The Great Divide: Christian Voters

 WHY ARE CHRISTIANS DIVIDED IN THIS ELECTION?

If we all read the same bible, and believe in the same bible,  how can we be divided?

We all as people have convictions.   We live by them, we decide  by them.  It  seems  it would be  easy to vote our conscious  based on these convictions. After all, these are basic beliefs we all share and believe should be adhered to.    When it comes to the sanctity of marriage or life, there is no other choice?  Right?  Wrong.  Hence the divide.

There is so much riding on this election that we are not hearing about.  Some people have educated themselves beyond the hype and have very real concerns.  They have paid attention to issues and are concerned and praying about the systems and where the country is going all together.  Those concerns are swaying them to vote in a way that may seem  to others to be "not Christ like."   Others have very basic thoughts about the climate of our country, and they don't care about what happens with some of the government issues, they just want to be able to spread the gospel and  are more concerned with honoring God in a different way.  What baffles us is that both opposing views can be held by equally dedicated CHRISTIANS!

Some are so concerned that the pattern God made for marriage has been compromised.  They believe marriage is one man and one woman. Period.   With that thought in mind, they would vote one way.  In fact the others that I spoke to who believe in the sanctity of life would do the same.   In the church, we have always had both sides.  One is not more spiritual than the other.  It takes both to pray and cover different areas.  Despising each other and unfriending or arguing, will not allow the world to see God. 

This is not the first time believers have disagreed!

 Acts 15:36 reminds us of this:

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,     but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.    They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,   but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.                          

Paul and Barnabas disagreed so strongly on whether or not to bring John Mark on a ministry trip that they parted ways.  But here is the catch, they still fulfilled ministry.  They both did what they were supposed to do, and continued to work. 

IT IS NOT PERSONAL

 The best thing we can do, is stop taking this election personally.  It will not stop you from being who you are, doing what you do or achieving what God wants.  Yes we are disgusted by a lot that we see, but is it really going to affect you as a believer? Should it?   A believer who trusts God and acknowledges Him?   When Abraham lived in a land with famine, God continued to bless him during that time.  When his son got older he also went through a famine in the land.  But the Bible tells us this about Isaac:

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.   The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;   for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.           Genesis 26:12-14

Two things happened here that can also happen with us.   If we obey and honor God, He will bless us even when others are struggling.  He will allow us to be so blessed and at peace that others take note.  God does not bless us so we can look good, but so He can.  It is called letting our light shine, so others can see. Then we have open doors to tell others about His goodness and provision.  (even in famine)

Laws v/s Heart

To help those who are concerned about laws being put in place that will corrupt America.    Think again.  Corruption does not come from our laws.  It comes from hearts that have not been changed by God.  When hearts are changed lives change, we decide differently and talk to Him about what He wants for us.  We have a law in our hearts, we simply choose whether or not we will obey.

 Romans 2: 14-16 says:

(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.  They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.     

I have no desire to smoke marijuana, so they can legalize it if they want,  I will not want it.  The same applies to other  controversial laws.  If we really want to see the word of God manifest itself in America, we THE CHURCH need to do our jobs.  Touching the hearts of all men, encouraging them to know Christ and follow Him. So, it really does not matter what the law allows us to do, if it is not in our hearts to do it, then we won’t.

So you see,  it won’t matter much  HOW you vote.  You might hear some issues in the final debate, that may help those of you who are still undecided.  If not, continue to pray for God to give you peace in your decision.  We really don’t have a sure God send on the ticket.  I’m not sure if we ever have had one.  It has been quite awhile since a prophet selected and anointed a leader.  God often uses leaders for various reasons, sometimes just to bring us back to Him.  So listen to what God allows you to hear and vote accordingly, love your fellow Christians who think differently than you; (that is the only way others will know we are His disciples, by our love) and finally, just be sure your heart is in His hands.

