I am not my Own

Being pro-life and pro-choice is an oxymoron. They are diametrically opposed to one another. If you are pro-choice, you cannot be pro-life. To say you are pro-life personally and pro-choice politically reflects a lack of moral clarity. 

I tried to hold onto this “pro-choice for others, but pro-life for me” view coming out of college 20+ years ago. In my own heart, I would never have considered terminating my own pregnancy or rejecting my baby, but, I would never have presumed to make that decision for others!  After all, I was not God!  I couldn’t say the value of an unborn child held more value than the mother’s. I could not insist that woman, brutally raped, would suffer more from an abortion than carrying the consequence of her attack for nine months. No!  I would not sit in the judgement seat for fellow women. After all, I was well-educated, progressive in thought, and rather despised being told what to do myself!  I grew up on the coat tails of women’s liberation and I enjoyed unconstrained freedom in my early adulthood. This had all served me quite well, thank you. 

Or...so I had thought.

In college, I managed to see just about everything the world had to offer me, and experience much of what women before me had fought passionately for.  But, as I left the cocoon of academia, I soon discovered that I not only acquired a lot of knowledge, but a lot of confusion. I had an impressive degree to show for my academic efforts, but also a host of regrets to show for my personal choices. 

Yes, choices. My choices.  Foolish choices with consequences. Consequences that I was not adequately prepared for, and ramifications that I would not realize until years later.  I didn’t have the foresight or maturity to know how my behavior would impact me and others in my future.  Nor, in my selfish ambition, did I care.  I was young, impulsive, and free.

“Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord” Psalm 25:7.

The transition from college to the “real world” was the most trans-formative time in my life. Despite my independence, I found that I knew little about who I was. I thought I had the whole world before me, but was left with little understanding of how to plot my own course. That corridor of my life led me to search out the faith that I had thus far, only considered upon convenience.  

God knew my inconstant ways! The Bible says, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Prov. 22:15. The youth is full with folly (Job 12:12; Prov. 19:20), and age alone does not lead to wisdom. We all know plenty of adults who were spared the rod of discipline and never overcame their foolishness! Nor will studies bring true enlightenment (Ecc. 12:12). No... the quest for wisdom leads way beyond the bounds of human efforts, as James counsels:  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).  Could it be that simple?

The journey for me was far from easy. Anyone who knows me, knows I am pretty stubborn and equally opinionated. Surrendering my views to Christ's views took time and remains an ongoing effort for me. So believe me when I say, even as I sought after Christ, I plead my case for pro-choice as passionately as I stand now against it. The problem with my arguments in favor of a woman's choice, wasn’t that I was lacking intellectual strength, but consistency in principle. To make a convincing argument for abortion, I had to first abort all other moral judgments. It was a frustrating time for me, because in my effort to be compassionate, I was robbing myself of a soul.  Lest that sound dramatic, let me explain...

The more I came to know Christ as Creator, the less I could hold dear to my own human understanding. To limit God's ways, based on my view of what was merciful or beneficial for anyone else, was putting myself in HIS place more than I was before! God boldly revealed to me, 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

What a relief to release that burden!  It was no longer about moral equity, but eternal insight. By realizing my human limitations, I was able to gain moral clarity by accepting what I know to be true (God's Word) and what I don't (God's ways).  It changed the murky and complex dialogue from one of human rights to one of divine omniscience. It was no longer my interest to argue about bodily autonomy, quality of life, or healthcare accessibility. Instead I could rest in the absolute truth that we are not in a position to know what is best for us.  To even presume we know what is best - a birth or an abortion – is absurd, because we don't know how God will use that experience in out lives. The only course forward for me, as a believer in an all-knowing and all powerful God, is to surrender everything to Him - and take Him at his Word.

The first thing I learned about his Word was this simple, humbling truth, discovered at the foot of the Cross:  I am not my own. 

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (I Cor. 6:19-20) 

My valuation of human life – and on all subsequent issues of humanity - fundamentally changed when I understood the sacrifice my Heavenly Father made for me. It was then I understood we have no value apart from Christ - and to Christ, we all have value. How amazing it was to discover that he knit me in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-18), loved me while I yet sinned (Romans 5:8), and then accepted me as his own (2 Chron. 30:9)!

