I’m starting off today’s post with a plea to God. Please God, keep the citizens of the United States of America hopeful, and caring, keep them safe, and sane during these months as we prepare for Election Day. Amen.
I know I need some hope today. Everything I read and see is quite frightening, and I really worry about what is going to happen in these coming days. Part of me can not wait until Election Day gets here so we can be over all the horrible rhetoric, all the negative ads, and hopefully people will stop lashing out in violence. But, I really don’t know if Election Day will end the craziness. In fact, perhaps it will elevate it even more.
How did we get here? I have been listening to Heather Cox Richardson online. She is a political historian & professor, and she has studied all her life the political atmosphere that happens before elections. She has free lectures online about how our government was founded, why there was a need for the Electoral College back then, how our country has changed, how we work as a democracy and republic, and why our system must stay true to it’s laws of the land. It’s really interesting stuff. If you want to be an educated citizen you should listen.
We have had 4 years of a leader breaking rules, of a man in office who doesn’t care about America’s system of checks and balances. In fact, he tries to avoid them, and he slyly puts out rhetoric (simple as it is) making himself bigger than it all. He is chipping away at it all, of course the Executive branch – acting like a dictator, but also the Judicial branch. We should all be very worried about this. If he is given 4 more years he will continue to push us down a hole, and our democracy will suffer.
As I write this I know a large group of Americans Are out there who just don’t care. They avoid hearing the truth. They stick their heads into the ground like an ostrich and don’t want to know, or believe, what is happening. They continue to support the current president anyway. Maybe they are busy so they don’t watch him and listen to him on TV. They can’t just listen to their favorite ‘talking heads” Maybe they don’t look at the big picture. It makes me so sad, I try to figure out why. Many say it’s for their personal financial livelihood. Okay – I can get that they worry about bigger taxes and less in their paycheck. But, they overlook that more tax money will give more services and help to them. Oh, and to their neighbors!!! So, here’s the part that concerns me most. They don’t think or care about their neighbors.
So, I pray to God. I ask how I can be a messenger for Him, and how I can encourage people to get beyond themselves. How a little bit of personal sacrifice can make everyone better in the long run.
I’m ready for theI r push back. Because they will. They will call me out and say I’m wrong and say that they really do care. But actions speak louder than words. And, Just because they tell me they care, they support a leader that doesn’t. Again, actions speak louder than words – with him also.
We all have heard to ‘give it to God’… and many times I do, because I know God will be with me through the good and the bad times. I know His Word is re-assuring. This past Sunday’s Gospel and message was about dealing with conflict, from small ones to large ones. First, God says to meet with the person you have a disagreement with, directly. When it comes to politics that is hard to do. But we can send letters and emails expressing our concern to politicians. It recently worked with the US Postal Service issue. We can have a conversation with a person who thinks differently than you do. But, it has come to a point where nobody is willing to listen and change. So, if it doesn’t work then according to God we need to bring along a witness. Not to bully, or to gang up on someone, but instead to have a non-partisan viewpoint. Unfortunately, in today’s political world, I don’t think there are many out there without a definite viewpoint already. What to do then?
How do we get through this? How can we stay calm and sane in this volatile environment? What will happen to us in these coming months?
I don’t know. So, at times like this, at times when I just get stuck, and can’t see what the future will hold, I turn to God. I pray… I plea…
Dear God, Help me get through the coming days. Give me strength to keep going, and to see goodness in people, and to spread a positive message. Let me be an example so others may have open hearts and look around and see your world. Bring peace and acceptance to all people. I know this too will pass, and that your love will see us through. Amen.
Marla’s Musings 