Miss USA recap

My friend, Gabrielle, who competed in the Miss USA contest last night didn't place, but I was thrilled to see her on TV! Way to go Gabrielle!

Did you catch the pageant last night? If you didn't, you should check out this YouTube video. In short, Miss California was asked by Hollywood gossip blogger Perez Hilton and pageant judge about the legalization of gay marriage. Her response was as follows:

Well, I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what? In my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be, between a man and a woman. Thank you very much.

If you don't know, Perez Hilton is homosexual and has been very verbal about it throughout his celebrity-dom. Following the pageant, he made a vlog (Video blog) on his blog about how Miss California gave "the worst answer in pageant history." I think that dubious honor goes to former Miss South Carolina 2007. He also said, "She got booed!" which is interesting because whenever I re-watch that video, I can't hear the booing. I suppose in person it may have sounded differently.

Interestingly, Miss California finished as the first runner-up. Many news stations are wondering if she would have won first place if she hadn't answered truthfully her feelings on the subject. According to the vlog by Perez Hilton, I can guess that the score he gave her for that answer was incredibly low. He also said if Miss California would have won, he would have gone on stage and snatched that crown off her head. I gotta wonder if there is going to be some sort of look into the judging practices of the pageant if contestants are penalized for answering truthfully. (I don't suggest you try to find his vlog on his blog if you are sensitive to profanity, which is why I did not link to it here!)

I found the answer given by Miss Arizona to be more comical. She was asked by judge whether universal health care should be a right for American citizens. Her response was to cite "integrity" as the only thing you need. Huh?

Miss USA

I mentioned in an earlier post that I've been on a kick lately to find teammates from old misisons trips. In 1997, I had the priviledge of leading a missions trip (my first and only time doing so). I, along with five other more mature adults, lead a team of 23 ten to thirteen-year-olds to Australia to do a work project for a Christian retreat center. In our spare time, we visited churches, schools, and nursing homes and presented an evangelical message to them.

One of the girls on this team was Miss Gabrielle Carlson from Maryland. Twelve years later, I can't say I remember a whole lot about her other than she was a quiet, sweet girl who was mature beyond her years. (I think she was 11 or 12 at the time.) She was not a trouble maker. She did not whine or question why someone else got easier work or a larger portion of dessert. What I remember about her all these years later is that she was easy to work with and had a sweet spirit about her that made you want to work alongside her.

One of my co-leaders, Jason, and I were chatting a couple of days ago and he reminded me that Gabrielle Carlson was from Maryland. I did a quick Google search for "'Gabrielle Carlson', MD" and up popped headlines about Miss Maryland USA! I read everything on the website about Miss Maryland USA and sure enough it was our Gabrielle that we'd found. Jason and I, like proud parents, immediately marked our calendars for April 19, the date of the Miss USA pagent on NBC. Those of you who know me outside of this blog know, I'm not the pageant type, but this is clearly an event to make an exception for!

We found Gabrielle on Facebook and she has exchanged a few e-mails with me. I am doing a Bible study on Esther right now. I reminded Gabrielle that she has been placed in a unique position of influence like Esther was and that I was looking forward to how God would use her during this time. I also e-mailed Teen Missions International, the organization we went to Australia under. I go a reply from Bob Bland, their founder saying, "Thank you for letting us know about Gabrielle. We have shared this with the staff in our morning chapel time and will be praying for her as she is part of the Miss USA pageant and know she will represent Maryland and the Lord well."

Will you join in praying with me for Gabrielle? I'm not praying that she will win, although I'd love that outcome. I'm praying that God would be glorified through her testimony whether that is to a country-wide (or even global) audience, or whether that is just to the 49 other girls she will be competing with. Pray that Gabrielle would continue to stand strong for the Lord and grow in Him through this process.