God cannot reveal his plan for us when human perspective gets in the way.  When we ignore his teaching, violate his laws and reject his grace, based on our understanding, we cut ourselves off from his love, his protection and his wisdom. We all have different experiences and different views, but there is one truth we all have in common - we do know the future.  We cannot know the regrets we might have, the opportunities we may miss, or the blessings we may forfeit from our decisions. But we do know who does.  And if I am to praise him in times of victory, I must trust him in times of tribulation.  It has become a simple argument for me - and it is an unwavering truth: "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8

A Feminist in a Post-Feminist World

My Mother should have been aborted.

I wonder if she would have, if her mother had been given a choice.

What saddens me most, though, is how many people who know and love my mother continue to support the detestable practice that easily could have prevented her existence. In fact, I believe many of our family and friends would not only have defended an abortion in my grandmother's circumstances, but would have celebrated and defended her right to end my mother's life. I cannot help be offended by the mere thought that they believe my mother's life has so little value.

I do not know all the details – but I do know my birth-grandmother had few if no other “choice” than to face the consequences of her actions. I'd like to think that regardless of the laws in 1948, she would have chosen life for her baby.  I believe she not only wanted to give birth to her little girl, but had intended to love and provide for her.  I think she understood that she made her “choice” when she became pregnant. I imagine she was ostracized in her community and paid a high price for her unfortunate condition during that era.  She was a poor, unwed teenager without a means provide for her little girl. Without the assistance of welfare and the protection of fair labor laws, I am sure she did the best she could, for as long as she could....

Finally, one day, she bathed and dressed her adorable two-year old daughter in her finest dress and courageously and traumatically, delivered her to a local orphanage. My biological grandmother bravely, and painfully choose to surrender motherhood, so another family could provide a better life for my mom – so my mom could realize all that she could be. She didn't selfishly chose to END her life, she selflessly chose to give her a BETTER life.

Being granted her right to life, my mother had the privilege of experiencing an incredible era for women. She was raised in the 60’s and graduated the same year the first Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed, forbidding discrimination in the workplace based on gender. In 1972, she witnessed the passage of Title IX, expanding educational programs and sports to women. Doors were opening and equality was advancing.

While she was pregnant with me, her peers marched on D.C., in favor of legalizing abortion (Roe v. Wade, 1973). Ironically, that historic Supreme Court decision fell on the heels of two other important footnotes in history: the legalization of contraception for married couples (Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965) and the legalized use of contraceptives for single women (Eisenstadt v. Baird, 1972). We don’t hear much about those... Perhaps if women would have exercised those rights, we would not have needed the ladder.

In 1973, women-only military units were eliminated, clearly in response to their capable and brave service alongside men in Vietnam, Korea and WWII. Closing out the women's movement in the 1970’s, women celebrated the victory of non-discrimination in the workplace, based on maternity or family status, in 1978.

The 1960’s and 1970’s brought about real and important changes for women in America. These advancements have not been without controversy, failures or areas for improvement – but they were all historically important and have huge impacts on society. I think it is amazing that my beautiful mother was a product of that era and that her life was shaped by these events.

It is interesting, that even though my Mom is a strong, outspoken, confident and capable women who lived during these societal shifts, believes in equality, and has benefited from the advancement of women’s rights, would NEVER call herself a "feminist" by today’s social-political definition.  And I know that because what this generation believes is "feminism," isn't.

Feminism, in its purest form is defined as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” or “the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.” Although equally shocking for their time in history, those were the goals of the feminist movement of the 60's. Born out of the “free love” generation of the 70’s, the expansion of feminism beyond 1980 began to include advocacy of bodily autonomy, as a women’s right. Thus started the “post-feminism” movement.

Post-feminism, instead of challenging the laws of man, focuses on redefining the laws of nature. This movement is motivated by pushing the boundaries of science itself, by rejecting much of what we know of gender identity, psychology, morality and human development. This has been wildly popular movement and has enjoyed an expansion of their base to include many men. It plays well into fleshly desires, reducing the stigma and alleviating the consequences of promiscuous behavior. To promote this platform, the post-feminist movement has rather effectively transformed our society into gender-less collection of mammals, who have no individuality or inherent value. Their goals appear not to be the celebration of human rights, but the extraction of human distinction.

