I am just over here minding my own recovery this week. I have time. I rest a lot. Unfortunately I am taking in much more news, social media and podcasts. I say unfortunately because Trump became president a week ago. It feels like a year already. I am constantly fighting fear and anxiety when I take in the news. I can not believe this is my country. I can not believe that there are good Christian people still supporting Trump as he shows his true self. Then I go into crisis mode because if these people actually support what Trump is doing I don't want any part of their Christianity. I don't belong in their world. I know this sounds dramatic but for me it really is that traumatic!
There was one voice this week that rose about all the noise and spoke to my very core. That was Bishop Mariann Budde. at the National Prayer Service the day after Trumps inauguration. At one point she spoke directly to President Trump.
Her words said what I had been feeling in my heart. She expressed the way I believe a Christian should live their life. Her words spoke to me to be merciful, to view each immigrant as a person with a story. Her words spoke to me about being merciful to people with different sexual orientations. It is not my job to judge but rather to love, to listen and to treat each person with dignity and respect.
It didn't take long for Trump to respond to Bishop Budde in his usual late night rants on social media. Trump called the sermon "nasty in tone, said she was not good at her job and owing an apology for her words". I listened again to her words, they were anything but nasty, they were Jesus words. They were a plea for mercy.
It didn't stop there, 20 republicans put forth a bill in the House stating that the bishop used her position for political activism. I fail to see how reminding our leaders about showing mercy is a political statement. This took place in a house of worship where you should expect to hear Jesus words.
I felt overwhelmed, disappointed and at a loss for direction on how to proceed in this chaotic time. I want to come up with a healthy way of interacting with our country and what is going on. How can I do that?
This is going to be a work in progress but I started today. I read somewhere that people are being asked to write to The Rt. Rev Mariann Budde and thank her for speaking truth to power. That rang to true to me. So today I am writing Mariann Budde and thanking her for what she did for me. How I too needed to be reminded about mercy.
To write to Mariann Budde, address your letter to "The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, Episcopal Diocese of Washington," and send it to the Episcopal Church House at 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016.
I am going to keep looking for ways I can encourage and help spread love not hate,
I am going to share ideas of things we can do as I find them. I hope you will share ideas with me too.
I am going to try and remember I can't do all the things but I might be able to do one thing.
I am going to be careful where I get my news from and how much news I take in..
I am going to engage only in what Trump DOES not what he says. He threatens a lot of things and riding that roller coaster is not good for my mental health.
I am going to pray for Donald Trump (not going to lie, that is a hard one for me)
I am going to take care of me. If I don't do that I can't help others.
I am going to love on my family and friends.
I am going to be truthful about how I see things but always with a listening ear and a learning heart.
コメント