Wednesday, November 5, 2008

What an incredible morning!

I honestly find it hard to believe that America has voted our next president to be Obama! I don't care what your vote was, I don't care what you political views are, I just find it amazing that we are where we are today when it comes to race AND gender in America. It brings me great pleasure to have lived in a time when we had our first vice presidential candidate that was a female and our first president that is African American - it honestly give me goosebumps!

I never thought I'd live to see that gas would go below $3.00/gallon, let alone $1.98/gallon like I got in Indy over this past weekend, but I REALLY never thought I'd see the day that either one of the above mentioned things would happen.

Regardless of your party affiliation it's time to stand behind Obama as our next president. It's time to lift him, his cabinet and his family up in our prayers. America has had some very trying months and years lately and we have all suffered one way or another. I pray that Obama can lead our country back to something to be proud of. Back to a place where Americans feel secure. I pray for Obama's safety and the safety of his family - I can't imagine the stuff they are going to go through over the next several years with some of the extremist that live amongst us. I pray that God will soften their hearts and remove all hate towards that family because of the color of their skin.

I also lift up all the pro-life and pro-choice issues that we face which seems to be the main thing people are complaining about when it comes to Obama. As a former fetus, I am pro-life, but I also believe that it isn't a one-size-fits-all issue. I personally am against it, I personally would never be able to support abortion, but I honestly can't say what I would do if I was faced with a life-threatening pregnancy. Right now I would lay down and die for any of my children, and I would like to say the same about any unborn children. I would also like to say the same about any unborn grandchildren, but I have no idea what would happen if my daughter was carrying a child that was a result of a rape or incest. Could I make her go through the pain of remembering day in and day out for 9 months what happened to her? I honestly don't know! Are these the same issues that Obama thinks about? I pray that somehow Americans can find some common ground on this issue. I pray that sex education programs can reach all children at an appropriate age. I pray that any mother carrying a child that is contemplating abortion will see that there are other options. I pray that these moms will be embraced and told that they don't have to kill their child. I pray that these moms will be surrounded by love and support. I pray that the fathers of these unborn babies will step up and take some responsibility and be supportive. No matter what the president says on this issue, no matter if he is pro-choice or pro-life, if you feel strongly about this issue DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Don't just sit there on your couch and complain about Obama being pro-choice, don't just forward emails talking about how Obama is pro-choice, don't refer to our next president as a baby killer! Get off your ass and do something! Be a volunteer at a pro-life organization if you have the time to invest in it. The least you can do is pray!

(sorry about the tangent)

So, let's back our president and lift him up in our prayers. Remember that Obama is our next president because that is part of God's plan - it may not be your plan, but embrace it and you will grow from it. It wasn't my plan to bury my son 2 1/2 year ago, it wasn't my plan to lose two other children through miscarriage, it wasn't my plan to go through infertility....but my plans aren't the same as God's and even though I have gone through all of this, I have grown from it. Sometimes I have no idea why God chose me, but I know that He never makes a mistake! Obama being president isn't a mistake, but he will need a lot of prayers for the next 4 years.

13 comments:

Megan said...

Great post Shawnie!! I love the former fetus part! It is so shocking to me to see people turning to the bible now...only when it suits them and when things don't go their way!!

mommy to an angel said...

I know I turn to the bible more when things are bad and I think that is the same for many other. It shouldn't be that way, but I know it is for many. I think as Christians we find that we NEED God when things are going bad, but that we can do it on our own when things are going good! I want to get better about this and realize that I need God at ALL times!

Jen said...

"No matter what the president says on this issue, no matter if he is pro-choice or pro-life, if you feel strongly about this issue DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

I do and have for over 20 years. I will respect him as our president b/c that's what the office commands. I cannot respect him as a man when he voted against the Born Alive Act and against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. I also agree that there is a lot of gray area in the issue of abortion. I'm sorry but for me, those two votes are deal breakers.

Megan said...

Ugh!! So glad this is over!!

mommy to an angel said...

I'm glad it's over too!

Most people supporting Obama are educated on his stance as far partial birth abortion and KNOW that Obama voted present on the ban because it was placed before him as an all or nothing ban!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGZOyxfiNoU
Obama attempted to include an exception to the ban for certain cases and it was rejected! Did he vote against it? No, he voted "present"! Not for it, not against it!
Continue to watch the clip above and watch McCain's reaction - how did anyone with a uterus vote for this guy? To wiggle your fingers and basically dismiss any woman out there who has been faced with this horrible lose-lose situation - either your life or your child's life! In the US there is approximately 11 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births. Obama is basically saying, I am not going to tell these women that they can't have an abortion to save their own life!
What's not to respect?
I respect a woman's life enough to say that if your health is at risk and this is your choice, by all means it should be available to you! Would I do it myself? I can't say that I would! I don't think I could. I have a feeling I would turn towards God for strength, healing and comfort and know that God has a plan. Not everyone out there is able to do that.

Leenie said...

I don't think we should judge people by one view they have, true or not. Is that what Jesus would have done? Would he have judged a person just because of one attribute? I don't think so. The issue is a big one, but maybe people should stop and think about what they are saying in front of their kids. Aidan came home yesterday telling me the kids at school said that Obama is a baby killer. Shame on the parent that says this stuff not just to each other, but to their children. My innocent 6 year old boy--going to a Christian school said this horrible thing. It brought me and still brings me to tears.

Jen said...

I said "for me" it was a deal breaker. I did not make a judgment on how anyone else choose to vote or their opinion of the abortion. I was simply trying to state why I was not comfortable with it. I am fully aware of the way the ban was written and how it was presented.

I also was upset when my daughter came home and reported the term "baby killer" I intend to talk to her teacher tomorrow at conferences about it.

Jen said...

One last thing before I go back to my corner. I did not base my vote on one thing. I based it on many issues but abortion is a topic feel strongly about. I could talk all day about small business taxes, civil service requirements, ANWAR, school choice, free radio, and lots more.

Leenie said...

Yep--That one is on the top of my list also to talk to Miss M about. I know it's not her fault but I still think they should know. I know you would agree that we pay too much $$$ for our kids to get that type of education. And who knows..maybe an 8th grader put 2 and 2 together and said it.

mommy to an angel said...

shame on the parent who allowed that to come out of their mouths in the presence of their children! Now there are kids out there who actually think that our next president is a baby killer - do these parents have any idea what they just put on their children?!? Shame, Shame, Shame!!! and if I knew the parent who did that I would shake my finger at him/her!

Still Sane said...

Amen Shawnie! Do people really choose the leader of our country because of one issue? Was McCain being voted in going to instantly reverse Roe V. Wade? Please. Do people have a right to believe that abortion is wrong? Absolutely.
But don't tell me John McCain would have brought about the hope, and inspiration of last night.

I honestly cried watching his speech. I have a daughter that is a different color than most of the little blonde girls she knows. I don't want her to EVER think that she can't do something because of the color of her skin. Obama's audience was filled with black, whites, hispanics, young, old... It was beautiful. THAT is what I want my children to see. THAT is what I want to represent my country to the world.

Still Sane said...

I had a student in my class who, too, was telling the other students that Obama is a murderer. His father is a very prominent pastor. It made me want to be sick! These children are 9. I would pray that my God would not approve this.

ReeRee said...

Wow...lots of comments. Great post Shawnie.