When my mother met her mother for the first time about 20 years ago, she didn't meet a victim. She was happy my mother had a good life.  And my mother didn't ask her why she made the choices she made. She was just happy her mother put her welfare first.  My mom simply thanked her for loving her – for trying – for bravely and heart-breakingly giving her up, so that she could have a future.

THAT is what being a woman is about... to love and care for others - especially our children.  If you are unsure who's life is more important, you better make sure you never create one. Because the minute you do, that choice is not longer yours. If you do not want a child, take proactive measures to make sure you never have one.  Women can CHOOSE to have a hysterectomy; Men can CHOOSE to have a vasectomy! Exercise your rights to birth control.  THAT concerns your body and your right. But, the life that lives inside you is not your right to terminate.  But you cannot have it both ways. You cannot on one hand fight for equality, and then change the scales in your favor.

Being a feminist isn’t hiding in a crowd of 100,000 people, screaming profanity, being vulgar, demeaning other women, decrying men or demanding your way. Women before us were not fighting for the freedom to become equally immoral. We did not earn our rights at the expense of the rights of others. Being a feminist provides the opportunity to embrace womanhood, honor motherhood and respect the lives of all humans. It has awarded us a voice - use that voice to defend the rights of others and protect those who have no voice.  

Prov. 31
/tmw

Little Did I Know

The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions. - Leonardo Di Vinci

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition with symptoms including inattention, impulsivitity and hyperactivity.  A slightly less crazy version of the same, is predominantly inattentive ADHD (or ADD). ADD does not have the hyperactivity aspect, but includes problems focusing, being easily distracted, and trouble following directions and conversations. The diagnosis of these disorders have been on the rise the last 20 years. It is unclear whether that is due to new contributing factors, or if they are just able to more easily identify the disorders.

I admit it; I used to think an ADHD diagnosis was just a convenient label for undisciplined kids resulting from passive parenting. I thought it was over-diagnosed, and the medication over prescribed. I felt that if kids were just loved and disciplined more, they would all be "normal" and not have to "act out" for attention.

Yep, we all like normal...normal is comfortable.

Through the years, I have become painstakingly familiar with God's response to my general comfort - especially when I am lounging in the cozy, safety of my own opinion. I am also well acquainted with his approach when he is about to bestow his wisdom upon me. To save time, and my prolonged foolishness, he usually cuts straight to my heart. It is an effective approach, and always painful, but I know he does it because he loves me and wants me grow.  He doesn't want me to live in the "deception of my own opinion."

As I started this journey learning about ADHD, I found that even when I truly wanted to understand this disorder, I just couldn't relate. I thought I would never really know what it felt like to live with it.... until I watched this video.

After watching that video, I understood that it is not enough to tell someone with ADHD to focus. Their brain simply doesn't know what stimuli to pay attention to.  And, even when they try, it is difficult to shut off all of the other messages firing around them. That video was hardly tolerable for me to watch; I can't imagine what it was like in someone's head.  It is annoying, confusing, and frustrating; I couldn't wait for it to end! And then it did. With a press of a button, I turned it off.

People with ADHD don't get that luxury.

Often, anxiety disorders live alongside ADHD.  I can imagine why!  This really compounds the struggle. With both ADD and anxiety, the brain is not only trying to negotiate external stimuli, the entire body is experiencing a physiological response for survival! I have found that kids, especially, have this incredible ability to put on masks, to satisfy society's expectations of normality. Whatever mask provides them cover and comfort, they will wear: masks of humor, apathy, promiscuity, or anger. However, if they are exposed, they lose their coping strategy and they can panic. When they panic, their bodies go straight into "fight or flight" instincts for self-protection. That never ending space between feeling overwhelmed and anxious, is physically and mentally exhausting. The effort to focus and the pressure to perform can be paralyzing, and the failure succeed at it, can lead to depression.

Oh my.... these are heartbreaking lessons.

I believe in my heart that all kids want to succeed in life - and can - with the right encouragement and support. But our definition of success cannot be "sameness." If we truly believe God crafted each of us uniquely, that must include our brains. And if God created each of us in his image, then all brains must have equal value. We must stop placing value on this elusive idea of "normal."

In my own humility, I have come to understand that is not as simple as enough love or the right discipline to raise a successful child. Many times it takes the right information, a lot of determination, and understanding from others.  It takes patience, and partnerships and prayer.  And even with all of that, each child will still have their own path to success and their own definition of what that is.