The Fallacy of Freedom

 America has been and will always be known as 'The Free World"  "The Land of the Free"  We love it, we think we live it, but  we don't really experience it.  Freedom is something that throws us.  Many have enjoyed coming here with hopes and dreams, just to find that the freedom they seek comes with a price, and it is always eluding them.  But still, we claim to be the land of the Free.  I get that our democracy allows us freedoms that other nations don't have, but it is more than that. 

  Freedom is defined as- ‘the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.’

Fallacy is defined as -'a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument.'

We like to say that Freedom is not Free, and that is true,

but Freedom is not COMPLETE freedom either.

 

  The Fallacy of Freedom

The power to act speak or think like we want without hindrance or restraint, is a mistaken belief based on an unsound argument.  Consider this:

• If we really had freedom of speech, a presidential candidate would not be in the hot water he is in now because of things he said years ago. 
• If we really had freedom to do what we want, a man would be alive today because his neighbor would not have shot him because his music was too loud.
• If we really had freedom of religion, an organization could choose to not advertise with same sex commercials due to their convictions, and people would not boycott and threaten to disrupt their business.
• In fact, if we really had freedom to think like we want, racism would not be a problem, because you can think what you want, do what you want and determine on your own what is right or wrong.

Freedom is not what it seems.  We boast about it, but many never live it.   Try to tell someone they have freedom when they are stuck in jobs that don't provide, or neighborhoods that are not progressing.  Freedom to do what you want, think what you want, be what you want, and act how you want... that is fallacy.

 

WHAT DOES AMERICA STAND FOR?

 Last year I traveled to the Middle East, and as a Christian, I realize that I was going to a Muslim country. I always try to respect people anywhere I go, regardless to their religion, race or whether or not they accept me. So before getting on my 16 hour flight, I researched what to expect while traveling, I'm  glad I did.   When I found that I could not enter a particular store with my shoulders bare, I covered them.  When I was sightseeing, women were required to cover their heads, so I covered mine.  There were other things that I was aware of like not snapping photos of the natives or shaking hands with men.  Although this was very different from America, It didn’t stop me from being a Christian; I didn’t come home wondering if Jesus Christ was still the Lord of my life. I simply adhered to what they required in their country.  They had a standard, and whether you liked it or not... you were required BY LAW to adhere to it.  

One thing that bothers me about America is this:  (I say this with the utmost respect for our service men and women as well as all who are proud to be Americans..)

We don’t stand for anything, we stand for everything.

  

 Freedom has given us the unction that anyone can  boycott, petition and complain for a cause and as a result, we will change rules, laws and minds to fit what they want. People have lost jobs because of someone upset that an employee said or did something they didn't like, even when they were not on the job at the time.  Freedom is funny.  It allows for one by refusing the other.  A freedom to have unisex restrooms, takes away from those who prefer girls in one, boys in another.  It does not mean something is wrong, just not free.  What may benefit one, may very well disturb another.

 What do we require here in America? 

We are so busy trying to be sure everyone feels free, that we have not upheld the truths that this nation was built on.  We used to say “One nation Under God” but someone got offended, so we stopped emphasizing it.   We used to have the Ten Commandments displayed in a public place, but someone got offended, and we removed it.  We used to allow our kids to pray in school, but someone got offended, and we stopped it overall.    Yes, we still can meet at a pole, but we can’t stop and pray for a hurting student in our classroom, lest we offend someone.  Truthfully, even if we allowed prayer in schools...what prayer would we allow?  Because we are the land of the FREE, people who are atheists have the right to be in a prayer free environment. When you remove prayer, it infringes on the FREEDOM of those who want to pray- keeping it infringes on those who don't.   Typically, if someone feels their rights  or personal convictions are being undermined, we will CHANGE OUR RULES to accommodate them.  Freedom is not COMPLETE freedom.  Someone is not going to get what they want.

