An Adventure in Leon

Most of my time in Mexico has been to cruise destinations like Costa Maya and Cozumel.  Which I certainly enjoyed, but there is a lot of country left for me to see.  All of the balloon festivals I had attended had been on US soil....and only in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.  The largest number of balloons I had seen at a festival was 100, and that had been a big deal to me.  So when the chance came to go to the Festivel Internacional del Globo (FIG)  in Leon, Mexico (a place I had never been) with 200 balloons expected from all over the world, and a new culture to experience, how could I say no to such an adventure?

I went as the crew chief for pilot Jim Falls, who had never been there himself.  (In fact, this was Jim's first trip out of the country.)  We had few details about what we would actually experience once we got there, so we just fumbled through.  Fortunately much had been planned, even if we weren't aware of it.   Someone met us at the airport....well, us and about 18 or so other people, and luggage, and just one (albeit large) van.  Not large enough, really, but it got us to our destination, even if we were packed like sardines.  I sat in the back seat, with a suitcase gouging into my side, another from the back jabbing in my head, and my backpack and purse in my lap.

We saw ballooning friends from NC almost as soon as we walked in the door of the hotel.   Some of them don't remember seeing us that night (OK, just one of them, despite the 5 hugs he gave me) but they really did welcome us very warmly and make us feel at home.  (The earlier arrivals found the tequila and margaritas very welcoming.)  

We arrived on Wednesday night, and Thursday morning we went out to the field for our initial pilot's briefing, to meet our crew, and to unpack the balloon (which had been shipped by truck with about 20 others from Spartanburg, SC.)  Pilot briefing went well, but I looked and looked and I never could find our crew.  Everyone else seemed to have theirs.  I finally went back to check with the folks in charge of the volunteer crews, and found out that for some reason one had not been assigned to us (it was said in Spanish to the person I has asked....but easily translated.  Was it because we were #13?)  Fortunately Alejandro, Ariel and Isaac were standing by and they were assigned to us on the spot.  Once we got their truck back to our area (a feat in itself...I finally had to turn traffic cop and people actually listened to me!) we were finally unable to unpack the balloon (starting at least an hour later than everyone else!)  They then went and found the very long line for propane (first day, all tanks empty....it took a while!)  I opted to hang in our "nook" and keep an eye on our remaining stuff.  I hear it was the correct decision.....much cooler and relaxing than sitting in the truck waiting for our turn at fueling.  (But if only I had taken my Kindle or my MP3!) Still, I was able to talk to a few of the other pilots and crew chiefs, so made a few friends that gave helpful advice during the week.  Other than that, I just laid back on the envelope and enjoyed soaking in the atmosphere.

Friday morning was a typical day....we caught the bus at our hotel at 5:30 for the pilot's briefing at 6.  Burger King was a sponsor of the event, and they provided breakfast every day.  Always apple pies and fruit and some sort of sandwich.  On Friday it was chicken sandwiches.  And there was coffee....and it was good.  My necessity.  (One day both the hotel and the festival ran out of coffee before I got mine, and coincidentally that was the day I kept losing things....like my walkie talkie.....and noone did what they were supposed to do without me having to raise my voice.  No coffee leads to the world gone awry.)  We shared a launch pad with another balloon.  Our "launchmate" was a pilot who had been to every one of the 11 Leon festivals, and had never missed a flight.  One year he said only a few balloons took off before they closed the field....he was one of them.  His record continued this year.  (Note to non-balloonists....it is rare for a festival to have this kind of record where balloons are launched whenever scheduled.  Wind or rain, our enemies, usually get in the way at least occasionally.)  

Our crew changed slightly on Friday.....Isaac was replaced by Miguel, brother of Alejandro.  Our guys were all college students and Miguel had a biochemistry exam on Thursday, so Isaac had stood in for him.  We had no passengers assigned to us that day, so Ariel was able to go up with Jim.  That required a very long walk the length of the field, so he could get the required bracelet (no bracelet, no insurance....so you know I was a stickler for that!) and sign the waiver.   But we made it back in time to get our balloon inflated and launched.  Balloons only fly in the morning in Leon, unlike morning and evening here.  We were able to launch until about 9 a.m.  A lot of the balloons stay close to the field....in fact, a lot of them rode the "box effect" provided by the winds and landed back on the field.  While I hear this happens in Albuquerque, we don't see it around here.

