Okay...I'll FINALLY Wade In...

...well, not really.

But don't feel cheated...I still have an opinion...it's probably not the opinion you want to hear though. What do I mean? Well, odds are you're on one side of the fence or the other...at least if you live in the U.S. And many of you are firmly planted...deeply rooted...on that side. There in lies "the rub".

"Huh?" You may ask.

You see, I've intentionally avoided wading into the foray (a.k.a. muck!) of politics this year. This is the first presidential election where I've been active on Facebook and quite frankly, I'm pretty much sick of all the mud-slinging. First, I opted out of all the political ads that kept constantly coming up on my page. Facebook asks you why. I replied with the innocuous "repetitive" when what I really wanted to check was "offensive". Then there are all of the ads on local TV.

I grew up in Indiana during an age that on election night, all the news commentators threw up the Red Indiana (meaning Republican) before they'd even had their first commercial break. Presidential advertisements were not something to which I was accustomed. Then, just when Indiana gets interesting...we moved to Kentucky. You guessed it...in the last election the first state projected was the Red commonwealth of Kentucky. So you'd think I wouldn't have to worry much about the ads...and you'd be wrong. Our TV channels come from Cincinnati...as in Ohio...as in one of the most hotly contested states there is. And Cincinnati's airport happens to lie across the Ohio River and just down the road from my house. Big deal, right?

Well it is a big deal when the President, Mr. Romney, both of their VP wannabes and even the First Lady have made, to the best of my recollection, at least six visits to the Cincinnati area in the four weeks proceeding this one. Again...what's the big deal? Well, they shut down the interstate (both ways) for the 10 mile (sometimes more) stretch that lies between where they land...and where they need to be.

We Kentuckians get all of the inconvenience...and none of the fun of our votes actually mattering...or sought after. If I actually thought it would matter and if I could actually get anywhere near the motorcades without being taken out by security...I'd love to hold up a sign that reads, "Hey...what about us?" You'd think they could at least throw some candy out the window as they went by or something.

Okay, so those are some of my gripes...but the biggest one has come from the little people...yes...us! Too many times to count I've been honked off at something someone has posted on Facebook. I will not even dignify any of them with a reply. There's been a few times when I've been more than tempted. One of the best things I've seen posted though, came from a Facebook friend, Christi Marcotte. She posted How Would Jesus Vote? on her blog and I agreed with every word.

Actually, it seems like some of the hullabaloo has died down...but there's another debate tonight and I know it will rear it's ugly head soon so I think that's why I'm writing this.

You see...here's the main reason why I haven't posted anything on Facebook: No matter what I say...I am bound to offend someone...multiple someones.

My Facebook friends include ultra conservative right wingers and "just as far" to the left wingers too. I am connected to heterosexuals and homosexuals, some married...some single of each. I don't know for certain, but with over 400 "friends"...odds are I am "friended" by women who have protested abortion and some who have had abortions. I can recall that just recently, there were many that stood in line for hours at Chick-fil-a and many that protested Chick-fil-a. With a heart's passion for single moms, I have many connections to women that desperately need food stamps, government supported health care, free college grants and access to student loans, free school lunches for their kids, the tax-time child tax credits and earned income credits (both only available to working people) and any other available assistance as they work sometimes two jobs and go back to school to better themselves. But I recognize that I have just as many (maybe more) Facebook friends that strongly oppose and resent a lot of government assistance to whom they deem to be "lazy" and "noncontributing"...of which I know there are many in our society. To be fair...I also have a lot of single Facebook friends that probably feel extremely put off and slighted simply because they are not married, nor have any children so a lot of the mud-slinging about benefits, health care, extended family leaves, child tax credits, earned income credits, food stamps, etc....don't apply to them and yet they still have to help pay for them with their tax dollars.

Do you see my predicament? Now, isn't it obvious why I've not waded into the foray until now?

To be completely honest, most of the mud-slinging I've seen and also heard "live" has come from people who call themselves Christians. At first this made me mad...now, it just makes me sad. Don't get me wrong...if in "real life" you actually engage me in a conversation about politics...I am going to have a lot to say...good and bad about both sides. But two Thursdays ago, the women's ministry director at our church spoke some simple, yet powerful words to over 100 women attending our morning Bible study. Sue said something like, 'Remember...this is a place where we come to study God's Word...to come together and love each other and grow closer together as the Body of Christ. This is not a place to discuss politics. There are godly people on both sides of the issues and this is not the place to discuss it.' I could have shouted, "Amen!"