 

When I traveled last year,  I realized that even if I disagreed with the laws of that nation, at least I knew what to expect when I went there. That is what I feel is missing in America.  A basic standard that we are known by, that we adhere to regardless.  America is a great nation, our problem is not that we let immigrants in, we are ALL immigrants.  Our problem is that we hold no particular truths to be self evident. I grew up hearing that America was a Christian Nation.  I thought many of our founding fathers were Christians (not perfect) but believers.  But now we have no national religion  that we follow anymore, no absolute laws that God has given that we keep, so anything goes.

  WHY IS GOD’S LAW IMPORTANT?

When the righteous rule, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. Proverbs 29:2

God’s law is important because there has to be a final word.  In the courtroom, if a judge or jury has no law to govern how they decide, then their personal opinions rule.  We are subject to their thoughts, their mood, their morals or their hidden prejudices. When God’s law rules, we match what we think by what God has said, not what we feel.  God is the only ONE that has no respect of persons.  His laws and guidelines are similar and applicable to all.  But because of our FREEDOM, we have made decisions apart from Him.  Now we are subject to the 'powers that be.'

 

 

FREEDOM IN CHRIST

 Freedom is not Free even in the Church.   As believers we know that the freedoms we have today, were paid for by God’s son.  We understand that we were bought with a price.  Jesus paid it all… we understand that.  We sing the songs loud, not realizing that even our freedom to reject Him came at a great price. 

Though we still have the freedom to choose Him or reject Him,   God tells us to choose HIM.  He reminds us that there are consequences to our choice.  Life and Death are in the balances.  Wisdom says to choose LIFE.  You have the freedom to choose, but it comes with another price.

Once we have chosen Him, we think freedom comes for sure!   But this new freedom is only found in  SERVING.  Making ourselves a servant to HIM, serving others and laying aside our own desires.  We don’t like that sometimes, but in serving we find true freedom.  Freedom is seen in how we can release things that we don't need.  How we let go of things that try to stop us from succeeding.  How we release people who have hurt us, and how we choose to continue to love those that don't love us back.   Freedom also allows us to let people go while still praying for them, understanding that they may not be good for our life, and we may not be good for theirs. Agreeing to disagree, that is freedom.

TRUE FREEDOM

True Freedom is found inside us.  Not what the government can give us, not what others allow us to do.  True Freedom is found in not holding on to anything that bogs you down, releasing whatever negative things have held you in your mind or in your heart and walking in your purpose.  Freely.

So when you think of the LAND OF THE FREE, remember it is your choice to be free.  Your choice to forgive.  Your choice to walk in your convictions and standards.  No one can take that from you.   True Freedom is found in Christ, He gives us the ability to be sure of our steps, to release those who have hurt us, to love those that don't love us, to reach out to others that might need us.   He makes us free.  Indeed.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.   John 8:36

  

 

 

TREASURES IN HEAVEN: You CAN Take it with you!

 

In the news recently there has been a buzz about a well-known reality star that was allegedly robbed at gunpoint in Paris.  The thought of being robbed is scary, and it could have gone any kind of way.  Many have found it humorous due to the fact they think perhaps it is another publicity stunt, or maybe an insurance scam. Some even figure she deserves it because of the amount of jewelry she had on her.  The things we say about others…..says more about us.

Regardless to whether or not it happened, you can’t help but realize, that even with all that security, none of us are exempt from this world’s drama.  Jewelry worth so much are now gone.  Maybe never to be recovered again.  For us, the question is , "How can we protect our treasures?" 

 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”   Matthew 6:19-21

TAKE IT WITH ME!

 

"A dying man made his sobbing wife promise that she would place all of his earthly treasures in his casket when he died.  They talked about how she would live without him, and whether or not it would benefit him in heaven.  He was adamant, so, after some time, she agreed and promised. He died knowing that his wife would do what she said she would do.  At his funeral, before they closed the casket for the last time, she lovingly kissed him on his forehead, and placed a check in the total amount of his estate and holdings in his jacket pocket…..just like she promised." 

