[The Resolution, Jack's Mannequin]

I have been basically terrible about being solid re: HYC (Healthy You Challenge) updates, but today I have my first posted NSV (non-scale victory)-- I always shop from a list on Saturday mornings.  I go to Safeway every week and Walgreen's some weeks when there are awesome deals that are legitimately useful for our family.  So... the moral of this story is that there was a coupon to get 2 bags of Dorito's at Safeway for $3.  It was on my list and in the budget.  But then I was shopping and it hit me that I would only feel sick and terrible if I purchased dem Doritos because I would probably eat the entire back in 2-3 sittings.  So, I just didn't buy them.  Pretty sweet.

Also, I am aware that today is the big election.  We are actually going to watch the election coverage at our community group tonight, because, well... those of us who did decide to come to CG (basically the Mars Hill Church equivalent of small group Bible study) would probably sit there wondering about the election all night, totally distracted, so we're going to bond as a group and watch the coverage.  There are some hard core people for both sides in our group, but we love and respect one another, so it will be all good.

I have intentionally stayed away from politics on my blog simply because they are so divisive,and I am not trying to compartmentalize my life, but the fact is that my political views have very little to do with the majority of my life and I just don't want to get all up into arguments about why people support whom they support.  I especially don't want the judgment both sides make on one another.  Honestly, I'm over it.  I have carefully figured out what I think and why, I know where I stand, my husband and I are on the same page, and no matter who wins various elections tomorrow, Jesus is still way more important to me than any president or governor.  I will share, simplistically, a few thoughts; if you can't read about political stuff without getting either a) judgmental or b) divisive or c) worse or d) all of the above then please just stop reading here and move on to another blog until tomorrow :)

I can't be quiet on one issue- I will be pretty dang annoyed if Rossi doesn't win this time.  Well, actually, he did win the first time but somehow his opponent has been in office for four years.

For those who don't know, WA state is basically uber liberal in Seattle, with pockets of liberals in most other cities, and then largely conservative everywhere else, particularly most of the eastern half of the state.  Well, really, just once you get about 30 minutes outside of it's biggest city (Seattle).  Like most states, actually.  But in 2004, after multiple recounts, the Democratic candidate for Governor, Christine Gregoire, won by 133 votes.

Basically, King county (where Seattle is, and where I live) cheated and dead people "voted", and in every recount King County "found" more absentee ballots, miraculously almost all for Gregoire, and she won.  I think she has been a terrible governor, regardless of party, and, to be quite honest, I am kind of disgusted at how many Democrats blindly follow her simply because she's of their party.

I won't lie to you- I tend to lean conservative, and not in the "I'm a Christian who blindly votes Republican" way.  If a candidate is simply the better choice and a better leader then I will vote for them regardless of party.  I did this year for some of our state and city level candidates.  And I STRONGLY considered writing in "Jesus Christ" for president, but after much prayer and research my husband and I decided that, though he's not our guy, we simply think McCain would do a much better job for president.

The thing is, I spent five years in a church where the pastor preached who to vote for from the pulpit (always the conservative candidate... as in, Bush), and where if someone who goes there is voting for Obama I guarantee you they are being SILENT because they will be persecuted for it.  That is WRONG.  I've thought a lot about what it means to legislate our own morality, and what that looks like.  I mean, we legislate morality in some areas (murder, stealing, cheating on certain things like taxes) because most people think those are inherent issues, and everyone knows those things are wrong.  People don't see eye to eye on issues like homosexuality / gay marriage, abortion, etc.  I tell you this- I don't solely vote based on those issues.  I think that is irresponsible.  But I definitely have prayed, thought about, and talked to my husband about whether it's my duty as a Christian to vote based on a candidate whom I believe will legislate my standards of morality.  I also think a lot about what it means to be a Christian in a society where I have the ability to vote.  I don't have any clear answers.  But I have looked at both sides, what they believe, how they are choosing to set policies to lead this nation, and I took a long time to finally make a choice.

What I don't appreciate is the way many liberals think all conservatives are the ignorant hicks who do stupid things like think Obama is a secret ally of Al Qaeda.  If you think that Obama is a terrorist, I am sorry, you are utterly wrong.  But if you are a liberal who writes off all conservatives as either greedy rich people or stupid hicks who follow greedy rich people then you are also wrong.  Likewise, I am sick of conservatives writing off liberals as godless baby-killers with no moral values.  I know compassionate, Jesus-loving Christians who are voting for Obama because they truly believe he will be the best leader for our country.  To any person, particularly one who calls him/herself a follower of Christ, I would say how dare you write off another person in such a way?  And if you are a Christian and there are people with out there views that are completely unBiblical, it's not your call to write them off.  You are to love those people and allow them to see a better way in Christ.

Enough of my rant.  Overall, a president is merely a president.  That's it.  Ultimately, no matter what a person's political views are, they are a person.  A living, breathing, thinking, feeling person.  I hope that people will be responsible and wise with their vote, but at the end of the day my Commander in Chief is Jesus and I know He's an incredible leader- the absolute best.  That's why, ten years after He introduced Himself to me, I follow Him more heartily than I did at the beginning.  The next president will last 4, maybe 8 years, and his policies will be replaced by those of another imperfect person.  Jesus Christ is perfection personified and His teachings still thrive 2,000 years after His death, so I'm honored to give my ultimate allegiance to Him.

No matter who wins, I really hope we can learn to love and respect one another despite our differences.

And I'm done :)