This is God’s world, and I deeply believe he is at work in it. He is with me in my work. He is with you in yours. Hold onto this truth along with me, despite evidence against it.
There are so many people in pain right now. Locally, nationally, globally. As a Christian, my question is, how can I participate in relieving suffering, even in my little corner? This year has brought my attention to those suffering the most: the sick, orphans, widows, the marginalized, the foreigner, the sojourner, the jobless, the poor, the oppressed… the list goes on….
I usually try and stay away from political discourse on this page and on public posts, but this year feels different. I am finding that my angst is directly tied to my creativity. Brene Brown says that “unused creativity is not benign”. Every human is creative, though not every human uses the creative energy they possess. It’ll come out sideways in some way. The stress I am feeling around this year has been coming out sideways because I have not given voice to all the thoughts rattling around in my head. Do you feel this? Is there a way that you can express creatively what you are feeling inwardly?
I have voted conservatively ever since I was old enough to vote. I always felt great pride in the democratic process, knowing that women fought for my right to cast a vote. I took my oldest daughter to the voting booth for the first time in 2016, the first election that she cast her vote. We’d had several conversations leading up to that day. She knew that for the first time, I was not voting Republican. I used to be a one-issue voter. I always voted “pro-life”.
I’m going to the polls this week to cast my early vote. I will be voting pro-life again. I will not be voting for Donald Trump. In no universe would I ever cast a vote for him. When I say I am pro-life, that holds a lot of responsibility. It means I am for life, no matter what kind. I don’t get to choose whose life I am for. I am for life in all of its nuanced variances. It’s not up to me to get to choose who lives and who dies. I am for the life of prisoners, foreigners, the displaced and marginalized. This is what it means to be pro-life. I really hate abortion. I hate that women are in a position where they feel like they have no other alternatives. If we can’t take care of the living already existing on this earth, how do we take care of those that have yet to come? The focus must change. We must care and be life-giving for those who are already here. I understand that policy must be a piece of the work, but it isn’t the most important. The dignity of each person is. A leader who grabs women by the pussy and uses that as a mark of power in no way cares for the life of others. While he grabs pussies, he’s grabbing power and that is his sole purpose. This was incredibly obvious way before he took office. Look at the reality tv show, where he took pleasure in the humiliation and failure of others. This is who we elected. I’m embarrassed and ashamed.
This Trump flag is at the address below…
What is it? 1865??
Some folks say that Trump isn’t a racist. Ok, though I vehemently disagree with that statement based off of his own words, let’s say he’s not. Let’s just say he’s neutral on that for argument’s sake. His base is not. There have been so many racist movements in this country that he has not condemned and has stayed silent on (if you don’t think he’s endorsed these actions) that has given permission to his base to act out. This “silence” is incredibly irresponsible and completely inappropriate for his powerful position as a leader.
He is the most divisive, incompetent and anti-life president I have seen in my life time. I’ve seen the evidence all around me of ways that he has created an environment of “us” and “them”. I’ve heard friends being called baby killers because they’re not voting for Trump. These so-called “baby killers” are some of the most compassionate pro-life people you could find. I’ve seen people rejoice when Trump came down with Covid 19. Guys! Where is decency and kindness today? This is so disheartening. As Christians, we should know that love holds all things together… it is the very fabric of the universe. Let’s return to it. YOU are connected to the source of love and that source is ABUNDANT with pure and holy LOVE. Let’s come back together and let love win the day.