At Least I'm Not Sad

If, in November, you check your box, punch your card, pull your lever, for Hillary Clinton - who are you voting for? You are voting for Hillary Clinton.

If, in November, you check your box, punch your card, pull your lever, for Donald Trump - who are you voting for? You are voting for Donald Trump.

If, in November, you check your box, punch your card, pull your lever, for Gary Johnson - who are you voting for? YOU ARE VOTING FOR GARY JOHNSON!!!!!!

If, in November, you stay at home, or go to work, or ride your bike and choose to abstain from voting - who are you voting for? NONE OF THEM!!!!!!

I am full-up with hearing that a vote for Gary Johnson is a vote for Hillary OR a vote for Gary Johnson is a vote for Trump. 

No. No it is not.

I had someone tell me recently that if I wasn't going to vote for Trump, I should "at least just be honest and vote for Hillary" - REALLY?!

This is America. Granted, it's going to hell in a hand basket, but it's STILL America. We get to vote - or not vote - for whoever (whomever?) we please.

Not all, but most of the people I know in this hand-crafted world are Christ-followers. Many of them are my friends in real life as well. We interact, we laugh, cry, live, eat, run, ride, work together. Some of them have prayed, researched, given thoughtful consideration to this - and they're voting for Hillary.  I do not understand it. But it's their right - I expect them to vote their conviction.

Some of them have prayed, researched, given thoughtful consideration to this - and they're voting for Trump. I do not understand it. But, again - I expect them to vote their conviction.

Some have done all of the above, and they're voting for Gary Johnson. Or maybe they've decided to not vote at all this year. I get both of these. I waffle between these two alternatives pretty regularly. But here's the deal, guys... They should get to cast their vote (or not) without someone telling them they are making a vile, irresponsible decision! It's their decision! They have to look themselves in the mirror for the next four years. 

But here's what I REALLY don't get... people that are voting for one the candidates, not because they believe in their character, or their political ideologies or their worldview - but because they believe it's the candidate that will give their "people" the most power, or the best positioning in congress or in the courts.

We are not to be a people seeking earthly power.

Find me one verse. One. that will support this.  We are to be a peculiar people. We are told, as Christ-followers, to expect to be in the minority, to be persecuted, to stand alone for what is right.

This world is not our home. We are not to be jockeying for power - to "take America back" - to win at all costs - to show the rest of the world who's boss - to "kick 'em out and take our country back".

We serve a King and a Kingdom. And this ain't it.

We have collectively lost our minds. We've forgotten where we belong.

Stop it. Please. 

Learning to Lean

Sometimes there is simply no good to find in the loss,

but there is still good in spite of the loss.

Sometimes there is no comfort in the pain,

but there is comfort in the God that sits with us in the pain.

No one will convince me that God wants this - that He wills what is happening right now,

but He is still present, (in the midst of), the very thing He does not want.

I do not believe in a God that would cause this to be,

but I do believe in a God that aches for restoration, alongside me.

He can bring beauty from the ashes,

but He did not cause these ashes.

He can bring strength from the suffering,

but He weeps with us in that suffering.

There is still good, still beauty, still purpose.

I believe He grieves with us in these times.

God brought water to an overwhelmed and dejected Elijah,
A vine to shade a selfish and mean-spirited Jonah,
He brought comfort to childless Hannah,
Forgiveness to Peter, in his betrayal,

He brought companionship to a lonely Zacchaeus,
He wept with Mary and Martha,
He brought forgiveness to His enemies,
Himself - to us all.

I believe, if we will let Him, He will wipe away our tears,

He will infuse us with Hope. 
With Joy. 

In spite of...

He saves our tears.

We are precious to Him.

This is the God I am learning to lean on.

You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
Ps. 56:8

See That?

See that? 

Peeking through just the tiniest bit?

There are big, dark, gray, full-of-rain, clouds trying to block it out.

Trying to keep me from seeing it.

But it's there.

As big and beautiful and powerful as always.

It's sustaining us.

Doing it's work to sustain life on this big, blue marble.

Even when we can't see it.

That's Hope.

That's Jesus.

And He's here.

When I can't see him at all.

When I can only see just the tiniest bit of Him.

My inability to see through grief, despair, hardship,

Feeling stuck in seemingly impossible circumstances...

My sight being obscured does not change the reality of what is.

He Is. --- "I AM"

He is still big, powerful, at work.

He is sustaining me, you -- us.

Even when we can't see it.

That's Hope.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Rom. 15:13