even though he is acting in ways that are hard to support.  He wants them to help him fight against the injustice of it all…saying that his fans are his people…not “theirs”.

In response, to the decision of his show stopping production, he slams the powers that be for stopping it…saying that they are keeping money from him, his family, and the crew of the show.   In my opinion however, if they continued to produce the show they would be irresponsible…enablers of a man who seems to be bent on self-destruction.  A week or two ago, there were articles that claimed that Charlie said that he only partied when he was bored and not working.  When he was working, he says, he was fine.   There are consequences to behaviors…and recent pictures of him show him possibly having had his teeth affected by his conduct.

Relationships suffer, professional connections become damaged and finances can become scarce because of a persons addictions.  In his case, this doesn’t just affect Charlie…he has a whole crew that is going to suffer consequences because of this situation.   A professional intervention needs to happen, because even though he says he is clean…that doesn’t mean he is stable.   I say, if he isn’t careful to get medical help, put his rehab knowledge and education to heart, and live addiction free…he is going to be bored to DEATH; and, we will be reading Charlie’s very sad obituary.

That would be a terrible waste of life; how much better to see him find his way to health and wellness and use his experience to help others in the same situation?  People who do not have fame, fortune or money deal with addictions too and the consequences are no less severe for them or their loved ones.

What are your thoughts? Do you love someone who struggles with addictions?  What have you done to survive the ups and downs?  Where did you find help?

Miley Cyrus became so rich and so overwhelmingly popular that she began to make changes like dressing more provocatively.   She not only “grew up”; she changed her image.   She made very grown up videos with older men and she was caught on film smoking Salvia in a bong (which is not illegal in California but which has hallucinogenic affects on the people who smoke it).   Billy says that he always tried to be a friend to his children and now he regrets not being more of a disciplinarian type of a parent. Many parents realize this type of mistake…but, when there are people who form a wall around your child, I would imagine it is harder to talk things out.   Billy didn’t have the title of being his daughter’s manager in business either…so he had no official say so in those business decisions of hers.  He feels that much of what has happened in recent months has been out of his control.

Maybe that is true…yet truthfully, his children and his wife play a part in this scenario as well.  If they all respected him as the head of the family (instead of having the balance of power out of whack by earning power) then his opinion would carry more weight in their choices.  This is doubly sad because they all appear to love one another…but, there seems to be no authority except of those in their business life; who may or may not have their family’s best interest at heart.  Billy says that he has not profited from Miley as a person on her staff such as a publicist or manager.  I think that fact brings him some kind of comfort…but it has to be a small comfort.

Miley makes a lot of money through the sale of all kinds of merchandise & music.  She has become a powerhouse in the celebrity field and as such…she is afforded many “handlers”.  Those are the people who promote, publicize, and schedule Miley’s appearances and her image.  They are the only ones in control of her image. They are her authority, instead of her father or her God.

Miley’s father Billy says that when he has questioned some of those handlers about his daughter and the reason behind her handlers alleged attempts to desperately get their hands on some anonymous  young people’s cell phones and computers; he was allegedly told that it was “none of his business”.  While that may be true professionally, it certainly is not morally or in the area of parental concern.  His daughter and circumstances surrounding her well being most certainly are his business.  That is a God given right!

Now I don’t know about you…but when a man or woman’s child becomes a property that is so large that the parent is considered to be interfering when asking questions about how that child (even if that child is over the age of 18) representatives are dealing with details in his/her life; then, I have to question the motives of those behind the image.

When the Cyrus family came to California with the lure of the career and fame, they were supposedly a family united in faith.  It seems to me that Billy has regrets about where his family has found themselves at this point.  I can’t say that I blame him.  He and his wife Tish have separated at the end of 2010.  His children are all scattered.  He says that he would give it all up in a minute to go back to the way things were, if his family could be back where they started.

All I can think of when I read articles based on that interview is, Matthew 16:26 which says; “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or, what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”  They each made a decision to pursue their careers…and so it doesn’t just fall to the father.  Still, their intentions could have been the best when it all started.  After all, the show was a clean family show…who could have seen where it would lead?

