Maine Voting

There's a whole lot of things I could write about tonight but the one thing uppermost on my mind is the upcoming elections.  Years ago I never did pay much attention to these things other than to know which political party my parents were affiliated with.  I grew up living through the moments of the assasinations of both Kennedys and Martin Luther King Jr., the reality of the Viet Nam War and Woodstock, became of age at the end of the "Hippie" generation and knew all about what pscychedelic meant and was.  I did walk the few miles to elementary school in rain, snow, sleet, and freezing rain - save those times when my friend's grandfather, my mum, or other kids parents would come pick us up.  And I didn't complain about walking when they didn't.  Going uptown meant walking from New Castle N.H. with a group of friends, over the causeway, crossing the two bridges and heading to downtown Portsmouth for the afternoon.  Sometimes that meant catching a bus on the ride home but not always. I fell in love with Paul McCartney when I was in 3rd grade and sneaked my way around the house so as I could see the Ed Sullivan show the night they came to America, listening to my parents criticize the Beatles and their strange hairstyles and behavior.  I had a dad and mom who shielded me from the "F" word and walked away from strangers who wanted to give little girls candy.  Went to church every Sunday although I didn't know what that was all about until... until much much older and had a real live genuine life changing BORN AGAIN experience which radically changed my view of everything - including - you guessed it - POLITICS and GOVERNMENT.   I knew right off I did not want to remain in the same political party as my parents and when it was time for me to register to vote it was as an Independent where I remained for quite a few years... When John and I first were married, we both registered that way. In time though it was clear to me I had become extremely conservative concerning some issues so decided that it was time to declare myself as a Republican.  So here in this blog I'm really committing the ultimate faux paus, openly talking about politics and religion.  As far as religion, I know Jesus as my personal savior and as a Christian I've gone from just as many extremes in my beliefs as I did in my political parties.  In some ways I am very traditional and in other ways I am very extreme.  Extreme because I do not want to be in a church where they say you have freedom to worship God as the Holy Spirit leads but when you begin to do just that you discover once again someone has put God in a box - which NO ONE can do nor should they try to do.  I have preached sermons, ministered to many, seen miracles happen, given and received, been blessed but probably have cursed as much as I've been blessed, and I have experienced and continue to experience the reality of God's amazing GRACE and FORGIVENESS.  I have praised Him on a mountain top and danced before Him at the ocean, and prayed to Him privately in my own home while the house was silent.  I've been to Israel, stood at Calvary and saw that indeed the tomb is empty, unlike that of Buddha, Mohammed, etc. etc.  As far as politics and religion...well I do not want my church or my government dictating how I should act, feel, believe, vote, live, or die. But! My convictions are based on what the Word of God says and how the Holy Spirit leads me to intrepert what is written, about God, about Jesus and about government.  In a nutshell, this is what government and politics all boils down to for me:   .....and the government will be on his shoulders... Isaiah 9:6 

You can be an atheist and know that this world is a huge mess and if things don't change soon none of us are going to have to worry about whether the Mayan calendar is true or not.  But I'm not here to preach. I am here to simply make this statement:  No matter what your 'system of belief' is you have the right to exercise your 'belief' when you go to the voting polls next Tuesday.  Before you do, closely examine the reality around you.  Is your life better off today than it was two years ago?  Are you blaming the previous administration for the problems of today?  Is your future more secure today?  Examine your heart.  The political ads and campaigns are coming at us fast and furious. 

I have pretty much made my mind up. My Maine vote may not be the same as your Maine vote and finding myself somewhat to be influential within my own sphere of influence in this state, I know those who know me well already understand how I will vote. 

EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE ON TUESDAY!!!!

Not your typical All Things Brittany posting but the good news is - I will be announcing GOOD NEWS within the next week or so, news we have all been waiting to hear.  So thank you for bearing with me through this rare stance on a soap box of politics and religion.  I did say you are bound to find most anything on the ATB blog!  Take care, God bless you always - John, Ann, and our Brittany crew