#sheetcaking

Over the past few weeks as tensions have grown in our country I have for the most part kept my mouth shut. Other than a much prayed over and carefully chosen few words in a Facebook post that I have been pleased to have had mostly positive response to, I have not said a lot about what's been going on. 

It's hard as a mother to watch the news and not be scared. I was overcome with emotion this past week as I watched a commercial where a great grandmother looking down upon her infant granddaughter recalled her life's struggle as an immigrant, escaped from a worn torn country, to make it in America. The ad ends with her deciding to count it all worth the cost for the sake of her young legacy lying in the bassinet beneath her. 

I couldn't help but wonder and worry if the struggles of real people like her would be in vain in light of recent events in our country. I also couldn't help but make the leap in my mind to my own son, to the children we have served here at BGC and to not worry over their futures as well. 

I have watched the live feeds from the protest rallies where some of my friends and family have been. It's hard to even find the words to remark on the emotions I feel as I watch some of the patriarchs of my race spew hate and filth as they point a finger and shake their fists in the face of my pregnant Palestinian sister in law. It's a strange thing to try to find the words to oppose a hate who's roots run parallel to my own, both nourished by the same Delta soil and raised up sitting side by side on church pews, but giving fruit to such juxtaposed positions. Both sides believe they stand up for God and Country, but God help me stand up in Love for what is right in my Country that is hurting! 

It saddens me a great deal to not be able to be there in person with beautiful people like Seema Rasoul (and itty bitty baby Mar) and Scott Prather as they stand up for us against those minorities in our country right now who seek to continue to divide us. 

But I love, love, love, the Tina Fey SNL clip I saw this week on Facebook. She had me both laughing and crying as I watched her shove cake into her mouth as she remarked on the struggle to both oppose the evil we face and yet still continue to face our lives as modern day women. 

My life's journey has led me to a place where I will not be able to attend any rallies today. I have to clean up after the end of summer slumber party we had last night at our cottage full of girls who's families are from places like Mexico, El Salvador, and Ethiopia. I have to take my own mixed race son to gymnastics in order to maintain routine and peace in his life despite the turmoil in my own heart. I have to continue to perform all of my duties as mother, daughter, wife and minister to the community God has created for me, woven with a beautiful tapestry of diversity. And I think in some ways this is my part. At least for today, I know that this is what I have been called to do: to choose my words and my platforms wisely, to pray for those who are called to stand on the front lines and to live my crazy, wonderful, mosaic of a life to its fullest in the face those who would oppose its beauty. #sheetcaking