DEFINING TRUE TREASURE

 

What is the ‘treasure’ we are talking about?  We know if you place jewels or money in a casket today, there is a great chance it will not make it in the ground.  My mother always wore rings on her fingers.  Really nice rings, so when she passed away, my sister purchased an inexpensive ring, that looked expensive to place on her finger.  Before leaving the funeral home, the director came to me and said.  “There is a ring on your mother’s finger; don’t you want to remove it?”  I simply told him, “No,  it is inexpensive and we got it just for this.”  We knew that someone might take it, but it was our simple way of honoring her one last time.  So we left it there.  Not everyone plans like that.  Some have placed jewelry in coffins with their loved ones, only to find the items had been stolen.

 

But the bible does tell us to store our treasures in heaven, so if we CAN take it with us, what is this treasure and how do we get it there?

 

 

HEARTS FULL OF TREASURE!

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.       Luke 6:45

Did you know that your heart holds treasure according to God’s word?  That means all of our hearts are equipped to store treasure.   Your treasure is seen in how you interact and talk to others.  How we admonish and consider others.  How we encourage and pray for others.  This is treasure! 

 

TRASH TO TREASURE?

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth,  that is what defiles them.”         Matthew 15:11   

Good and Evil.  These are two things that will follow us into eternity.  There is good treasure and evil treasure.  When we choose to speak good and to do good towards people -that is good treasure.  When we do good things, and say good things from our heart, it is good treasure.   That is all you will take with you.  The deeds done to bless someone in this earth.  Not the gold, pearls or costly clothing.  The deeper part of YOU.

When something happens in this world, your comments, social media posts say more about you than it does those you talk about. Life happens every day, and if we are not careful, we can switch from good treasure to evil treasure in a moment.  Our comments on a news story that has us upset, the alleged theft in Paris, our political candidates, the person on your job that irritates you, someone you fell out of relationship with- all of these things may be challenging to watch, but your words say more about you than those you speak of.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.               Ephesians 4:29

 

The day will come when each of us will leave this earth.  It won’t matter what people put in our coffin, or where they sprinkle our ashes.  Our bags will be packed and we will be gone.  Ready or not.  

Our bags will hold treasures from our heart, whether good or bad.  It won’t be full of jewelry, or money, no stocks or bonds, no dollar bills.  But it will be filled with the words we have said to others, and the deeds we have done towards others.  It may not seem like much today, the simple act of kindness, the prayer for someone distraught, or helping someone in the store.  It might not seem that important today, when you give way to a driver who is in a greater rush than you are, or you take time to console a frustrated parent with an irritated toddler.  All these things done from our heart produce treasure.  Treasure that we take with us into eternity.   

So be aware of what  you pack!

 

 

 

We The People....

For those of us who vote and pay attention, we are serious about our politics.  Somehow we have it in our minds that how we vote and what party we put in office will make a VAST difference in how we live, how we prosper and how we can pursue happiness. 

So here we are , another election year and we are on edge.  We want a candidate that looks presidential, gets the job done, will represent us well, will be honest and forthcoming, will respect our allies but confront our enemies.  We want someone who will fight for our rights and protect us from those who want to do us harm.  We don’t want to be penalized for our success, but want a chance to reach the top with our own business dreams. That is a tall order.

I remember many years ago going through these discussions with my kids.  My daughter was nearing 18 and interested in knowing what to look for when she voted.  Being the slight rebel that I am, I couldn’t find it in my heart to follow one particular party or lead them to do the same.  So early on I chose to vote for the person, not the party.  I would never vote for someone due to their race or gender only.  I am not interested in “Making History” if it is not going to make the future better and further God's agenda.   I always had to hear more.  So, along with my kids, I sat and watched the debates. Sometimes I am horrified at the choices, sometimes my voting decision is made after hearing them all.  Other times, like now…. It is so discouraging. 

