No worries, I have no intention of stating my views on this outlet for my words. In fact, I think you’d be hard-pressed to talk to any of my friends who I’ve gotten into political discussions with. Why? Because people are going to believe what they believe and be blinded if they choose to remain blind and there is no clever arrangement of words that I can conjure up that will change anyone’s mind. So, unless asked, you’re just not going to know. And I so wish others adopted this thinking.

I will say one thing, though. Because my God is Who He is and that cannot change, I do not believe He can stand by and honor the choices we are making as a people.

That scares me because as long as I align myself with a group and under a certain leadership, I have some responsibility in that position to either effect change or leave. At least, that’s how our family has always thought. If I don’t want to be associated with a certain kind of thinking I need to do something about it or I stand to face the same consequences as that leadership does. I believe this is called, “guilty by association.”

This has led us to move away from several situations in our lives where something was definitely against our convictions, and we couldn’t make a difference (though we tried) so we stepped away.

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve wished I could be sedated until a situation was over…oh, my. I’d own my own island somewhere void of politics completely.
And this blog would then be moot point.

I happen to live with adventurers. Okay, so I might be one, too. In fact, I have big, crazy plans with this husband of mine when our kids are all 18. Hence, the need for life insurance.

But my boys are testosterone-ridden, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants, BRING-IT-ON, kind of guys who put me through all kinds of stress. The bigger the cliff to jump from or climb, the tinier the cave to explore, the higher the mountain to dangle from—guns, knives, wild animals…I’ve just had to adopt a “wake me when it’s over” mentality. I go to my happy place in my mind.

And I pray.
A lot.

There are certain things they plan and tell me about–like wanting to camp with few supplies on a wolf-infested island with no other humans for days on end and no way out other than a scheduled boat pick-up, that I just hope never really happen. There are plenty of others that have happened and they have miraculously survived.

There have been moments in my life where I tend to want to revert back to doing what I did as a child when the world was a scary place. When chaos reigned in my house and things were being broken, and voices were way too loud, and people were crying, I just stayed in my room or outside until it was over. I hid, and hoped it would end quickly.

But, now, I’m stronger. How I respond, how I react, how I speak is up to me.

There have been times in my life where I feel weak and overwhelmed. But lately, I choose to be strong. And it really is a choice.

Recently, I was frustrated with my body shape and where I’d let myself arrive physically. I was lagging behind, huffing and puffing, on every hike and bike ride. I was miserable, and knew it was my own doing. So, I either decide to keep feeling sorry for me, or get up and do something about it. So I got up. And I feel stronger. And I can keep up now. I may not look like I did at 24, but I FEEL fantastic and more than anything, I’m so proud of making a change.

I have it in me to effect change.

I can stand up and make right choices in the little things in my day which eventually add up to big things. I can change the patterns that I developed once upon a time and become better–different. Let’s face it, at this age, I can no longer blame my childhood for much. It’s so long gone that I’d better take a good hard look at who I want to be and quit looking backward.
Last I checked, no one ever got anywhere staring at only the rear-view-mirror.

I’m responsible for my words. There’s no one else to blame really for my behavior. No matter how anyone else acts, I am the one who has to answer for my words.

I’m responsible for my time. I’m responsible for my behavior. I’m responsible for how I make other people feel.

It’s really that simple, but wouldn’t it be huge if everyone got a hold of that? Could it change the world? Perhaps more than any rhetoric, or lobbying, or speeches.

It starts with me.

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” Helen Keller

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