Please refrain from using "WE" in your future speeches.
We Trees are God's most glorious creation. Enduring through changes in seasons, we shift colors, renew, persevere. Weathering the harsh winds of the storm, our roots hold fast to our Source. Withstanding the marching of time, our branches reach towards heaven in praise. In all our created splendor, We Trees are Beloved.
Showing posts with label Campaign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Campaign. Show all posts
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Updated-President Obama
Editorial- Shortly after writing this, I was made quite aware of several things President Obama had done that are really bad for our country. I'm re-posting this blog, with a new draft that articulates better-what my feelings on him are:
He is put in office by God.
We are to react to his poor choices with action.
At the risk of being really unpopular...I'm posting this commentary. Please forgive me if it goes against everything you believe, and feel free to comment to me why. I'm willing to accept that I could be totally wrong! But here goes...
Recently, someone sent me a link to an online pole to rate how the President was doing after his first 100 days. And, as a conservative Christian I joined the band-wagon and gave him an F. But to be totally honest with you, I'm not really sure why.
The grading results were neck in neck for A and F. However, only about 10% of the grades were within the middle, people either totally love him or hate him. Which brings me back to my vote.
I don't have a lot of time lately to pay attention to politics. Beyond what the skewed media reports, I have no idea what Obama is doing and I bet a lot of Americans are just like me. I know he intended to lift the ban on gay marriages and abortion and that I don’t like. I know the media constantly reports on his unnecessary bail-out packages and I see images of money analysts arguing where the money should and shouldn’t go.
But beyond that, I couldn’t give you specifics of what he’s done, so how I can I give an accurate grade? But I also wonder why, if everything I know about him leads me to believe he’s done nothing right, why DO so many other people like him? Is it because of his politics or because of promises he makes? Has he done ANYTHING worthy of a good president, even enough to garner him a D rating?
Can the common citizen legitimately evaluate a president without letting our personal opinion of what he said on David Letterman skew our vote? Do we grade Presidents on their dogs, their family lives, their morals, or do we grade them on their ability to lead our country? Does it even matter? You bet it does. But we need to ensure we are putting our efforts of opposition in the right direction.
I didn't vote for President Obama, but I can see why people did, Christians and non Christians both. It's exciting to see that our country could be declaring that the color of a man's skin is no longer what we value the most. But ironically, some people ignored their own Godly beliefs and traded them for a President with a different color skin, for that sake alone. Very ironic indeed and not a victory in my book.
I've listened to Christians voice their distaste for this President. Mostly, the comments are angry, vengeful, finger-pointing and what I feel is dangerously close to picking up a pitchfork. Though I classify myself as a right wing, conservative Republican, and I’m generally not pleased by what he’s done in office so far, I also believe that we should support our President. He’s just our government leader, not our eternal King.
I came to this response by pondering the fact that Jesus agreed that the Hebrews should pay the tax to Caesar even though he didn't agree with his "policies" either (Matthew 22:21) and by knowing that God is sovereign and "..there is no authority except that which God has established." Rom 13:1
We need to remind ourselves that we are called to support our president for who he is, our political leader. Derogatory actions and comments about the Obama family themselves just serve to rally up hate between us and our brother. This response is not effective Christian activism, in fact it completely negates our efforts. It fosters interactions where an angry, conservative man can be found giving the finger to another man in traffic simply because his car sports an Obama-Biden bumper sticker. Do not spur hate between one another by misplacing your hate for evil, instead mind your tongue and put your Christian efforts to work the way God would ask of you.
We are blessed to live in a country where we have a voice to speak out against abortion or gay agendas which affect all of God's creation. We should be voicing our opposition towards evil and decline of morality. Write letters in support of moral agendas to your congress people. Be present in civic hearings that fight against abortion clinics. Find worthy causes online and support them financially. Do we spend as much time and effort towards these causes as we do against Obama himself? Obama supports agendas like Pro-Choice and Gay Marriage because he's traded the ideas that popularity is better than the laws of God. I pray that our country does not fall victim to doing the same thing by returning evil for evil. 1 Peter 3:8-9.
It is understandably hard not to become hateful towards a man who opposes so much that Christianity stands for. We should be passionate about keeping morality and purity in our country. We are called to act, to pray and to withstand, but we are never told to judge or to enforce. We are not God.
So think about this the next time your tempted to vehemently declare “I hate Obama”;
Christ died for us, while we were still sinners. When I look at Obama, I can't deny I have some of the same character flaws in my own life. I've traded God's laws for popularity. There’s no denying that our government is pursuing a maniacal road. But God is still sovereign. I won’t allow my disapproval of his choices result in a lack of faith of God’s power. I will simply respond the way He’s asked me to. Prayer, faith, and civic action.