Chasing was interesting.  It was easiest to get out of the field on Friday since there were fewer people.  Jim ended up landing in a new housing development.  We had to clear the guard at the development, then find our way to where they landed.  We could see the balloon pretty well since the area was hilly, but the roads were like a maze.  "Turn here, now here, now go there....."  But we found them!  The wind had come up pretty quickly, so we needed to get it down fast.  We took down in the road to avoid the prickly terrain.  That soon gained us the help of another crew, trying to get by to get to their balloon.  Their help meant we wrapped it all up pretty quickly.  In future days Jim landed closer to us, but the crowds made getting to him more difficult.  There are no routes that are reserved for chase crews and very limited security to help us get to where we need to be.  You have to patiently wait and go with the flow.  Not my forte, but it seemed fine in context.  And since they landed so close to the field, the crowds come up close and want pictures taken with the balloon and pilot.  I think Jim, and all the pilots, felt like a celebrity.  We crew chiefs got a bit of attention ourselves.  I couldn't figure out why people wanted their picture with me, but I was willing to pose!

When we were out in the streets of the community, we tried to have candy on hand to throw to the children.  Yes, most kids know the English word for candy!   You had to be careful, because they would run out in the street for it.  I refused to give it to them until they went back to the sidewalk.  OK, so my aim was off a few times....but it was at least in the gutter and safer for them to reach!  We always ran out of candy before kids and it always broke my heart.  They got such pleasure from it....and we got such pleasure getting to do it.  I loved the kids and wish I could have spent some time down on the ground hanging out with them.

I entertained Miguel and Ariel on the very last day when I threw my very last piece of candy for the whole festival.  I had been lecturing them all day about making sure they threw safely, and they say (I did not see this happen, so cannot confirm or deny....though I prefer to deny) I hit the kid in the eye with the candy.  The guys laughed and laughed as they told me about it....so I have to assume it was true.  It makes me cringe to think about it!  Next year I guess I will have to look for the kid with the eye patch.....and give him a whole bag of candy.  I will jump down from the truck to hand it to him, though.  And then I will run so he can't beat up on me.  Or maybe Miguel or Ariel should do it for me....they should be more easily able to identify him since they saw it.  And they laughed at the poor kid!  (They'd probably say they were laughing at me, but that is not what I will tell the kid.  Though they may have a communication advantage, darn it!)

At night they had balloon glows.  Entering the field was pretty cool.....most pilots burned from the basket in the bed of the truck as they drove into the field.  A bit tricky because of all of the power lines and trees, but doable and no accidents occurred.  I got to see this entrance from the field on Saturday night, and I was as excited as everyone else in the crowd.  I love parades....I love to see controlled fire...I loved it.


A German guy had the whole glow choreographed to music.  I never saw it as it was supposed to be.....both nights I was there it was windy and the balloons were not able to stay up.  He had it all staged with some burners on the ground, some burners on the truck, and then some balloons set to inflate like a typical glow.  The glow was all set to music.  There were lights on the stage that were to give you direction as to what to do (red-do nothing; green-burn; white-twinkle.)  We never could see the lights from where we were and/or got distracted by the other lights flashing around the stage.  We were not alone.  There was just a lot of burning going on during the night we glowed....which was still pretty cool, even though the balloons glowing would have been even more magnificent.  At the end of the glow they set off fireworks and released lanterns to float all over the place.  On Friday there were a few, on Saturday night there seemed to be thousands of them.  It was like being in a fairy land.

Communication was easy throughout the festival.....our crew all spoke English well and were great when we needed interpreters.  I wish I could say my Spanish improved....but not one lick!  One of those things I need to work on....I can read a bit, but my ear and my tongue don't do other languages well!   Time for more movies with subtitles! (Note to Adrienne....just not French ones with Jean-Luc Godard as the director.)