I know it is sometimes difficult to accept those who don't fit society's definition of "normal."  I know it hard to understand someone's behavior when they don't respond the way we want them to. I know it is challenging to teach people differently, especially when the system isn't set up that way.  But I also know... through this journey, that the effort is worth it.

I am ever thankful through these life lessons, that God doesn't just wack me upside the head and leave me face-down on the pavement. Instead he walks alongside me, teaching me, comforting me, forgiving me, and giving me his Spirit - so that when I finish the difficult journey, I might better reflect God's grace in my life.

And so.... the journey continues.

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures."  - James 1:16‭-‬18 NASB

To learn more about ADHD, visit CHADD.ORG 

A Right or an Obligation?

I saw a post on Facebook the other day - and thought it was worth sharing:  It said, "If the right to vote compels every American to vote - by that logic, the right to keep and bear arms would compel every citizen to own a gun."

Yikes! Of course, that is ridiculous! But it begs the question - is voting a right or a duty? 

The reason this analogy is preposterous is because no one would want every one to own a gun.  A person who is mentally unsound, or has a violent history, probably shouldn't own a gun.  We also should not want someone to own a gun without a good understanding of gun laws or the mechanics of a gun. Owning a gun is a right, but there are qualifiers that must be met in order to exercise that right. If you do not properly identify yourself, you cannot legally purchase a gun. Even when you're thinking about making a purchase, a thorough background check is done to ensure you are a mentally healthy, law abiding citizen. And then, if you misuse that gun, not only does your right get taken away, but you go to jail! 

Wow! They really take this right seriously! In fact, it almost feels like a privilege - but it's not! It's a right. One could argue that the responsibility of exercising our gun rights demands more stringent precautions.  However, I would argue that the risk exercising the right to vote has equally critical implications. 

We should not expect, ask, nor ever wish all Americans to exercise their right to vote. Citizens who are uneducated about our political process, ill-informed about the candidates, or completely ignorant of the issues, could arguable be unqualified to participate.  Like the right to own a gun, the right to vote is both a right and a privilege. However.... it is not an obligation.

In recent years, politicians have mastered the ground game of "getting out the vote.” This seemingly patriotic plea is not as much about fair representation in Washington, as it is about depending on the uninformed voter population. They pull people out of their homes, off the streets, and cry disenfranchisement if anyone is questioned. Candidates don't have to worry about campaign promises, because many of these folks will not understand the issues well enough, or care about them long enough, to hold them accountable. This election day hustle works with lofty promises and tantalizing incentives to make the oblivious voter their Election Day BFF. 

How can I say this?  I can say this with near certainty, because many of the issues we are facing are hard for me to understand as a college graduate! These are complex issues of economics and international relations; medicine and morality.  The experts cannot agree, the facts change daily, and the media is biased. Who can we trust to tell us the facts? If we rely solely on headlines and campaign videos for our information – we are missing a lot of perspectives! 

Someone who hasn’t even cared enough to register to vote, cannot be much invested. I remember when I turned 18; that was one of the first things I did!  Joining this democratic process is a rite of passage! Finally! Someone wanted to know what I thought; I had some control my future! And, the only way I could exercise that right was to register to vote! Becoming educated about the world, making informed decisions, and joining the process, is simply a part of becoming a good citizen.

Yes, voting can be considered a duty - but it is a duty unto ourselves.  We owe it to ourselves to be informed and active in the matters of our country.  We also have a duty to our families to protect the future of our children.  And finally, we have a duty to our fellow Americans, to understand what we are voting for. 

Become an informed voter.  Do your duty to read and listen carefully; know who and what is on your ballot. Check out candidate websites, and then read opposing views for a broader perspective. Seek out non-political, subject matter experts in the topics you care about and consider their counsel. Don't be afraid to wrestle out those controversial topics with friends, maybe you will learn something.   Then, when Election Day comes, and you enter the voting booth you will not only know where the candidates stand, but what you think - and why.

Voting is more than a census or a survey of every American's favorite color or animal.  Instead, it is an opportunity to stick a pin on a map of the future, pointing to where you want to go and who you will follow to get there. 

