"Brains and Hearts"

The "Wichita Eagle" newspaper has a "call-in" section on the op-ed page.  This one, on Tuesday, January 18th, prompted me to write.

The call:

"Can you imagine any previous Republican president with the knowledge, sympathy and intelligence to deliver a message like President Obama gave in Tucson?"

My response is:

Yes.  I can imagine ANY previous Republican President OR Democratic President with the knowledge, intelligence and, yes, the sympathy to deliver a message "like" President Obama gave in Tucson ... perhaps an even better message.

Contrary to what some people seem to think, President Obama does not "have the edge" on any other President when it comes to knowledge, sympathy and intelligence. He is not the only President we've ever had with a brain and a heart.

What a ridiculous statement.  Purely my opinion, of course.  That's not to say that all of our Presidents have not been unique - they each have had their own ways of using their knowledge, intelligence ... their sympathies.  Yet, I am always rather appalled at such statements as this caller made.

I mean, think about it.  No one becomes President without something in their brains.  They've had to have had SOME intelligence to get to the place they were in.  Sympathy, too.  With few exceptions, if any, past Presidents have shown great love and sympathy in the midst of crisis...whether out of honest emotion or for political gain.  Probably a little of both in most cases.

We may disagree with each other's politics - but surely we know that you don't become the President without that brain and heart.

Even a Republican.

"Don't Mention It - Do Mention It"

Sandra Carol Mers Clayton

Comments  on the speeches today at the Tucson Memorial for the shooting victims.

Change

Life is full of changes, isn't it? Some changes are fun, some silly, some necessary - and some are just downright scary.

We had a weather-change recently; not unusual here in Kansas, I guess.  After some days of beautiful Spring weather - here came a left-over of Winter ... more cold and a light snow.  But it was a "fun" change (to me, anyway), 'cause I do like snow, and I got to burn more wood in the wood stove.  Plus, I KNEW Spring would be returning.  March is like that pretty much everywhere:  one day sunny and pastel - the next cool-blue and white again.  Right now we are back to the "sunny and pastel", with the daffodils and hyacinths blooming and the trees getting ready to green up.  My husband, who's been itching for quite awhile to jump into the gardening season, DID.  He's planted some lettuce, radishes, onions.  I even got into the gardening and planted the cute little pansies he brought home the other day. 

Yes.  Change.  Seasons change.  I welcome the seasonal changes.  Each new one makes me appreciate the last one AND the one-to-come even more.   With each new season I really DO find myself saying, "Thank You, God!  Thank You so much!"

"You make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.  How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts!"  (Psalm 92:4-5 / NIV version)

Then this week I've seen one of the "scarier" changes.  Disappointing, anyway.  Have to say it's a change that makes me angry.  Makes a LOT of people angry ... we "American People", as "they" say. (Now........aren't THEY  "American People", too?   Shouldn't "they" be saying "WE, the American people..."?)  Anyway, the passing of the health care bill is a big change, for sure.  And a rather slap-in-the-face change - from all I'm reading, since the majority of  "the American people" are STILL against the bill and have been going to many lengths to let our President and his Administration know it.  But our President and his Administration don't seem to CARE what WE, the "American people" think.  (It's not so much that the actual bill passed, though there are many problems with the bill; health care definitely needs changes ... but most of the people who passed THIS health care bill don't even know themselves all that is in it.)  It's that the President just plain doesn't care what the people he is supposed to be SERVING thinks! Those opposing him are so often labeled bigots, uneducated, racists, intolerant.  He doesn't seem too partisan about it, either - he doesn't seem to care what his OWN party-members who oppose the health care bill think.  Just today I heard him on t.v. rather gloating (as Madame Pelosi has also been doing) about the "win" and ridiculing those who opposed and lost.  Like a kid thumbing his nose at the "loser" and laughing.  Not too "Presidential" if you ask me.  But, he's given us the CHANGE he'd promised in his campaign speeches, and seems encouraged to go ahead and give us MORE of the changes he's promised. Well, I'm just hoping that we who oppose this bill for many reasons, have the guts to pass around some changes of our own when the next elections come up!

I seriously pray, "Lord, have mercy.  Spare us more of these 'changes'!" And I pray for wisdom for "me-and-the-rest-of-the-American-People", and for our leaders.    Wisdom is always needed - needed by the leaders of a country and needed by the rest of the citizens of the country.   We ALL need wisdom to know which changes to incorporate and which to oppose...and, if opposition is needed, wisdom to know HOW to oppose.

And God promises to give us that wisdom if we ask - if we want it:

"The Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:6/NIV)

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all."  (James 1:5/NIV)

So, God - I AM asking ...  and I HOPE everyone else is, too!