For many of us, four years ago seems more like four decade ago. I am so thankful Election Day is here! Today is our day to #votelove. Today is the day to elect a new President and to usher in a new wind of positivity and to rid our nation of divisiveness. Today is the day we have an opportunity to embrace a better way of teaching our children the behaviors leaders should exemplify. To teach our grandchildren that there is an option to spreading fear and divisiveness. Today we can elect a new leader of this country who exhibits behaviors that we can be proud of around our world.
In the summer of 2019, I was on a pilgrimage hiking St. Olav’s Way in Norway. I was walking on my own for a bit on a long mountain stretch and I had on a Velcro back support. The support, unnoticed by me, had a manufacturer’s decal that looked a little bit like an American flag. As I was walking, an older but very fit Norwegian gentleman stopped me, pointed at the decal and said (in English), “we don’t think too highly of your current President. He is so very divisive. It is very disappointing to Norweigens because our constitution was created from the model of The United States constitution. “
I was embarrassed and finally just said, “Oh I am from Canada and we are happy with Mr. Trudeau.” How horrible to have this opinion from other countries.

I want today to usher in a day where my students in senior high Sunday school are not worried about their friends possibly being deported. I want the Statue of Liberty to regain her welcoming symbolic message to immigrants. I want a real health care plan, not a large empty box ceremoniously delivered to make fun of a reporter. I want respect for people with disabilities. I want a President who doesn’t base his success on the stock market but on the economic security of the other 90% of our citizens.
It is 10:20 am and I am working today at the Election Commission in Nashville, Tennessee. The number of volunteers here is so encouraging! An official just came to tell us that the day is running perfectly except for a very few expected technical problems. The day is peaceful and the sun is shining. This is the day I pray, that a President will be elected who does not bully, who does not elicit fear with dramatic off hand statements that stir people up, who will follow scientific leaders to get us out of this damn pandemic, who will follow the scientists and make climate change a priority, who will be someone I am proud to call my President.
I know you have made up your mind by now and I know Facebook is a breeding ground for arguing but if you are at all undecided please let’s bring goodness and dignity and healing to our country by voting for Mr. Biden.
I honestly thought I was having a heart attack on Election night 2016. How could a man who mimicked a msn with disabilities be elected president? It couldn’t be true. I googled my symptoms and drove myself to the emergency room. I told the attending physician I heard the election results and I couldn’t breathe. (Omg “I can’t breathe”)
He said, “I know we are expecting more.”
This current President has awakened us to see how horrible it is for a country to loose its soul.

I come to this from all I have I have learned in the gospels about how to treat one another. Let’s elect a President who encourages us and softens the soul of our country.

votelove