Debate Part 1 - Politics

While I put my twitter account on hiatus, I do check my DM messages. I made the mistake of reading and responding to a blogpost someone sent me. The blogpost spoke vehemently against US Presidential  candidate Mitt Romney, comparing him to Hitler and calling him the antiChrist. Why? Because Romney is Mormon.

*sigh*

I started my response by saying I don't prefer to discuss politics. My political point of view runs along these lines:

• I chose to be "Independent" because I had to choose some party when I registered and I wanted neither Democratic nor Republican. Sadly, Joe Lieberman (a Republican wolf in sheep's clothing) switched to the "Independent" party when he lost the Republican primaries one year. Now I search for another non-affiliate party. 
• The leader we choose should be chosen not based on the group affiliations, the amount of money he has (or raises for the political campaign), nor the color of his skin, but by the content of his (or her) character.
• I believe strongly we should have a legitimate "None of the Above" option on voting ballots - from President to Town Clerk. Too often we are left to decide who is the "lesser of the two (or more) evils." If we could vote "None of the Above" and force those who parley for our attention and votes to get out of the way, perhaps better choices would rise. Or perhaps politicians would spend more time resolving real issues and spending less time campaigning.
• I believe strongly that ANY political leader who has any say in a budget should live on minimum wage for at least 5 years - without using any savings (including a mortgage-free home) and without breaking any laws, including "working under the table" (cash only, no income taxes). In all honestly, those who manage to live as such at or below poverty level have a MUCH better sense in how to budget than those who can loose a few thousand dollars without a concern.
• I believe we should eliminate the Electoral College in America. That was established when it took weeks to send a message and the country was far smaller. Now, every single vote should count.
• I also believe that EVERY American 18 years or older should have the right to vote. Sadly, there are parts of this country where people are no longer allowed to vote - even though they are legitimate US Citizens. The laws require the people have certain ID's (like a State issued Driver's License). Not everyone drives. Even the State issued, non-license ID's cost a great deal of money. If you had to choose to vote once per year or eat for a month, which would you choose? Sadly, that is a decision some are forced to make. Then, there are the homeless. Whether these people reside in a temporary homeless shelter, live in their car or are in a cardboard box on the street, they can not obtain these ID's for they do not have a legitimate "home" address. Even if they have a Post Office Box to receive the mail, the laws clearly indicate that is not good enough to obtain the "proper ID" needed to vote. Many of our poor are unable to vote in our election systems.

Sadly, I also believe that no matter how strong the moral character a leader has, it will be SORELY tried in the viperous den of DC... There are very strong influences to protect what they have built there, and way too many corporations have strings tied to the politicians.

• Thus I also believe there should be no corporate campaign contributions. There should also be a law stating that those who contribute can NOT influence decisions after the election. Oh, how quickly campaign dollars would dry up if that came to fruition.

Did you know that when America was founded, those who were its first Senators and House Representatives were VOLUNTEERS! Yes, they did not receive a penny (or even half-penny) for their work. They did so because they loved their country. That is why politicians have so much vacation time; that was when they were to go back home to work on their farms and businesses to earn a living for their families. Now they earn millions, have full-paid benefits that most of us can only dream about, including extravagant health-care while millions go without it, and even paid room and board while they "work" in DC.

- ESA

Waste Not

Yesterday at the Big E I experienced something I wanted to share, but did not want it lumped in with the rest of the snippets in my Big E blogpost.

We stopped to view a demonstration for one of the kitchen gadgets; my husband enjoys watching the sales pitches so we stayed a bit to listen. It was the same type of presentation I've seen before - it slices, it dices, it scrubs your kitchen sink!

But something in me caused me to mentally step back and see something with new eyes. I watched the sales rep take a whole potato and slice it up. He then did the same with a zucchini, then a carrot, some raw cabbage and at last the precarious tomato. Then I realized with ever-widening eyes - he was THROWING AWAY all that food. Swipe! Down the table-top hole to the garbage bin beneath.

I walked away with an acute awareness that there are people in this world, people in America, even people a few miles away - that are hungry and cannot afford enough food for themselves and their loved ones. Yet here this man is throwing away what would be a dinner for two every fifteen or so minutes!