 

FREEDOM REIGNS!

Then I got free.  Somehow we have it in our minds that ONE person- (Not an AVENGER with superhero strength) is going to change everything that is wrong in our country.  They will come in and within 4-8 years, they will turn the economy around, pay off all our debts, get rid of ISIS without harming innocent people and they will ensure that all their promises come to pass (even with a congress that might be stacked against them)

Us expecting someone to fix our problems is much like this excerpt from 1 Samuel 8- (later read the full chapter, it will explain a lot!) 

 (v 4-7) So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.  They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”  But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.   And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” 

Samuel who represented the Spiritual Leadership in that time had sons that were no longer following in God's ways.  (much like many of us who say this is a Christian Nation, but God's ways are old and outdated)  And the people were not crazy; they knew it and wanted something they could depend on.  So they asked for a KING.   Samuel told them what they would get with a king, someone who would use the role selfishly, would take advantage of their daughters, would have men running around them all day before their chariot/cars (sounds like secret service) He would tax them to pay for all those who serve him.  Samuel let them know the down falls of insisting they needed a king,  but  the people wanted a  king. So God gave them what they wanted, but not without a warning...

 

 

 "When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”  But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us.  (v18-19)

So here we are now, just like in bible days, we have this system that leaves God out, leadership we can't agree on and we are not liking it.    The answer to issues we are having and the security we seek has never been and will never be in our president. 

CAN WE TRUST THE CANDIDATES?

If you know me, I am as patriotic as the next person.  But my trust is not in what a man or woman can do for me.  Our next president will NOT FIX AMERICA.  God won’t let him or her.  Why?  Because He has always said, if we turn to Him, He would bless the land.  The more we lean on flesh, the further we get from the blessings.     

 

Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord."  

 Jeremiah 17:5

So if we are told that flesh cannot be trusted, we still need to do our due diligence.  Yes, listen to the debates, pray, vote for the person you feel will do their job the best they can.  They will NOT be perfect, and they will NOT keep all their promises.  They can’t.  Their opponents will NOT let them, and some of the candidates priorities may get put on the back burner due to other distractions.  Not to mention sometimes the candidates tell us what we want to hear, just to get our votes. 

 

MY THOUGHTS ON KEY POINTS

• The president should have a hand in ending systemic racial bias- but how we treat our neighbor, is on us.  No law can make us think and act differently towards each other.  But there should be consequences for breaking the laws we do set in place.
• The president should work on securing our borders- but how did all of us get here? We have to be honest that the border problem is bigger than walls.
• Gun control makes sense, but criminals will NOT turn theirs in!  Kind of hard to disarm law abiding citizens who want to use them legally.  (I will note though, many of the recent incidents were done by citizens who were licensed, law abiding citizens- before they were law breakers, it is deeper than what we intend- that can change)
• No president or government official can fix what we refuse to participate in or agree upon.   No matter what they do, one side will be happy, the other not.

HOW I AM VOTING

I know it is unpopular to talk politics, but this year and from now on…. I am voting for ...
 

ME...trusting God!  I am casting my vote to trust God to protect me when things get bad, to provide for me when things get tight.  He did for others in the bible and He has no problems with any of us- if we have faith.   I trust Him to help me rise above the racism that may be systemic  and provide a table for me in the presence of my enemies.  I know promotion does not come from the east or west, not the south… but I will lift up my eyes to HIM.  That is where my help comes from, not government programs that can keep me in poverty.  I know He has promises for me that He will always keep, but I have to participate with Him.  I will vote, I will appreciate those who serve and pray for them, like He told me to...but my trust will NEVER be in them.  I will hold my peace when I disagree, and pray…knowing that God has the ability to change the hearts of kings.   And if it looks bad, I still have a promise that when I trust God and am called according to His purpose:  All these things (good and bad) will still work together for my GOOD.  I will make my own change, build my own walls, crack my own ceilings, build my own wealth, handle my finances and decrease my own debt.  I will make God great again in my world and make my future safe by putting my life in the hands of the ONE who holds tomorrow.  