I know this is lengthy and if I haven't angered you too much, I'll go one further, because God says something similar. Yesterday, in my study of James...which has a LOT to say about our tongues by the way...Beth Moore directed her readers to another Scripture that I think I may just post on Facebook every day between now and the election:
     "If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain." (I Timothy 6:3-5)

Beth Moore was asking for the "description of a person who does not submit to sound instruction." How it hit me, was "right between the Facebook eyes". As Christians we do need to submit to sound...godly wise, instruction and when we do, I believe, we will stop participating in a "morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions and constant friction!" 

Before I got too "high and mighty" because I haven't been political this year, God's Spirit reminded me of my fascination with conspiracy theories, secret agendas and the like...and how they get me all riled up until I spew out the poison all over my husband who, quite frankly, doesn't want to hear it anyway. Keeping my heart and mind...my questions, passions, desires, wants, needs, fears, frustrations, pain, anger, happiness, contentment and even joy...constantly turning back to Him (where my focus should be anyway) and then why would I even begin to entertain the thought of posting something that would cause division or alienate even just one of the Facebook acquaintances or real friends I have?

So yeah...if you're a Christian...you may think I'm "copping out", "riding the fence", "afraid to stand up for the truth". My response? You may be right. But I know in a private conversation, I will gladly speak the Truth when the Holy Spirit prompts me to. As for the public forum? I just know that the only Truth in my life...doesn't need me to stand up for Him anyway...He's done a pretty good job of it since the beginning of time...I think He can handle the next few weeks without me alienating anyone that He is concurrently attempting to draw to Him.

He is Love...and there's no two sides about it! Amen!

Come to Me

This is only part of what I read this morning in Jesus Calling this morning:

"Though self-flagellation has gone out of style, many of My children drive themselves like racehorses. they whip themselves into action, ignoring how exhausted they are. They forget that I am sovereign and that My ways are higher than theirs. Underneath their driven service, they may secretly resent Me as a harsh taskmaster. Their worship of Me is lukewarm, because I am no longer their First Love.

My invitation never changes: Come to Me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest. Worship Me by resting peacefully in My Presence."

References: I Timothy 6:15-16, Isaiah 55:8-9, Revelation 2:4, Matthew 11:28

Nothing to add to this...it says it all!



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A Gentle Reminder for Me

It's taken me two days to work through a one day lesson in Living Beyond Yourself. And it's been God's gentle reminder to me, right when I need it. His little love notes of assurance continue to strengthen my faith exactly at the right time.

"We live in a culture motivated by one major goal-- a little more. We work too hard and make too little. We have more than enough to live complicated lives, but less than enough to be contented." Isn't it interesting (or maybe just plain amazing!) that Beth Moore puts into words about 7 years ago precisely what I've been learning over the last 2 1/2 years? Coincidence? I think not!

God is calling each of us to this place of surrendering everything...absolutely everything. And what I'm sensing over and over again is this undercurrent in our American churches that there just has to be more than what we've allowed ourselves to believe. Books being written by Francis Chan, David Platt, Donald Miller, Shane Claiborne, Rich Stearns and others; entire churches going through books like Crazy Love, Radical and studies in James and Philippians that are making them call into question exactly where their priorities (and thus, money) should be placed; as well as, the discontent that I hear, see and read in so many lives that just know there has to be more to this life, makes me ask, "God what are You doing? This is not random...I know! You are creating a groundswell of Your people that desire above all else to be sold out and surrendered to You and You alone. What amazing things do You have planned?"

I know I'm going to offend some people here, but capitalism is NOT the teaching of Jesus. I watched a documentary a few months ago from a very liberal filmmaker in which he interviewed a few priests about this question..."Is capitalism Christian?" Without hesitation the priest, the bishop and the archbishop each said "No!" 'And in fact, it's often the exact opposite,' they added.

Have we allowed ourselves to confuse capitalism with democracy? Capitalism is a grasping for more...the opposite of what Jesus lived and taught. While democracy is freedom. Obviously, democracy is much more in tune with what Jesus offered us...possibly that's why so many nations fight and die for it!? And maybe God's creating a discontentment with chasing after "things" in His people so that we'll shake it off and get angry enough with the evil and injustice in the world to stand up and say "Enough! No matter the cost, no matter the pain, no matter the shame, I will serve the LORD!"

