As for me and my house

Psalm 14:7, "Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!  When the Lord restores the fortunes of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!"

So, yesterday was a day.  The 45 president was inaugurated.  For the first time, I was able to stream the event live and actually see the happenings and the swearing in of both the vice president as well as the president.  As a history teacher, I wanted my students to see the swearing in...the event itself...what it has looked like since 1789 when Washington took the oath.  I wasn't pro any party.  That part is easy for me.  I grew up in a house divided which was quite the joke around election time...my dad a republican and my mom a democrat and they went together to vote their voice (and "cancel out each other's votes").  It was this way until he died...and yet, they were crazy in love with each other.  So the whole hatred thing is bizarre, ugly, weird and sad to watch.  The kids didn't see this on the stream, but, WOW, some of it came out of their mouths and I was deeply saddened for them.  It was also just reaffirmation that hatred is indeed taught at home. We have to have a rule that no political talk is allowed in our classrooms (they are 10 and 11 yo).  I have morphed in my beliefs from childhood to adult but am ever so thankful that I was able to do so under an umbrella of love set by the example of my parents.  I hope the same will happen for them as they make their beliefs their own.

Once the swearing in was over, the live streaming in my room stopped and life went on...they actually had to take a test that day...the 6th grade on ancient India and the 5th on the struggle for freedom.  I drove home from school thinking, "the stop lights are working just like they did before the swearing in, my car is still driving, businesses are going about their business"  Nothing changed...OH YEAH, GOD IS STILL IN CHARGE.  

Then I made a big mistake and got on facebook to see the news live streaming protests. "Oh that salvation would come out of Zion...and the Lord would restore the fortunes of His people..."  Dr. Constable said, "the intent of Psalm 14 is to counter the temptation that humankind can manage the world in ways better than Yahweh's way" and David was confident God would deliver and restore.  The U.S. is not mentioned in the end times as the center of anything...sometimes I think we need to get over ourselves a little (we all do individually).  God searches from Heaven "to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God." (v. 2).  I don't know if I can change the world...but I can change my house.  I will teach that we can have differences, but still love (or at least get along).  "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)