Yes, I will continue to listen to the debates and follow what is going on so I can vote responsibly, but I have already made the main choice, I am with HIM- THE LORD OF LORD AND KING OF KINGS.

 

 I am Jacqui Hill Goudeau, and I approve this message.

What NOW?

 

As a believer, I keep trying to blog on topics that are uplifting and encouraging.  But, every week there is SOMETHING in the news that throws that.  I think maybe we have become too accustomed to living our life and the only things that move us are things that directly affect us, so after a bit of time, we forget about the problems in the world as we address the drama in our own world.

We have heard so much about the shootings and problems from our media.  From a quarterback refusing to stand during the national anthem, to a young boy shot before he had a chance to look up.  Now there is Terence Crutcher, an unarmed man with a broke down car, and a man who was waiting for his child at the bus stop, reading a book – both shot and killed.  This morning we wake to reports of overnight riots, fires and chaos in a community that cannot afford the price tag.

What NOW?

I was talking to a friend the other night after hearing about the recent death of yet another black man at the hands of police officers.  Once again, a video is shown, a man who supposedly was in the road because of car problems was gunned down.  The play by play from the helicopter was almost as disturbing as the video.  Hearing the voices of men calmly stating that  “he is still walking”, “he is still moving”, “time for a Taser” , 'He looks like a big bad dude." then ‘boom’….  “Shots Fired.”  As the helicopter wraps around the side we watch as Mr. Crutcher falls to the ground.  The VERY NEXT comment from the helicopter deals with closing roads.  Not what just happened or any questions on whether or not Mr. Crutcher did something out of their sight that warranted the gunfire.  No shock that they just witnessed another shooting.  It was business as usual. There was more effort to shut down the streets than there was to help a dying man.  According to the video, I didn’t see them approach him for quite a while.  If he had a gun, should they not look to disarm him?  Push the gun away from a hand that could possibly still reach for it? Perhaps hand cuff him, or render aid so he has his time in court to argue what he was doing?  They used to do that.  But no aid, no follow up and the abundance of police officers just happened to block the dash camera so all we see is the helicopter view.

What Now?

"I’m having a hard time."  I told my friend.  I was not raised racist or prejudice, so I don’t know how to change that now, nor do I plan to.  Probably much like people who were raised in a racist environment I am sure they have a hard time changing how they think.  But my current struggle is this:

How do I reconcile this in my mind?

I support our officers and our first responders, but what do I tell my son?

How can we pretend nothing is wrong if an armed suspected terrorist who has shot 2 police officers and set off bombs with the intent to kill- walks away with an injury, but alive- with all the medical attention needed to assist him; but an unarmed man who has his hands up, is shot and left on the cold concrete to die?  Life is becoming harder to explain, not just to my son…but to myself.

I realize there may be a REASON we want the terrorist alive, maybe to answer questions, to help us locate other threats.  But, any tax paying American citizen (black, white or otherwise) who is not trying to kill anyone surely deserves to get out of an encounter with police…. ALIVE.

Irreconcilable Differences?

Our news coverage today sounded normal.  It is becoming the norm to hear about these occurrences and put a #hashtag on it.  It is normal for the news cast  to begin covering these shootings and once another interesting story comes up, we stop the dialog. 

I was disturbed that more time was spent this morning talking about the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie break up.  (Yes, it is really happening), irreconcilable differences.  It is sad when we are more interested in how they will handle their relationship, and who will get custody of their 6 kids.  Either way they go, their kids will be considered by both parents.  Divorce is never good, but it is survivable. But what about us?

