Good Friday

Today is the last day of my assignment at Verizon Wireless. As we are still in recovery mode from my husband's lengthy period of unemployment, I know that this fact should leave me feeling frightened and cold. Instead, I am optimistic and full of joy. God has turned a six week assignment into an ark that my family used to sail through the troubled waters for the last 10 months, and it's time now to climb out of the boat and onto dry land. I have a lot of work to do on my business that I haven't been able to do because I didn't have the time, but now I will. Our financial problems will continue for a little while longer, but we have been and continue to be blessed. So, instead of weeping and mourning I'm going to call today my Good Friday - yes, it is a day of endings but it is also a beginning of a new chapter, one full of great things for all of these things will be done with God.

(Update: I got a phone call that morning as I was walking into work telling me that they could not afford to let me go at this time and that even though they had not said so, they would be needing me even a few weeks after they are at full staff. God provides.)

I did something unusual. I gave a $15 campaign contribution to Barack Obama. Why? Because they are selecting guests for a special dinner with Barack from among those who contribute, and I very much want to talk to the man. You see, I disagree with him on abortion. I disagree with him on contraception and euthanasia. I disagree with him on his refusal to say the Pledge of Allegience. Unlike many, though, I see something different about this man, something which has the potential for greatness. I see a man who talks of faith and who seems to walk that walk. I see a man who stated that he would not run a mud-slinging campaign and hasn't. I see a man who has freely and openly admitted what he believes in even when wobbling on his stances would bring him more voters. I see a man who really does care about the poor in our country. He has run his campaign entirely on the money given to him by the people, not by big businesses or by political action committees. In summary, I see a man of honesty and integrity who is misguided in his beliefs. As there have been instances of my own misguidance, I can forgive mistakes. I think, though, that this man really does care. I think he's brave enough that if he is given the right information he can not only change his mind but be honest about why, and charismatic enough to lead the majority of his constituents with him. I think that if you put together a ticket with Barack Obama for President and Mike Huckabee for Vice President, there is nothing that either McCain or Hillary could do to compete. A truly bi-partisan ticket would sweep the nation, and prove that this time we truly are changing politics as usual.

Having said that, I can't vote for the man until he can change his position. The nation that refuses to reproduce will be replaced. These aren't issues of "choice", they are issues of our future, our national security, and our families. As I have said many times you cannot save the poor by killing them. You cannot save children from child abuse by preventing them from being born. You're simply perpetrating a different kind of child abuse, subjecting families to a different kind of poverty.