Politics...

I generally remain quiet on political issues outside my sphere of close friends.  My reasons are selfish - I often find it hard to debate the issues without extreme anger creeping in at which point it no longer becomes a healthy debate - just an arguement where no one wins.  So, these points are directed toward me as much as anyone else. Here is my one and only rant to the wider world for this election year:

1.             I am unapologetically conservative, just as you are unapologetically whatever you have chosen to be.

2.             Whatever your political (or moral, for that matter) leanings, it is not in the best interest of your viewpoint to attack my intelligence or make assumptions about my level of education just because I do not agree with you. You will gain far fewer converts to your way of thinking – if gaining converts is your goal.

3.             State your beliefs from the standpoint of one who is trying to persuade and not one who is on the political or moral high ground.

4.             Just as it is your right to believe and practice politics, faith, morals as you see fit, so it is mine.  Your lack of respect for anyone's rights in this area is wrong.

5.             Don’t rant, vote.

6.             If you are an advocate of 'tolerance' - prove it. Far too many people tout the virtues of 'tolerance' until it comes to something they stringently disagree with (again politics, faith, morals).

7.             Just because I disagree with you on one (OK maybe all) of the hot-button issues, don't assume that I consider myself better than you in some way. I am better than no one, anywhere, ever.

8.             Support your candidate; support your faith - know why you do both if someone asks and if they then share a differing view point don't immediately speak to them in some condescending tone because certainly they ‘must not be able to comprehend’ what is obviously the ‘correct’ way to live, vote or believe.

9.             You have facts to back up your reason for choosing a certain candidate – so do I. Don’t immediately assume that my facts are somehow inferior to yours.  Hmmm…maybe both sets of facts (yours AND mine) are at worst made up and at best embellished.  Impasse – move on.

10.       BOTH sides of the aisle campaign in the negative – it is a fact of life. Deal with it.

11.       If you do not vote, shut up.

12.       Wait, let me say that again – if you do not vote, SHUT UP.

13.       If you do not vote – WHY? There is no excuse for apathy in this area - go register today and vote your conscience. It is your responsibility as an American citizen.  Do it.

Helpless...

Have you ever felt helpless?  Why? Where were you and what was your situation?  Truth is I know we've all felt that way at some point - whether it was something we were directly involved with or on behalf of friend or loved one.

I have felt this way in all three situations and tonight there are things and situations over which I have zero control and it makes me sad, angry, humbled, frustrated and ultimately resigned.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Resigned to the fact that life is not something I can control and no amount of fighting on my part will change that.  Resigned to the fact that I AM helpless sometimes and I hate the helplessness!  Resigned to the fact that sometimes my best intentions to 'help' in those helpless situations just serve to make them worse. Resigned to the fact that if my friends/loved ones would/could just stop and wait or look to the right direction for help, it would be there with no questions asked and no recriminations for the past.  Resigned in my faith.

I have faith that God is in the big middle of whatever that situation is and no matter who is affected or what their current spiritual state, they cannot out run Him.  They can try, they can fight, they can bemoan or belittle, but my faith is there and it is as strong as it has ever been.

My faith might need to be big enough for me and them right now, and that's OK because others have done the same for me.  How many countless hours have been spent in prayer on my behalf?  I won't know that answer until I get to heaven.

Pay it forward.  Do this for someone.  Do it because they can't (or even won't). Do it for yourself.  Do it because you can and it doesn't cost you anything but a contrite heart and time spent in prayer.

Oh, and while you're doing this, remember that God did not save Daniel from the lion's den - He saved him IN the lion's den.

Daniel 6:16
...and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

Daniel 6:22
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Hmmm...wondering if perhaps Daniel spent his time with the lions praying for the ones who had put him in the lions' den?  That's a topic for another night, I think.

Sending this out to my friend tonight. I love you and I have been praying for you - I'm praying for you right now.