While in Leon we were able to see our fellow North Carolinian Jonathan Trappe do two cluster balloon stunts (think flying using a big bunch of helium balloons)....one a trial in a boat he plans to use when he tries to cross the Atlantic, the other a house reminiscent of the one in the movie Up.  I hate that I was not able to help with the helium fills....and that I was so busy during his launches I only got some quick glances of him in action.  But it was fun to be there, cheer him on by name, and see it even briefly.  I love how Jonathan  adds such imagination and adventure to ballooning and I enjoy being a fan.

Left to right - Alejandro, Ariel, me, and Miguel

My favorite part of the festival?  Hanging out with my ballooning friends, meeting new ballooning friends, and spending time with the wonderful guys in our crew.   Let me tell you a bit about each of them.  First there is Alejandro, who is studying International Business and hopes to work in the leather industry when he graduates.  (He's got that James Dean look, don't you think?)  He was our driver for the week and tolerated us all giving him directions (usually at one time), as well as having to get his truck in and out of some really tight spaces.  He was the most serious of the three, and took most of what I said at face value.  (Yes, I enjoyed pulling his leg.  But I suspect he would not have allowed it for long.)  I loved his big heart....he gave up his balloon ride on Monday morning so that his 16-year old cousin Fernanda could reach her dream of riding in a balloon.  She loved it and was in her element!  (I loved Fernanda.  But Alejandro must ride next year!)   I suspect it is very good to have Alejandro in your family.

Next is Ariel....he had an easy and relaxing personality and such a genuine smile.  He was the most hesitant with his English, though there was no need for him to be.....he spoke and understood it well.  I enjoyed watching him in his element though, speaking Spanish, where he had a boldness and confidence that came out and seems to be a large part of who he is in everyday life.  He is someone who can and will get things done.  He plans to be a physical therapist.  I don't know....I saw some twinges of politician as I watched him.  He seemed to figure out how to make things work and always seemed to know who to call for answers (and have their number!)  A good person to have around when dealing with people. 

Miguel, Alejandro's brother, probably had the easiest time conversing in English for long periods of time.  He told me he learned English because he loved American music - he would listen to it and try to learn the lyrics so that he could sing along, and when he didn't know a word, he would look it up.  Obviously a successful strategy. He said he had never spoken with a native English speaker, so was curious as to how well he was doing.  He definitely passed with flying colors.  He was my continuous translator and I was his and we both questioned each other non-stop.  Miguel planned to be a dentist, but now is thinking about becoming a psychologist.  He said he wants to be happy and he wants to help people and thinks that will do it.  I suspect that will be the case with whatever he ends up doing.  It is who he is....a happy person who helps people.

I adored all of them (and our short-timer Isaac and our adopted crew Fernanda), and I hope to be able to keep up with each of them in the future and see what they become.  And I'd love them all to visit NC sometime so they can experience our life here.  (Their favorite foods are pizza and hamburgers.....I know we could make them happy there!)  I would enjoy showing them around and planning their entertainment.

I do have some personal regrets post-festival.  I didn't get to explore enough of the city or visit the leather district for more than a few minutes (for example, explore the shoes!)  I didn't get to eat any of the street food.  I didn't get around to see everything at the festival.  I didn't get to ride the ferris wheel at night.  I found no balloon souvenirs (except a t-shirt....which I love, but I wanted to find something more unique.  Or balloon earrings, which I always need to keep replenishing because I am forever losing them!)  And I wanted to tear down one of the awesome posters from the light posts around town or one of the banners from the fence, but didn't (I loved the black and bright colored graphics for this festival and thought they would look good in my office.)  I figured creating an international incident would not be good for the reputation of ballooning!  (I'd be OK if it was just my own reputation  If I waited until the festival was over, that would just be helping them clean up, right?)    

Those are silly minor things, and incredibly overshadowed by the privilege of being able to visit Leon and attend this tremendous festival and spend time with a whole lot of good and fun people.  The staff at the festival was friendly, worked tirelessly, and made us all feel welcome and comfortable.  The people in the crowds there were passionate about ballooning, and it was a pleasure to share that love with them.  As someone who lives for adventure, this was another one for the books.  I feel like pinching myself.  Who gets to do these fun things?  I do!   I recognize the blessing, I recognize the privilege and I am grateful.  It definitely was a reminder that during this month of thanksgiving, I have been given more than my portion of fun.  And I selfishly hope it keeps on coming!!!

