I’ve got about a dozen different titles I thought about for this post, but now that we will be living in the land of intimidation, censorship and such, I’ve decided against them.
What is there to say? People can celebrate the results of this election, but personally I would weep if I had any tears. We are a bankrupt nation – morally, financially, and spiritually.
I grieve for Caroline and the country in which she will grow up. Thank God, literally, that this is not our true home.
I guess on the bright side I can look forward to my free healthcare and everything else that I’ve been promised. 🙄
To think that this man is going to be the leader of the (formerly) free world makes me want to hurl.
Anyone else need to say anything?
Lizzie
I felt my stomach lurch when they said “President Obama”
Wow. Somehow I felt that America wasn’t quite so far down the road.
Praise the Lord that He’s completely in control.
Sue
Sallie, I can’t agree with you more. It scares me half to death to think this man will lead our country into “who knows what”. While I totally agree our country needs some serious changes, I know Obama (I’m not ready to call him President yet) is not the man to do it. All we can do is pray now and hold on to our moral values the best we can. We’re in for a bumpy ride.
Alisa
Sally, I hadn’t really prepared myself that Obama was probably going to win, and so it hit me in the stomach when it flashed in the screen tonight that he’d won.
That being said, I just had to share that I went to a women’s prayer meeting last week, and we mostly prayed for favorable results for all the Props and elections, but we also prayed for WHOEVER became President, that he would wake every morning knowing that he couldn’t do his job without the One True God and Governor as his Advisor and Guide, that the President of this term would be a man of prayer and his heart drawn to God’s. Now this may seem like a tall order, and I’m sure it is, but we serve a mighty God and “the prayer of the righteous man avails much”. I have heard so many lately who, I dare say mostly out of a spirit of fear, that they just want Jesus to come back so that we don’t have to deal with all this. Well, though these are people I love dearly, I refuse to give into any spirit of fear because the God I serve is “faithful to all generations”; that means me and my children and my children’s children and all that follow.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to get on a soapbox, I just wanted to share why I’m not despairing, that while I feel in the pit of my stomach that Obama is a truly frightening character, I still have hope for our country. That while he’s not my personal favorite person in the world, that praying for him has given me a heart and respect for him because he IS going to our President.
Just think… if McCain had won, would we really be on out knees as much as we will be now? What’s better for our country; McCain in office, or the nation’s Christians roused to prayer?
PS – On a bright note… there’s only two years till they start preparing the next campaigns. Maybe we’ll get to vote for Palin 2012!!! 😉
Amy Jane (Untangling Tales)
My thoughts and prayers have shifted to the judges: that they will hang on until the next congress is elected.
This moment makes me think of a similar one about 8 years ago when we had a GOP majority w/ a GOP prez. A lot of Christians seemed to think we had it made, and I wonder if they stopped praying.
My workplace played NPR and many Dem supporters were calling in with their concerns about the new situation and articulating why this new development was the end of the world. Some of them were most poignant, and I could feel the fear in their voices, even if I couldn’t identify with it.
Then a Dem came on with an entirely different view: Let it go, he said, it’s just one election. This is the way the American system works: one group gets it for a while, and if they screw up bad enough they lose their chance. Let them have it for two years. When the American public sees the mess they make of things we’ll get it back.
That (again, if I remember right) was the point at which the democrats got enough seats to block so many of Bush’s nominies for the high courts. The chance could return.
///
This is the view I’ve tried to take. I’ve begun praying that truth with be honored, that evil will be revealed and the innocent protected.
With Obama and a Democratic Congress, even the most hopeful will see that humans are not the answer to the problems we face; they won’t be able to say “If only Obama was elected…”
This is how I pray.
Sallie @ a quiet simple life
Thanks, ladies, for the good comments. I’m sure many of us have a lot of processing to do over the next few days so I wanted to provide a place for people to do that. People are always welcome to get on their soapboxes here if they have good things to say. 😀
Alisa, I don’t think I’m despairing. I’m just very grieved. Like Lizzie said, I just didn’t think the US was this far down the road.
