I’m up late. I’m praying about my voting decisions.

Here’s a few things I’m concerned about, if you happen to be up late too.

I WANT TO BE A THINKER:

• I’m not in favor of telling Americans to vote to show their freedom. Too many do so out of ignorance. I don’t want to do this either.
• I have come to really value and appreciate the words and wisdom from Patrick Lencioni. He lives in Nor Cal and one of these days, when I’m back visiting family, I just might have to try and schedule a long shot coffee with him. I’ve read several of his books and I subscribe to his monthly newsletter, which never disappoints. The October newsletter started like this:

“I always find it interesting—or maybe troubling—when people encourage everyone to go out and vote on election day. Don’t get me wrong; I’m an ardent fan of democracy. I just don’t think it’s a good idea for people to vote unless they’ve taken the time to understand the issues and make informed decisions. It would be far better, in my opinion, if those who are too busy or disinterested to stay abreast of the issues exercised restraint on election day. I think that makes perfect sense, and yet is often viewed as politically or socially incorrect.”

• I couldn’t agree more.

PROBLEM IS, MOST OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO ME IS BAD.

• campaign ads are full of partisian bullcrap.
• law makers write long bills and then stuff pet projects in the small print between the lines, making my distrust for law makers and politicians mountains high. No other industry would tolerate this junk.
• what they send me in the mail is either ridiculously simplified to the point that it is of little or no use, or so complicated, I need like 20 hours and a poli-sci degree to comprehend it.
• many media sources tend to be one sided in their criticism.

SO, HERE’S WHERE I’VE FOUND SOME HOPE:

• I read this blog post and the comment streams and then chased that stuff all over the place.

• I enjoyed this site and spent several hours reading about stuff I cared about. It’s seems to at least attack both sides equally.

• I have a friend who has thoughtfully posted a bunch of stuff on his blog. I don’t agree with everything, but I did appreciate the process and found it immensely helpful in my own decision making, confident I had someone helping me sort out truth from lies.

SO, NOW I HAVE TO SORT THROUGH IT ALL AND BUBBLE IN MY BALLOT. NOT AN EASY JOB FOR ME THIS YEAR CUZ OF:

• COMPLEXITY: Hardest part of my decisions is that I agree and disagree with parts of like everything. Whether it be I agree with the policy, but not the methodology a proposition employs or visa-versa, I’m finding a lot of decisions hard for me this year.

• DOUBT ABOUT THE SOLUTION: I think politics and government can be tools by which the Kingdom of God can be seen, but it’s rarely the first goal of either of them. I have trouble believing that voting changes the human condition that I believe is in desperate need of grace and truth and love and redemption. That is so much more than any vote or ballot can accomplish. I go the poles a bit skeptical that much of it will really deal with core level issues and not just be bandaids on much bigger problems.

• I’M NOT A REPUBLICAN: I’m registered as one, but I’m not one. I’m also not a Democrat. I’m a follower of Jesus, and there is no such thing as the “Jesus political party” and I pray no one tries to create it either. But regardless, I’m no longer willing to walk into the polling station and simply pick someone based on party allegiance. I’ve done it in the past. I’m not doing it tomorrow. I’ll vote for some on both sides of the isle.

• MONEY IS LAME: only thing lamer, is how government spends and raises and borrows it. The whole tax deal, wall street buy out, and yatta yatta makes me wonder who is in charge or what it is I must be missing.

SO, IN CONCLUSION:

1. I’m praying for our country and our world. This is literally a global decision these days.
2. I’m proud and honored to be a country where I can have a voice. So I’m voting as informed as I know how.
3. A bit random, but I’m still a little weirded out by the fact that Rachel Maddow has become a TV personality. I sat in Calculus, English, and several other classes with her in high school- she is part of my graduating class. She now has her own TV show, is a regular on the Today Show, will be a big part of tomorrows coverage on MSNBC, and interviewed Barack Obama last week. Someday I’m gonna get my picture on a box of Wheaties and then she’ll be calling me for an interview.

