Elections are over, the votes (mostly) counted and we are done! I am so very thankful I cannot express it in words. Picture happy dances and sighs of relief. So let's all move on to real life again shall we?
Ok, first of all lately I have been reading a lot of books that are turning my heart and parts of my theology upside down. It isn't entirely pleasant--really, who loves emotional turmoil--but it IS good. There are just so many things that I'm finding new perspective on these days and I love it. Things I might have seen as colossal problems now seem less so, or even inconsequential; things that may have pushed me toward discouragement and despair no longer do (most of the time, I'm still human). The whole process to bring me to this time of re-evaluating big pieces of my life has been a long time coming. A very long time. It gives me hope my journey isn't quite as direction challenged as I thought. To fully explore the many avenues this is taking in my life will require multiple posts so I am keeping it fairly general right now. Suffice it to say I'm taking a long hard look at where I have been placing my heart and my trust, and whether those places are the right ones.
Related to this is my previously mentioned frustration with the election cycle and all things political. There are just so many things we as Americans should be paying more attention to in my opinion. Our whole society right now seems to be centered not around what is right or decent or good for all people, but what is easiest and most comfortable for us as Americans. I feel as though we are--collectively as a culture so I fully include myself in this--just saying to the world we do not care 1 iota about your life and death struggles, your desperate attempts to stay alive and feed your children and perhaps find work. 27 million people, largely women and children, trapped in slavery? Oh, that's not our problem, who cares? Is what our actions indicate our response to be. 26,000 people dying daily around the globe purely from starvation and easily treated diseases? Bahh, no biggie we say. But which guy wins the presidency will surely bring about either the end of the world or heaven on earth, depending on your point of view. One friend of mine even suggested instigating a new civil war over the results of yesterday's elections. Wow. Great enthusiasm and passion and all my friend, but since you claim Christ you're striking me as misguided. Possibly even insane. We are so much concerned with how our lives of abundance and complacency and constant, compulsive, unending consumption and materialism can be maintained and never disturbed in any way we've lost sight of what is true and right. It saddens me and makes me disgusted with myself and the country as a whole, and angers me too.
But since it is not within my power to upend the focus of the American consumption culture I will simply continue to read, and pray, and figure out what I can do to change my own life in order to help more people who truly need it. And I will pray extra for my angry heart to soften toward all those who seem apathetic to these issues, and the many other overlooked injustices on God's heart. I will start today.
