a little election timeline ...

for the past year:
I have been having a conversation about the election with my Australian friend.  We are respectful and feel safe expressing our thoughts with each other.  There has not been the least bit of animosity towards each other about this election.  Now why would he be interested in my election?  I asked him if he was vested in the outcome?  He said yes.  There is a kinship that he feels.  We have discussed his politics as well.

The differences between our politics are that I am a patriotic voter.  I haven't missed an opportunity to vote except for one primary.  He has to vote or he gets to pay a fine.  I vote for people.  He votes for the party and the party decides the person.  There has been some upheaval and hijinks with the PM office.  There has been four PM's in the span that Obama has been in office.  If someone in your party thinks you aren't doing your job, they will do a 'civil' coo and take your spot!

I have heard of heated arguments causing family members to refuse talking to each other.  My own brother got mad over FB posts that my father had posted.  I refuse to let silly political opinions get in the way of important things!  My loved ones are important.  I have also have been putting my focus on God & things above.  This will pass away.  Straw & chaff.

the week before:
I have been fortifying myself on Isaiah 33.  Oh, how pertinent to right now!

Sunday November 6, 2016:
I sent a sample ballot to my Australian friend to show him who I was voting for.  His question was 'you vote for all the people listed?" It just drove the point home to me how I got to vote for people & not just a party...

Tuesday November 8, 2016:
I cast my lot.  I stood in line for 18 minutes and 55 seconds & that was a first for me! I never had to stand in line before.  While waiting found myself 'profiling' others around me wondering which candidate they were voting for.  I planned on checking out the results for the first bit knowing that it was going to go to Hillary then I was going to pop in a movie and then off to bed.  My state was the first to go to Trump.  Wait!  Something is up with Florida......  I ended up chatting with my Australian friend as we both watched the American people make a statement!

Wednesday November 9, 2016:
A new day!  Psalm 40:2  "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the muck & mire; He set my feet on the Rock & gave me a firm place to stand."  It wasn't who got in the highest office of the land.  It was that the election was the period at the end of a very murky and slimy chapter.  Now a new chapter awaits all fresh and clean to start anew.  Again it isn't about who was elected but rather it was that each vote casted came together and made a huge statement that stunned the world.  Now to figure out what to do.

Thursday November 10, 2016:
The transition of power has begun although very awkward & stiff.  The hot button word -- mandate -- was used because all three Branches of government are held by Republicans.  Protests in all its ugliness are have been organized & have been very destructive.

When I heard mandate, I stopped.  No, the mandate isn't for the president-elect.  The mandate is the people.  They made the statement Tuesday night.  The people need to decide what that mandate is.  Let me say it for the people!

People's Mandate:  "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, & secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves & our posterity, do ordain & establish this Constitution for the United States of America"   have vowed to love one another from this day forward.  It is no longer about the selfie.  It is about respecting & uplifting my fellowman.  That is what union is all about -- perfecting our love for one another.

Yes, I know tall order!  But when you have the silent make their voice heard, it means they have been forgotten & it will not be tolerated anymore.  We cannot survive by being this divided!!!!  Behaving is a better statement than protesting.

John 15:8  "This is My Father's Glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples."   What times we live in.  What a contrast my life can be in this dark world...


Friday November 11, 2016:
I have a foxhole view of what is happening.  I am livid that people are resorting to protests.  Protests have never been constructive.  I am trying to figure out how American can survive.  My Australian friend sees a more arial view.  He sees a revolution that is spreading worldwide.  It isn't just Brexit or America's election but other countries like Australia is finding that expanding a progressive liberal agenda has to contract because it doesn't work.

Psalm 5:8  'Lead me, O Lord, in Your Righteousness because of my enemies-- make straight Your Way before me.'

too much ...?

"Sometimes we expect more from others 
because we would be willing to do that much for them."

I do jump in for all its worth and express profusely like a painter in a mad frenzy with colors flying in amazing array to get this astounding vision from mind to canvas.  I find the only reason to jump is because I am moved from deep within my heart and soul.  I am a sensitive and an unique.  I feel acutely.  I see with wild abandon.  I know where I am not wanted and most of the time I know not to throw my pearls in with the pigs.

But what do you do with those special people that the connection is strong and you give everything you got but they cannot do the same back?  It is like they are dancing on my wound and it hurts like sharp knives in my heart.  Do I change that part of me that keeps and cherishes with childlike wonder?  Do I stop expressing with childlike abandon?  Oh no, I don't.  One cannot change what the Creator has created unique and beautiful nor do I want to.  I have done that before and won't do that again.

