Rhyme and Reason

Yesterday was a sad and frustrating day... Now that all has been said and done, here's my rhyme and reason for who, what and why:

When you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, what do you choose? I did not want either candidate to be my future president. As a conservative Republican, I was excited about McCain and Palin in the early stages of their campaign, but was quickly turned off, disgusted and embarrassed by them as it progressed... I was even neutral towards Obama until I did some research and discovered some of his personal beliefs. When it came to political issues, I agreed and disagreed with both on different things, but none of it was deal breaking. In short, this election was a lose-lose for me. I opposed both parties and both personalities, yet I needed to make a decision. I didn't want to vote for some obscure person whom nobody has ever heard of either, because I didn't want to "waste" my vote, so I needed to choose between the two... Political issues aside, it had to get personal. I couldn't vote for them as individuals, I had to vote for what they stood for. As I stood in that voting booth, it literally came down to be a matter of life and death for me... And I chose life.

Someone told me that as a woman and a teacher I had a moral obligation not to vote for McCain, but I think that especially being a woman and a teacher, never mind a follower of Jesus, I had a "moral obligation" to vote for life and family. I could NEVER vote for someone who didn't believe that each and every single life has meaning, purpose and destiny. Given a choice, I will vote PRO-LIFE every single time. Life and family are the ONLY reasons I voted McCain, because in my opinion, it was the only thing he had going for him that has put him above Obama in my eyes. He was the so called "lesser of two evils". So here are my reasons for choosing LIFE:

I have seen (and still have) videos and pictures of abortions being performed on innocent, helpless, defenseless, unborn babies (humans), and it has not only made me sick to my stomach, but outraged me to tears... I honestly do not understand and comprehend how in the world abortion is even legal... It is the most outright and cruel form of murder ever committed in numbers that are staggering... How can you call it "a right to do what you want with your body" when it's a whole separate life you are taking! Just because that life happens to be inside your body, it doesn't mean that it's yours to dispose of! Think about it... when a pregnant woman is murdered, the murderer is charged with a double homicide because in reality, he took 2 lives, not just 1! I think we play God when we decide we have the right to end a life just because we can. God is the author and the giver of ALL life, not us! Just because we can biologically create it, doesn't mean that we were behind the original design! God is the ONLY one who gives life because He has a purpose and a destiny for each life that has ever been, is, and will be conceived on this earth! If we don't value each life for what it is and see the meaning and potential of it in each person, then why bother getting upset over murder and suicide? We need to view life as a precious gift, packed with unlimited potential... It doesn't belong to us because we didn't create it...

My parents have conceived me out of wedlock, and I'm eternally grateful to my mother for not aborting me... Can you just imagine your best friend being aborted? Your husband, sister, mother, the founder of your workplace, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa... What about your own life... Imagine your own life being aborted... you can't, can you? I mean, who knows if we've already aborted the person who would have found a cure for AIDS or cancer... You, the person reading this... you're precious in the eyes of God... Your life is packed with so much meaning, so much purpose, so much potential, so much destiny... You were created for a reason and your life is a gift... Yes, you are a gift to this world... it needs you...

I love God... I love Jesus... I love people... I love LIFE... My life, your life... It's priceless because it's eternal...

For more info and statistics on abortion, click here: http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html

Talking To Strangers

...is something I've always been very good at :) I'm sure at some point in my childhood my mother tried to dissuade me from it, but clearly to no avail. Back in my GC cadre days, one of my leaders told me that I knew no strangers, and it was true... Every person I've encountered was a potential new friend. Somewhere along the line though, I got a case of self righteous snobbery (a common side effect to watch out for if you constantly keep yourself in a Christian bubble of fellowship). It's funny, I didn't even realize I had it until God started to rock my world during the last few months. All of a sudden I could see so much pride, selfishness, fear, and prejudice in myself, it really shook me up. What happened to me? How could I have become so judgemental, arrogant, proud, disapproving and self righteous? Sadly, I know the answer... By grace, that has changed. God has humbled me BIG TIME, reminding me once again, who He is, who I am and how much He loves me and wants to be in relationship with me.


So here's what I learned, and I've already blogged about some of this before:


*I'm no better than ANYONE by ANY means

*I know EXACTLY who I would be and what kind of lifestyle I would live without Jesus

*None of us are "worthy"

*None of us are "good enough"

*None of us "deserve" love, especially God's love

*God loves EVERYONE just as much (if not a bit more) as me

*I am who I am by GRACE alone

*There is no fear in love

*Fear is the opposite of faith

*Love is patient

*Hope doesn't disappoint

*Love never fails

* It's not about church, Christianity, or any particular pastor, leader or preacher.

*It is all about JESUS


As a result, I've met a lot of really cool people lately and opened myself up to new friendships, new experiences and a new perspective on life, God and love. I really do love Jesus, I really do love people and I really do love life :)

So in the words of Brandon Heath:

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see...
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity

Give me Your arms for the brokenhearted
Those that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see...