A Bump in the Road

Moonlight Over Lake Lottawana in Missouri

Most of us who grew up in Idaho know all about "bumps" in the road. Or those wonderful wash-outs that made you hold your breath as you slowly inched your way through a narrow spot with a mountain on one side and a sheer drop on another.

Some bumps are huge rocks waiting to tear up an oil pan or high center your vehicle. Other bumps are more like hitting a deer or a cow.

Recent horrifying events have been described a small bump in the road.

I beg to differ with that casual statement. We are not embarking on unexplored territory but dealing with individuals who do not even value their own lives.

Americans are not the exception to the rule when it comes to terrorism. I would venture to say that you might be in denial if you believe that a pit of rattlesnakes will not bite you if you join them for a cup of tea.

I have always resolved that my blog would be either uplifting or give the reader something to ponder.

So forgive me for being outraged when so many people give their lives daily because a horde of petty undisciplined fanatics decide to destroy property, burn flags and even plot to murder our loved ones, friends and soldiers.

There is a darkness covering our world as we speak today. The few of us with flashlights that still work will continue to point out the dangers as long as our batteries hold out.

Life should be worth more than a campaign speech, a video tape or a fundraiser. It certainly should have more value than a person willing to blow themselves up on a bus or a grocery store.

I do not believe that everyone can embrace the democracy that we have been fortunate to experience in our lifetime. They have been enslaved far too long by tyranny. Even Moses experienced contempt from an ungrateful people while traveling in the desert. They wanted to go back to slavery when there wasn't enough water or food. They gave lip service to what God desired for them and backslid when Moses wasn't around thinking that God would not know.

Leadership requires a strength of character. You can choose to make people bend to your will or encourage them to think for themselves. A good leader will always encourage the good in everyone. When quarrels break out, they step into the fray with quiet words of wisdom. Leadership sets aside the ego for the greater good.

There are too many undiscovered land mines out there in this big bad world. The odds of escaping unscathed are getting slimmer by the day.

What is happening in the world today is not a mere bump in the road. I think that we have fooled ourselves into thinking that the road will continue to be paved and go on forever.

I wanted to express this without pointing fingers or naming names. An election or change of religion will not change the course that we are presently on.

In my own personal life, I have experienced bumps in the road, even a few treacherous potholes. It nearly broke me.

What made me whole again was the knowledge that I did not have to navigate this road alone. Nor did I have to worry about having sufficient light as long as I kept moving forward by putting one foot in front of the other.

No one can make you fail, if you are determined to overcome an obstacle except yourself. I have heard many comments about how one political party vowed to make one president fail.

I ask you this. If you desire to do good, have the integrity to stand up for the greater good. If you put aside yourself and listen to wise counsel. Will you fail? Maybe, but the odds are greater that you won't.

George Washington set aside an hour of his day to study his bible and pray for this country. Abraham Lincoln understood the importance of healing a nation after such a bloody divide of our nation. They humbled themselves before God and sought out His Counsel.

That is true leadership. When we explore our choices for the future of our children and grandchildren. Ask yourself one thing, Will it matter if you voted the straight ticket, or because someone was better looking or of a certain race or religion?

Just like falling in love with "Mr. Right". If there are one or two personal habits that slightly bother you, ask yourself how you will feel about it 4 years into the future when the honeymoon is over.