This story still makes me sad, because like many Christians, you have to wonder if they thought they would go into the big city and change the dark places with the influence of their careers.  Instead, their family seems to have been changed, and if this interview speaks to the truth of the matter, Billy Ray Cyrus doesn’t appear to believe that those changes were not for the better or, worth the risk.  May God get into the midst of this family’s business and repair and heal the damage that has been done; restoring their faith and family values.  What are your thoughts?

       Today, we send our kids to school and don’t know if they are going to be safe; shot, bullied, knifed, or sexually assaulted.  Children can no longer play outdoors without being supervised, even into the teen years because of kidnapping, sexual assaults, or driveby shootings.  Gang activity has become surrogate family for some youths who either can’t avoid getting pulled in or are forced into it by not having a way to get out of it.

         Shopping centers and banks are prone to violence.  Churches have to have guards because of threats of violence or unrest.  Pastors/Priests/Rabbi’s/or other Spiritual Advisors can’t meet with anyone alone for fear of being accused of wrongdoing or out of fear for their safety.  God forbid that they seek the quiet of the church to pray alone or work…because, someone could come in and do them bodily harm.  The sanctity of the church or God’s house is no longer given the respect it deserves as a place of refuge and spiritual nurturing. 

           Driving along the road you can be injured or killed because someone else may have a road rage problem.  Walking to your vehicle from any business can cause you to be kidnapped, mowed over by another vehicle, chased down and raped or beaten.  It is a randomness that can happen to anyone, no matter their training if they happen to be distracted long enough to be vulnerable.

             You can’t get through a year without hearing of someone shooting at vehicles on the highway or dropping items off of an overpass onto unsuspecting travelors.  Office place or work related violence is becoming the norm.  If someone is fired or is not getting along with their co-workers they hatch a plan to kill, maim and destroy.

            Daycares are under attack, children are being killed, tortured or brutalized by the very people who are supposed to love them and protect them…. or by their very own family members.   We have kids killing neighbors, friends…and enemies; young child or elderly, male/female, it does not seem to matter.  They do not care about the well-being of their fellow human beings.  

          Could it be that they have been “desensitized” towards the feelings or safety of others by years of abuse & neglect role modeled in their own families, or on their choice of entertainment-ie: movies, videos, video games, books and magazines?  Some of those entertainments use violence and sexual assault as part of their entertainment.   Do these offenders understand the line between make believe (acting) and real life?  Clearly, I don’t think they do; or if they do, they do not equate their actions with the consequences that are sure to follow!

               Now, as of yesterday…we have our own military personel firing on their own fellow soldiers with the intent to kill, maim and destroy.    Now the analyzers go into action mode trying to understand such an attack…and yes, that is important.  However, I don’t know about you…but, it gets very frustrating to me to hear of any kind of news item of this nature which then turns into a litany of “EXCUSES” for why the event took place.  Whether it was childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect, religious beliefs, terrorism, fear, anxiety, anger issues or control issues, or an inability to connect with others…underneath it all, it doesn’t change the outcome. 

 There has to be common sense used in how we handle these things; otherwise:

            Being raised to be careful will no longer good enough…we will have to raise our children, our teens and instruct our elders to no longer trust, to no longer give the benefit of the doubt about someone’s intentions.  We will have to teach them to be paranoid about being hurt, taken advantage of …of expecting someone to take out their rage from their childhood on the innocent people in their path on the wrong day.  It is a sick way of thinking…but, to survive the violent society that we have allowed the United States of America to become….we will have to always be looking for things to not be right around us.  Don’t just look over your shoulder, don’t just observe the stranger in your neighborhood…you’ll have to watch your neighbor…make sure he or she is “safe” to be around.   This is not a natural way to live our lives!

         Families, communities, schools, businesses, churches and the armed forces have characters from all walks of life.  People with good intentions, good will, and a willingness to treat others with respect, reponsibility, trust, safety and honor are becoming the minority.  Oh there are plenty of good people out there; but, they are starting to feel outnumbered.  We must build people up, encourage them and reward those who do the right things by recognizing them and their deed…simply for the idea that it IS the right thing to do!!!  

