Dear America

Before I begin the following rant, let us preface it with the greatest Disney quote of ALL TIME (I said that in my Kanye voice). The wise words of the great and adorable Thumper:  

Dear America,

Hi. It's me. The awkward, nobody-special, cardigan and casserole loving mom down in central Mississippi. Love what you've done with the fast food industry, by the way. So many sauce choices, so little time! I digress.

Anyway, I generally try to go about my day and not get in your business, but I feel like somebody needs to say something here. Now, I'm no expert on...well, anything, really. But I feel pretty confident that I'm able to tell when someone is making a giant fool of himself, and well, America, that's kind of what's happening to you.

Don't get me wrong. You've been the frontrunner of winning, glitz and glamour, and hot dog eating contests for pretty much as long as you've existed. Your founding principles still hold true as the most desirable and envied ideals across the world. On paper, you've got it goin' on. But the television is portraying you as a bit of a buffoon, to be honest.

You're in the middle of this giant, polarizing election between a proven crook and a clueless tangerine. While the candidates may be less-than-desirable, it's the constituents who are REALLY souring things up. People are literally spitting on each other for not agreeing on whom the winning candidate should be. Fights are breaking out, hair is being pulled, less-than-nice names are being yelled vivaciously across crowds. You look like a bad day at a junior-high cafeteria.

Oh yeah, it's college football season, too. People are literally telling fans of the other team to go to hell. Let that sink in, if you're any bit religious. I cannot digest this without throwing up in my mouth a  little bit.

There's also this group right now screaming (as much as social media will allow) about the fact that we are fostering a rape culture when they're wearing teeny, tiny pieces of cloth to cover up no more than 1/15 of their nipples out in public. Now, I'm so very much an advocate of harsher laws again sexual harassment and rape and keeping women safe in the workplace. We have so far to go. But we can't get there half naked. Just wanted to bring that to your attention.

One of my FAVORITE topics right now is this Star-Spangled Banner protest going on with the NFL. (LOL at people getting paid billions of dollars to play football to act as though they're experiencing injustice, but whatev!) Now, me personally, I don't really find sitting during the national anthem/pledge to be all that nice, considering what many men and women have sacrificed to protect you, America. However, I do realize that with that sacrifice also comes the right to protest when someone feels it appropriate. But much like your elections, America, you've polarized yourself on this one too and BOY is it ugly on Facebook right now. Yikes.

It was only a few weeks ago, America, that some of your own were suffering from devastating flooding and lost everything they own. Some lost hope. Some have very little left. But your cameras have decided there's nothing to sensationalize any longer. Our compassion left along with the fleeing of your news crews.

It was only a few months ago that one of your largest cities lost dedicated police officers during a selfish and cowardly terrorist attack on those who serve to protect. Rather than remind your officers you stand with them, you moan and groan about every other unimportant thing.

It was at that same time, that people who peacefully represented Black Lives Matter met hand in hand, from different races and backgrounds, to initiate dialogue in hopes that change would come. Yet, America, you continue to demonize some who genuinely only want to peacefully make the world a better place - where their children can date whomever they wish, where they don't fear being pulled over in a traffic stop, where they are afforded the same opportunities as their peers. (Funny enough, America, while you claim all these things are true, someone is probably getting mad at me for not slandering this cause.)

Now, take all that I've just said and keep it in mind as I list headlines from around the world:

Syria ceasefire: Frustration grows over delayed aid delivery

Car bombs kill 11 in Baghdad; ISIS claims responsibility

North Korea rushes to get supplies, shelter to flood victims

I could go on, but honestly, I'd be so depressed after listing and linking all that I've seen that I'd be reduced to a puddle on the floor with nothing but this bag of Hershey kisses to comfort me.


I don't know, America. Land of the free? Most definitely. I may get sick and tired of the things I've complained about, but that's part of the freedoms we "enjoy".

But home of the brave? Blinding ourselves to the hurt around us - whether in our own country or across the world brave? Seems kind of gutless to me.

I'm not really asking you to do anything in particular here. I guess maybe it just seems fitting that perhaps you step back and ask yourself if Democrat or Republican is really the biggest problem you face. Or maybe it would best if you let the other team gloat in their victory without wishing eternal punishment and damnation on them. You could also try seeing the other side's perspective every once in a while. Not everything has to turn into some giant argument, you know.

There again, I'm just a nobody doing her best each day to raise decent kids who love other people and don't set the house on fire.

If you can't heed my suggestions, for the love, at least listen to Thumper.

All of my life, in every season, You are still God. 

I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship.

Those words have resonated so clearly in my life the past few years. 

I remember when I found out I was pregnant with our first child. Brian and I were in the ER at Methodist Germantown Hospital in Germantown, TN. I went for some abdominal pain, fearing the worst since I had seen a positive pregnancy test earlier that day. We were thrilled when the doctor came in and told us that everything seemed okay and that I was "definitely pregnant". The song came to mind -- I will rejoice, I will declare - God is my victory and He is here. This song became my anthem of joy. It reminded me of that night, hearing the news that I had waited a very, very long time to hear.

If you know me or have followed this blog at all, then you know how that story ends. A few weeks later, this song became a song of comfort - a reminder that even in this heartache, He was worthy of every ounce of worship I could offer, even in my sorrowed state. 

And this is my prayer in the fire

In weakness or trial or pain

There is a faith proved

Of more worth than gold

So refine me, Lord, through the flame

I remember months later walking through the gigantic halls and foyer of Germantown Baptist Church. It had been quiet, with the exception of the little preschoolers I was leading, and suddenly music began to play over the speakers. There were those words again: All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship.

I can't tell you why this song made me connect the following dots, but I KNEW at that moment that the Lord was not only reminding me of His providence in my time of hurt but also telling me that He had redeemed our hurt and our mourning. Something in that moment, hearing that song, provided clarity. "You're pregnant." I didn't have to wait to see the "results". I knew it. I was 100% assured of it. Trivial as it may seem to you, it was like God and I had a personal meeting right there in the middle of that church where He told me that He had brought all those things I had prayed for to pass.

Some 40 odd weeks later, Jacob was born.

I tell you this story just to share my heart. For the believer, there are going to be moments of trial and pain. There will be moments of immense joy. In each of those moments, you will hear God whisper to your soul. I'm not trying to be poetic or flowery here. I say this because I know it to be true. No one can take away from me these moments I've written about. They've been reference points for some of the hardest times of my life I've endured since they occurred. They've served as a reminder of the great power and awe and majesty of the God I serve. They've solidified my assurance in His very existence. 

Just earlier, I had to run an errand. I turned on my spotify and just let it play. And this song came on. Now hold up, I'm not announcing I'm pregnant. Easy, easy. But the moment that song came on, I was overwhelmed by the reminders of how God has spoken to me and worked in my life and shown His incredible hand of redemption and power. He's so good that no blog post I write could ever properly display it. No song in existence can portray His power. Nothing can truly tell of the great love of God except for those moments that He speaks to you. That's why we harp on "relationship, not religion."

I am so overwhelmingly grateful for the reminders of how He's worked in my life - for me, for good. And I will choose to remember these moments, in every season.

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again

The seed I've received I will sow