A Call to Vote

November 4, 2008
If you have not already voted, please let me encourage you to do so. I cast my vote today at lunch and did not have to wait in line. I went straight through and to my voting booth. I am not ashamed to say that I voted McCain/Palin. I will say that this time around I struggled with a vote. Not that I would have voted for Obama but that I would have liked to have seen a Godly man who stands Boldly for Christ. Sadly, I see our country in a direction where there is more world centered views than God centered views. As Christians we need to pray that our country will turn back to God. I pray that the results will be better than someone of us might expect. I had to go to court this morning and let me tell you, "It never fails to amaze me of the disrespect that I see in the courtrooms today." People dress as though they are going to work in a machine shop, they slouch in their seats, and they respond with an astounding "huh" when their name is called out. I am not bragging by any means but I was the nicest dressed person in the courtroom other than the lawyers and judge. Now you are wondering, what was I in court for? I was subpoenaed along with my mother. You see, back in May after my father died, we were visiting his place to do more packing and cleaning. When we arrived, I noticed a car pulled way back off the driveway and in behind his place. I blocked his vehicle in with my vehicle and told my mother to wait by the car. I called the police and told them I thought someone was in my dad's place. I then blew the horn (don't really know why) and a guy came running out the back door and went around to the front. He met me and my mom in the driveway and I recognized him as "Scott". I'll just say that Scott is a person that has a bad intentions and was one of the reason that there were boundaries placed on my relationship with my father. Scott got in his car and I moved mine (out of fear he would hit it) and he sped off. I picked him out of a photo line-up and today was the court date. He is charged with Felony B&E. He had pretty much destroyed all the packing that my mother and I had done in my father's place and it was heartbreaking to know that someone could be so cruel in a time of such sorrow. I don't make apologies for my relationship with my father. He was my father and I chose to love him regardless of his sins. God tells us to have compassion and to love the sinner not the sin. They should see Christ in us not matter what and that is what I chose to do. I did set boundaries and there were rough times in the relationship. Sometimes I had to make hard choices but in the end all that matter was that I loved him and wanted the best for him. Anyway, Scott did not show up for court and neither did his attorney so the court is supposed to notify us when they pick him up. I left court around 10:00 am and was able to go by and vote and then come to work. Jimmy called and he is going to try and leave a little earlier today and cast his vote before the lines get too long. Its been a busy few days and the weekend was full also. Friday night we went over to some friends house and enjoyed the evening with them. Yuri and I took the boys, Rachael and Jessica out trick or treating in a nearby neighborhood. I saw people that we have not seen in a while that used to come to Union Grove and I invited them back to church. I don't think they are going anywhere now and it is heartbreaking to know that they are out of church. We walked quite a bit and I got some good exercise in for the day. We went back to Kim's and hung out and ate some really good food. We stayed up rather late and we had to go to Charlotte the next morning to pick up Kelli. Kelli wrecked her vehicle 3 weeks ago and we went to look at a Jeep Grand Cherokee that she had found. She ended up buying the vehicle and she came back to Lexington with us to spend the weekend. She went to our Sunday School class "hayride" outing on Saturday evening and we had a really good time. She seemed to enjoy herself a lot and said she would like to come to church the next time she is home. I pray that God continues to open her eyes to the beauty of his love and that she will see he is everything that she needs and longs for! I know that Kelli is saved because we have asked her and she has assured us that she knows she is saved. She is struggling though, and I pray that she continues to see Christ through the love that her dad and I show her. Children can disappoint you, no doubt, but you can never stop loving them. Every time I saw the smile on her face this weekend, the laughter in her voice, and the love she showed, I knew that the love I have for her will always be more than the disappointments. She could never do anything that would change the love I have for her. That's why God sent his son to die for us. He loves us that much. No matter the mistakes we make, he still loves us. How could we not love each other? Church on Sunday was awesome. Our Sunday school message and the 11:00 message was great! I loved the music on Sunday morning. Our choir does such an awesome job. We fixed lunch at the house and Kelli ate with us. We visited a while and took her back to Charlotte. I hope she comes home again soon and comes to church with us. Rachael is practicing basketball now and made the JV and Varsity Team. It is hard wen they play both teams because they practice twice and get home later. They go to both games and this puts them to the test to get their homework done and to keep their grades up. I challenge Rachael a lot on this. Sometimes, I think I can be too hard on her but I know that she is so capable of doing more than she thinks she can. She can get lazy. Rachael has to be pushed. Some kids are self-motivated, others have to be encouraged. Rachael has to be encouraged but when she gives her all, she can do anything. She is growing into her own little adult and its scary but thrilling to watch her. I can't believe how much time has gone by and that she will soon turn 14 on the 28th of this month. She told me the other day that she just wants money for her birthday. With a teenager, that is no surprise. She wants money to take with her on the Gatlinberg trip that the youth is going on in December. I told her I would spread the word. Jimmy and I are still devoted to our weight watchers and tomorrow is weigh in day. I indulged a little on Satuday night with Mexican cornbread and dessert but I also walked an extra mile on the treadmill. Hopefully I walked the "binge" off. We will find out tomorrow.