In the end of all this political chaos remains a democracy; it is governed by the people, for the people.  You are responsible for who leads this country. If you are unwilling or uninterested to responsibly participate in such a lofty duty, by all means, stay home. That is also your right.

1 Peter 2:13-16

Why I will vote "No" on Tuesday

There will be a Constitutional Amendment question on the Minnesota ballot. It will state:

Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to remove state lawmakers' power to set their own salaries, and instead establish an independent, citizens-only council to prescribe salaries of lawmakers?

On the surface, this sounds like a fantastic idea, but here is why I will be voting “No.”

Transparency. Let's be realistic - an “independent” council is never really independent – especially in the state of Minnesota (MET Council, anyone?).  Members of the council would be hand-picked by the governor and the Minnesota Supreme Court chief justice. Even though it is to be made up by members of both parties in equal numbers, it is wrought with opportunity for special interests, political agendas and corruption.  I understand the legislature may want to hand this responsibility over to avoid the appearance of “conflict of interest,” but honestly, I feel as though they are passing the buck.

Accountability.  Under a clause in the state’s constitution, legislators are required to set pay for a wide range of public officials — including themselves. Part of their job is to approve the budget for the entire state and determine our taxes.  If they can make these other financial decisions, I think they should be able to discern an appropriate salary for themselves.  Whether they prove themselves capable or not, they should be held accountable for it.

This amendment has enjoyed some bipartisan support, which is why we haven't heard much about it in the news.  The argument has been made that legislators are in a no-win situation when it comes to this subject.  If they vote for a pay increase, the electorate cries foul (conflict of interest).  In fact, many have lost their seat for voting in favor of a pay increase in the past.  On the other hand, if they do not vote for a pay raise, we risk losing good legislators, due to reasons of insufficient income for their family. That is unfortunate.

But, for me – that is sort of the point.  Personally, I want our legislators to consider very carefully whether it is appropriate and prudent to increase their salary. I want people to serve their state not in financial hardship, but also not a career path.  I don’t want them to be too comfortable that they never leave.  I appreciate that they need to go back to their districts and present their case for a raise and justify their votes up or down. That is what responsibility and accountability look like.  I don’t want them sloughing it off on some independent committee, where they can shrug their shoulders and plead ignorance.

As a matter of a fair living wage... serving in the MN state legislature is meant to be a part-time job. An article at Minnpost.org does a fairly good job outlining the amendment on the ballot, and the salary structure of the MN state legislators. 

In 2016, the MN Legislature was in session from March 8 through May 23. That is 104 days (minus holidays and including weekends).  So, if the average legislator receives a salary of $32,000, plus an $85 per diem while in session… the compensation would be right around $40,000. Legislators who live further away receive more per diem due to their commute/lodging expenses while in session. Those in leadership also receive an extra $12,000 bonus.

No, this really is not enough to support a family, if that is an annual income. And, I will concede that our state leaders probably work pretty hard for that pay. But, they do not work as our legislators all year. So hopefully, like their constituents, they supplement that income the other 261 days of the year with another job or with spousal income. The bottom line is, it was never meant to be a career. Is that to say our legislators shouldn’t receive a comparable income to their peers in different states? No. Are they? I will let you be the judge (ballotpedia.org). We all have different perspectives on earnings and can make that determination independently at the ballot box when our state representatives run for re-election.

This year we must confront the issue of process versus pay. Do we choose to keep our legislative body responsible and accountable for determining their pay, or turn it over to a independent council?  Since  we have a system of government where we place our trust in individuals charged with protecting our interests and promoting our well-being as a state, I believe it should remain in their domain. After all, an independent council does not have that relationship with Minnesota voters; they have no accountability or obligation to the citizens of this state.  Instead, they are serving at the pleasure of whomever appoints them.

Yeah, I don't like the odds...

I am voting "No."

Oh the Hypocrisy!

I understand completely.  I do.  

As a Christian, as a wife and mother, Donald Trump pretty much disgusts me.  He does. 

But, here’s my problem….

The hypocrisy of the Democratic Party disgusts me more.

All across America, throughout liberal college campuses everywhere, our youth are chugging down alcohol, smoking pot, raping women, causing riots and disrespecting all elements of authority.  They do so under the promotion of disenfranchisement and the protection leadership in this country.  For years, this country has passed off this behavior as “rights of passages.”  Whether it has been athletes or spoiled yuppies, we have bailed them out of jails, coddled them as victims, celebrated their prowess, and considered their “potential” so we could look the other way.

