Friday, October 31, 2008

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Heaven will direct it.

Marcellus: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
Horatio: Heaven will direct it.
~from Hamlet by William Shakespeare

In the above quote, Marcellus and Horatio are talking about Hamlet's seeming insanity in allowing the ghost of his father lead him away. Horatio knows that something is wrong, not only with Hamlet and the fact that there is a ghost appearing to him, but with the country. He knows that something must change in order for the country to continue and not be overthrown by their enemies. In saying "Heaven will direct it" he is saying that he's not quite sure how to fix it (although he has already displayed that he has ideas about it and will in the future work to save his beloved Denmark) but he knows that God has Denmark in His hands and will direct its course of action if the leaders allow Him.

"In just a few days, I’ll be voting for Senator Barack Obama in hopes that he will become the next President of the United States.
I think he is the best politician in the race who will work to solve issues that divide us and who will try to build a consensus around our shared values, dreams, and ideals."

This is the opening paragraph of the post of Jennifer, a friend of mine. I very much respect her opinion and she has worded this so eloquently that I cannot add to it in any way without detracting from it.

Notice that she says the Obama is the "best politician in the race", not the only politician. I think her wording here is very important because admits that there are other politicians in this race who possibly could work towards solving the issues we now face, but that he is simply the best choice we have.

When I first started thinking about who I was going to vote for, I was on the fence. There are things I agree and disagree with in both the major party's platforms. And in the end, I had to do what Jennifer did, pick the best person. The person who I thought would handle our current situation best, and that is Obama.

Now, I know a majority of my friends, and probably all of my family are going to disagree with me, and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just remember that everyone is entitled to their opinion! I'm not forcing my political views on you and I expect the same courtesy from you. I'm not afraid to talk about my views, but neither will I argue about them with you. I have not now, nor will I ever be the kind of person who argues (if you know me, you know just how non-confrontational I am).

But I am firm on this: I'm voting for Obama because I believe that he is the best politician in the current race to handle our current situation. This doesn't mean that I agree with every single little thing he stands for (see Jennifer's post), it simply means that I believe that he is the best man for the job at this time.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Six Quirky or Little Known Facts About Me

Stolen from Jennifer

1. I would prefer to be 30 minutes early than 5 minutes late to just about anything except parties.

2. When eating chips or crackers, I lick all of the salt/spices off before I eat the cracker/chip.

3. I would quit my job to go write books if I thought I stood half a chance at getting anything published and actually making a living at it.

4. In an entire family of Republicans, I'm the only one who will vote across party lines based on the issues.

5. If I had all the time in the world, I would read. I would read fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction (yes, that is an actual genre), just about anything. And then I would write and imitate the style of the author that I just read.

6. I think it would be awesome if all my friends, regardless of race, creed, or religion, would get along and see me as I really am.

(I know, I'm really reaching for that last one)

:-)

If a dog were your teacher you would learn stuff like...

- When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
- Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
- Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
- When it's in your best interest -- practice obedience.
- Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
- Take naps and stretch before rising.
- Run, romp, and play daily.
- Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
- Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.
- On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
- On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
- When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
- No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout... run right back and make friends.
- Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
- Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
- Be loyal.
- Never pretend to be something you're not.
- If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
- When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Monday, October 13, 2008

cha-cha-cha-cha-changes

Turn and face the strange cha-cha-cha-changes....

2008 has been a year of changes for me. Most of them have been amazing! I've moved from being on my own, to living with my parents, to living on my own again with my wonderful roommate! I've gone from not knowing what I wanted out of life, to finding a path the follow that I know will lead me in the right way. I've spent time in tears, I've spent time in side-splitting laughter, and I've spent time in contemplation and here's what I've come up with:

Everything has a price of some kind.

In our free-gift-with-purchase society, people love to find free things, even if it's something they don't really need. More often than not, the things we really need are not free, and in most cases, are not cheap. Things of worth are often quite pricey.

Choices also have a cost, and not just the choices about what to buy, what to wear, or what to say. The choice of what to believe also has a cost, and most often, this has the highest cost of all. This choice could cost friends, family, and lifestyle. The real question you have to ask yourself is this: is it worth it? Are your personal beliefs worth losing a friend or a family member? Are they worth changing your entire lifestyle and "coming clean" with all the people who had been involved in that lifestyle with you?

Personally, my answers is yes. Because it has to be. I have to believe that the choices I make now, for eternity, are worth the struggles that I face here and now. The loss of a very dear friend, not by death but by their choice to walk away, has been the cost of my choice. It was certainly their choice to walk away and I will respect their choices as I hoped they would have respected mine, but that does not mean that I forget them, stop thinking about them, or stop loving them the same as I always have. Unfortunately that does not make the pain caused by the loss any less great. But instead of wallowing in self-pity or changing what I believe in order to win that friend back (as I would have done a year ago), I find comfort in the knowledge that my eternity is set and the Ruler of that eternity has the whole situation under complete control. It's a strange feeling to be mourning the loss of a dear friend (who really hates me now) while at the same time, being able to smile and know that it's alright. That God knows about the whole situation and that He is continuing to work where I cannot anymore.

So the cost of my most recent choice was a friend. What will the next cost be? I don't know. Will it be worth it? If the cause is for eternity, yes.

My prayers will always be with you, Friend. Always.