Amy Jane, you make a very good point about the Republicans holding the majority not so long ago. Nothing much got accomplished then and I do think it makes believers complacent. Somehow I don’t think the Democrats will be that lame.
Frankly, I’ve wondered if God didn’t spare Sarah Palin the stress of being in office during the horrible mess that we have ahead. From all indications she is a true follower of Christ and it could be His grace to her that she was not elected.
The thrill of “change” and the first black president will fade very quickly when people discover that Obama isn’t going to pay their bills for them and buy them a car. I don’t see how he can possibly live up to all he has promised both explicitly and implicitly. Lots of disillusionment ahead for a lot of his supporters.
Many Christians have been praying for revival in this country. True revival, not the man-made kind. And Amy Jane you made a good point that there won’t be any more saying, “If only we had a Democrat” or “If only the whites didn’t suppress the blacks” or “If only…” Perhaps this is part of God’s answer to those prayers for revival.
The Israelites asked for a king like all the other nations and were sorry they did after the fact. We’ll see what America thinks after “the chosen one” has been in office a few years. 😯
Susanna
Obviously this is not as close for me, but I am truly upset about the result too. But I know many many have been praying and this is the result. How awesome if the prayers offered over the next few years lead to an even bigger turn around for you- how much more praise will be given to God then.
On a side note- I saw a news shot of Oprah celebrating- and that made me more upset than anything.
BethM
I, too, am grieved about the results, but certainly not surprised. I felt that this was coming. I am mostly concerned about my young adult children and how they will be affected by all this “change”. If indeed Obama intends on raising taxes and the resultant economic affects that will follow, they will have an even harder time setting out on their own. My two oldest daughters will graduate college this spring. I pray they will be able to find jobs and move out as is their desire. I anticipate they will be living with us for awhile.
Heather
I’m not despairing. I’m praying. — “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 2:1-2”
God chose this man to be our next president. — “The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will.” Daniel 4:32b
God holds his heart in His hands. — “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” Proverbs 21:1
We can trust the Lord in this! 🙂
~Heather
P.S. He can’t be worse than Nero!
Sarah
I applaud you and your blog for being honest!
I am scared too. People are starstruck by him and his wonderful marketing/election campaign and all it’s bells and whistles.
I felt nauseous this morning when I heard. I am just glad that God is still God and he has control over this situation. This is part of the end times plan, I am sure of it.
Thank you for your blog!
Sarah
Jen
Yeah, I think a lot of the folks who voted for “free healthcare” will be rethinking that decision when they discover they have cancer or a heart problem and cannot get an appointment with someone at the top of that field because he/she’s met their patient quota. I know plenty of people who hated HMO’s and who hated needing to get referrals through their primary doc. Well just WAIT until they can’t get the referral at all, or they get the referral and the doc of choice won’t or can’t see them because the government will only let them take on so many patients at once.
Times they will be a changin’ indeed.
And we’ll all be sorrier for it.
Ann
Can I choose the vomit option? 🙂
Seriously. The media. The Oprah. The songs. The celebrities. The soaring rhetoric. Barf, barf, barf.
Anyhoo. Recently, I had been leaning towards not voting. In the end I voted for McCain if only to stop FOCA. During his concession speech last night, I was proud of myself for really examining my conscience and voting for him. McCain is a class act.
So, this morning, I feel good about that.
Sallie, I couldn’t agree more about how hard the disillusionment will set in when he doesn’t start buying people gas and paying their mortgages.
Sallie @ a quiet simple life
Ann said:
We did not turn on the TV at all. We kept busy working (I know! The thought! People who work for a living!) and watched the returns online. There was NO WAY I was going to subject myself to watching the coverage.
On a couple happier notes:
God is still on His throne and this man has only been elected because God allowed it.(Thank you for the excellent Scriptures, Heather!) I just sincerely hope it isn’t because he is a means of judgment against our country because I’m not really eager to sign up for that prospect.