We have young women in this country, who celebrate prancing around half-dressed, sleep around, and use filthy language and spewing hate.  Meanwhile, they demand respect and ownership their bodies in such a way that they think they are God. They expect equal pay and opportunity, but aren't willing to work for it and refuse to pay for the education they chose to squander away at bars, coffee shops and marches.  

Meanwhile, we have celebrities who promote violence and sexual assault on screen, while off screen pouring guilt money into anti-bullying and anti-gun programs.  We have a music industry whose lyrics promote racial hatred and demean women, and are surprised when their listeners use their very words in their daily speech.  The stirring of discontent leads to violence, drug abuse and suicide.

This President and the Democratic Party has had years to stand up for women and morality.  They have chosen to burden women with abortion as a means of birth control instead of demanding that men take personal and financial responsibility. They could have focused this energy into supporting and protecting vulnerable women and providing for the unborn. They have had countless opportunities to clean up our colleges, regulate drugs, and punish those who abuse the laws of the land.  Where has Mrs. Obama been?  She could have been sharing her "faith" with impressionable, innocent youth – pleading with girls to respect themselves enough to protect their bodies and pursue their dreams?  Instead she was planting gardens and lecturing us on our sugar intake.  Why hasn’t Mr. Obama used his testimony to illustrate the progress of civil rights in this country, the problems within the inner city and promote what IS possible? To what benefit has it served to merely complain, when they have had the position and power to mobilize this country to greatness?  

I don’t think there is a conservative in the land who celebrates Trump’s perspectives on women.  Almost all of his supporters are disappointed and have refused to defend him.  He knows it and has apologized.  Yet, the very population that was offended by Clinton's impeachment, cries out in shock and horror at Trump's language. Well, I don’t buy it; not from the Democratic party.  It further solidifies the dis-ingenuousness of the party.  And one thing that I won’t be party to is compromising my own integrity by pretending that I am perfect.   

Here's the deal...

I honestly do not the condition of Donald’s soul and it is really not for me to say (John 8:7).  It is true, a Christian is known by his fruit (Matt 7:16), but I also know that even Christians have sin in our lives, and our Christian walk is a journey, growing in grace and gradually changing to be more like Jesus (2 Cor 3:18, Phil 3:12). Whereas the Clintons have claimed to be Christians their entire life, their public life has been rampant with dishonesty and immorality.  Donald has not made such a claim.  He has admitted that he has lived the majority of his life without Christ.  And his life reflects that.  He has claimed to be evolving and has shown a gradual change in his views and his positions.  I do not know if he understands what being a Christian means. His speech certainly doesn't resemble a typical born-again Christian.  However, when I was first saved, I didn't either.  I still held many un-Biblical opinions and was very confused what a relationship with Christ meant to my life. In spite that, God saved me. I knew I was a sinner, I asked for forgiveness, and welcomed him to take control of my life.  It took time to learn and grow and change my habits and views. It was not instant or easy - and I wasn't running for President, having every word scrutinized.

If he is a Christian, he is a baby one.  Instead of condemning the man, we should be supporting him, encouraging him and praying that God continues to work in his life.  How dare any Christian judge him based on his life without Christ – what would we expect? I would be doomed if I have to be held to account for my life prior to Christ. Praise God, I am made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Folks, Christianity is progress over perfection. However, when I look at the Clinton's and their continued lack of integrity over the course of their lives, it is evident to me they have perverted their faith to fit their politics.  Rotten fruit.

So, for now, I will judge Trump on policy. I will vote for the issues I can influence.

I want safety and opportunity of my family. I want borders to protect us from enemies who wish us harm. I want a gun rights to protect us from those who violate those bounds. I want school choice to protect our impressionable youth from liberal poisoning.  I want healthcare rights to protect us from malpractice. I want freedom to protect our rights to worship and speak according to our conscious. I don't need a preacher or a nanny in the White House; I want a leader, a defender, a scholar, and a servant. 

I will never have the political power to change the way someone acts or speaks.  But, I will exercise my rights to vote for the candidate who believe in consequences for breaking the law, respecting life and protecting our rights. Someone said recently that it is not a matter of choosing between two evils, but voting for the most good. I am not voting for Donald Trump, I am voting for a platform. 

