So much for taking a few days off, huh?
Just some thoughts, from my perspective, not speaking on anyone’s behalf…Just thoughts.
We are 6 hours ahead of EST in the states. I first said I was going to bed at 9pm and was gonna get up at 3 am, which would be 9pm in the states, to watch the votes come in. I had been saying for months that I thought it would be over by then, but wanted to see for myself. At 2am I finally made it to bed. I never get up when the alarm goes off; I usually hit the snooze button 134 times. Not today! I popped up at 6am and ran to the computer. It was over like I thought it would be. I’m not sure I truly believed what I had been saying until that moment though.
The first image I see on my screen, after the electoral map, is Jesse Jackson. I’m not a big fan of Jesse, but to see him standing in the middle of a crowd, with tears streaming down his face, gave me just an inkling of what he must be feeling.
I sat in tears from 6am to, well, it’s 9:45am and I’m still a little sniffly. I have yet to see Obama’s speech, but from the blogesphere, I hear that I may be bawlin again soon. Some thoughts:
I’m happy this morning, in a way that I have never been, for a group of people who I have little to no connection with. I thought that, and my wife said, “you have something in common with them: we’re all Americans.” Sounds simple, but that’s right. Maybe more today then any day ever in my history. We’re all on the same page…..literally. We’ve said it for years, that we were making progress and I rolled my eyes as I watched all of the hate there is in this world. Progress? What is progress? All it was to me, before today, was talk. Today, I feel different. Today, I FEEL the progress. I have witnessed what my parents and grandparents probably never imagined.
Are all of our problems solved? Is racism finally dead? Can we all rest now? Of course not. Nothing is that easy. Listen, I don’t keep my political views a secret. I may not run my mouth like I used to about the way I see things, but I’m not a hermit either. I remember how I felt in 1992 and in 1996 and let me just say it does not compare to how I feel this morning.
I’m a white man. I’ve never had many black friends. I’m not a racist; never have been. I am, like I imagine, most white men are. We just don’t think much about it. Maybe I’m naive to think that way, but racism doesn’t exist in my little world. Although I cannot possibly feel what racism feels like to someone who has experienced it, TODAY I feel like I can understand how it feels to be part of something moving us away from racism. Yes, this country has made great strides today and I will pray that we build on these strides in the near future, but this morning I cry with joy in my heart for African American families. I have tears in my eyes for the black single mom, who for the first time in her life, this morning, will tell her kids, “see, you CAN be anything you want to be.” I cry for the black grandmother who once worked in a cotton field, never imagining this day would ever come. I can’t get over the sense of pride I have right now.
As this is my first presidential election as a Christian; as a follower of Christ, I have to wonder how God is speaking to us now; how God has spoken to us in the past. In this year, 40 years after Martin Luther King was killed, that number, 40, brings on a whole new significance to me. Were the past 40 years like those of Moses and the Israelite’s 40 years in the wilderness? What is called “40 Years of Probation by Trial”….Have we spent the past 40 years in a probation period, doing it our way, and now being a time of change and new beginnings? Are the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, all of which were 40 years, symbolic here and now? Has it been biblically “raining” for 40 years, symbolic of the 40 days of rain with Noah? Did it take that much rain to clean us up enough so we can see? That number is in the Bible several more times then what I have mentioned. How, God, are you speaking to us? I will pray for clarity, but I KNOW our God is speaking. I will leave the interpretations to the people who get paid to make them, but for today and the days to come I’m a proud son of God, who happens to be an American.
On January 20th I can start to be critical and have thoughts about policies, but for today I have taken a step forward along side a nation of people an ocean away. May God bless the rest of our steps and when we slip and fear going in reverse, don’t turn around, don’t look down, look up, to Him and He will guide you.
I leave you today with some of Romans 13:1-3. ”1-3Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you’re trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.”
Thoughts, comments, feelings???
