Friday, March 27, 2009
I have something to say...
I can't hold my tongue any longer. I promised I would not get up on a political soap box or anything but I am struggling today as I have for many days in a row and now I must speak! (ok type) I read lots of blogs and FB and I get lots of email. These days the contents of these items that I read are politically laced with critical jargon of our President. Yes he is new and yes he is different but I don't believe he is as evil as some would make him out to be. I am tired of being told how bad he is. I am tired of sitting in my nice (albeit messy home) and being told that I need to prepare for the worst. We have soo many clothes in this house that we can't put them all away when they are clean. We have yet to borrow money to make a house payment. We have yet to not eat a meal. (ok maybe we skip breakfast but it isn't because we have to it is because the morning gets away from us). We have health care and our children are drinking clean water and getting shots to help with diseases that in other countries are running amok and killing precious little ones. I was married for 3-4 years before I realized that what I was donating (junk to me but precious to others) could be written off as an expense on my taxes. I always thought you were supposed to give just because it was the right thing to do not because you could make money off of it. Yet today I was reminded by a dear friend of her frustration of the changes that are being made in the ability to write off certain monetary donations and other things thanks to the new leader of our country. (Yes, my friend I do understand your frustration that we must must must find a cure) But right after reading her thoughts I logged on to my email and get to emails re: Obama's closure of Guantanamo Bay. I was reminded that his first interview in office was with Al-Arabiya. That he called for an ending to a CIA program that was "crucial" to interrogating terrorists. I was also reminded about an enormous amount of money that our president 20.3 million according to the email that will be allotted to Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza. It was stated that these refugees have ties to Hamas and will be allowed to resettle in the US if they chose. Ok so this info while public record is something that we are worrying about right now at this very moment while we have families who are losing their loved ones on a daily basis? While we have homeless in the city of SA that need to be cared for. We are concerned about what we are reading while there are teenagers giving birth to preemie babies with no idea of how to care for them and no idea of where they will get clothes or money to take care of them? Do we miss some of the news and pay attention only to what we want to get a rise out of others or is it because he is our new president? Are we aware that President Bush gave 27 million from the US Emergency Refugee and migration assistance fund to refugees from Guinea, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, and Afghanistan. In 2007 he gave almost 30 million to Samalia, Sudan, Chad and Gaza (no connections in these countries I'm certain right?!) Are we aware that the reason the first interview given to Al-Arabiya was to try and consolidate the cease fire and that Obama has extensive experience in the area of diplomatic peace talks. Are we aware that the CIA was on board with ending the program that kept terrorism suspects in secret custody for months or years all the while being under fire from foreign governments and human rights activists. By putting an end to these programs it forces the CIA to have to follow the same process used by the military in questioning these suspects. I have to say if we are going to believe what we hear and see we must make sure we know all sides of everything before we live in fear of our country being turned completely upside down by one man. Besides all this why are we living in fear if we call ourselves Christians? Maybe I have a different perspective because I have lived in a 3rd world country and burned nay etched into my heart and my brain are those who wear the same tattered cloth around their bodies day after day- sleep on a mat on the dirt of their tin/grass hut and beg for money on the street corner. Or maybe I think and feel differently because I have gone to bed at night scared to death that something might happen to a family member because they were out after curfew in a country that was in the middle of a coup. Or maybe just maybe it is because I know that when the Holy Spirit descended upon me at baptism that I knew then and there that the promise of eternal life would far outweigh the light and momentary struggles that occur today. When I say light and momentary I am speaking of my trivial struggles that I think I am having on a day by day basis. This morning I felt like the Grinch with all "the noise noise noise noise". I just thought I would get some of that out of my head. Feel free to leave a comment if you would like : )
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Right on. A suggested prayer for those who might take offense at your courage and insight…
Dear God, help me take my head out of my spoiled, pampered suburban ass long enough to understand where I am failing.
Help me to understand that having enough money to live a privileged life and wearing awesome clothes to church every Sunday does not make me a humble Christian. In fact, help me look up humility on Wikipedia since I clearly do not know what it means. Help me to understand that not being a whore or a drug addict does not automatically make me superior. Instead of boldly professing my Christianity, let me whisper thanks that I was not born in the Appalachian mountains to white trash parents, no electricity and a diet of twinkies and Mountain Dew. Let me whisper thanks that I was hot enough to land a dude who would take care of my every desire without my having to live the kind of hard life the majority of Americans have to live. Let me realize that driving a car pool to various recreational sports events and juggling grocery shopping and cooking dinner until I’m kind of tired while not having to work a job outside the home does not in any way enable me to identify with people who have actual problems. Rather than judging people I do not understand, let me give up a Disney vacation or even a manicure on my pretty, pretty hands to buy supplies for and volunteer every week at a soup kitchen where people are in despair and don’t smell nice. Let me give up buying expensive clothing for myself and my children for Easter to buy one week’s worth of decent clothing for children who wear the same pants to school every day and are ridiculed until they want to end their lives.
And Dear Lord, help me support my President instead of listening to bits and pieces of white bread propaganda for people afraid of middle names when I don’t even really bother to watch CNN. Let me understand that our country’s leader is only a man; but a decent and intelligent man who wants to continue to fight for peace but will also continue to fight for our safety, evident by the fact that he’s about to send 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Instead of eating crazy flakes and worrying about impossible conspiracy theories, help me have the strength for once in my narrow life to sacrifice some of the undeserved sweet luxuries long enough to actually HELP SOMEONE. (note to self: google ‘Help Someone’)
Help me to understand I’m not the only person on the planet; that there are dying, despairing, grieving people everywhere who would love to live for 5 minutes in my middle-class, Pottery Barn, swim/tennis, luncheon socializing, judgmental, iPod, TiVo, Dish Satellite, self-absorbed world. And Lord, if I’m not able to take this fat head out of my ass, help me to quit pretending I’m Christian. Amen, pass the rolls.
First of all, let me say I'm laughing so hard at that I'm pretty sure I just peed in my pants.
And while I am the suburban soccer Mom that pretty much started today's discussion, I wish that did describe me. What I wouldn't give for that manicure -- and my kids are sure they're the only ones on Earth that haven't been to Disney. Kaitlyn does have a closet full of clothes, but they're all hand-me-downs.
I do have to say that as of this afternoon I own a Coach purse. It's a knock-off. A REALLY good one that Biggsy just bought on his trip to China. But when my husband has to be gone 12 days at a stretch, I'm okay with that.
That being said, as I told Special earlier, I give absolutely every penny my husband will let me give -- and that doesn't even include what I sneak into my grocery budget at Wal-Mart. But I want to give where I want to give. I don't want my taxes increased to pay for programs which conflict with my values. And I have my pet projects (Aggies for Christ, Komen, etc.) that I want to be able to support as long as that support is needed.
I have absolutely no problem with the fact that the current administration is making mistakes and having to feel their way through this economy. What I do have issues with is the fact that they don't give the Bush administration the same leeway that they expect from us.
And really, my frustration with the current administration pretty much boils down to the fact that they can't seem to stay off my TV. They bumped Idol. That was wrong. Because this suburban soccer mom doesn't have Tivo.
Rock on, D'Lyn! You were most assuredly not among those for whom this prayer was recommended. Absolutely nothing wrong with disagreeing with the current administration. Excellent response by the way - may we all pee our pants with laughter today!
Update....
Apparently I now own a REAL Coach purse. The knock-off Biggs bought wasn't a knock-off!!!
Post a Comment