          If we don’t get a handle on how we are heading as a society we are going to be living in a war zone…everywhere we go; just like alot of places around the globe.    It is a sad observation of where we have been, where we are now, and where we are on our way to becoming as an American society, in the future, if we don’t attempt to make some p0sitive changes. 

Most people really do not know how to start preparing.  That is what National Preparedness Month is all about.  I want to share a couple of websites with you so that you can benefit from the information they provide to help you get ready to face whatever kind of emergency situation you are faced with.

Before I do that, I would like to say that there are some very simple things you can do to prepare for any difficulty you may face.  The other sites will help you to prepare for other specific disasters or emergencies.  First off, putting together a simple emergency kit is important.

Start with a good sized tote and fill it with a couple of days supplies of non-perishable food stuff-this may include things like formula  (if a baby is in the house) or soft foods for the elderly, at least a 3-5 day supply of water for each person in the family, high energy protein bars, small containers of medication in waterproof containers for chronic conditions, toilette paper, waterproof matches, flashlights & batteries, cell phone & charger, important documents & ID, blankets, and change of clothing, a can opener,a small radio, walkie-talkies or hand held CB, hand sanitizer gel, small cook stove or portable small grill with fuel, camping lantern, small portable folded rain poncho, small foil folded emergency blanket to retain warmth, hand or foot chemical foot warmer packets, first aid kit, these are all basics.  You think about what you or a specific family member needs to survive several days without help.  Make your kit tailor made for your family’s survival in mind.  Dont forget the family pets…keep emergency pet food and water supply for them as well.   This site may help you to discover what to put in your kit: http://www.ready.gov/america/npm09/getakit.html

Think about where you live and what kind of natural disasters happen often in your area…if you are prone to flooding…then definately prepare for that…not only in your home…but in your vehicle as well.  Have something handy in your vehicle that will allow you to cut the seat belts & break the vehicle windows if you are trapped in flooded waters.  Many people die each year because they can’t get their windows open due to water pressure on the windows.  If your area is prone to tornadoes…learn about the safest place in your home to wait out the storm.  The same thing with wildfires…do you have an emergency evacuation plan worked out?  You get the idea, keeping safety and well-being in mind, take action.

Another thing I learned about recently is a battery company that is doing it’s part to help prepare cities that are vulnerable to weather related emergencies.  They are donating what they call hours of power by donating batteries to first reponders and law enforcement authorities in those cities by having visitors to their blog simply click on a button.  There is no cost, you dont have to sign up for anything…you simply click on their button.  This is something everyone with a computer can do.  Check it out here and click:  http://www.duracell.com/us/hoursofpower/cities.asp or here: http://www.duracell.com/us/hoursofpower/safety-tips.asp .

Ok, now that you know what to do…get ready, get set…go prepare!

        Patricia has played the character of Carlotta Vega on that show for over a decade.  I remember early on her appearances on that show, that she played a housekeeper, of sorts, for one of the main characters, Dorian Lord.  She played a strong role in voicing what should have been Dorian’s conscious when that character got herself into questionable situations by manipulating others.  Eventually, Patricia’s character Carlotta bought a restaurant and continued the role of adviser to many of the shows characters as they experienced problems in their “lives”.  Always her religious wisdoms and values showed through.

        I have quit watching soap operas and many other shows because of my personal beliefs.  I get tired of being “forced”, simply because there doesn’t appear to be many other choices, to watch entertainment shows that continue to erode and chip away at traditional family values or Christian values.   Our family recently gave up television because of many of these issues when the digital conversion took place.

          The problem that Patricia is now voicing is that she was allegedly  given a script or a direction in which she, as her character, was expected to be supportive of a gay storyline  which Patricia says is not authentic to who Patricia is as a Christian; nor would the Christian character Carlotta  realistically support a situation like that.   Patricia has said it is not the gay storyline that she objects to; but rather, the way that her character’s storyline was written.   Christian’s, for the most part, do not condone same sex relationships, as it goes against scripture in the Bible.  The Bible calls homosexuality, or the physical expression of romantic love between two people of the same sex, an abomination. 

           Is it right, fair, or legal for an employer to demand an employee to go against their personal religious beliefs in a job environment?   And, if it IS legal, who should a person obey…their employer or God?

