In My Head. Thanksgiving Week. 2015.
1. There’s a time when you just have to do the right thing despite not having total assurance that something about it won’t turn around and bite you.
2. Thankful for those who are standing up to the cultural, religious and political bullies in mature, and thoughtful ways.
3. This is about the third time I’ve said this but what the heck. Why do I still think this election season might become one of the major defining times in the history of our country?
4. I think Christ is and His people should be in the life and cultural transformation business. We do that best when we seek to be ‘kingdom builders’ proclaiming and living out a message of grace, forgiveness and reconciliation. That means we have to be present to others even in the places that scare us a bit. So, out of the ‘holy huddles’ and into the world.
5. Quiz. Who said it? President Obama or President George W. Bush? “There are thousands of Muslims who proudly call themselves Americans, and they know what I know — that the Muslim faith is based upon peace and love and compassion.” And the answer is…..President Bush.
6. Fear comes upon us unwanted and unbidden. Facing fear is a choice we can make. Overcoming fear is the power of God welling up inside of us.
7. Some of the most compassionate people I know are proud Republicans. They are matched in their care and concern by many proud Democrats. Go figure, huh? So, there really is common ground.
8. Sometimes in my zeal to be right I forget how to love. Ugh. Lord have mercy.
9. I’m thankful for this country and the hope and promise embedded in its DNA. That hope and promise isn’t fully realized however. The systems that work so well for me and probably for most of you reading this don’t work so well for a very, very large segment of our society. It’s a problem. A big problem. It’s important to pay attention to such things. Why? Rev. King once said that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” That threat is why you see images of people taking to the streets. They want to be respected, heard and taken seriously. They are weary of being dismissed.
10. Ever wonder how Native Americans deal with all this talk about about immigrants and refugees? Think about it.