So are you going to vote?

It seemed like such a strange question after a long discussion about the upcoming presidential election between President Obama and Romney among my coworkers. Of course I'm going to vote.  I just may be pulling teeth when I do it.

Early voting has been going on for the past week here in Texas and for whatever reason everyone wants to talk about it- at home, on facebook, and in my work place.  Elections may happen every year but this year seems to be more... I don't know... violent than previous years.  

At work I had to read "Faithful Citizenship" and from it I deduced that I am very cynical.  The one thing I did get from it when I read it the second time (yes, I read it before when I went to a talk a few months ago) was this single line. 

Liberty isn't freedom to do whatever you want.  Liberty is the freedom to do what is right. 

I may not agree with anything else that is being said in the media, on facebook, or in any other form of discussion, but I stand by this.  I will vote because anything else would be shirking my responsibility of my stewardship given to me by God.  No one else can make the decision of who I vote for without me.  No amount of media coverage, harassment, or cutesy little signs will alter that.  And I will be held accountable for my decision.  

In a few months when the elections are over I'm sure that much of the drama now will blow over.  I pray that when that happens everyone can accept the decision of the country.  This is not to say go quietly into the night about the issues that seem to make and break friendships.  Rather I would hope that this will spur them on to a greater fight for what is good.  At the same time I hope that people will accept the President whoever he is as he is- human.  Pray for him.  Pray for him as a leader of the people.  Pray that he is guided by God and has the wisdom to accept God's guidance.  I would expect nothing less from the people of the United States.  God bless America.