I voted but...

Where I Belong, Building 429

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

I found it providential that this was the first song on the radio when I got into the car this morning. Of course the DJs had no idea what time I'd be taking Victor to pretty school but I wonder if they thought about the encouragement found in these words for those of us who belong to another Kingdom but who are in the midst of a circus of an election in the here and now.

I did my duty. I voted. Right after a 3 mile run. I figured it was best to get the worst of my day's activities checked off the list first thing. I'm not sure which was more wearying.

Not being a sticker person, I gave my sticker to HopeAnne. Actually, that's not quite true. I did request a sticker that said, "I Voted...and I apologized to my oldest 3 children that this circus is the first presidential election for which they are eligible to vote." They told me they didn't have one. So I gave my sticker to HopeAnne.

It's funny how many adults become lovers of stickers on voting day. Who knew? Sure will make filling their Christmas stockings less expensive this year. Just purchase a sheet of stickers and apparently they'll be happy. But for me, I gave up that hobby back in elementary school when the sticker book fad disappeared. So I gave my sticker to HopeAnne.

I guess she's not really into the sticker thing either because when we got to the parking lot she told me that she didn't really want to wear it. I happened to look down at that moment and saw multiple stickers on the parking lot. "Funny," I answered, "looks like you aren't the only one." Then we did our second civic duty of the day - we picked up the trash. So now we have a collection of stickers that no one wants to wear. Let me know if you'd like them for your loved one's stocking next month. Even cheaper than a dollar store sticker sheet!

Tomorrow we will know who is next in line to the American throne. And it may be a cliche but I am much more excited to remind myself that we don't have to watch a map of red and blue on the TV screen for hours to find out who is really on the throne. And that is the only thing that keeps me from losing sleep over this election.

Tomorrow morning the political ads will thankfully be over. But unfortunately, the mud-slinging between friends (or "friends" as they're more often known on social media) will continue. A new imperfect person will have made their speech to accept imperfect America's decision about the new leader of our imperfect political system and too many imperfect people, even those who call themselves Christ-followers, will berate and disparage those who believe differently from their own imperfect belief systems.

Lord, let my words and actions model your love and life. Today, tomorrow, and each day after that. May I never expect an imperfect government to do that which you have called your Church to do. Use imperfect me to bring healing and grace to the imperfect people around me, whether or not we agree. Give me blinders and a deaf ear for discouraging words spoken against me in sweeping generalizations, especially by those I love. Guide me into change when I need to change. Show me the plank in my own eye. Let it be known that I am your follower simply through love in action. Amen.

"For people who will vote, I urge them to vote for those they judge most worthy, and to speak no evil against the person they voted against, and to take care that their spirits are not sharpened against people who voted on the other side." John Wesley