Family Reunion

"Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you."  Deuteronomy 5:16

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We had our McKinney Family Reunion yesterday.  My dad was one of ten children and every single one of those children had children.  That means I have a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins.  There are actually a few McKinney cousins I couldn't easily identify. The McKinney family is big.  And I am sure to some a bit intimidating.  But to me, they have always been the essence of family.  I've always found love and comfort being part of them.

When my grandparents were alive and healthy, we all saw each other almost every week for Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's.  Being one of the older grandchildren, I remember that time.  Most of the younger cousins never got to experience it or have no memories.  Grandma and Grandpa's house was on Island Ford Rd.... remember where Moore's Buds and Bows used to be, behind Ingles?  Prior to all of that, that was my grandparent's house (I still resent that shopping center being built there!)  The house looks smallish now, but it always seemed  really big to me back then.  On Sundays food would be everywhere in the kitchen and the dining room....everyone would sit...well, I'm not sure where we all sat.   The front porch was very popular.  We'd end up eating wherever we could find a space. But I don't remember that ever being an issue. No one went hungry....unless by choice!

I remember sitting on that porch listening to the conversations of the adults.  I remember making perfume out of the roses from Grandma's rose bushes.  (Or trying to.  I never understood why putting the buds in water never produced the same smell as the flowers themselves.)   I remember chasing lightening bugs....and June bugs....and climbing the apple tree in the back yard.  Not too high.... heights were not my friend even then.  I remember spending the night with Grandma, waking to bacon frying and a big breakfast (we were a cereal and toast family at home, so it was always a treat), and then for lunch going to Hickory for hot dogs at Fred Shell's.  I remember when my aunts Dana and Tena were in high school and watching them roll their hair with the biggest rollers you have ever seen.  Maybe it was juice cans.  Regardless, I couldn't wait until the day when I got to do the same.  Well, until my mom put sponge rollers in my hair for the first time.  I learned quickly rollers were not the thing for me!  I couldn't image bigger and harder rollers being used!

I remember sitting in the den where the piano was (you remember, that room where no one ever went!) and staring at the wall trying to figure out where the body of the deer was, whose head was on the living room wall on the other side.  My uncles told me it was back there.  I never could figure it out.  The wall just wasn't wide enough.....I should see part of it.  It never occurred to me that they were pulling my leg.

My  cousins, siblings and I would challenge each other to run in front of the TV screen and see if Grandpa yelled at us.  He did....most of the time.  That was our bonding time with Grandpa.  I remember giggling and giggling as I ran through that room.  Yeah, you would think after raising 10 kids he would have mellowed and could take that in stride....but the mellow only happened in the very last years of his life.  We drove him crazy.  And yes, that makes me smile even now.  But he married the perfect woman in my Grandma.  She was his polar opposite.  Nothing ever seemed to get to her.  I never remember impatience from her.  She would see us running, know exactly what we were up to, and quietly giggle herself.  I have no memories of ever seeing her angry.  She took everything in stride.  My mother will tell the story of coming over to this country to marry my dad (she was from a quiet family of three daughters in South Wales) and my uncles (Harold and Farrell, I believe it was) chasing each other around the house with knives.  Scared my mom to death.  My grandmother's response was to not even raise her voice, but to say "Boys, put the knives down."  And they did.  They knew the strength behind the quiet demeanor.

Your family is different than friends.  You choose your friends, God assigns your family.  While it is not always fair, while it may not always be good or healthy, while they may not always be the people you would choose, we're placed where we are for a reason.  For a purpose.  I am quite fortunate with the family to which I was assigned.  My siblings are some of my favorite people in the world.  I love and support them, and I know they love and support me.  My parents are great.....they have loved us, taught us, worried about us, and released us as adults.  I think they did their job well.  I look into their faces, and the faces of my aunts and my uncles, and I see a lot of who I am.  These are the adults who were assigned to love me, to stand by me.  To help make me a better person.  Some were there constantly, year in and out, some just for a season or two.  But I can tell you how every single one of them has shaped my life in some way.  My cousins....especially those close in age....add texture to the mix.  Some I feel particularly close to, some I don't know well.  Those adopted, the step cousins, the cousins by marriage....they are all part of the plan and an important part of who we are.  They are all part of what makes our family work.  The unit is functioning, whether it always functions well or not, whether it is functioning on all cylinders.  It always works best if all the units are engaged.  If they aren't, the machine doesn't work as well, but still can chug on and produce good stuff.