Today after 3 soccer games, we went shopping for a new mattress for Tyler, cuz he is moving into TJ’s room and Tyler’s bunk is gonna become Billy’s.

Anyway, we were at JC Penny and buying a mattress from our 72 year old salesman (he told us that earlier in our sales process) when at the end, he tries to be funny and says:

“Hey, it was nice of you to come in. But you appear to have only brought in part of your family. Where did you put the sister?”

To which Jake says all loud and proud, “Oh, she’s in Africa!”

Salesman, smiles and looks at Jake and says, “Oh, that’s cute. Africa.” and rubs Jake’s head and laughs a little.

To which Shannon says, “No really, we’re adopting and that’s why we need another mattress.”

I then bust out the phone to show the “family picture.”

Salesman then looks at us and smiles and says, “Well, that’s great. God bless you.”

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. Here’s some of the random things in my head:

GAS TV: Who decided I needed to watch TV when I pump gas?

OIL SCHMOIL: Why can the oil industry post 14 billion in profits and this not be a social sin when people had to buy gas to go to work but can’t afford the milk they need at home? I’m sure there’s a reason why we don’t regulate this industry like we do natural gas/electricity- but I can’t figure out for the life of me what it is except ego and power.

FEAR MONGERING: Why is fear such a popular voting motive? I should probably give this a whole post- cuz I have HUGE concerns about how Christians interact with a secular society… but I don’t understand the ones who say I should vote Yes on 8 for fear that my kids might learn at my public school that there are people who think homosexuality is a lifestyle one can raise a family under. There are tons of things my kids learn at school I don’t support. But I also have not deligated their learning away. If it’s taught as THE way, then that’s a problem. But A way? Well, I’m not sure not teaching that is changing much these days. They learn condoms can protect pre-marital sex, abortion is ok, the absense of God, a view of religions I don’t agree with, and a bunch of other stuff. I took Tyler to a museum this week with his class where they subtly told him again that he has evolved from nothing… which all of my kids are taught at one stage or another in the public school realm. But I use it as a teaching moment, not a fear moment. I didn’t tell Tyler he can’t go to the museum because they’ll say he evolved from a soup of nothingness. Anyway- I don’t fear the society I live in, I want to influence it- which is why our kids are in the public school environment in the first place. Voting is one of many ways I can continue to spread my influence. But at the core, I want to engage this society and teach my kids and students to think about what America does or does not teach and learn to agree and disagree sensibly and Biblically. I don’t fear it. I don’t think Jesus did or does either.

HEY YOU: The guy in the mirror. Self-awareness seems to be a daily pursuit these days. I wish I was more of this and less of that and well, thank God he loves me, cuz I’m a distinct work in progress.

TEXTING: When did texting take over the world? This thing is virtually the only way I can track my student leaders down these days. For a few years I fought it. It seems now, I either use it or lose IT.

FACEBOOK: Facebook might be the best thing that has ever happened to some of my friendships. Maybe?

NO, we are not auctioning off our children. But after tonight, we are considering selling our 3 to get these two.. just kidding. relax. don’t report us.

OK… but for reals check this out. We have a friend from high school who has a blog and a mean talent with a sewing machine and she’s combined the two to change the world by creating her own little private e-bay of sorts. She’s raised money for the International Justice Mission several times and right now, she’s doing one to help us out.

You can hit up her blog here if you’d like a beautiful apron for yourself or a friend as a gift to both yourself and our family! HURRY. AUCTION ENDS REALLY SOON.

Right now the highest bidder is a friend of mine, Neely who is also adopting! You should go to her blog and buy these cool shirts too and help her family out. Shannon and I both have one and we need to get some for our kids now.

Well, we are working hard to raise the funds we’ll need to get our kids home from Africa. Here’s an update on the process on our end:

All in all, it’s brought in something like $1400 for us. Sweet way to raise funds and bless Uganda in a bunch of ways!