43 Men

43 men have held the presidency in this country. 43 men have tried their best (we hope) to lead our country. Could I tell you even half of them? Or what they accomplished, good or bad? Probably not. The next four (or 8) years, our country will be led by Barak Obama. Am I happy about this? No. Do I feel like the earth is going to stop spinning on its axis and Armageddon is on its way? No. Our country has survived good presidents as well as bad presidents. Which Mr. Obama will be is yet to be seen. But, in the end, it’s only four (or 8) years. There will be other presidents. Good and bad.

God is still in heaven and in charge, so I’m not going to worry. Because, “which of you by worrying can add even an hour to your life?”

Stop Reading this Blog

Go out and vote!!

Puttin’ the Whole Foot In

That does it. I’m taking a stand and going to vote. In the presidential race. Yes, I’ve said it. I read Terry’s Blog this morning and came off the fence finally. She’s a conservative African American Christian woman, and the things she had to say today were the prompt I needed. I have been in prayer over this for a while now, honestly not knowing what to do. I’m so glad to finally be at peace with one decision!!

Election Day

Dipping the toe in, once again….

I had a friend post on Facebook that she will not be voting in the upcoming election; she cannot accept either candidate as supporting her views and doesn’t want to vote for the “lesser of two evils”. While I feel that McCain is the lesser of two evils, I don’t know that I can vote for him, either. And it seems to be creating WWIII in my staunchly Republican family. Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not going to vote for Sen. Obama. It’s either McCain or I vote in only the local elections. The one candidate I can really get behind, Alan Keyes, isn’t on our PA ballot.

I believe in the sanctity of the electoral process. 230 years ago people literally DIED so you and I could have the freedom to vote. And 80-some-odd years ago, women went up against an unjust system so that I specifically could have the priviledge of voting. I don’t take it lightly. I vote in all the primaries and general elections, and have since I was 18 (lo, these 21 years now). To not vote is something that goes against every fiber of my being. Yet I’m leaning towards it.

Another friend has chosen to vote for McCain, not because she likes him, but because she is 1) voting against Obama and 2) because she believes that God is in control regardless.

Well, I agree with #2, but I also believe that He’s going to allow us to reap what we sow.

My husband would have a heart attack!

Your Issue Profile: 44% Obama, 56% McCain

Truth be told, you’re not really satisfied with either of the candidates. You could vote for either of them. You are the typical coveted swing voter. You may want to narrow yourself down to a particular set of issues in order to pick your president. Or start looking at third party candidates. One of them might suit you better.

Should You Vote for Obama or McCain?

Do I Really Want to do this?

I’m going to dip my toe in the political blog thing. And I mean only my toe, because I feel like this topic is being mauled to death by both sides. Here’s my big political statement.

I don’t like either candidate. Really. I’m a conservative on most topics, but not all. Obama doesn’t represent my point of view. I’m definitely not voting for him. Please don’t crucify me over this, as you won’t change my mind. You are allowed to think I’m stupid. That’s ok with me. Just don’t tell me about it.

I admit to having voted President Bush into office. But I’m not happy with how he has handled things. Do I feel the world is going to hell in a handbasket because of him? No. He’s only been here for 8 years and we’ve been going in that direction far longer.

Senator McCain may be the Republican National Committee’s pick to represent their party, but he doesn’t not represent my point of view either. I looked up his voting record last night. Some stuff he got right. Yes. Of course. (Even Obama will sometimes say something that I like, however I may otherwise disagree with him.) Does he have an amazing personal history with his service for our country? Absolutely. Do I admire that? Yes, yes I do. But is he hotheaded? Yes. Do I feel like he should be in charge of making the far-reaching world-centric decision that a President needs to make? That’s a little scary, to be honest. I LOVE his anti-torture stance. Having been through it, he is very against us doing it. Including waterboarding, which some other idiots in our military feel is completely fine. Nope. I don’t agree.

So, 7 short weeks away from having to vote for the leader of the free world, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Even with Ms. Palin tossed in for good measure as a bone to the conservative base. Although, that might be backfiring a bit–I’ve read some pretty strong statements from the “women should stay home and take care of their families” camp and they are VERY against even the idea of a woman as a VP.