Most of the McKinney family is loud and opinionated and freely will give you advice.  I've always liked that.  At times I suspect those voiced opinions have led to hurt feelings and alienation by some members of the family. I never was privy to exactly what went on and still don't understand. It bothered me for a time, then I realized that time wasted worrying about such things is simply time wasted.  Those who feel wronged should state the offense to the perceived offender.  They should work it out.  In life in general, but especially in a family.  If they choose not to, they carry the issue around with them and it can be a heavy load.   The alienation stays and festers.  Often we let misdemeanors against each other become life sentence crimes.....why is that our choice?   All I know is that such choices take away precious time....keep us from what we should be in each other's lives....and people suffer from the alienation. 

Oh, how our family has grown!  Now we have the next generations.  I have nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and my cousins have children and grandchildren.  Many don't carry the McKinney name, but they are part of the canvas.  They carry the connection, the McKinney history.  They have inherited good and bad.  I hope they see those of us who are adults grab hold of the good things that we have been handed, and replace the bad with better. I hope they never grab onto the "family isn't important" mentality.  Because done well, family makes up a group of people who are there to lift you up when you do well, and catch you when you fall.  They may then dropkick you into next week to teach you a lesson, but when that is done with love consider it a gift!  They didn't choose you....but yet they love you anyway.  Even when that love requires work.

It's a pretty cool thing to look around a room and know that while Paul and Lois McKinney are not on this earth, their lives still impact ours every single day.  We are their legacy.  I have inherited my grandpa's outspoken ways, but I believe I have also inherited my grandma's restraint and strength.  (On my maternal side, I think I have inherited my grandsha's spirit of contentment and my nana's critical spirit. But Nana taught me how I don't want that critical spirit to develop, so I am trying to learn to use it for good and not for making me and everybody else around me miserable!!!)  And their looks....a quick glance around the room at the McKinney reunion and you saw the same faces, with a bit of a mash-up here and and again!  You can't deny the common blood running in some of our veins.

I am sure that my grandparents never thought about how far the family tree would expand beyond them.  But it grows and grows and twists and turns and some branches fall off and others grow fuller and fuller.   I love that Paul and Lois McKinney are part of my life even today.  They are the cornerstone of my family.....and from them I received the gift of many other family members that I can share life with today.  They were responsible for giving life to my dad, and in that they made my life possible.  I'm grateful for family......and for union and reunion.  I appreciate those to whom it is important, those who make it a priority.  If we allow ourselves to be a part of that crazy unit called a family, we are rewarded with the richness of history..... and we fulfill some of our purpose on this earth.  If we don't, I think we miss out on some of why we were created.  And when we don't fulfill our purpose, we miss out on claiming some of the greatest joys of life.

Do You Really Know?

I've often watched this election with the humor of watching a very strange ping pong match where I was cheering for both opponents.  I tended to stay in the middle, and be quite dizzy.  The fact that I agree with people on all sides of the coin says that I think that it's all quite complicated and most of you are at least a little right.   It also means I think most of you are a little bit wrong, too.  

My ballot goes all over the spectrum.  I don't see the correct answers leaning in one direction as most others seem to.  I have an unusual way of looking at my ballot, and while in the end each choice is one of thought and logic, I also know that few ballots would look like mine.  I don't vote one party.  I don't always vote incumbents back in, even if I have never heard anything particularly negative about their performance.  I don't always vote for people whose opinions are like mine.....sometimes I think certain groups need people with points of view that balance the group and make sure issues are really discussed before decisions are made.  I have sat in government meetings and been disgusted at the lack of discussion on important issues.  Their minds were made up before they came to the table.....and they didn't even pretend to listen to the citizens who came to speak, discuss their own opinions in the public forum of the meeting, or explain why they were voting as they were.  Motion up, motion carries.  Motion up, motion denied.  No desire to share their thoughts with their constituents.  I find this to be the height of arrogance and irresponsibility, so I try to vote to try to keep this from happening.  (By the way, if you haven't sat in at least some of these meetings, shame on you!  Your responsibility does not end at the voting booth.)

