Thankful 2012

I'm hosting my family, so the next few days are going to be a little crazy.  But lest you think me ungrateful, I will post this now.  Here are the things I am most grateful for this year.

god.
the captain.
clara.
the rugrats.
a respectful teenager.
re-election.
knee-high boots.
my health.
my childrens' health.
opportunity.
jax teller.
forgiveness.
winning bets.  (you know who you are.)
carbs.
this side of pregnancy.
yoga pants.
dr. brown.
hope.
a recovering real estate market.
laughter.
progressive talk radio.
daily manna.
my mom.
understanding.

Wishing all of you a happy holiday and blessings as you celebrate your own gratitude.  God be with you!

 

The other night, I laid my head on my pillow with my gorgeous and loving husband next to me.  I thought of my teenager sleeping downstairs, rapidly outgrowing the twin bed he's always slept on.  I imagined my two rugrats sounds asleep on their bunks.  And my sweet baby girl, across the hall, taking sweet little baby breaths all swaddled up and warm.  And I thought that if I had no other possessions in all my world, but these -- this roof over our heads, and this safe place to be together, it would be enough.  Lord, let me always determine my value by these gifts alone.

Thank you, Jesus.

Discussing the Discussion

This weekend, a couple of my sisters and I had a short conversation about the Voter ID Amendment on the ballot in Minnesota.  Instantly, we were silenced by my brothers.  "I make a motion to not discuss politics!"  And someone seconded it, so I shut up.  But I'm not going to lie, I didn't do so happily.  I stewed about it for awhile, and I'm still kind of mad.

It's often said that we shouldn't discuss politics and religion.  I often say that those two subjects might be the most important subjects of all (in addition, I think a world without them is boring.  It's when I've been most deeply challenged that I've learned the most.).  And I'm sure there are situations where it's not appropriate, but among a couple sisters, who want to discuss it, five days before a national election?  Yeah.  That's appropriate.

I admit that I took their muzzling personally.  How can I not?  Out of this family of eleven, I am the only one who is political.  I am most certainly the only Democrat.  And frankly, it's not easy. One brother actually said he didn't want to stand by "the Democrat" in our family picture.  A joke?  Not funny.  Sometimes I wonder how it could be, that I'm the only one among 20 adults with these worldviews.  I genuinely think that I'm respectful when I talk about the things I care about.  Are you really so offended if I share my perspective?  Or do you just find it boring?  What do you think is going to happen if we spend half an hour talking about politics?  I think we might just have an interesting conversation.

In my house, we will discuss politics.  We might not agree, and we might have passionate debates.  But we're going to be informed, and we're going to be involved.  We're going to talk -- nothing will be offlimits.  I want my kids to not only understand the issues, but understand how to make their point, and how to discuss the merits of their argument.  Intelligent people can disagree. And they can have a conversation that includes current events, and politics, and religion.  Because at the end of the day, those are the things that matter most -- our convictions and our beliefs.  In my house, I will not be silenced, nor will anyone who wants to talk.  Come on over.

Prayer of St. Francis

In this election season, and in all the turmoil of this world, this prayer has been coming to me over and over.  So over and over I repeat it and remind myself what things are most important.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Separation of Church and State

In an online conversation a few months ago, when she felt like she had me against the wall she laid a trap: "Don't you want a Christian president?!"

I've been mulling that over.  And I can't decide if you will attack me for this position or not.  Maybe you know me well enough by now.  The good thing?  I know myself well enough.  I feel really comfortable with the hard questions, and after a lot of deliberation, this one is no different. 

Do I want a Christian president?

Meh.  Not important, really.  Look.  The past 44 presidents have been Christians (I think?).  In our history, we've had plenty of presidential scandal, right?  Wars that were based on greed.  Marital infidelity.  Stealing land and natural resources from people just because we could.  Because they had something -- land, resources, that we wanted.  Authorization to occupy countries to protect "our" investment in oil, and diamonds, and other valuable resources.  We've had presidents who were married, and single, and divorced.

Here's the thing -- while I am a very proud follower of Jesus' teachings, I don't think that Christians have a monopoly on morality.  The longer I live and the more people I meet, the more I realize that we're all basically the same.  We're mostly inherently good.  My friend Beth, an atheist, is one of the most generous and accepting people I know.  I have friends who are Jewish, and Muslim, and Buddhist.  I have friends of many sects of Christianity.  And mostly, they're good.  And the ones that aren't as kind, well, some of those folks are Christians too.

I want the president to be honest.  And kind.  And care more for The People than him or herself.  I want the president to place value in hard work and education and caring for the less fortunate.  I want him or her to place less importance on a dollar, and more importance on humanity.  I want the president to love peace, and reject evil.  And choose diplomacy first. 

And wherever they draw their sense of right and wrong from, I pray that they are wise and good.  That's what's important to me.

Clara

She'll be two months tomorrow, the little-girl-I-always-wanted.  Be still, my heart.

What Matters Most

I used to be single.  I used to be bored, and wonder if I was going to have a family of my own.  And then, suddenly, I woke up and I have all these crazy little loves in my life.  And luck and good fortune and blessings hardly begin to describe it.