titanking

And so here I sit. Once again, a mind full of many things and nothing at all, seemingly all at once... oh where to begin, when naught is fully at hand.

Have you ever held the head of a newborn calf and helped it drink for the first time? Watched that calf tumble as it learns to walk, learns to stretch its limbs and realize their ability? It's something else; awe-inspiring. That's one of the things I love so much about living in the so-called "boonies" and working on a farm. The rush of the city is something I can really enjoy, but at times I just need to get away from it all, out to those open fields and something that seems so much simpler. Yes, farming has become a high-stress business more than it ever has been in the past, but the ability to kick back at the end of long day and enjoy a sunset over golden fields is more reward than I could ever ask for. Seeing the world from the loft of an old wooden barn makes life simpler, more comforting, contemplative. The stars are so big out there, the sky so large that it could just swallow you whole and consume your mind.

Alright... not completely sure where to start, there are a few things running through my mind.

First off, kudos to Mr. Deboer for running for the CHP out in Wyoming, how'd he do Reubs? This discussison/debate seems to have perked some interest here, and rightly so considering how integral voting is to a society such as ours. One thing to remember about voting in a democracy is that it exists so that EVERYONE who wants to run can run (providing they get the base support of a certain amount of people in their riding), despite what people might think there chances will be. Political parties also put forth their plans for government based on what they claim to *believe*, which brings forth another important point. Religion and politics are connected to a great extent, whether we like it or not. Yes, this has been a bad thing in the past (i.e. the corruption that grew in the Roman Catholic church in the middle ages) but it has also had a few ups that don't often get pointed out in our history classes because secularist western society doesn't often like to talk about Christianity's positive historical landmarks. But anyways, I'm off on a tangent here. Religion in government... when you vote, one way to think about that action is that you're placing your vote towards a worldview that is presented by the party that you are voting for (I'm not sure how clear I made that, but hopefully you get my point). It was said before that there "can be" religious principles in government, but the truth is that there always are religious principles in government - the personal worldview that every person holds affects every action, every decision, everything they do.

Alright, so then when it comes to an opinion on the CHP, what should we think? It's true that they have almost no voice at all when compared to the masses in our government. And yet they keep fighting for what they believe in. And in their mandates I find a belief system and values that are strikingly similar to much of what I believe in. And it strikes me right now that the people that are willing to take the time to keep this party going deserve some respect for the effort they make, even in the face of such overwhelming odds. I know that I don't know as much about the Christian Heritage Party as I could, but I do know that they realize their chances at a majority government in present-day Canada aren't the greatest. Yet they continue on. That's because they're willing to put their money where their mouth is, their vote in the hands of their God. The future is uncertain, but as Christians we ought to realize that the life God calls us to will end much more brilliantly than the life that many parties are promising us *after we have elected them and given them the opportunity to fulfill ALL of their election promises.* So could it be such a bad thing to place your vote in something that mirrors your own beliefs, instead of on the horse out near the front of the crowd that looks best to you out of what's up there?

Don't kid yourself, I struggle with the decision of which party to vote for too. I was still thinking it through when I stopped stood at the poll booth, going through it all in my mind yet again. It's not an easy decision no matter which way you go, especially when considering that we are accountable before God for every action in this life. I don't want to say that stepping blindly towards whatever may bear the label "Christian" is the best plan; maybe some of the intelligence and effort seen by people in this very discussion could even be put to use in attempting to find a better way to get a Christian worldview and set of values into a position of any influence at all up on Parliament Hill. At this point, the CHP is one of the possibilities that might be able to bring reform to our nation.