         After hearing that Patricia is alleging that she has been let go of her character and replaced with another actress I started wondering about making a stand in a person’s workplace, when expected in the workplace to violate one’s personal beliefs.  I don’t know about the legality of such issues…but, I do know that it would be especially difficult or impossible to make myself  do or perform any work related job when I felt that it went against my beliefs as a Christian.   In my heart, and here on the blog, I support Patricia and her efforts to put her convictions out there as a testimony to her faith. 

          I wonder, have any of my readers had an experience at work  where they felt conflicted about something the boss expected them to do in their work environment, based on their religious beliefs?  How did you handle that situation? 

         I have listened to news reports that have made a mockery out of the trauma that they are going through by covering each and every mundane thing that they do together and seperately with the children.   It is unfortunate, but this happens to millions of families around the world every day; it isn’t meant for public consumption.   Lately,the media reports was all about suspected infidelity and book tours.  Now in the last week or two, “the announcement” of a life changing decision was used to build up suspense for the weekly show.  For real, people…doesn’t it feel a little like being a spectator for a disaster?  Waiting and wondering how things are going to unfold, who will come out a survivor, and then, what paths each individual will take on their journey if, this all ends badly? 

         What started out as a show of entertainment and a way to support their family has consummed them.  The publicity has to have turned into a kind of sword that now is only causing more pain.   I can’t help it, i wouldnt watch the show….not because they are not interesting, not because i have taken sides with one or the other of the couple…but, merely because I do not consider this to be entertainment…i happen to think that by watch the show we are actually becoming part of the problem and hurting them as a family.  Please, let them heal in their own way…out of the eyes of the viewers.

         Kate’s own brother and sister in law are begging people to stop watching the show out of concern for each of the family  members.  I am sorry, but Jon and Kate Plus Eight is no longer entertainment…it is a family tragedy!  There are people who love and care about what happens to each of them and this is painful to watch.    Are we going to be forced to hear in the media of divisions of their property, custody issues over the children, visitation difficulties and blending of families sometime into the future of this family when and if they decide to move on with other relationships?  Really, can’t we all just stop paying attention in this obsessive way and respect them enough to let them work out family issues in private to minimize damage to one another, the children and the friends and extended family members?    Should people watch or stop watching this show; what is your opinion?

         Another thing, when getting a tattoo…it is always wise to check out the sanitary practices of the artist and the facilities and tools that they use.  It would be horrible to have a health issue or a medical issue because of a decision to get a tattoo, without understanding all of the risks.  Parents often forbid tattoos based on the issue of health risks.

      In America, the comedian Whoopi Goldberg challenged the young woman’s claim of sleeping through the procedure on the television show, The View.  Whoopi said that she herself has a tattoo and that there is no way that someone could sleep through the painful procedure unless they were high or drunk.   I laughed when I heard Whoopi say that…because, I can’t imagine the pain of those needles while trying to sleep.    She has now admitted that she lied…although, I don’t think that too many people believed her in the first place.

       She is about 18 years old i think news reports said.  I thought as I looked at the photos of the tattoo artist’s work…it looked alot like some of the young children I have seen who have gone to a carnival/fair and have had their face painted with face paint and a stencil.   It was cute…but, i wouldn’t want to live with it for life.   I bet that the young lady wishes that the tattoos were as easy to remove as the face paint is!  Live and learn, I guess.

       Your mother is drop dead gorgeous, talented and very feminine.  Your father a one time musician who ventured into politics and was known for his conservatism.  How do you “come out”?  If you are Chastity Bono…you are outed.  Over twenty years ago that was the exact scenerio that played out in Chastity’s life and in the media.

         If you are age 45 or older, you probably remember a dainty, blonde haired angel who made appearances on the Sonny and Cher entertainment television show.  America fell in love with their only child together.  When they divorced and Cher began a romance with Greg Allman and had another child…she became a big sister to her brother.  Her father later remarried also.   How does a parent reconcile their hopes, dreams and expectations for their only child when something this drastic happens in your family?