Oh, sorry. These are supposed to be happier notes!
Well, as a conservative I get FOUR YEARS of not listening to people complain about the Republicans. Say what you will, but I think Bush has gotten a raw deal on many levels. Finally we can sit back and watch the opposition implode. Pop the popcorn! Should be fun!
Other happier notes? I have a great husband, a darling daughter, a busy business, a warm home with a soon to be replaced roof (yippee!), another day of gorgeous weather, nice clothes to wear, good food to eat, clean water, inside plumbing, books to read, beautiful music to listen to, a computer that runs well, my health, a church home, loving parents, loving inlaws, wonderful friends… And, above all, the security and rest of knowing I belong to Jesus.
And now free health care and a chicken in every pot! Woohoo!!! 🙄
Ann
You and David are smart. Not sure if you saw it, but I will say the McCain concession speech was a class act, so try to a catch a version of it online if you get a chance.
Yes, we need to be grateful for all that we have. And even though the outcome wasn’t what we wanted, let’s also be grateful that we live in a country that has a peaceful change of leaders every four years.
And we need to pray that others find their way back to Him.
Sallie @ a quiet simple life
Oh, yes, Ann. You reminded me of one of the other positives that I forgot to mention: no rioting today. Seriously. If the outcome had been the opposite, I shudder to think what would be happening today. And I’m also thankful this is not going to drag out for days or weeks.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. 😀
Stacy
As my husband and I went to bed last night I told him that I felt a little less safe and secure than I did last night going to bed.
I wonder about my children’s future, I wonder about our future. But most of all I remember that God is in control. This did not suprise Him and He isn’t ringing His hands over it.
After we prayed Walter ended with “Come quickly Jesus” Amen!
Becky
As my husband and I discussed last night, Obama just won the biggest popularity contest in the world. I think some people voted for him because they wanted to see him win a competition, not at all thinking about the tremendous responsibility laid at his feet when he won an office, the highest office in the land. I don’t think some folks actually understand that an election is a hiring process; we need to hire the person best fit for the tasks at hand. In my opinion, Obama is not that man, and it scares me witless that others think he is. Apparently, the standards for a president have nothing to do with actual experience, but have everything to do with good looks, charm, and charisma. Watching the faces of those in Chicago, you’d have thought we were watching a rock concert and the Beatles had just appeared. It gave me shudders to watch those people weep and be overcome with emotion. The President is an elected official, not a rock star. Everything about it just seems so bizarre to me.
Ann
True, no rioting. No talk of conspiracy theories. No talk about election fraud. No talk of the Bradley Effect. No talk of voter suppression.
Sallie @ a quiet simple life
Becky said:
DING DING DING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brilliant Becky also said:
This is EXACTLY what David and I discussed over breakfast. This is a complete paradigm shift for a large segment of America today. I am not trying to exaggerate. We have discovered we do not live in the country we thought we did. I am completely serious. The America I love and was proud of apparently no longer exists in the minds of a large segment of the population.
I’ve said this before, but I feel like I am living in some kind of parallel universe. 😯
Ann
BTW, thank you again for being brave enough to write about your opinions about this election on your blog. It truly is an act of bravery. And also thanks for this space to let us all comment and discuss also.
Jo Anne
We did not watch the results on TV last night – we celebrated with family and friends over my B’Day dinner. When we woke up this morning and learned the news, we both shook our heads. I choose vomit from the above title. However, we are confident of God’s ability to take care of us, and our family. The next few years will be interesting, and of course, controversial. I think we have forgotten how bad things were when the Clintons were in the White House. Scandal, disrespect of both the Office & the White House, etc. I’m confident that Obama’s term will be equally as bad.
