Goodbye, Apathy!

I have been apathetic for far too long when it comes to politics. I have always walked into the voting booth and pulled a straight Republican ticket, simply because that's what a "Christian" does - vote with the Right. Don't get me wrong. I am a right-winged Conservative who would vote for a candidate based solely on the position of pro-life/pro-choice, but as we get closer and closer to this year's Presidential election, I for once feel the need to educate myself on every issue and the stance each candidate takes on those issues.

Sadly, I constantly hear knowingly intelligent people voice their support of a man who is as much a Socialist as he is a resident of Chicago. I have listened to him deliver several "moving" speeches, but afterwards come away wondering what the hell he said that was anything close to substantial or even true. It's scary really. Frightening.

I've also been completely shocked at the lengths to which the mainstream media have already gone to discredit and attack a woman who wants nothing more than to return the political process to its original intent, as designed by our founding fathers.

Compound the whole election with the fact that our country is in the same condition economically that it was leading up to the Great Depression, and I believe that every American has a duty and an obligation to educate themselves on the issues; not on who Oprah supports or who is the better orator, but on the issues.

Educate yourself. Then, go cast your ballot on November 3rd.
There is too much riding on this election to simply follow the crowd.

WOW!

At the suggestion of my cousin, Hannah, I recently purchased the book, "The Allure of Hope" by Jan Meyers. I am a pretty avid reader and have read quite a few books, spanning a wide variety of topics, but if I could suggest one book to every woman it would be this one. No matter your age and no matter where you are in life, this book is for you. It speaks to who we are as women, who we try so desperately to be as women, and just who God created us to be as women. I have a hard time telling people just what it is about because there is just so much.

For whatever reason, we have created this image of what a godly woman looks like that is so far from realistic and true. We have lost our innocence, our desire, our freedom, and our hope.

"Every woman carries inside her an echo of [a] winsome spirit. Why is it just an echo? And why is this echo no resounding, increasing, expanding in the hearts of women who know the love of Christ? We are far more disciplined than we are at rest, far more committed than winsome, far more 'nice' than passionate, far more dutiful than free. Far more weary than filled with hope.

How do some women carry their winsome spirit into their adult years despite the jolts and disappointments of life? How is their girlish dreaming transformed into the rich whimsy of a woman's heart? How do they become visionary women, not limited by naiivete and not paralyzed by fantasy? And how do they live above and in the midst of a frenzied church culture that does not seem to stir their hearts?"

I read this passage and knew that I wanted to be that kind of woman; a visionary. But the more I read, I realized that my picture of that woman was vastly different and majorly flawed. For so long I have thought that I had to have it all together, or at least appear that way. I didn't think that I could truly feel my emotions because somehow that was wrong or sinful. But the Psalms are filled with David's emotions; love, frustration, despair, anger, rage, depression. He was a man after God's own heart and yet he truly felt things and wasn't afraid to tell God exactly how he felt. Why do we think we are so different? Why do we feel like we need to try and conceal our emotions? The truth is that God invites us to conversations with Him about our deepest fears, feelings, and emotions. The words in our hearts that we try so desperately to hide and silence, we have permission to take them straight to the Father.

"He would rather have us railing, with face turned toward Him, than have us feign contentment as we turn our face from Him in our sullen anger. Why? Because He wants to see us rage? No, it is because He already knows we are furious, ant it is our fury, after all, that He died for.

Can you see how, for women this is often mistaken for the 'gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God'? We've somehow created an image of godliness that is closer to pablum than it is to salt and light. Again, we want to jump over the desperation and loneliness of the Fall and land in a place of serene contentment, [when the truth is, we were never meant to be completely satisfied]."

This is fastly becoming one of the most freeing books I have ever read. Couple hope with the grace of God and you have a duo that is sure to change your life forever. I have already seen mine begin to change and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Picture Change

For as long as I can remember, our family portrait has contained a grand total of 9 faces.
Now I recognize that to most people that number sounds ginormous already, but to the
Deans, it's who we are. Jerry, Ellen, Jason, Sarah, Beka, Leah, Jo, Caleb, and Micah. We
are the Deans and we are nine.

On August 30, 2008 we became 10.

My little sister, Leah, went and got herself married to Ben Featherstone and began, what I can only hope is, a pattern of family additions. It was the most beautiful and fun weekend that I've had in a long time. With a bridal party of 27 and the majority of them staying together at my parent's house, it was an absolute blast. Like any older sibling, I was skeptical at first about my little sister getting married, but she has found the man created just for her; the man that loves her outside of himself; a man that has willingly entered the Dean drama and insanity.

Our family picture is changing.
Next summer we will add another face and become 11.
I look forward to each addition.
I say, "Bring 'em on!"