         It got complicated.  Her father apparently took the news of Chastity’s sexual orientation better than her mother did when they were both informed.  And yet, Sonny was into politics and didn’t support same sex rights.  Still, he loved his daughter.  Cher had a hard time accepting this part of her child’s life, according to old news stories…in her words…she freaked.  Time has gone a long way towards reconciling their relationships.  Sonny is gone now…having died in a freak skiing accident in 1998. 

          Chastity has become a gay activist over the years.  But she has not been in the media in an attention seeking way.  She has tried to live a quiet life; until now that is.

           Today, the news was inundated with the news that Chastity has decided to become transgendered.  She, from this point on, chooses to live her life as a man.  She will no longer go by the name of Chastity.  She will now be known as Chaz.  Whether she will actually have a surgery meant to change her physique…is not really being clarified.

            I am more interested in the emotional and spiritual transitioning that took place for her/him to arrive at this decision.  How unhappy and disoriented does a person have to be in the body they were born with, to decide to cause such upheaval in their life both publically and privately?  Chastity’s appearance has changed over the years; does this show her inability to accept herself as she was born?  If she/he goes through with this transgendered lifestyle…will the appearance match what he/she feels inside?     I mean surgery or no surgery, to go about making an announcement to the world, that you are for the rest of your life; the second half of your life (she is near 40 years old), that you are going to live  an identity, totally opposite from the  sexual identity with which you were born.

          Cher (if she chooses to support and accept it) will now have two sons…instead of a son and a daughter.   How does a parent flip the switch in their head when they consider all that this announcement will change?   Chastity/Chaz has asked for privacy during this transitioning time.  I don’t know if the media will allow it to happen that way.    I think that they will chew on this “story” for quite some time…wanting to wring every little detail out of it that they can.

            Whether there is surgery or not…trying to change such a major portion of your life is not going to be easy.  I am sure this has taken years to get to this place…this decision.  Some reports say that many who consider themselves transgendered dont actually have surgery…still they often feel trapped in a body that is in conflict with who they feel, they were meant to be. 

              I myself am conflicted about my thoughts and feelings.  I think that people need to be able to accept themselves to be happy; and yet, my faith says homosexuality is wrong.   I’ve been taught that God doesn’t make mistakes; some people in this situation would say that they were born with the wrong body.  I have to admit, I don’t know what to believe in this area.  I do know that no matter what…those who are in this situation, are created by God.  God loves them, just as he loves all of his children.   I know too, that many gay/lesbian people struggle in life with their identity and how they fit in our society.    Often they struggle with drug/alcohol/food addictions because they dont feel comfortable in their own skins.   It is hard to feel and live differently than most of the people around you.   I know that my faith says that God loves everyone; but, he  also says that homosexuality is wrong.  

            I think that gay bashing is wrong…and people who choose to harrass anyone for any reason is wrong.  People need love and support.  Hate crimes are illegal and immoral.   Some say that gay/lesbian people are born that way…others say that they have chosen that lifestyle; that they can change it.  Others will try to say that some traumatic experience “caused” the homosexual identification.  Some say it is a way of life and they do not have to act on those feelings.   Personally, I think having a compassionate heart is important in this situation.   What do you think?

           I would hope that Chastity/Chaz is in, or has been in, counseling to sort through all of the thoughts, feelings and circumstances that will find it’s way into their life.  In my heart, I guess that I would wish a path that was less of a variance from what is considered traditional male/female roles.  I understand that no matter what…there are those on both sides of the fence pro/con gay and lesbian lifestyle who will use this story to further their cause. 

         I would caution those who do, to remember that those who struggle with their sexual identity have emotions and feelings just like everyone else…they can be vulnerable to the reactions of those around them.  Morally, I leave it between them and God to work out.   God considers homosexuality a sin according to my Bible.  Yet, even so…he says love the sinner (we all are sinners) and hate the sin. 

            The first 40 years of her life Chastity lived as a woman; albeit an unconventional woman.  The second half of her life she plans to live it as a male.  Is this truly possible without self destructing?  Spiritually, anyone on this path must search their hearts and minds to try and make sense of their identity in the world and in their relationship with the creator of Heaven and Earth.    What are your thoughts on this subject?