Fences and Bars
Thoughts swirl and tumble through my mind like a river in white water mode.
Today, as you can see, is our voting day, November 3, 2020. We have been waiting—and dreading this day more as the time grew near.
***
Since 1989 there had been a trickle of changes in the Russian people’s day-to-day lives. By 1993 there were a few religious groups allowed in to speak to the Russian people, and this was causing the people to experience a new struggle.
That was the first year Old Fuzzy went on a mission trip to Khabarovsk in the far east of Russia. It was a three-week trip because the greatest expense was the travel fares and they wanted to make their time count.
The travelers were to each take two suitcases, one for clothing, and the second for food. I don’t remember exactly what items they took for food, but such things like Vienna little smokies in the can, crackers, cheeses, non-perishable items. Some of the earliest missionaries had learned the hard way the food supply was scarce.
I read a piece in the Reader’s Digest quite a few years ago from someone who had grown up in ‘the old days’ of Soviet Russia. One night at supper their mother had made an offhand remark about ‘being glad Finland wasn’t part of the Soviet Union, or they wouldn’t have butter’. The child inadvertently repeated the remark at school the next day.
Within the week they came home to find their mother had a nasty bruise on her face from where she had been questioned at the police station about the remark. They learned to be very careful with their words even at a young age.
***
What does that have to do with our current election? Thoughts swirl through my mind like a river in white water mode. Lately, I’ve seen a meme that reads, “A question for those who want America to go Socialist: Which part of socialism are you looking forward to most? Eating zoo animals, like Venezuela; being shot for criticizing your government, like Cuba; or your economy completely tanking, like Greece?”
You see, some of us have been to these other countries. Old Fuzzy went three separate times to Russia, numerous times to Mexico and Jamaica, and once to Haiti. Not all of those countries are Socialist countries, but not one of them is as great as our country is. As a multitude of people have been shouting, this is the last bastion of freedom there is, if this country doesn’t stand there is nowhere else to go.
I guess by the time we get to the end of the way, the question is why are people trying to break into this country if it’s so bad? Or, I don’t know what other country people are trying to break into?
Proverbs 26:
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