I don't understand the zealots.  I haven't figured out why some people act like they intimately know some of these politicians and so passionately defend them in all things.  They think they know all of their opinions and how they look at all issues.  They believe they alone have it all figured out and anyone who votes differently than them is misinformed and wrong.  Sometimes they only look at one issue, and think anyone who looks at other issues is missing the point.  Sometimes they look only at the candidate's professed religion, or their perceived values or ideology.  Sometimes they look at statistics.  In all scenarios, "their" candidate is the righteous one and everyone who believes anything else is wrong.  It all boils down to one "good" candidate and one "evil."  It seldom reflects the whole truth.

 I received an email from one of my friends recently where she wrote "I'm absorbed with the election as well, on the opposite side that you are on..."   

This is a close friend and her statement stunned me.  One thing I know for sure.....she has absolutely no idea what "side" I am on.  To my knowledge we have never discussed politics and if we did, my odd way of looking at things would never be something she could make such a statement about.  We're wired differently.  I know what I think, but have no clue what "side" I am on...so how could she?  And at the point that she wrote that, I was far away from being in a place where I would make informed voting decisions.  I had only made decisions on a few races.  These I had not shared with her.

Still, she is a close enough friend that if she told someone else what my political views are, her opinion would be given credibility.  She spoke with confidence.  But her opinion of me was wrong (I suspect I know what that opinion is because I do know her political leanings.)  Yes, because she is more of a "straight party" type, we would at times be on opposite "sides."  But at other times, we would be on the same one.  She can't conceive that someone votes without much notice of political party.  It reminded me that often we don't know what we think we know, even about our closest friends. Words spoken with confidence or as facts are not necessarily words of truth.  The perception one has of another is not necessarily the reality.

I've learned through time that possibly I don't really know anyone well.   I think perhaps it is arrogance or naivete when you think that you do.  There have been people I have known for a lifetime who have stunningly surprised me with their actions.  I thought I knew who they were, to their very depths.  I would have stood up for them to the death and said certain things would never be true.  But then I find it is true, and I can not deny it.  I had to change who they were in my mind.  There were inconsistencies in their character that were foreign to me.  They were not who I thought they were, in fact they were in many cases not who they thought themselves to be.  For some it was a temporary lapse, and they faced their flaws and made changes, but some haven't.  Some will grow and change for the better, some will stay the same, some will regress to places of darkness.  I've come to terms with the fact that I can still love people whose lives I don't understand and sometimes don't respect.  In fact, I can still love them beyond measure.  But also I can only know anyone as they reveal themselves to me in truth, either overtly or as is discovered by time and attention.  When I think I have someone totally figured out, I need to roll my eyes at myself.  I probably don't.  We are a peculiar people.  We are a people whose very cells are regenerating every single day.  What makes us presume that we all live consistently by what we say we believe or that we come in only two flavors?  And what makes us presume that because it was one way yesterday, it is the same today?
 
I guess the point of all of this rambling is, remember that politicians are human beings.  All of our friends, our family members, they are human beings.  They are flawed.  We see parts of who they are, but not all of who they are.  You hear words come from their mouths that may not be their words, their true thoughts.  They spout opinions that may not be their own opinions, but those opinions that they think you want to hear (or with the more contrary, that you don't want to hear.)  They make promises they may intend to keep, and often they keep them.  But sometimes they find they are not able to keep the promise due to forces outside their control, or they may find keeping that promise is not the right thing to do when they examine the reality of the situation.  And they may make promises they never, ever intended to keep, but said they would because it got them what they wanted at the time.  We need to see real people, not an idealized version of them, and that requires we watch people critically.  And that we remember that real people have both gifts and flaws.  The gifts should not cover them with gold and the flaws should not usually give them a life sentence.