These past two days, Beth Moore's study guided me to Ecclesiastes, a book written by King Solomon and it's not a pretty picture of a rich man's reflections. As Dale said last night, Christian financial gurus like to quote all of the cute little phrases from Proverbs about how amassing wealth is wise and only the foolish live for the day...but these "gurus" don't often quote the reflective Solomon that in his old age said things like,

(Okay, I just have to insert the irony here that my iPod just randomly started playing, "Money, Money, Money", the Abba song from Mama Mia. Ha! Father, You have a great sense of humor!!!)

"Meaningless! Meaningless!
Says the Teacher (Solomon)
Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless!" (Ecc. 1:2)

"I have seen all things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecc. 1:14)

"Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?" (Ecc. 2:18-19a)

"The sleep of a laboring man is sweet,
Whether he eats little or much;
But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.

There is severe evil which I have seen under the sun;
Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
But those riches perish through misfortune;
When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.
As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return,
To go as he came;
And he shall take nothing from his labor
Which he may carry away in his hand." (Ecc. 5:12-15)

As I read the beginning of this chapter 5 passage to Dale last night, he said, 'I can verify that (about sweet sleep). Since I've left Fifth Third, I've probably only had five to ten nights that I had trouble sleeping. When I was at Fifth Third, I lost a lot of sleep.'

How can a couple that doesn't know where the rent money will come from have sweet sleep? Only when we believe God at His Word!

But even back in Proverbs, King Solomon said this,

"Better is a little with the fear of the LORD,
Thank great treasure with trouble.
Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred." (Prov. 15:16-17)

You better believe I just put verse 17 on our dining area white board...one MORE proof to my kids that vegetarianism or veganism is the way to go! Hah!

But seriously, if you just look at this without strict application to dietary guidelines, I WAS for years feeding my children with the "fat of the calf" yet instilling in them bitterness and hatred and even a compulsion to have more. When we began to have little or in this verse, "vegetables" I can truly say there is MUCH more love in our home! I'm not focused on taking care of "stuff" as much as I used to be...which frees up more energy just to be a wife, mother and child of God.

A dear friend said to me last summer when we were trying to get rid of the garage space we were renting "Just the mental energy it takes to keep track of all that stuff is exhausting!" And she was right. How many times have a yelled at my kids over the years for not taking care of their "stuff"? When really, isn't taking care of our souls, hearts and minds for God MUCH more important??

At the end of this lesson, I read an amazing passage in I Timothy 6:6-10: "6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced temselves through with many sorrows."

Now, I have heard verse 10 discussed many times. And Christians are always quick to point out that it's the "love of money" not the money itself that is the root of all kinds of evil. I guess I'd first point out that I don't think I've EVER heard this verse taught in the context of the preceding four verses, but, I also take issue with this theory. While grammatically, it's a true statement, I've never known anyone that struggled with the "love" of money, unless they had too much of it to spare. And believe me, this is directed back at myself too!!

I really don't know that many very wealthy people...but I know a whole lot of people that have way more than enough.

And what does Paul say in verse 8? "And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." Even in our economically depressed circumstances, I can't honestly say that this is true for me. I notice he didn't include a home (or even shelter!) in this statement. Could that be because Paul knew God would provide a place with fellow believers for him to sleep or it just wasn't a priority? After all, if the "Son of Man has no place to lay His head" (Luke 9:58) as a follower of the Son of Man, why would Paul expect any differently?? Yes, this IS a scary thought for a mother with four children and truthfully, I'm still struggling with the thought that it IS possible to sink even lower than we already have.

In the meantime, as long as God allows, we will continue to endeavor to give out of the little bit of abundance that we have. For this week, it's buying some items for a Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief that our church is doing. Wow! Just when I think my situation is pitiable, I see others with even less than we have. We really are blessed, aren't we?

And Beth Moore concludes the day with these words of promise and hope: "He knows our needs. He knows our vulnerabilities. He knows what we can endure...yet remain faithful. All things are His to give and His to take, but never ours to pursue. Our is to gladly recieve and gladly return."

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)
Amen!

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