I’m a little more moderate than that, people. I think that God can and does use anyone, regardless of their gender, to do whatever He wants.

I wish Ron Paul was running. That would make this a lot easier.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon

That’s a title of a Queen song, if you didn’t know. Jim’s ALL TIME FAVORITE group is Queen. Consequently, when we got married, I learned a lot more of their songs. Previously, I had known “We Are the Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Under Pressure”. Maybe one or two more at the most.

As my title suggests, it has been a day of rest. Sunday school and church this morning followed by YUMMY hoagies for lunch (spell check doesn’t recognize hoagies???? What are they thinking???) and then reading in the sun. It’s supposed to snow tonight, so I wanted to get that sun as long as I could. Can you absorb the Vitamin D thru a glass door? Note: look that up on google. If not, that’s not so good.

Anyways! I am back to reading Irresistible Revolution. If nothing else comes from reading it, I’ll say this: it makes me THINK. Think about things I thought I knew, believed in, understood, wanted to vote for….. it’s an uncomfortable thing, thinking. This morning in church we watched a video where they told a story about a minster in Virginia who joined the Revolution and urged his fellow congregants to follow suit. My regular response would be “cool!”. After reading IR, my first response was “a MINISTER of the GOSPEL going out and killing????” (see the pendulum swing wildly?). Then, this afternoon, I sit and think about it. Is a cause ever worth dying for? Is there ever a time that it’s ok to kill? Shane Claiborne, the author of IR, is a pacifist. His love for God precludes his killing of His creations. On the one hand I totally get that. On the other hand, are we to stand aside and let the Hitler’s of the world take over? Or the Muslim extremists? The ones that would have no compunction killing us. I don’t think what’s going on in Iraq is ok. I think we should have been out by now. Do I have the answer? No. I don’t pretend to have the depth of thinking for that one. Or for the immigration thing. I don’t understand trying to keep people out of our country. The United States is a country of immigrants. Sure, the ones who want to blow up–keep them out. But the man who creeps across the border to work as a lawn mower guy so he can send money to his struggling family? What is wrong with wanting better for your family? I don’t get it.

I’m going to go and start thinking again. About dinner, though.

The calm in the chaos

I am sitting here in the office/den/Ethan’s bedroom. I have on iTunes, listening to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. In the playroom, Ethan has on I LOVE TOY TRAINS and is jumping on his mini-trampoline. In the kitchen (in what I’m going to assume is probably a mess) is Laura drawing some sort of nativity scene. Bennett is following Catie around telling her to share. Catie is carrying around a singing Santa on her white horse. I’m being quiet and allowing the TSO to just wash over me. I love that group.

Laura went to the orthopedist today and he wants her to be careful for the next 3 weeks. I think that’s a bit of stretch for a 6 year old, but we’ll see. I’m just so grateful there’s no need for a cast! All my fudge is made and boxed or baggied and ready for distribution tomorrow. Thank goodness!!

Yes, still reading Irresistible Revolution. I’ve gotten to a part where the author, Shane Claiborne, talks about war and protesting it. I’m thinking about war and how I feel about it. In our house, you’d better support the war in Iraq or my husband will think you are stupid. He may not say it, but that’s definitely how he feels. I was fine going into the war, but I really think we need to bring our people home. Whether that’s the “safe” thing to do, I have no clue. Everyone has an ax to grind with this issue. I’m addressing it as a mother, wanting her children safe. People–both American’s and Iraqi’s, are getting killed over there. If we left, would it get better?? My problem with Shane’s stance on war is, I don’t know if it is ALL war or just some. Like, what is his response to WWII? There was a clear enemy and we were defending, not doing what we are with Iraq. I’d love to grab Shane and just talk to him–I’m thinking of seeing if I can visit the Simple Way www.thesimpleway.org in 2008 just to see what they are doing. It’s in Philly, so I could actually do it.

Well, dinner went pretty much as I expected. We had eggs, which Catie sort of likes and sort of doesn’t. She’s been seriously annoying with eating lately. I made her finish her breakfast for lunch and then she had a full lunch as well. I’m such a mean mommy! NOT!

It’s Tom and Jerry time and then it will be bedtime. And tomorrow is the last day of school before Christmas break. Pray for me!!