One election does not make or break our country.  We, the people, are far from where we need to be, and a polarized nation will not get us to where we ought to be.  We need to respect our leaders, but also respect each other.  And we need to be leaders....in our families, in our communities, in our world.  Good leaders listen.  They observe.  They change their minds.  They care about their people.  They also both humble and mortal.  They may be good, but they are not perfect.

God is at the center of how I voted today.  I tried to stay focused on Him in the midst of all of the junk and seek His desires.  As I said before, I suspect my ballot will not completely match others who I know.....both those who serve God, and those who do not.  I serve a big God, and I learn more about who He is and who He is not every day.  Still it is arrogance to presume I know it all, and it is arrogance to believe that I know how God would vote.  But it is also arrogance to suggest that we control the elections.  While we see the outside, God knows the innermost beings behind the caricatures that many politicians have become.  Could God possibly lead you to vote for someone who does not win?   Could God's reasons for allowing someone into office be different than our own?  Could it possibly be that God's plan is for some of His people to vote different ways?  We are at different places in our lives, different places in our faith, and we have been given different purposes in this world.   My God is a "one size fits all" God, serving a varied and unique group of "fearfully and wonderfully made" people.  We shouldn't put each other in a box, nor box in God.  He is too big to fit and when we try we miss some of His greatness.

Whatever the result of the election, we will see God at work.  In fact, we have a lifetime to watch Him at work in our life, in our country, in our world.  If we really believe in Him, we can trust His power and trust the future.  There is no need to fear. It's going to be OK.  Watch, listen and learn.  And know your place.  Be a slave, not the master.  But also be the beloved child, confident in the care of a loving God.  Your vote mattered.  But only so much.  God's plans supercede.  And that means His ultimate best for you. 

 "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.  Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.  Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor."  I Peter 2:13-17

You've Got to Give A Little

My sister Deryn was telling me about a little 11-year old girl she saw on Good Morning America this morning that had set up a little station outside her family's place in New Jersey where people could come and "borrow" electricity.  Be it cell phones, laptops, video games for kids, they were welcome to come and wait for them to charge.  While they waited, they served them refreshments.  My sister said the parents were supportively sitting in the background during the interview (and obviously endorsed her efforts), but it appeared to be the idea and work of this little girl that started it all. 

She's already learned some valuable life lessons....how to share her stuff, how to give to the less fortunate, how to inconvenience her life for that of others, how to notice needs and figure out a way to meet those needs, how to bring joy to others and how easy it is to trump adults!

A lot of my friends are givers.  Almost any charitable event that goes on in our city, usually I have a friend or two involved. Yes, we live in a fairly small city, but it's more than that.  A lot of my friends I met through volunteering.  Funny thing, people who believe in volunteering usually volunteer for more than one cause.  So those of us who do see each other a lot.  The thing that is not so funny is that many people never volunteer at all.

Yes, I have heard the excuses. 

"I have a busy life."  So do most people who volunteer.  The busier, usually the better!  While some volunteer opportunities require a time commitment of sorts, others just require a one time commitment.  A few hours to give?  They'll take it.  Any smart organization that uses volunteers learns how to use whatever is offered! 

"I used to volunteer, but no one appreciated it."  You can't do it for the appreciation.  You're right...often people don't appreciate it or forget to acknowledge your participation.  Do it because you believe in what you are doing and know it is the right thing to do.  Mentally prepare yourself for never receiving any appreciation (from others involved, or from the recipients.)  It's the ultimate gift giving experience....no appreciation or thanks needed or expected.  The reward of knowing what you have done?  Could be amazing! 

"I am all volunteered out."   No really, you're not!  Most of us who volunteer have times when we don't know how we will muster another breath and keep going, but you really can.  Sometimes you do need a break, but often if you take too long a break your brain starts playing tricks on you and you feel overwhelmed at the thought of doing anything ever again.  That is an illusion.  You may need to do something different or try a new cause, but there is something you can do.  And you need to.

"I want to, but I don't know anyone else who volunteers and can't get anyone to go with me."  Granted, that first time may have a few awkward moments if you go on your own.  There's no getting around that.  But what you will usually find is that people who volunteer or work with volunteers are usually quite friendly.  They'll quickly put you to work and then it gets easier.  And if after that first time you still feel awkward, try a new charity.  It won't take long until you find one filled with the best friends you had never met!