I walked away with tears in my eyes and, after he coaxed it from me, told my husband what I came to realize I was actually seeing. Here was a horrible waste of food - just for the sale of a piece of plastic and metal! Yet I was at a loss of what to do or how to respond to this...

My husband has been following a "think globally, act locally" approach to things of late. And he tried to apply this to my dilemma too. It was a bitter pill to swallow when I had to acknowledge the times I also wasted food: when I prefer fast food over the leftovers in the fridge, when we cannot eat nor doggie-bag leftovers from a restaurant when we travel.

It's a crying shame when you realize how much is wasted in restaurants, but there are also health codes that must be maintained. One hope we shared together is that culinary schools have a cooperative effort with soup kitchens to feed the hungry with the class materials as the chefs learn their stock and trade...

There were other kitchen gadget vendors there too; some served salsa, vegetable smoothies or whatever products were produced during the demo (and who wouldn't be tempted by free food). But there were others who simply threw it away........

While this was sinking in, and I came to terms that I, myself, needed to change my behaviors and waste less too, I sought the comfort of a hug from my husband. Within his embrace, I heard a whisper in my hair. "I'm here. I'll always be here with you."

At that moment, I felt the same Peace I feel when I pray. It wasn't just my husband comforting me, nor just his words. For the first time in my life, I immediately recognized Christ reaching out to me through another. Often it would take days, months, even years for it to dawn on me. But this time, I knew right away, and I cannot describe the Peace and Joy inside that moment.

It only lasted about a minute, then my husband broke the spell by asking why he suddenly felt a "whoosh" of air blowing down on him; we were inside a building at the time. It could have been the remote controlled helicopter flying from the booth six feet away or it could have been something else. I don't care to speculate. The words and His presence were enough for me.

I will now make more conscientious efforts not to waste - food or opportunities to learn.

- ESA

Paperclips

Though my bloodline makes me an American-European mutt, I grew up with a strong Irish-American background. Not only did we revel in the gift to tell stories, elaborate and exaggerate events and, as Mark Twain once quipped, "never let the truth get in the way of a good story." After nearly four decades of this, lying had become second-nature and I discovered I was astute at it. Sadly, this was a talent that was not only praised but celebrated in my family. :(

A few years ago, I reached a point where I wanted to improve myself - Spiritually and morally. I had to face the fact: LYING HAD TO STOP. It was hard. I tried and failed and tried again so many, many times. The enemy had practically convinced me that it was impossible as I was so set in my ways that I couldn't change.

A fellow co-worker at the time was in Weight Watchers and had told me how hard it was for her to change her eating habits. Then she took out this string of five colored paperclips. She told me that each paperclip represented a pound that she had lost on the plan. Every week she gets evaluated and paperclips are either added or removed, depending on how well she is doing. Anytime she starts to cave in to the temptation of food, hunger and lifestyle pattern she pulls out these paperclips and reminds herself, "I've come this far. I will not blow it by giving into temptation now." The longer the chain, the greater her desire to fight the temptation.

I used this to help me.

I started simple. For every day that I didn't tell a lie, I would add a paperclip. I didn't carry them around. I hung them from a push-pin in the wall right next to my laptop screen at the office. Work was where I was frequently tempted to lie. For example, I would lie to my boss about why the work wasn't done, as I chatted, tweeted, watched videos, etc. instead of doing my work first as I should. You can see how lies progressed into something even larger. So that is where I needed my reminders the most. As an added incentive, the place I chose to start the chain was beside an image of Yeshua / Jesus I have on the wall.

Day-by-day, I progressed. Days I lied, I removed one paperclip. Days I went through without a lie, I added one. There were stretches when the paperclip I added on the wall in the morning was gone before quitting time. But little-by-little, through persistence and prayer, I managed to have that chain grow. It was beautiful! And what my co-worker said was true. The longer the chain, the more incentive I had NOT to lie. I even found that I would go back to my boss after the lie and admit that I lied, apologized, and did my work as I should.

