There Is No Perfect Candidate
We as humans are often so eager to jump on a political bandwagon - or a celebrity bandwagon, for that matter (and it’s getting kind of difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins!). Consider the hype surrounding presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign, or the clamorous support of conservatives in response to John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate. In the latter case, it seems clear that evangelical voters want someone to latch onto, and Sarah Palin is the choice of the moment.
[It would also seem that the news of her daughter Bristol's unwed teenage pregnancy would be a little jarring for Palin's evangelical fan base, but this article enlarges on that point: "The fact that Britney Spears' younger sister made the same decision to keep her pregnancy at 17 and that Juno was a hit movie only adds an unexpected glamour to the choice." I think that is true for the nation in general, not just Christian conservatives. The tide seems to have turned when it comes to teenage/unwed pregnancy.]
Surprising as this entire situation continues to be, I think it illustrates an important point: there is no perfect political candidate. (John Piper is not planning on running for office anytime soon.) No, even the most godly leaders our nation has known have still lacked in many ways. That truth extends beyond the United States of America, but it is being brought forth again during this year’s election season.
I think it shows our capacity and need to be fervently committed to a cause and a person. Consider what this young woman, former Elle associate publisher Samantha Fennell, writes about Senator Obama:
Barack Obama must be elected President of the United States. It’s his worldview, his clarity of judgment, and his just plain right-mindedness that resonate with me. Figuring that my efforts were best spent raising money for the campaign, I have thrown myself into a new world—one in which fluffy chatter and frivolous praise are replaced by a get-to-the-point directness and disciple-like devotion. It’s intense and intoxicating. …
Wow. In a strange way, Ms. Fennell’s words convicted me. I want her idolatrous words about this political candidate to be true of my walk with the Lord. I want to live completely in this new world – where fluffy chatter and frivolous praise are replaced by directness and the complete devotion of a disciple.
The only perfect candidate to play this role in our lives is Christ Himself.
Homeschooling: thoughts from a 17-year-old
Guest post by Krista (my sister)
I just wanted to say a little something about the benefits of homeschooling. First of all, many people are under the illusion that homeschoolers do not get enough “social interaction.” Well, considering I have been homeschooled my entire school career, and I am now a senior, I have a few things to say about that. Why are crude language, classes which teach things that you don’t agree with, and immature high-school gossip and drama considered “social interaction?” Honestly. I have found that while a lot of high-schoolers don’t like to talk to adults or can’t relate to them, I, along with most other homeschoolers, can converse quite well with people those who are older than us, not just those our own age.
Being homeschooled also gives a person many opportunities not just to better themselves, but to better the community. I have been privileged to be able to volunteer in the emergency room at the hospital for over three years now, which I wouldn’t have been able to do all year long if I went to public school.
I also believe that those who are homeschooled have a much better opportunity to get a good education because they can study at their own pace, pick the curriculum that suits them the best, and have a quiet place in which to learn.
Finally, I am not saying that those who go or went to a public school are not as smart as those who do not. It definitely depends on how each person handles their situation. Some may be better off to go to public school because they do not study well by themselves, or for any number of other reasons. It depends on each individual student, but overall I believe that it is more beneficial to be homeschooled.
Adoption
“And in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God.’”
(Hosea 1:10)
Monday Perspective (9/8)
UNICEF estimates that between 26,500 and 30,000 children under the age of 5 die each day due to poverty-related causes.
(source)
Hope Road got a makeover
This may sound silly, but I think the reason I haven’t been writing much lately is because I was tired of my old blog design. I am a very aesthetics-oriented person (or maybe I’m just a design snob); therefore, I like what I write to look good as well as be good. And I was getting tired of the same old same old, so I found a new theme and changed a couple things.
You might notice that my book reviews section is gone – I just took it down temporarily because I’ve been meaning to edit a lot of the reviews and fix some broken links. Hopefully I will be able to get that finished sometime in the not-too-distant future!
Everything else is pretty much the same – I changed the sidebar a little and tweaked a few other details. (You might notice I describe myself as a “wannabe runner.” Anything to keep that motivation going!) Let me know what you think and if you find anything that needs fixin’. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Back to school… or not
It’s the first September in sixteen years that I haven’t been starting school again. I miss the nostalgia a little. I always loved going back to school. As Tom Hanks’ character says in the movie You’ve Got Mail, “Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”
Be that as it may, I am still getting a taste of the “back-to-school” feeling, since I am working as an assistant teacher at a daycare, in a preschool-age class. It is a little different to be passing out coloring sheets and helping four-year-olds write their names, instead of sorting through syllabi and plowing through hundreds of pages of reading. In fact, it’s kind of nice.
I’m not quite sure what to do next job-wise. I’d appreciate your prayers about that if you think of it. Otherwise, I hope that those of you who are actually going back to school find it an enjoyable and productive season!
“Your testimonies are my heritage forever,
for they are the joy of my heart.”
(Psalm 119:111)
Happy Birthday, Sarah!
Sarah is one of my former roommates and best friends. She is currently working as a missionary teacher in La Paz, Bolivia (which she blogs about every so often at Sarah’s Wanderings). She is turning 21 today. I miss her very much and I just wanted to say “Happy birthday to you!” in yet another venue, since my real-life opportunities are limited at this point.
I miss you, Sarah, and I hope you have a wonderful day and year! Happy birthday!