"I have young kids and no babysitter."  My guess is that this cool little girl in New Jersey didn't get that way without some teaching.  There are places you can volunteer and even young kids can help.  And if they are too young, sometimes there are people (like me) who will be around and love to take a baby holding break!  Being around giving people....it's a good place to raise a child.

"I give money instead."  Money's good, but it doesn't let you see the need.  If you just toss it in a charity's direction, you never get to see it at work.  And you should see it at work and know you're putting it in the right place, doing the right things.  (But if you refuse to volunteer and want to give blindly, by all means still go ahead and send the money!!!  Or hand it to a volunteering friend who is willing to be the feet on the street and make sure it is used well.)

"I don't really have any talents to contribute."   Wanna make a bet?  Whoever you are, whatever you can do, it can be used for some charity.  Honestly.  It boggles my mind sometimes when I hear how some people serve others.  I dare you to come up with something that you can do that I can't figure out a way how you can use it to help someone! 

"I'm not really interested in any charities."  Could it be that your view of what a charity is is a bit limited?  There are churches, there are schools, there are political organizations, there are places that shelter the homeless, that feed the hungry, that look after mistreated and abandoned animals, that champion cures for diseases, that help the elderly and orphans and veterans, that protect our environment, that enhance our recreation areas, that teach immigrants how to speak English, that help people learn to budget, that protect battered women and children, that teach people to read and write ....I could go on and on.  And within each of these types of organizations there are layers of needs.  I challenge you to explore what's out there and still say you are NOT interested in charities.

"I'm just not the charitable type."    Guess what?  There is no type!  Everyone is welcome!  You don't have to even be 100% into the idea of it all.  Truth is that a lot of the others volunteering aren't 100% gung ho either.  Just do it!

In my life, my faith plays a part in why I give.  I believe in acts of thanksgiving for my gift of life and for the great things that I have been blessed with.  I believe I should serve God by serving our world.  I truly believe the verse in Luke that says "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."   And really....we all have so very much just by living in this country.  Even those of us who think we are the poor.  I've worked with homeless people, who spent part of their life serving others.  It's a beautiful sight to see....and these are usually the people who move beyond those circumstances.  Even if you are a sometimes recipient of giving (maybe especially if) you should still give yourself.

For those who don't have a life that is faith based, giving also is of great value to you.  It adds a richness that can't be found any other way.  It helps shape your character - shows you the person you want to be, and often the person you don't want to be.  It's also a way to celebrate life and live it by experiencing both giving and receiving.

On this first day of "Thanksgiving month" I challenge you to find a way you can give and a place you can give.  We can say thanks with our mouth or we can say it with all that we are.  I personally would prefer if communities would meet the needs of people instead of waiting for government to intervene.  It is more effective and way less costly!  And that is how our community grows to be the kind of place we are proud to live in, the kind of place where we can depend on others.  The place where volunteer opportunities are not all filled by a few, but everyone plays a part.

Though I didn't see the Good Morning America show my sister saw, I can just picture that little girl.  And I know how she is bringing sunshine into some lives that are pretty dark and discouraged right now.  Some people will appreciate what she has done for them every day of their life and never forget it, others will promptly forget it, others will think "well of course she should do that since she has something we don't!"  (probably when they would never do it themselves) or "She only did that to be on TV."  There will always be those types of cynics in the world. 

Her parents will probably have a tremendous power bill this month, and their family just may have to go without something themselves to budget for the increase this month, but my guess is that they are willing to do whatever it takes.  (Knowing people, someone will offer to help offset the cost after hearing about it.)  But they didn't start it looking for anyone to notice but those in need.  My guess is that they are all having a blast and are going to know their neighbors like ever before.  They are helping their daughter make a difference in the world and learn something new about giving.  They are turning problems into solutions and turning frowns and anxiety into smiles.  They are experiencing something the cynics of the world will seldom experience - the joy of optimism.  Sometimes when you stand up and raise your glass and say "Hey, I can help with that" you find that half full glass gets fuller and fuller and fuller and then overflows.  Optimism grows like that.