 

The race relationship we have in America has hit a horrible low.  Are we going to cite irreconcilable differences and allow fellow Americans to suffer because we won’t do anything about it?   To allow our kids to grow up in fear that neither side is willing to come to the table and talk?  Irreconcilable is supposed to mean it cannot be fixed.  But it is really the courts way of allowing you to separate without having to talk or go through the rights and wrongs of the relationship.  It stops us  from having to point fingers and have difficult conversations.   We cannot afford that as Americans.  WE deserve and need to have the difficult talks and we need to point out things that just by looking- you know it is wrong.   We need the powers that be to realize we have a problem, a serious downward spiral that has to be changed. Just because it has not happened to your kid, your father, your spouse, does not mean it is not happening.

Undercover Racism?

If you still think we don’t have race issues… just look at ANY report of the occurrences that happened this past week.  Read the comments from everyday Americans who can post their thoughts without being found out.  We have undercover racism on all sides.  I can’t believe the things that people say in any news story when they feel no one can trace them.  The comments they post just because the race of a person is noted, or the assumptions they make are sickening. Due to our political climate, it is becoming acceptable to state what you think about other nationalities.  It is popular to use terms that used to be spoken only in the company of likeminded people.  Now the covers have been pulled, and if we really open our eyes... we will see the problem.  NO more pretending it does not exist.  

If we are not held accountable for how we treat each other, this HUMAN RACE relationship will not make it. 

 

America, What NOW? 

I am still not sure what we are going to do.  In the meantime, I will continue talking to my young son about how he plays with his nerf gun outside, how he talks to any authority and how things are not as easy for him as it was for his 4 sisters.  (So wrong since we really wanted a son)  I will continue to pray for our country and my friends of all nationalities so that we can keep our relationships strong regardless of what others are trying to do to race relations.  I will look for ways to participate in the solution, not the problem and will still stand for our national anthem, support our first responders and pray that my actions are not in vain.  

Faith is only the beginning.

We have to do something.

Remembering September 11, 2001

 

I used to envy people who could answer the question “Where were you when…?”   I was not good at that since my memory didn’t allow me to recall some of the most notable dates and what I was doing or where I was at the time.  So whenever someone would ask that question, I would simply listen for everyone else’s answer.  That is until 9/11.

I was 40 years old and 7 ½ months pregnant with my son.  I remember watching the accounts of the day in disbelief.  I thought about the horror of bringing my son into a world where someone hates us enough to do something so evil.  It left me with a sickening feeling in my stomach; I hoped my unborn child could not feel it.

I thought of all the people who followed their ‘get ready for work’ routine, just like I did.  Yes, they made it to work, but would never go home.  Then there were the images of planes full of passengers crashing into buildings, watching as people made their last decision to jump from a burning building.  Others made decisions to take on hijackers who had control of their plane, knowing they wouldn't be able to fly it.  We watched as people fled once the towers crumbled, running in a cloud of dust and debris.  And then there was the paper.  So much paper,  reminders that someone’s memo, invoice or proposal was not going to be faxed, signed or delivered that day.

 My mind and heart goes out to the thousands of people who will never be the same.  I can’t imagine the grief and hurt that the families endured and continue to have to endure since that day.  

I DON’T COMPLAIN

 

 

As a result of many changes since 9/11, there are things I no longer complain about, like the wait at the airport, or having to remove my shoes and jacket.  I am tempted to get uneasy if I am running late, but then I remember.   I have had my hair patted down; my body patted down and had to repack bags after being searched.  But again, I don’t complain.  When we visited Disney World in 2012, we had to have our purses and bags checked - a normal occurrence now.  Some events we have attended within this city wouldn’t allow us to take a bag in. Again….I don’t complain.

 

 

I thank pilots and flight attendants when I enter the plane, when they serve me during the flight, and thank them again when I exit the plane.  I don’t take for granted that they too are traveling with me and If there was ever an issue, I want them to know we are in this together.   Our nation has changed quite a bit, how we travel has changed, how we entertain has changed.

I don’t think that 9/11 changed us for the worst, we were better … at least for a while.

THEN WE FORGOT.

