Today was Elizabeth's K4 graduation at the preschool. She did such a good job at their little program. She got to sing the ABC song all by herself. She had a small class of only 8 students, so the program was short. One thing I have appreciated about our preschool is that they prepare a scrapbook of the year's projects and pictures of the children throughout the school term. It is nice to have one of these for Madeline and Elizabeth. It is amazing how much they have grown in such a short time. We don't notice it so readily because we are with them everyday. Congratulations to Elizabeth for making it through K4. Now on to Mommy's school and Kindergarten. Last week we went and bought her some uniforms for next school term. She is getting to be so big. Granted, her little sister is almost as big as she is. I am afraid Elizabeth may be a midget.
Yesterday, I had another meeting with my ordination support group. I am really beginning to like these get-togethers and the process is really becoming much better for me. I am realizing that, though much of this work is tedious, it is not pointless. And, more importantly, it is about my desire to be submissive to the process rather than trying to run it myself. I realize that since I have been considering this for such a long time, and since I am no idiot, I have the tendency to see too many possibilities that could be the right one and I spend too much time trying to make those happen, when I should just allow God to process me. In the end, I will be less stressed and more prepared for waiting on the Lord. I am looking forward to the possibility of going back to school. I may try to start as early as this fall since I will have a scholarship to start working on my academic "deficiencies." And, if I like it, I may just keep working till I finish another degree. But I am doing my best to not get ahead of myself and only work toward the immediate goal for now.
In other news: What do you think about John McCain's repudiation of John Hagee's and Rod Parsley's endorsements of his presidential campaign? I wonder how this will be viewed in the evangelical camp. Not that these two ministers are all that influential in the grand scheme of things, but the idea that a presidential candidate would come out in opposition may be viewed in less than positive light. Although, it is Hagee and Parsley--it may be a deal clincher. He may end up better than he was with their endorsements. I think most people are more like me and think these guys are looney tunes. It is funny how McCain has tried to distance himself from them and indicate that neither of them were his pastor of 20 years. Funny.
I had a conversation this week about flag lapel pins. I asked why it was necessary for a presidential candidate to wear a flag pin and the answer seemed to be that if someone was running for president, they needed to be patriotic. Barack Obama neither wears a flag lapel pin not salutes the flag during the pledge of allegiance; therefore he is not patriotic and someone who wants to be president ought to be the most patriotic person in America. There have been an inordinate amount of rumors going around about Obama's patriotism, especially after his wife, Michelle, made the comment that for the first time in her adult life she is proud of America. I agree that her words were not well chosen; however, I think she was trying to communicate that she was pleased that for once a black man could run a serious campaign for president and actually have a good chance of winning. Most people will not give any public figure the benefit of the doubt and therein is the main issue.
Now the truth of the matter is that on one highly visible occasion in Iowa in 2007 Obama was seen with hands clasped in front of him during the singing of the national anthem, not while saying the pledge of allegiance. But there are several video clips of him on snopes.com showing him saluting the flag and saying the pledge of allegiance in the Senate chamber, even leading the Senate in the pledge.
As for the the controversy over the flag lapel pin, ABC News ran this comment from Obama:
"You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin," Obama said. "Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we're talking about the Iraq War,that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest. Instead," he said, "I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism."
I think it all goes back to the question of "what is patriotic?" Am I unpatriotic because I never wear a flag pin? Granted, I am not running for president, but I really think most politicians wear the flag as a way to feign patriotism for political gain. I mean, I never wear a cross pin. Does that make me un-Christian? Of course we would agree that wearing a cross does not make us a Christian, but why are we so quick to judge a person's patriotism over a trinket? In some ways I think Obama gives many of us Americans too much credit for being able to deal with issues in an adult way. Sadly, I think Obama is an idealist, and you know what America does to idealists?
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