Tag: election

Who Are Your “Others”?

November 14, 2016 /

I posted this picture yesterday on Instagram. It was taken right before I was mugged.

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I was violently grabbed in broad daylight and things were ripped from me. I’m totally fine, just shaken up and feeling a little vulnerable. I only share this because I think we are all feeling vulnerable these days.

We may all feel like something has been ripped from us – a dream, a sense of understanding, a relationship…

Great divisions have been revealed where we were living with some illusions of unity. We thought things had gotten better.

Many feel fragile instead of safe.

Some fear being attacked for their beliefs or their politics, or the color of their skin.

Here’s the thing…our inclination may be to expect the worst, to retreat or hide, or just huddle with “our people”. Instead we need to link arms as my friends did with me and venture out again, looking for the Imago Dei in others.

In the afternoon we went out (with a chivalrous protector), found a street dance, and jumped in.

But jumping back in doesn’t just mean getting out there with “our people”.

It means choosing humility and vulnerability, laying aside a certainty that ours is the only right perception.

It means finding the “other” and listening and loving them well.

It seems we have a lot of “others” these days, but it’s different for each person. For you the “other” may be

a minority or immigrant you feel is taking jobs away…

or a gay person or a straight person you feel uncomfortable with…

or a Muslim you don’t understand…

or a conservative Christian who quotes the Bible in a judgey way and seems confidently self-righteous…

or someone who voted for Trump…

or someone who voted for Clinton.

Who are your “others”? 

Think of the person who, when you think of them upsets you or distresses you the most. Got it?

Me too.

Now call them up and invite them to have coffee with you. You can do this!

I’ve invited one of my “others”, and although I want to say “WHAT THE HOLY HECK WERE YOU THINKING???”, here’s what I’ll say, “You are my friend. I respect you. I know you have a kind compassionate heart. I want to know you better. Help me understand the way you think about ___________________________________.

Your situation or relationship may be different, but the last sentence is the important one, right?

And then I’ll listen.

Hard.

To her.

And to Jesus who says “No matter what, they’ll know Me by the way you love – not just with words, but by your actions.”

Paul joins him, writing…

 In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. Ephesians 4:1-3

Post-election Comfort Food

November 11, 2016 /

It’s been a rough week, hasn’t it?  Our country is in shock. This election has exposed deep fault lines that we were either denying or unaware of.

I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the news since Tuesday.

I posted a few thoughts on Instagram, but mostly I’ve needed silence and solitude.

Wednesday morning I woke early as usual, walking outside in the dark while the stars were still the only light.

My heart was heavy, grieving for the state of our country, the deep divides, the lack of moral compass, the crassness of our rhetoric, the lack of civil discourse, and our future.

I felt a deep need for prayer, for silence, for beauty, and for worship music.

In the dark I looked up and was reminded of one of my favorite verses – Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars,

Behold the One who leads for their host by number,

He calls them all by name;

Because of the greatness of His might, and the strength of His power,

Not one of them is missing.

We…people…can feel so powerful…And there is power in the choices God has given us, but His power is always greater. He calls each star that He hung, by name!

We’re reminded, “Many are the plans in a human heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs

He’s still doing His job, and we need to do ours – to love others well and cling to Him.

Take the time you need to regather, but then we need to brush ourselves off, get up, and be the church.

To reach across walls,

to walk across a room,

to welcome those different from us,

to listen longer than is comfortable,

to reassure those who are afraid, that we will stand with them.

As we do, this song may help.

 

Lastly, I deeply appreciated these thoughts from Josh DuBois. Maybe you will too.

cw0r_84weaadunp

 

 

Nourishing Soul Food Friday During a Distasteful Election

November 4, 2016 /

Monday Nathan Hamm tweeted, “Halloween could never be as scary as Election Day.”

Instagram joked,

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(In case you don’t have enough to worry about, read about Creepy Clown Sitings here)

But in addition to jokes, there are thoughtful Christians trying to bring salt and light and love to a dark, contentious time.

love-everyone-always

Willow Creek Community Church has mounted a campaign during this time of anger and divisiveness that has taken off. Read about it here. 

There are some excellent sermons being preached that bring a biblical perspective to this season. This is one of the best I’ve heard – by John Ortberg. He looks at several elections in the Bible and then offers some takeaways. Take a listen.

House of Cards – How Not to be Anxious During an Election

  1. Be Involved. Get information from people we agree with and disagree with. Vote.
  2. Be Civil.
  3. Be Confident (in God). God is not worried about November 8th.

And two minutes of gold from Andy Stanley!

Many people feel like they don’t have any good choice for president this election. I get that. But I’m distressed when people tell me they are not going to vote. This is a hard won privilege we have in the U.S. Please don’t take it lightly. John and I have already voted absentee – easy peasy! Cue the West Wing theme song!

Lastly, if you want some deliciousness to pass around while you’re watching the election returns (or a football game!) I want to share a great recipe from my friend Ally.

Cheesy Party Burgers

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 ts. salt

1 ts. pepper

1 ts. mustard powder

1/2 ts. smoked paprika

2 cups diced onion (that’s about 1 whole onion)

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 10 oz. can Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles, drained (I used mild)

12 slices cheddar cheese

12 dinner rolls (I used Pepperidge Farm slider buns)

Glaze:

1/2 cup butter

2 TB brown sugar

1 TB Worcestershire sauce

1 TB mustard

1 TB sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 and coat 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Brown the ground beef, onions, and add rest of ingredients.

Put half of buns in bottom of 9×13 pan.

Top with ground beef and cheese slices. Finish off with top half of buns.

Mix the ingredients for the glaze in a pan on the stove and pour over buns. Can let sit for awhile.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

 

 

What Inspired me This Election

November 10, 2012 /

I’m no Pollyanna.

I can be as critical and cynical and passionate about my position as the next guy.

I can’t bear to watch Nancy Grace, and I’m super concerned about the financial cliff, and I yell at the t.v. when Republicans and Democrats alike seem much more concerned about re-election than cooperating with each other for the good of America.

I’m an independent voter and an equal opportunity offender.

But on election day this week I was in the Middle East, and John was in London with a board made up of people from all over the world, and very little of political pettiness mattered.

There is so much oppression and lack of freedom in Israel/Palestine that I was particularly moved being away from my home where people were exercising a right to vote that we can take for granted.  Like we take having peanut butter in our cupboard for granted.

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