We all knew that regardless of yesterday’s election, half of the American people would be disappointed today. And so it is. But as we told our children this morning, we must put the negative campaigns behind us and support the man who now is poised to lead this country.

But over the past eight years, many of those who were disappointed by the election outcomes chose instead to ridicule and look down upon man elected to lead this county. The Wall Street Journal has an opinion piece about this very topic in today’s paper that reads, in part:

The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.

Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty — a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.

Now I pray we can all come together to support Mr. Obama because we all know he’s inheriting a multitude of problems–problems that were rooted long before the current administration. Instead of those bumper stickers saying, “Don’t blame me, I voted for NAME”, I’d like to propose a new saying:

Click to read more: www.prayingforbarack.com

Rarely do I so fall in love with someone’s music that I write about it. In fact, this is the first time! (Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t fall in love with certain musicians… I do… sometimes too much during my last year in college I actually went to three Jars of Clay shows, and even once came home with a drum stick that the drummer threw into the crowd *blush*)

Earlier this year, I was introduced to the music of Laura Story, through her January 2008 release entitled “Great God Who Saves”. While you may not have heard of Laura Story, if you follow Christian music, you’ve undoubtedly heard a little song she wrote that was recorded by Chris Tomlin that goes like this… “Indescribeable. Uncontainable. You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.”

That song, as well as nine others, make up the album that has been in played daily in my home for weeks. Laura has an amazing ability to put into words what I so often feel when considering my Creator. In fact, while I listen to these songs, I often feel as if the words are not her’s, but God’s. (Makes sense, since she describes most of her music as scripture-based.)

“Might to Save” is an obvious favorite, especially since we also sing it in church. But there are a few other standouts as well, including “Perfect Peace” and “Grace”. It was the later song that actually caused me to write this post. Here are the lyrics:

My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.
I see the things You do through me as great things I have done. And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me and hold me as my father and mold me as my maker.

Chorus:
I ask you: “How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?”
And you answer: ” My child, I love you.
And as long as you’re seeking My face, You’ll walk in the pow’r of My daily sufficient grace.”

At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job. For who am I to serve You? I know I don’t deserve You. And that’s the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.

Chorus
You are so patient with me, Lord.

As I walk with You, I’m learning what Your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary. So, instead of trying to repay You, I’m learning to simply obey You
by giving up my life to you For all that You’ve given to me.

Chorus

The part that always gets me is the chorus. It reminds me of one of my favorite Third Day songs - Take My Life - which also talks about the seemingly endless need for forgiveness. I find both of these songs to be hugely encouraging, particularly when I listen to them right after I’ve just screwed up again! And as I was comforted, I decided to share this with whoever might read my blog, in the hope that you might also find comfort in Christ’s daily sufficient grace.

This week has been a tough one, because of stories I’ve read (or heard) or hurt children. As a mom, that really tugs at my heart strings and makes me hug my own kids a little tighter. The hardest story to handle is of 5-year-old Maria Sue Chapman (daughter of a great Christian musician - Steven Curtis Chapman). On Wednesday night, Maria was struck and killed by a car in the driveway of her home. The car was driven by her older brother and was a terrible, horrible accident.

Losing your child is any parents’ worst nightmare, but losing your child at the hand of a sibling is torture. That poor boy has to live with this for the rest of his life. The worst thing would be for parents to blame the sibling, because at that point they would be losing two children instead of one.

But I don’t believe Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman will do that. I believe God doesn’t give you more than you can handle, and perhaps He has brought them to this moment “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

If you haven’t heard it before, Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song about little Maria a few months back. It’s called Cinderella. It was inspired by a bath time that Steven tried to “hurry,” but Maria and her sister Stevey Joy weren’t exactly cooperating. Listen to the song and be inspired by the lyrics of this special song. (Have some tissues handy if you have kids!)

Someone wrote the following on Steven’s blog, and I think it sums up the story perfectly:

The stroke of midnight came too soon.
The grand ball came to an expected and unexplainable close for your Cinderella. And like the story-book Cinderella, the magic came to an end, but in a different way.
Your Cinderella exchanged her beautiful gown, not for common clothes, but for a spotless, white robe.
Her glass slippers for a street paved with gold.
Her tuxedoed attendants for a host of saints and a chorus of angels.
Her distant prince for the ever-present Prince of Peace.
Her bejeweled chariot for a heavenly mansion prepared since the foundation of the world.
And she exchanged her gleaming white horses for the reality that she never needs to rush off again – she is now home.
Really, the grand ball came to a close for those left behind. But for Cinderella it is just beginning.

I know it’s hard on a rainy day
you want to shut the world out and just be left alone
But don’t run out on your faith

‘Cause sometimes that mountain you’ve been climbing is just a grain of sand
What you’ve been up there searching for
forever is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
seem so small

- Carrie Underwood, “So Small”

After a missed connection in Houston, we were rerouted to a different airport and finally arrived home at 1:30am Tuesday morning. Our bags are still in DC, but should be delivered today. I did have my camera though, and have just uploaded some of our pictures to Picasa. (Send me an email to get the URL for the pics.)

We’re definitely very tired, and were glad to sleep in our own beds (and also to brush our teeth without using bottled water!). For 10 years I’ve been hearing from people who have made the trip to Campo Alegria how the trip is life changing. That’s just another aspect of a trip like this that you can’t really understand until you’ve experienced for yourself. Seeing how much of the world lives (at least those in poor areas of the world) causes you to take stock of your own life.

When they told me I might not have my luggage until Friday, I started thinking about how much I needed my makeup and hair stuff (which for the most part went unused in Nica anyway). Ummm… hello?! Didn’t I just leave a third-world country where most people don’t even have electricity to use that flat iron! I think it’s that constant juxtaposition of the haves and have-nots that is most prevalent in the minds of those who make trips like this.

I suppose my biggest fear challenge is to keep these thoughts in the forefront of my mind as the days and weeks go by, and not to forgot them as quickly as my suntan fades.

Thanks for your prayers - we received many blessings because of them along the way. If you’re interested, here’s how you can continue to pray for the projects we visited:

• For Adam and Rachel at Campo Alegria, that another American couple would join them as they minister to the town of Rivas and everyone who visits Campo Alegria. (Also for the impending birth of their second child.)
• For the girls of Casa Havilla, that they would grow up to be strong women of faith, who are able to help change the community around them for the better.
• For continued safety of the Buzzbee family, as they minister and support the people of Managua. (Learn more about the Buzzbee family here.)
• For the funds and volunteers to grow Campo Alegria, so it can bring hope to many many more children in Nicaragua.