One day, I found the chain was nearly to the floor. Then I upped the challenge. I would continue to add a paperclip (looping it if I have to) for each day I managed to not tell a lie, but I would remove ALL paperclips if I lied. The first time I lied after that point was tragic. I cannot describe the pain and shame as I went paperclip by paperclip unhooking that wonderfully long chain and putting the paperclips back in the container. I felt like an utter failure.

But I began again. One paperclip. One day. Another and the chain grew again.

After several weeks of this, I switched to one paperclip for each week. This made things even harder. For one lie would destroy weeks of work! The chain hanging beside Christ's image kept me strong as I struggled each day not to lie. And when I messed up and did lie, I wept as I dismantled that chain.

Months came and went and new calendars were hung on that wall as the years changed. Eventually I no longer needed the paperclip chain. They are forever engraved in my mind. Every time I find a lie slip through my lips I cringe. Sometimes I cry. I am not perfect. I ask forgiveness and begin again each and every time. But I have been able to keep lies from me as much as I possibly can. In fact, it's now painful for me to intentionally lie. So I don't.

What else can I now change in my life?
One paperclip at a time.
And begin again.

-ESA

Lifting my Voice (Poem)

I needed some time to myself, but now... I want to sing, I want to shout! I want to tell the world what I'm about.

Why am I so shy and hesitant in what I say - more each day...

I giggle, stay silent - I just want to hide... rather than plainly state what I feel inside.

Yesterday and then again today, someone said he saw wisdom in what I had to say...

And yet I hesitate and hold back. Is it simply courage that I lack?

I need to change, to grow... to become something more than what I know!

I was told change is NOT something to fear...

But something that instead should be treasured dear.

The enemy uses fear to stop us as we progress, each hesitation is a measure of his success.

I should start to again blog this, and share with any who may witness...

Fear NOT the change.

Through it we grow.

Let that show.

- ESA

Poems from Puberty (Poems)

Today I don't have much time to dedicate to a blog, so I thought to share something with my readers instead.

My niece / god-daughter is 13 ("going on 14") and is -- like her aunt before her -- trying her wings in creative writing. Below are some of her recent poems I wanted to share:

Be there

When you were young
We were there
To show we care
When you grew,
You said you knew
Did you?


Live

Wait and stare, watch and listen
Be with myself at mind, heart, and soul
Pure with blood fair and sweet
Kind and good
Love grows fast and sticks


My Soul

What breathes in me
What I'll be
Who I am
I breathe and live
I talk
But I love


God

Oh, holy thou
Be with me you are my eyes
My ears
My flesh
My body
My blood


Dawn

The breath of day
It takes thou' away
I watch the sun set and the moon rise
It begins to fill my eyes
I wait and wonder
I began to ponder
It is here the break of day
Yet, it makes me feel gay (happy)


I also wrote poetry as a teenager (though much longer poems - LOL). Here is one that was published in 1986, written a month after my 17th birthday:

Confused Times
(c) 9/16/1986
.
The cold wind blows hard against my back
But I enjoy the cold, I said.
Just as I enjoy the thrill
Of a different journey.
But just what is a different journey?
A different challenge in life?
Or is it a different life itself?
.
The wind lashes across my face.
Now I see all my mistakes.
What is happening to my life now?
The trail is disappearing fast.
I can no longer see my feet.
And no longer can I reach my star.
.
The wind tosses my hair about.
I'm so confused as to what life's about.
Is there a goal waiting for me?
I must move on, headstrong, and see.
.
God is the One who makes the wind blow.
I hear His voice upon the breeze.
But what is His message about?
How could I figure it out?
.
The sky is clear and blue.
The clouds move swiftly in the wind.
The sun peeks out through the leaves.
And the wind roars overhead.
.
But now I'm quiet,
Taking time out for myself.
I listen to the voice of God
As it sails by my ears.
.
Then, I sit back
And think
Of a goal I wish to reach,
My eternal home.
.
- ESA

PS: Feel free to copy, repost or redistribute my poem, but all rights are retained by my niece for hers, so please respect her poems and do not copy, repost or redistribute those without first obtaining permission. Thank you.