UPDATED:

You know, when I posted this a few days back, I figured it might raise a couple of eyebrows and that it could possibly offend. But, I alone know the heart behind anything I write and it is a light-hearted heart if I do say so myself. The people who know me and have spent any length of time around here know this, too.

You girls should know I am a Happy American. When I tell you I'm a Republican, I'm not mad about it. If you tell me you are not, I'm not mad about it. Though I more closely align with the Republican party, I am not deluded enough to think it does not have its flaws. If I could create a party, it would have the moral platform of the R's and the 'for-the-working-man' mentality of the D's. But alas, there is no such party so, my interpretation of Scripture is that I am obligated to vote what will profit morally over financially.

Again, that is my opinion and I'm as entitled to it as you are yours. I'm not asking you to ascribe to it. I didn't say, "Hey everybody, I vote Republican and so should you!" If I don't approve of your vote, who cares? What power do I have over you? But, does your opinion mean so much that I would be called 'tacky' if I don't agree with it? Should my Christian ministry be called to account because I gave myself a label? Should I come to your blog and call you a name or question your ministry-effectiveness? No. I prefer to happily disagree.

And then go have a Starbucks together.

I realize the Republicans can lack morals. But, and this may sound completely stupid but I know what I mean, at least they don't publicly support abomination. When I judge morality, it is through the lens of what Scripture refers to as heinous sin. The murder of children is abhorrent as is homosexuality (Romans 1). (Does that mean I am a hater? NO! I have friends in this lifestyle. I don't approve of their actions, but I deeply love them as individuals.) Refusing to acknowledge God as creator of all and then removing Him from our education and governmental system is reprehensible. The National Democratic Party is by and large a supporter of all these actions. Do any of our well-known, conservative Bible teachers, evangelists, pastors support the Democratic party? Not that I know of. So, who are it's high-profile supporters? Movie actors and New Age philosophers, that's who. As a Christian, I will never cast my lot with a group of people who do not even blush when supporting these views. If my opinion riles you enough to resort to name-calling, then I can assure there are many other blogs out there that will please you much more.

I also must point out that many local-government Democrats do not ascribe to the National Party left-wing activism. In no way, shape, or form do I think any of the Democrats sitting in our church pews are un-Christian. I do not teach my children to slur Democrats. My boy honestly had no idea what the word 'Democrat' meant and thought it sounded like something we shouldn't be saying. It was innocent. We all laughed.

You mad ones ought to try it some time.

The End.
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So you may or may not have noticed I've been strangely silent in blogland lately. I still have a bazillion emails to answer (I'm getting to it, really!) and many more updates I want to do to my pretty new blog, but alas, the schedule has simply not allowed it.

I won't bore you with the details of the entire last week but I am proud to tell you that yesterday I played an integral role in the wonderful thing we call democracy.

You see, I have this friend named Jenny. (you have to pronounce it like Forrest Gump or it's no fun) Jen-nay is connected - a made girl you could say. Her family runs one of the local voting precincts and if, just if, you are lucky enough - they will call you if they need an extra poll clerk. At least until they figure out that you don't have the good sense to write down 13 names without getting them out of order.

Yeah. Sorry about that again, Mr. W.

It was a thrilling day really. We voted 34 people (I think that was the final count?) in 12 hours. Thankfully, I took a bag full of study material and my laptop so I could work on my book in between eating sour gummy worms and watching Jenny measure things with her handy dandy ruler. I was really excited to discover her nose was longer than mine only to later be crushed when she hinted that maybe she just told me that so I could get over thinking I look like a platypus.

What a great friend that girl is.

But not the greatest friend, because clearly that title belongs to Lorie the Illustrious Postmaster. I told y'all I live in a small town so it should come as no surprise that all of our BFF circles include Major Town Players.

And Lorie? She is M-A-J-O-R. You are a nobody if she hasn't invited you to her Princess House parties.

That she hosts for Jenny I might add.

But that is beside the point.

All I'm really trying to do is get around to telling y'all about Son Number Three.

Luke brought the kids by to say hello while I was working. Each of us clerks are supposed to refrain from talking about our political party preferences so as not to intimidate the voters - an oath that is easier taken than kept. While Boy Three was standing there, Jenny asked a voter what party ticket they needed and the person said, "Democrat".

Boy Three spoke up and said, "Democrat! What does that mean? Sounds like a dirty word to me!"

I was proud. Proud indeed.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old......... "

....he will vote Republican.