It's time to get serious about the election. We've lived through just over four weeks of campaigning; of promises and platforms; of election mobs and townhall meetings; of smears and bad-mouthing and put-downs.
But not it's time to get serious. Now it's time to consider carefully who we will vote for.
So often we take for granted our freedom to vote. In fact, some people take it so not-seriously that they choose NOT to vote. Or, they just vote for Nancy Nuts or John Judge because they represent the party the person has always voted for. I wonder, though, are either of those choices faithful? If we don't do some homework--reading up on a party; attending an all-candidates meeting; listening to a debate--if we don't do some research, are we voting faithfully and thoughtfully? And, what are we saying if we choose not to vote at all?
As followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility to ourselves, to others, and to this world. We are responsible for loving God, others, and ourselves in all things and at all times--especially in election times.
In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." Not to deify JFK, but I can imagine Jesus saying those words also. Don't ask what a party or a candidate will do to help you, but what they can do to help this country, and ALL of the folks of this country.
If you are reading this post, it's likely you are living a pretty good life. You own a computer. You are connected to the internet. We are a privileged people. But, there are so many in this world--AND IN THIS COUNTRY--who are not so blessed. Perhaps it's time for us to think about those folks when we go to the polls.
Maybe it's time for us to makes choices that benefit our abused sisters; our children who live in perpetual poverty; and our brothers caught in cycles of addiction. Perhaps it's time for us to choose in support of families living below the poverty line; the unemployed and the underemployed. Maybe we need to think about students over-burdened with loan payments and seniors who must use the food bank.
What would Jesus want? I don't think Jesus would opt for us to look after ourselves; to seek decreased taxes and increased health care; or, big breaks for business at the hands of poor families. I don't think Jesus would choose for our aboriginal brothers and sisters to continue to live as they have for the past 100 years; nor would he choose improved prisons, even as the crime rate decreases.
So, my friends, it's time to think about all those 'others' out there. What would Jesus do--WWJD? First of all: consider others when choosing a candidate; and secondly, vote.
It's in your hands now. Get out and vote.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Old Friends, Old Wine, Old Gold
We are celebrating two birthdays this week in our house, so dinner tonight was compliments of The Mandarin. It was good, as usual, and as usual, I ate more than my share of peel and eat shrimp. At the end of the meal, as usual, we received our fortune cookies. This is what my fortune said: "Old friends, old wine, old gold are the best." What can you argue about that???
Unfortunately my wine never stays around long enough to get old. And gold . . . well, I've never ever owned much gold. But friends, I'm overwhelmingly rich in friends--old and new.
There's something wonderful and rich and rewarding about old friends. I have several friends who have known me for the better part of 40 years and others with whom I've shared life's ups and downs for over 25 years. I have a group of 'girl' friends who have been good and faithful friends since our children were small, and we spent 'escape' weekends shopping in the USA. Old friends are sort of like old shoes--in the finest sense--they now you well and you just kind of fit together comfortably. There aren't a lot of things you have to explain, or stories you have to re-tell, because they've been around for most of it, and either know the stories already, or lived through them with you. They know when to come close, and when to stay away. They know when to offer a word, or a hug--or say nothing.
But you know, I also have some new friends--people I never dreamed would be close friends. And they're pretty great, too. Sure, they don't know the old stories, but neither do they care about them. In my life, many of these new friends showed up at a really difficult time, and they have been loyal and caring and compassionate in ways I never imagined new friends could be.
Friends, old AND new, are amazing treasures--not to be taken for granted or easily forgotten or disregarded. Friends are a gift from God in my life, and each day I am thankful a thousand times over for all they give to me in so many different ways.
So, if you are reading this, and you are a friend, this one's for you!! If not, maybe it's time we found each other and became friends!!
Unfortunately my wine never stays around long enough to get old. And gold . . . well, I've never ever owned much gold. But friends, I'm overwhelmingly rich in friends--old and new.
There's something wonderful and rich and rewarding about old friends. I have several friends who have known me for the better part of 40 years and others with whom I've shared life's ups and downs for over 25 years. I have a group of 'girl' friends who have been good and faithful friends since our children were small, and we spent 'escape' weekends shopping in the USA. Old friends are sort of like old shoes--in the finest sense--they now you well and you just kind of fit together comfortably. There aren't a lot of things you have to explain, or stories you have to re-tell, because they've been around for most of it, and either know the stories already, or lived through them with you. They know when to come close, and when to stay away. They know when to offer a word, or a hug--or say nothing.
But you know, I also have some new friends--people I never dreamed would be close friends. And they're pretty great, too. Sure, they don't know the old stories, but neither do they care about them. In my life, many of these new friends showed up at a really difficult time, and they have been loyal and caring and compassionate in ways I never imagined new friends could be.
Friends, old AND new, are amazing treasures--not to be taken for granted or easily forgotten or disregarded. Friends are a gift from God in my life, and each day I am thankful a thousand times over for all they give to me in so many different ways.
So, if you are reading this, and you are a friend, this one's for you!! If not, maybe it's time we found each other and became friends!!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Silent
For those of you who are old enough (i.e. over 45) you might remember the old song, "Silence is Golden". When I was a teenager, I didn't particularly appreciate the wisdom of those words. Life was about going and doing. Being quiet and sitting quietly were not on my list of top ten favourites--not even on my list of top 50 favourites!
Later, as the parent of three busy children, I quickly grew to appreciate the 'goldenness' of silence. Today I revel in it! There is nothing like a drive in the country, with the radio off. Or, the silence of just sitting in the back yard (substitute you favourite outdoor spot here) and listening to the birds, and the wind.
But, lately I've been wondering about God and silence.
Are there times when God is silent?
Life in our household has been somewhat difficult for a while, now, and as you might guess, I've come to ask some pretty deep 'God questions.' Where is God in the midst of this? Why don't I feel God's presence with me more strongly? Why can't I feel the comfort of God? Is this me? Is this God?
I haven't come to the place, yet, where I believe God is absent--because everything that's happened in my life leads me to believe otherwise. But silent? Could it be that God is sitting by me in silent solidarity? It certainly was so in the biblical story of Job. God was aware of Job and his troubles, yet chose to sit silently by while Job worked it all out.
I hold on to these questions, these days, silently working on puzzling them out. Maybe there is no answer. Maybe it is in the asking that the question has value.
And maybe, just maybe, it is in the silence that--one day--I will find my answers.
Later, as the parent of three busy children, I quickly grew to appreciate the 'goldenness' of silence. Today I revel in it! There is nothing like a drive in the country, with the radio off. Or, the silence of just sitting in the back yard (substitute you favourite outdoor spot here) and listening to the birds, and the wind.
But, lately I've been wondering about God and silence.
Are there times when God is silent?
Life in our household has been somewhat difficult for a while, now, and as you might guess, I've come to ask some pretty deep 'God questions.' Where is God in the midst of this? Why don't I feel God's presence with me more strongly? Why can't I feel the comfort of God? Is this me? Is this God?
I haven't come to the place, yet, where I believe God is absent--because everything that's happened in my life leads me to believe otherwise. But silent? Could it be that God is sitting by me in silent solidarity? It certainly was so in the biblical story of Job. God was aware of Job and his troubles, yet chose to sit silently by while Job worked it all out.
I hold on to these questions, these days, silently working on puzzling them out. Maybe there is no answer. Maybe it is in the asking that the question has value.
And maybe, just maybe, it is in the silence that--one day--I will find my answers.
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