He is put in office by God.
We are to react to his poor choices with action.
At the risk of being really unpopular...I'm posting this commentary. Please forgive me if it goes against everything you believe, and feel free to comment to me why. I'm willing to accept that I could be totally wrong! But here goes...
Recently, someone sent me a link to an online pole to rate how the President was doing after his first 100 days. And, as a conservative Christian I joined the band-wagon and gave him an F. But to be totally honest with you, I'm not really sure why.
The grading results were neck in neck for A and F. However, only about 10% of the grades were within the middle, people either totally love him or hate him. Which brings me back to my vote.
I don't have a lot of time lately to pay attention to politics. Beyond what the skewed media reports, I have no idea what Obama is doing and I bet a lot of Americans are just like me. I know he intended to lift the ban on gay marriages and abortion and that I don’t like. I know the media constantly reports on his unnecessary bail-out packages and I see images of money analysts arguing where the money should and shouldn’t go.
But beyond that, I couldn’t give you specifics of what he’s done, so how I can I give an accurate grade? But I also wonder why, if everything I know about him leads me to believe he’s done nothing right, why DO so many other people like him? Is it because of his politics or because of promises he makes? Has he done ANYTHING worthy of a good president, even enough to garner him a D rating?
Can the common citizen legitimately evaluate a president without letting our personal opinion of what he said on David Letterman skew our vote? Do we grade Presidents on their dogs, their family lives, their morals, or do we grade them on their ability to lead our country? Does it even matter? You bet it does. But we need to ensure we are putting our efforts of opposition in the right direction.
I didn't vote for President Obama, but I can see why people did, Christians and non Christians both. It's exciting to see that our country could be declaring that the color of a man's skin is no longer what we value the most. But ironically, some people ignored their own Godly beliefs and traded them for a President with a different color skin, for that sake alone. Very ironic indeed and not a victory in my book.
I've listened to Christians voice their distaste for this President. Mostly, the comments are angry, vengeful, finger-pointing and what I feel is dangerously close to picking up a pitchfork. Though I classify myself as a right wing, conservative Republican, and I’m generally not pleased by what he’s done in office so far, I also believe that we should support our President. He’s just our government leader, not our eternal King.
I came to this response by pondering the fact that Jesus agreed that the Hebrews should pay the tax to Caesar even though he didn't agree with his "policies" either (Matthew 22:21) and by knowing that God is sovereign and "..there is no authority except that which God has established." Rom 13:1
We need to remind ourselves that we are called to support our president for who he is, our political leader. Derogatory actions and comments about the Obama family themselves just serve to rally up hate between us and our brother. This response is not effective Christian activism, in fact it completely negates our efforts. It fosters interactions where an angry, conservative man can be found giving the finger to another man in traffic simply because his car sports an Obama-Biden bumper sticker. Do not spur hate between one another by misplacing your hate for evil, instead mind your tongue and put your Christian efforts to work the way God would ask of you.
We are blessed to live in a country where we have a voice to speak out against abortion or gay agendas which affect all of God's creation. We should be voicing our opposition towards evil and decline of morality. Write letters in support of moral agendas to your congress people. Be present in civic hearings that fight against abortion clinics. Find worthy causes online and support them financially. Do we spend as much time and effort towards these causes as we do against Obama himself? Obama supports agendas like Pro-Choice and Gay Marriage because he's traded the ideas that popularity is better than the laws of God. I pray that our country does not fall victim to doing the same thing by returning evil for evil. 1 Peter 3:8-9.
It is understandably hard not to become hateful towards a man who opposes so much that Christianity stands for. We should be passionate about keeping morality and purity in our country. We are called to act, to pray and to withstand, but we are never told to judge or to enforce. We are not God.
So think about this the next time your tempted to vehemently declare “I hate Obama”;
Christ died for us, while we were still sinners. When I look at Obama, I can't deny I have some of the same character flaws in my own life. I've traded God's laws for popularity. There’s no denying that our government is pursuing a maniacal road. But God is still sovereign. I won’t allow my disapproval of his choices result in a lack of faith of God’s power. I will simply respond the way He’s asked me to. Prayer, faith, and civic action.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Me and Dubbya
I stopped into the Mardel's book store a few weeks ago and low and behold, look who I ran into! I was pretty surprised to see him shopping, really. But he was a very nice man, even agreeing to take a quick picture with me. (what luck that we also found a backdrop of the White House to stand in front of!)
www.georgebushimpersonator.com
Check out his book,
My Life as Bush: And My Heart for Imitating Jesus
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