Pop-tart Crumbs and Soft Warm Kisses: November 2016

Just wanted to share two of my favorite pictures and moments from today. Took the boys to two of their favorite parks today. We spent two and a half hours at the Rainbow Park in Winona before going to the Lake one for another two hours. I met the most interesting and nice man while at the park. He was in his seventies and has 3 kids, been divorced once and is remarried to a women with 3 kids of her own and they are now one big happy family with a lot of chaos. The nice man was at the park with his 7 year old great grandson whom has been living with him along with his 3 other siblings until their mom gets back on her feet after a horrible motor vehicle accident that almost killed her, she is his grand daughter. He talked non stop to me for over an hour and a half. I think he just needed someone to talk to as he is in a very stressful situation. My heart went out to him and I felt grateful I could listen because I think he really needed someone to vent to. Poor man. Life is so full of interesting stories and sometimes in the most unexpected places you are able to hear them.=)

On our way home the sun was setting and with suck an amazing sky I had to stop for the view.

I lived through another election year. Hard to believe we wrapped up another eight years! Truly eight years goes by way too fast and the older you get the more aware of its speed you become. It is funny because in the last election I actually voted for John McCain because that is who my heart told me was the right man for the job. It is an amazing feeling being able to exercise your right to vote and even if it does not go your way it is still important and worth casting your ballet. There is no right or wrong vote, it is honorable to make the choice to accept the privilege of allowing your one small voice to be heard. President Obama was an excellent President in my eyes. Looking back I am so very thankful he was the man that was elected and know that he was destined for such a time. I fully respected him and never believed all of the terrible lies that were constantly being spewed about his life. I believe he will be remembered not only for the first black man to become President but also for the profound way he led our country when he was the Commander and Chief. He faced great opposition and was forced to try and lead a divided nation where you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. I am proud that when looking back on the last eight years of President Barak Obama's historic Presidency I can say without a doubt that as an American I gave him my full respect. That being said, if I can respect and honor a President that I really liked I can relate to those that find a hard time respecting a President that they personally despise. We all see things differently and what one person loves the person next to them may loath that same thing. Sometimes there cannot be a meeting of the minds and that is ok but that does not give either side the reason to disrespect, shame, ridicule and attack that person whom was called and chosen to be the Commander and Chief.

I think the best thing we can do when faced with a reality we disagree with in our heart of hearts is not let fear destroy us. Fear is the opposite of love and longs to devour our hope. Without hope we are lost. I refuse to bow down to fear and hopelessness. My hope rests in nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. That may sound cliché but it is my truth. I can never abandon it because it is in my heart and cannot be removed. Just as a mother loves a child is the love that cannot be quenched when you truly find the love of Jesus. It is not explainable, it is experienced and when you find it you know just how priceless this everlasting gift is because it compares to nothing. The world is filled with blurred lines and even when you are honestly seeking the truth it can be so easy to get deceived. The true followers of Christ will be known by there love. There are religious scholars out there that can quote every verse of the bible to you and although that is a powerful weapon and the power of God I am reminded of the most important message the bible speaks so very clearly. To love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and second to love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. I firmly believe when the world is in such divided times and people are struggling, hating, fighting and lying to one another you will know the true lovers of God by the way they love each other. You may have all the gifts, all the money and all the power but if you do not have love you have nothing. The man with nothing that has love is richer than the man who has the entire world but no love. To be poor or rich is not the problem, the problem is to be either without love. Hate divides, destroys and ultimately will suffer in the end. Love unites, restores and conquers all for eternity to eternity, amen.

On November 8th I accepted my privilege to cast a ballet for the person I was convinced was the best candidate for such a time as this. I do not discuss politics because I feel it is like casting your pearl before swine. My heart felt beliefs are important to me and I am fully aware that if I unload them on another person with different pearls of choice (pun indented) it is just going to divide us. I would rather respect their point of view and still love and accept them as a person with different beliefs and character. It is possible to disagree and still love one another. Though the person I voted for was not elected, I am fully proud of my heart felt decision and choice that I made even if it did not turn out the way I hoped. We can only be true to our selves and let our voice be heard even when it does not turn out the way we planned. I am listening, watching and observing the way people behave and myself included I repent for our loveless ways and cry out for mercy on a prideful and divided nation that has forsaken the one thing that binds us together...love. Our children are watching. They are watching how we respond to each other, how we talk to each other and they are learning from our example. If we cannot stand for something we will fall for anything. One look at social media and there is no denying we are bombarded by a pack of disgusting lies. I pray for our President and for America whom God loves. May it not just be great but may it be great for its love. May the lies be revealed, may the light fill the dark places and may we hear the true voice of God and not the false prophets who are so deceived they believe their own lies. May we drop our judgements and allow God to help us discern the truth from the lies. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

May God bless America and keep us kind, loving and humble.

Amen.