Full House

Politics and Faith

Tomorrow is the big day.  Whatever the outcome, I am positive of one thing.....The Lord has a handle on it ALL.  I know that whatever happens, whether I like it or not, I am not the one in charge.  Having said that, I do have the privilege and responsibility to exercise my constitutional right to vote for those persons, proposals and programs I think will govern and represent my ideals most closely. 

One such proposal is Prop. 8 in California. A yes vote would provide a "constitutional amendment to restore the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman." Whenever I hear something about this issue on the news or it comes up in conversation, I am very torn.  In theory, it seems very simple.  After more careful consideration and study, it becomes much more complex. 

You may say, hey girl, you live in Georgia!  Why should you care about what happens in California????  While it's true that I am a resident of Georgia, my husband is a resident of California.  As a matter of fact, he just cast his ballot via fax tonight.  One issue however, is that the outcome of this bill in California will most likely dramatically effect the rest of the country. 

My faith is really the bigger issue here. My church has always stayed politically neutral.  They strongly encourage members to exercise their right to vote, but they never endorse candidates or try to sway members opinions of those running for office.  Proposition 8 is a different story.  It's not a person or an office, but a change in the state constitution that would have far reaching effects.  Because of this, the Church has come out strongly in support of the proposition.  This is where my faith comes into play.  Do I want to do what is politically correct or do I really have faith in a latter-day prophet?  

Though I'm not voting on this issue right now,I feel the need to gain a little more clarity about it.  A few blogs have been extremely helpful in clarifying my faith based questions as well as what realistic ramifications could come to the entire country if Prop 8 is not passed. If you're curious like I was, check out these sites:

Tasha's Eight Sandy Feet (my very informed sis-in-law)

Welcome To My Soapbox (thanks to Joanna for the link)

Footprints in the Sand

Today was another crazy day in the Christensen household.  Sadie has picked up Brady's stomach flu, but thankfully it's not as bad as his.  We have had bunches of stumbling blocks today, but it all worked out despite my passive-aggressive nature.  Sometimes when I'm caught up in the stress of life, I have a hard time remembering that there is always someone there to comfort me and carry my burdens when they get too heavy.  I found a track off of Leona Lewis' album that is a take on the popular "Footprints in the Sand" poem.  It's a beautiful song if you haven't already heard it.  It helps me remember that I'm not supposed to do everything on my own and that when I it doesn't seem like things are working out in my favor, I'll still survive and thrive.