After we got our footing, this nation was united.  We knew who our enemy was and were ready to fight.  We talked patriotism, we breathed RED, WHITE, AND BLUE, and we were connected even through our differences.  But over the years, we forgot.

We forgot our common enemy is not our neighbors, the police, our political opponent or those that support them.  Our enemy is not someone who decides to use their right to carry guns or to have an abortion or even sit on the sidelines during the national anthem.   Our common enemy is still out there, probably laughing at who we have become. 

 

We missed the real plan of 9/11 was to divide us.  Fear divides.  A house divided against itself,  cannot stand.  Fear does that, it makes you run for cover just for yourself, forgetting who you trample over and who gets left behind in the process.   Fear makes us suspicious of each other.  It makes us arm ourselves with guns- legally or illegally and look for  targets outside our door.  It makes us succumb to road rage and take out our frustrations on each other.  It makes us think that everyone is out to make us late, to cut in front of us or hurt us.  Fear makes us think that differences in others, are lethal to our own way of life.   Fear was once defined as False Evidence Appearing Real.   We have been fooled into thinking that we are not ‘One Nation Under God’, but ‘One Nation Under Siege’; and the battle is with each other in our neighborhoods and schools.  We have been sold a mindset and we bought it.

 

But our enemy is not each other; it is not even just those that mean us wrong.  Our greatest enemy is the fear we have allowed to govern our lives and stunt our hopes, destroy our dreams. That is what TERRORISTS did on 9/11, they brought fear.

 

CASTING OUT FEAR

The bible says “perfect love casts out all fear."  Here are two types of LOVE we need renewed in America:

LOVE FOR THOSE YOU LOVE

Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13

This is the easier love.  It is the one that makes someone take a bullet for their child, spouse, or friend.  It is what makes us do something out of the ordinary for those we know and love.  Laying down our life can mean our thoughts, our differences, our prejudices or our preferences to keep peace with our friends and family, each one choosing to consider the other.  Why sweat the stuff that will not matter on your death bed?  We have to learn again to really love those we SAY we love. Too many children are abused or dying at the hands of a parent, or a close family friend.   We see marital or romantic relationships that end with someone hurting someone else.  We need to learn to genuinely love those we SAY we love. Learn to compromise and consider those closest to us.  That will help us band together again as the human race to combat fear.

LOVE FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT LOVE YOU

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.    For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.    But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8 6  

Loving and dying for someone you love should be easier.  Loving and dying for someone who does not regard you, is divine.  This is where it can hurt most.  Scarcely might we die for someone who is good or someone who is right; but this scripture talks about being willing to die, or lay down our lives our thoughts or differences for someone we don’t agree with, or who does not like or regard us.  Not losing ourselves, but trying to understand that life consists of many views, many thoughts and I can listen to one without giving up my own.  Every discussion does not have to end in a fight!

This is kind of what our first responders do every day.   They run into situations to possibly DIE for people who may hate their uniform, people who may not care about them as people or those who outright mean them harm.  

 

On September 11, 2001- over 300 men and women ran into a dire situation to rescue and help people they didn’t know.  If they had met on the streets or a grocery store the day before this tragedy, they may not have given each other the time of day.    There may have been vast differences, but that didn’t stop our First Responders from doing their job.  They ran into a situation and died trying to help someone who may not have even liked them.  

 

That is what 9/11 reminds me of, a nation united, willing to lay aside differences for a common goal. I know it is easier said than done, but if we want to overcome fear, we have to learn to love each other whether we agree or not.   As we remember 9/11, don’t forget we are in this together. 

We will NEVER agree on everything, we will never be on the same side politically, but we can be on the same side as a nation.  We can stand for what we know is right, understanding that just because someone has an extreme view that is different from mine does not mean I belong and they don’t.  We all belong here and together we can defeat the fear that has gripped us since 9/11.

 

We can’t let the enemy win.  We are Americans, let’s live, love and fight like it.