Delving into a little politics

Normally I am not all that public with my political viewpoints. I am not certain that those things are helpful coming from a pastor especially from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Jeremiah Wright might have a different opinion on that I am sure. If you would ask me and most of you by now have figured this out that I am a Republican. With that being the case however I never spend too much time paying attention to the media or for the candidates for that matter. Especially this year when it felt like neither the Democrats nor the Republicans were going to offer a candidate worth voting for. Quite frankly I have been disgusted by the whole process and totally disenfranchised by it. Until Friday...

Friday it was announced that Sarah Palin would be running for VP alongside John McCain. That got me interested...very, very interested. As my dad and several others shared with me who she was and what she stood for I felt my heart warmed at the realization that God has given me someone to vote for... that he had truly delivered.

Then came the attacks. For the last week we have seen an all out assault on Palin, her family, and her children. It has been disgusting at best. I have never witnessed such inappropriate behavior by people who call themselves journalists and reporters. It has been cruel and unusual with the nature of these attacks. However my sense of all this negativity is that it is going to, and already has in some cases backfire for those who seek to destroy her. I believe it has unified a republican party and for people like me (on the fringes) has draw me to her. To a woman who is guided and directed by her faith in God as I am, who loves her special needs child as I do my Isabel. This is a women who has 5 kids and works a full time job where she is responsible for many many lives. I can relate to that. Bye the way I am a full time pastor and I have 5 kids and nobody is accusing me of being a lousy dad because I choose to work. It is down right silly that for years women have been starving for equal rights. Now there is a woman who represents most of what they have been fighting for and she is being criticized by these same women for working while she has 5 kids. Just ridiculous and shameful. This is a candidate who chose to keep her child even after finding out he had Downs Syndrome. Amazing!

She has a child who is pregnant by her soon to be husband. Does this negate Sarah from being our VP? Or does it make her human...dealing with difficult circumstances of which you have no control over and having the resolve to handle it the best way possible. In my estimation this trial in her family will only serve to make her stronger. Who among us have raised the perfect child. I sure have not...does this disqualify me from being some one's pastor? Certainly not! It actually makes me human and easier to relate to. We all have struggles and difficulties. So does Sarah Palin and that draws me to her.

My interest has been so renewed and excited that I actually watched the RNC last night. I sense and feel a new hope that maybe we are going to actually get there as a nation. At the same time I have been shocked and surprised at how vicious the criticism has been. Then again when people feel desperate and cornered is usually when they get ugly. I am sensing today that Sarah Palin has awakened many people and given a shot in the arm for some. I know she has done that for me and I thank God for her.
Blessings,
Your Dreaming Pastor