If they cannot give the same back to me, do I see it as their handicap?  Expectations would be low.  Whatever they could offer, I would enjoy and keep.  They are just locked up.  See, I could just wrap this special person in a box and wrap a bow up all neat and orderly.  I know if I could do that it wouldn't hurt so much!  However, I long for him to be free of all that is making him run.  {Sigh}

I know I must trust and obey God.  I must love one another.  I must wait quietly.  I must be faithful in this relationship.  If Joseph of the OT could be faithful in all of his relationships surely I can to.  I must honor God's staging.  There are great things to come.  Wasn't it an answered prayer when this special someone came back into my life?  I thought sure I would never know until I reached Heaven's shore.  But my mind ponders what God is planning but that isn't my job!

Too much?  Sadly, I still have no answer for that.  No, I do have an answer.  I will express.  I will be wait quietly.   I will pray.  I will create with wild abandon!  I will feverish write here in this sacred place.  Maybe I won't scare him off with my crazy brain overload but then again I just might have already.  Yikes!

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord;

He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.

~ Proverbs 21:1 ~


This is what the Sovereign Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance & rest
is your salvation,
in quietness & trust is your strength..."
~ Isaiah 30:15 ~

worldy vs Godly...

CC:
• A boss who pops off without censer and is a 'huffer'. Everything is a problem and a crisis.
• I gave notice that I might need watch my niece when her baby sister arrives. Due the 18th.
• boss is taking vacation from the 18th - 28th and my job has to done immediately and she is my cover. It cannot wait.
• boss huffed and puffed. Her commit was "let's hope baby comes early.
• I let her ruin my weekend. I do not like confrontation and it always ends badly on me.
• Pastor finished up his "conquered conflict" series Sunday night. I felt that God wanted me to do something to end this conflict quickly and Godly. But shouldn't I just cover in love and forget about it?
• I am a stuffer and I am quiet. I hate confronting or trying to talk to my boss because I don't want to end in tears or say something badly. If I did confront, I would have to do through my personality and no other.

• I used James 1 & 3:17 & 18 to ask for Wisdom.
*** do not doubt. Do not be tossed about by what the world does or deems right***
1. pure
2. peaceable
3. gentle
4. willing to yield
5. full of mercy
6. good fruit
7. without partiality or duplicity (hypocrisy or double standards

Boss,
I know we have a problem with our conflicting schedules. I felt it was the right thing to do to alert you on the possible but not definite need to take off to watch my niece when her baby sister is born. I was asked among others so I highly doubt I will be needed but I won't tell my brother no. I am responsible and extremely aware that my job is timely and must be immediate. I am always thinking things through when I ask off so as not to be a burden or as little burden as possible. I feel that is only right to play fair. If I am asked to take care of my niece, I am sure that I can come in the afternoon to take care of production. I really feel there will be nothing to stress or worry about. Things will work out for family as well as work.

I asked off for Tuesday but will have to change that unfortunately to Thursday because of a funeral I need to attend.

My intention for this note is to be respectful to my family as well as my job and to bring down the stress level.

keeper

results:
She came into my office holding the vacation request and the note I attached and proceeded in a civil tone that I would be training a back up for the next two days and then left my office. I was ok with that and a bit surprised that she didn't bring up my note even though it was in plain sight in her hands. She did spout off to the employee who will cover for me that I couldn't take off because she would be in meetings but took it back.

interesting find:
As I was going through my note with a fine tooth comb, different scenarios came to play and also different reactions that might be said. I began to realize that the world's ways are so saturated all around me. I really had to be on point not to react in a worldly way but also not back down on my position of peaceable respect that God desires. Even Christians will critique you through worldly eyes without even realizing it. Always err on the right side! Keep asking 'is this worldly advise or Godly Wisdom'? Have a tough stance on this. I think you will be blown away how easy you are duped!

I am by no means saying that what I did was right. I still wonder but then I go back to 'no doubts'.... there was no major blood shed, no raised voices, no harboring ill will.... it seemed to work...

James 1: 5-8
But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God,
who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting:
for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;
a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 3:17-18
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

side note:
I do have a very challenging boss but she is human and will get frustrated to tears. She is a grandma and like all grandmas likes to talk about her grandchildren. She takes on a tough job that no one else likes to do and is very dedicated to it. She has been at this job for way too many years to count. She gets mad and panicky when her job is threatened just like all of us. I know I could not have put up with this kind of job for that long. That is my honor list for her and I need to say it when there are 'grumblings' about... I must respect her and this is my most exacting part of my job...

treasuring up wrath or Joy ...

I love contrasts because it gives depth. Contrasts moves an issue from 2D to 3D. For me the back of my neck bristles with excitement when contrasts present itself. I become spellbound. Well, I have to share my latest find!

It is about treasuring.

Romans 2:5
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

vs.

Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The skinny: What your treasure?
stubbornness, unrepentant heart, wrath or love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Just a little something to get into ....