Let’s us stay on our knees and plead with Our God to move in the hearts of our fellow countrymen to bring them back to Him. Then, we’ll see a reflection in leadership of God people. 😆
Sallie @ a quiet simple life
Ann – You are welcome! My page views are already through the roof today. At 10:30 this morning I already have more page views on my blog than all of yesterday. I know there are a lot of people who are trying to make sense of this and need to read and discuss. I’m glad we can do it here. 😀
Lori
Some are wondering if we will be judged as a nation….by the way, I think Prop. 8 which says marriage is between a man and a woman in CA passed!!!Yeah!!!…any way, from seeing how God judges nations and such, I believe God will not pour out His wrath upon our nation as long as there are His children in America. Look at Noah, He saved the believers, Look at Sodom….He would have saved it if there had only been 10 believers! We may get struck by terrorists and tornadoes and such but those are not God’s wrath….His wrath is unmistakeable….a flood that wipes out the whole earth, the burning of a whole city, the tribulation (which I don’t think we’ll go through since verses in Scripture tells us we are not destined for wrath and the tribuation will be one big, fat wrath from God. So keep praying and keeping your eyes on things above. Wealth and prosperity have not produced a strong, vibrant church in America. Hard times and trials will….it will definitely separate the wheat from the chaff. God allows evil to continue on this earth to refine His Saints and we are His saints! Hallelujah!
Love,
Lori
Karen
Sallie,
I could echo much of what has already been said. In my mind I keep thinking, “Goodbye to the America I know and love.” LIke you, I truly grieve for my children. I have thought of our troops this morning who were overwelmingly supportive of McCain. God, give them the courage to do their jobs under a new Commander in Chief. One other note, I do not think President Bush has been a perfect President by any means, but the disrespect he has received is staggering. He has been blamed for everything that has gone wrong and blamed in a way that is so disrepectful to the office of President. I saw a sign last night in the crowd celebrating Obama’s win: “Why wait? Evict Bush now.” I for one will never forget how he led this country through 9/11.
Beth in MD
Hi Sally,
My local talk-radio station is hosting a post-election day vent. Here is an email I sent in.
I think that America has much to be proud about in electing her first African American President. I think electing an African American is a great thing, but electing Barack Obama is a bad choice for America. The civil rights movement made it possible, but now Barack and most of the African American community (and America for that matter) are supporting the largest denial of civil rights in history…denial of civil rights to innocent, unborn children. Barack promises his first priority will be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act which will largely expand and solidify abortion rights. Throughout history, oppressed groups have been denied their rights as a result of the majority dehumanizing and then convincing their society that the oppression is actually for the good of the society…from the holocaust to slavery and now abortion. Ironically, the largest number of abortion’s victims are African-American children. I think we have a long way to go until we are truly a society that respects civil rights for all mankind.
I am a first-time commenter, but I’ve been reading for a while. Thanks for your blog!
Beth
Kari
Thank you for this quiet place to share our hearts today, Sallie. I’m glad so many of my friends have been quick to rally. I always need a little more time to adjust though and I’m feeling rather nauseated today. So I am happy to have found a little corner in which to share my heart.
This morning my heart really hurts today for the Black community. I’ve never seen heads held so high as I did in the grocery store last night, and I would never want that taken from anyone. But the truth is that hard times are going to continue and will likely get worse – and Obama isn’t going to put a chicken in every pot (I kept thinking the same phrase to myself at the store last night *smile*) and he’s not going to pay mortgages and he’s not going to pay car payments. So many people putting their hope in a man and in a government ~ and that hope simply won’t last. It can’t.
I’m not sure it’s wrong to be grieving today – though many of my friends want to move past that part of this quickly. Those of us who see what’s coming…well, we see what’s coming. Yes, we have the hope of Christ. But billions do not. They are going to go through some serious trials *without* hope – or with hope that can never prevail, that of hope in man or in government. And yes, while we pray and pray the Lord will use such hardship to draw the world unto Him, I don’t think He’d wish us to not hurt for the hurting. Does that make sense?
So, I think it’s okay to be “less than” today. We can be “less than”, with hope. We can grieve, with hope. We can even cry, or throw up, with hope.