Monday, October 02, 2006

Spider Indeed

As I sat in Temple on the holiest day of the Jewish year, I found myself thinking of this gay blogger in Orlando known to me only as Spider. Why you ask? Well today is a fast day and one of the readings is from Isaiah – thoughts on what the day should mean.

We are told of what the day should not be:


'Yet on the day of your fasting,

you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.


Then we are told of what the day should be:

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help,and he will say:
Here am I.

Many months ago Spider did a series of posts that deeply affected me – judging from the comments, deeply affected many. He told of meeting two men – down on their luck, homeless men. He brought them home, made them a sandwich. They used his washing machine and shower.

Bible verses are good things, but hearing the verses being lived – that’s another level.
Thank you Spider,

Nate

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been reading your blog faithfully everyday. Please excuse my ignorance...
What does MWM stand for?

Nate said...

Hi Anonymous,
The only ignorance would be in not asking.

MWM stands for Married White Male. I did a post on January 19th on "MWM". It comes from Craigs List where it is a very common abbreviation.

I had considered changing it because while Married and Male are most definitely relevant, my color has no real meaning to what I write. Ultimately I have decided to leave it as is.

In the world of CL I am still trying to remember what ISO stands for - too many initials out there.

Thanks for reading.
Nate

bear said...

"ISO" is "In Search Of".
"MWM" is not specific to craig's list, you can find it in a local paper in the dating section etc.

Spider: Yeah, I remember those posts. Takes an amazing person to do that and not be afraid for his own safety or what others might think about him (the selfish thoughts that prevent us from being so generous.)

Spider said...

Nate:

I don't know what to say... I just did what I thought was the right thing to do... I really never gave it much thought - it just seemed like the thing to do... I really don't think of it as anything special...

I feel so very honored that you would think of me on your most holiest of days.. I certainly don't feel worthy of that.

Thank you very very much.

Anonymous said...

Nate- just wondering, do you know of any blogs that might title themselves
SFMTBM--- Straight Female Married to Bisexual Male??

Nate said...

Hi Anon -
Happy to answer this way, though you can also e-mail if you prefer.

I have a link on the blog to Bea - her husband is gay, not bi. That's about as close a I can come.

I think of this community as bi/gay because the bi alone is very limiting and the fact is that while I may be bi, my wife's reactions to my having sex with men would be the same as if I were gay.
Nate

Anonymous said...

Nate- you ok, not post yesterday?? -JM

Nate said...

Anon -
Clearly I am posting too much:)

Unfortunately I have this pesky day job which keeps me from writing as much as I would like, but I am as okay as a bi-sexual male out to his wife and still "acting out" could ever hope to be.
Thanks for asking

Spider, if you are listening - I have no clue how this particularly targeted post has become anonymous central, but I figure you of all people are "down" with it (as the kids say)

Paul said...

Spider's posts about taking in the homeless happened to be my first exposure to his blog.

And I've continued to regularly read what he has to say. I second the thought that he's open, caring, and honest.

We all need friends. Nate, and Spider, I count you both among mine. Someday we'll have to meet.
:-)