Four MORE years?!

I am not, by any means, a political person. I DO have my top issues that I stand on and measure all potential candidates for any political office before I vote. If one doesn't match up completely with my moral standards, than I go with the one that is the closest or at least the least bad.... The value of life is number one. The late-great John Paul II spent his pontificate PREACHING on the value of human life from conception to natural death. He LIVED it. He taught me SO much about how this world has so steadily gone down hill all because humanity has devalued that which should be most important to us... Un-born babies have become "a bunch of cells", the sick and elderly become "un-productive" and humanity continues on in this sensless, selfishness continuing to spin in circles looking for happiness unsuccessfully...

It is really hard for me to look at or watch Hillary Clinton. Period. There was a time when I could... When her husband, our President at the time, humiliated her around the world, by his infidelity. I felt so sad for her... But what could she do but hold her head high and stand by him?... But that's about the extent of my sympathy for her... And here we are less than a decade later and the Nation seems to have forgotten all about what the Clinton Whitehouse stood for. Gosh, the media has been blasting "Hillary in '08" for the past year or more! I mean I really have had my doubts about America even being ready for a female president. I just didn't think that there were a majority of American voters out there that would put a woman in the Whitehouse. Yet here we are... Obama or Clinton. Does America really think that she will be any differant than her husband? And she has been ABUNDANTLY CRYSTAL CLEAR on where she stands on the "issues" that are most important to me. The way things are going I think it is fairly certain the Republicans won't win this election. This thought makes me nervous... Would Obama be any "better" than Hillary? I don't know. I'm thinking that Hillary, having lived in the Whitehouse for 8 years is already WAY TOO COMFORTABLE and would have NO problem moving in and taking charge. Obama, on the other hand, I would think he would take things more slowly... "earn the peoples trust" so to speak... As much as I wouldn't like Obama in the Whitehouse, I wouldn't like Hillary a LOT more.

Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic. I mean, last I checked, God was still in the business of performing miracles, right? But he also gives us free will.... And I think this country has spent so much time trying to push Him OUT of our lives, in the name of "equality" and fairness to non-believers, that we eventually will reap what we sow.

So, I guess, the way I look at it, conservatives, like myself, have about 4 years to get our act together, quit sitting around waiting for someone else to make our voice heard and stand up for what we know to be good and true. Statistics show that the MAJORITY of Americans are Christian. As Christians, shouldn't our FIRST priority be to protect ALL human life?! Isn't it our unallienable right to LIFE, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness? When did your life begin? When you were born? During the third tri-mester of your mother's pregnancy? Second tri-mester when she first felt your kick? WHEN did you become a human being? At that VERY MOMENT of conception you were formed of your mother and father. God knew you and your individual soul. And that love continues until you breathe your last on this earth. He is with us. He walks with us through hills and valleys. We cling to Him and ask that His will be done. Every twist and turn that life may take, God has a reason and a lesson for us to learn. From the tiny baby born with multiple birth defects, to the person in a coma. He wants us to LEARN to LOVE LIFE. EVERY life. Lives that on the surface might be seen as an inconvenience, a burden, a hassle. Too much trouble. We need to learn compassion, patience, service, humbleness and humility.

Today's Gospel reading is from Matthew 23:1-12. It ends with "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." I think it's time that America hears these words and learn to put others ahead of oneself. What is it we Catholics were taught in Catechism? Why did God create us? To know, love and serve Him in this life, so that we may be with Him forever in the next. It's simple, right? So why is it such a tough lesson to learn? Regardless of the election outcome I will continue to do my best to remember and follow that simple rule to know, love and serve Him in this life. I'm afraid that it will get a lot tougher before it gets easier... Thank God for His Church and the Sacraments, to help us fight the good fight!