I was going to be all, "The entire world is blogging about the election today so I'm not going to!" Then I realised there was yet another area of self-deficiency I could expose and over which to horrify people, so I changed my mind.
The way I realised this was through this moment of epiphany:
I vote the way I order at a restaurant.
When I go out to eat, I look at a menu and usually one entree catches my eye instantly, but the price might be slightly prohibitive, or else everyone else is taking way too long to decide, so I peruse the rest of the offerings. And then a little further down, something else catches my eye, and from that moment until the time the server comes over and I open my mouth and order something, I don't know which of the two things I'm going to order.
I am terrible about politics. Politics and math are pretty much the same thing to me. I don't understand them, and (as some people feel about God) would rather pretend they didn't exist. So every election season, I say, "This time I'm really going to find out something for myself about the candidates for a change," but I never do. I didn't even do it this time, even though I actually thought the candidates were kind of interesting. I did, however, mainly through hearsay of various types, have a "menu item" that had initially caught my eye. Then, within the last week, people who I felt sure would have voted for one candidate have told me they're voting for the other, and vice versa, and I am so startled that I am confused. This morning I prayed, "Dear God, I know this is terribly irresponsible and is pretty much the same thing as asking you to help me pass an exam I didn't study for, but would you please help me know what to vote?"
I know. I am a terrible Christian. I should be praying about this country and the world and our leaders every day, but instead they're lucky if they get a mention from me even on Election Day.
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for my dad to return with the car so I can vote. There are still two items on the menu I'm deciding over. I'm pretty sure I know which one I'll pick. But there's still always a chance . . .
7 comments:
WHAT!? A great blog, but all this suspense! Who did you end up voting for? ;) But mostly, how are you feeling lovely lady??
I do the exact same thing at restaurants. Oddly, I kind of like it, though...the element of surprise, or something. And it drives my wife nuts.
I don't do that with politics so much, but I think you're analogy stands. This election year is a little like eating out in a town with only one really, really, really bad restaurant. There are only two items on the menu and both are almost certainly going to cause some heartburn.
And not knowing who to vote for does not make you a bad Christian.
Liz . . . I'm gonna go ahead and guess I voted for the opposite of who you voted for. ;) But I'm doing fine!
Barry--the "bad Christian" part was over the lack of consistent, intentional prayer more than over the not-knowing-who-to-vote-for, although I do feel insecure about the latter sometimes.
the election was an interesting process. I agree Jenn. I had no real clue of who some of the democrats were in the state or house or whatever job. I just voted across a party line. not a ton of prayer but now will since we needed a change.
Some will vote alacarte and some will take doggie bags home with leftovers. at least no more ads after tic tac toe is done.. scott
hope you are feeling better.
I enjoyed reading your take on this. I do the same thing at restaurants (complete with the cost-prohibitive guilty feelings and all!), so I could particularly appreciate how the analogy felt for you. :)
Another admittedly apolitical Christian! I think voting is like ordering at a restaurant where you know the food is bad and never prepared as described. I have been known to resort to the diagonal bingo card thing on my voter card -just mix and match the political parties so they can keep an eye on each other.
I thought of confessing my disinterest in politics on the Stuff Christians Like "pretending to like C. S. Lewis" post, but then I remembered that I've never bothered to pretend to be interested...
Scott--you always take the analogies to a whole new level. ;)
Christianne--glad you could at least resonate a little!
LBell--that is AWESOME. (The bingo-card thing.) Also, thanks for commenting!
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