I am voting for the Republican Party Platform.  This is the only platform that stands upon a commitment to my core values. This party believes in American exceptionalism and the integrity of our Constitution.  Will I be disappointed in the person for which I cast my vote?  No doubt I will. However, when I stand before God, I will know I voted for a set of ideas and ideals that was most consistent with God's Word. 

This presidency is a caricature of our country.  If you are disgusted and ashamed, then look around.  This is our America.  These are the types of people we elevate… selfish, pandering, egocentric elites. The Republican Party had 16 candidates - SIXTEEN.  Many were ethical, brilliant, lifelong servants of this country.  But, instead the American majority wanted a sideshow.

I have no blinders on about the negatives of a Trump presidency.  He is a loose cannon. But as President, he is constrained by checks and balances. His speech will be no more offensive than the policies that have been promoted this last eight years.  His relationships around the world can damage us no more than Obama’s. 

Trump is right…what do we have to lose?  It is pathetic.  But, alas, here we are.

I agree that we are better than this.  I have a hope for revival, and a change of hearts and minds in this country.  But, it won’t happen in this election; it won’t happen with any election. It will happen when knees begin to bow… when we collectively humble themselves and realize we are sinful and in need a Savior.  Until then, I will honor God with my vote and thank him for the privilege of being in a country where I am free to do so.

A Nation that Feeds upon Itself

I truly feel that most people in this country are proud of their nation, and want to see us united and value the freedoms and traditions we all enjoy as Americans.  I believe the American public would prefer an honest and ethical president. I think all parties would celebrate a diverse government with broad representation – across race, religion, economic status and gender.  I know any loving parent also wants the best future for their child, and that every child wants their parents cared for in their golden years. 

In that same spirit, I would also wager that the majority of Americans understand the positive intent of our Constitution, as it was written.  However, what I am beginning to understand - what I now believe - is that Americans truly not comprehend the risks and ramifications of its slow erosion.  Either willfully or unwittingly, we have become uninformed and apathetic regarding hour nation's history and the principles it was founded on.  The truth is, the constitution was written to protect us from both the tyranny of our rulers and from our own selfish natures.

Instead, we have become a nation that feeds on itself like an ouroboros. Many have succumbed to the myth that our Constitution is immortal. Like the mythical snake that devours its own tail, many believe if we just change our form, we can evolve alongside culture. However, the reality is, once we bite off the tail, the organism slowly decays and will be unable to sustain itself.  Although our Constitution was fully designed to be amended, its vital appendages were never intended to be amputated.

A broader examination of history can provide more context.
Unlike the Constitution, which has been scrutinized in the courts to re-interpret over generations, the Declaration of Independence, as a historical record, remains unchanged. The Declaration serves as the testimony from our founding fathers, stating why this country fought for independence, what principles this country would be built upon, and who gave them their rights.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Our rights were not given to us by the government. Our government was created to protect our God-given rights.  When the monarchy in England became a tyranny, the people revolted and fought.  Many are blindly surrendering their rights back to an authority, other than their Creator, ignorant of what it will cost to get them back.

Because our rights are endowed by our Creator, they are inherent and unalienable. People unfamiliar with their Creator, are deceived into relativism.  When we remove our Creator from society, individuals make “self” their God. That leads to a nation of egocentric citizens, motivated by their own interests, instead of the benefit of the majority.  That isn’t democracy; that is anarchy.

Sadly, Americans have become uninformed and uninterested in truth.  By truth, I mean objective facts. In an age where information is endless and instantaneous, people have permitted the media to propagandize their perceptions of history, rather than discern truth themselves, based on facts. In addition, institutes of education have blurred the lines of fact and fiction, altering recorded history to conform to present culture.  In a nation of narcissists, we subscribe only to the perspectives we agree with – further deafening us our own demise.  That isn’t  the pursuit of truth; than is indoctrination.

If we continue to elect representatives who serve themselves, versus listening to the govern; if we elect a president who chooses which laws to enforce, based on his own beliefs; if we continue to allow the courts to deconstruct the foundation that our Constitution was built upon, we will, in essence, have eaten our own tail.  And, these words of the Declaration may haunt us once again: 

The history of the present [Government] King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states.