Tonight was all about picking sides. First, it was what to order at El Azteca. Vegetarian burrito or Vegetarian nachos? I like the burrito for the flavor and the nachos for the gastronomical journey.
Nachos. Settled.
Then it was off to join my father in watching the Jazz game, the Provo city council downtown alliance decision which involved my mother and the Republican Presidential debate on prime time television.
We did hard core channel flipping.
I cheered so hard for the Jazz that my lips became numb.
I was so mad at the Provo city council (except my wise mother) for their vote against the alliance that my soul burned.
I listened to ten candidates act like little boys behind techna-colored podiums, while wanting Mitt Romney to represent.
The Jazz were down at half-time.
The city council decided to revise their vote.
Mitt jabs at McCain. McCain jabs back.
I finish the nachos, satisfied with that choice.
The Jazz win.
The council keeps the alliance for three more months.
I think I might like Giuliani.
No Mitt.
And on the way home, tired from the emotional drama of the evening, I wonder if my Heavenly Father really cares about my choices of the evening. Nachos? The Jazz? Downtown alliances? Does He really care if I am a Republican?
Because if He doesn’t care, then why should I?
Burrito and no. Come, join Aunt Lisa and I in the nebulous other side.
Or you can be like me and be registered on one side but vote and even campaign freely for the other. But lobby both sides ardently for whatever about which you feel passionately.
I grew up in a world that was so clearly black or white. In my coming of age I have enjoyed discovering shades of grey.
El Azteca gives me the runs. Its Mitt ALL THE WAY!
I’m pretty sure that for most things, the Lord doesn’t care which side we’re on. I bet he only cares how we treat the other side.
Just speculation.
bless you for caring. and yes I do think Heavenly Father cares about every thought in your head. even burritos.
If the Clarks are mostly Republican, and the Popes are mostly Democrats…do discussions ever get heated at family get togethers, or is the subject of politics just plain avoided?
I hate choosing sides…dishes, politics, professional sports
I think Heavenly Father cares about our daily/nightly choices only in the sense that they are the little pieces that come together to make up our character. In that light, every little choice becomes significant as we are sowing seeds that will be reaped in the form of habits and character, so I think we need to look carefully at many of our decisions, considering how/if they will affect the aggregate of our soul. But there are some things, like burrito vs. nachos, that just don’t weigh very heavily in the eternal balance; things which just don’t need much consideration at all. I can always count on some good “food for thought” from you, cjane.
I’m with Justine. We don’t all think the same things are important, but Jesus said love everyone, treat them kindly, too.
Now you have me choosing sides! I’m with Justine, the Lord just wants us to play nicely. No, wait, I’m with Sue, he cares about every last hair on our heads. Well, I guess we should just be glad that we get to choose. It’s why we’re here. I think often the act of making a choice is more important to our personal growth than the choice itself.
Me’n’ my Dem friends discovered long ago that our hearts are all in the same place, it’s just that we disagree about the means of reaching our lofty goals. In my life, I have seen the private sector (and heck, even neighbor-to-neighbor) work FAR more efficiently and effectively than any Federal, State, or Local government (especially on welfare issues—see Katrina), so I’d like to see the tiniest government possible (and yes, I know lately that doesn’t even resemble a Republican platform, and yes, I am turning into a raging Montana Libertarian, but like our democrat governor whom I, a Republican, voted for said, nobody’s more free than a Montanan!). So hear, hear, let us love one another, working on the assumption that we all have good hearts (until we’re proven wrong, anyway). And yes, I think Heavenly Father cares about tiny choices because like a Dad, he wants us to be happy. Some of those choices don’t affect our exaltation, but they sure help us be happy and enjoy life, and that’s part of the test, too.
I like it when Emily makes comments because she’s smart and nice–the nicest person in all of cyberspace, as I’ve said before– and maybe people think it’s really me making smart comments.
I think I benefit from our mutual name.
I think he (HF) does care about what we choose, and more importantly why we choose what we do. He’s not republican or democrat, but he does care and love deeply for his children and all the trials in our lives- nachos or not ; )
Isn’t it sad I haven’t decided who I will give my Presidential vote too (still learning about the candidates) but I know I’m voting for BLAKE on A.I.
BLAKE ROCKS!! so do nachos!
I’ve always thought that Heavenly Father cares about whatever is important to me. Be it small daily decisions or big life changing decisions.
He is omnipotent and has the ability to understand every persons every care, so why wouldn’t he?
Like CW, I’m kinda gray (well, on my head, a lot gray but when it comes to politics kinda gray!). I’m registered for one party but I don’t think I’ve ever voted all for that party. I vote for whomever I think will do a good job–Republican or Democrat. I think Heavenly Father does care but gives us the choice to elect the right person in. That’s the beauty of it…we get to choose. (But along with that comes the consequences of our choices and in some instances that is unfortunate.)
i dont think there is such a thing as “gray”
This post made me hungry. I think I’m going to go whip up a mexican-style pizza. mmm…avocado and lime and beans…
My choices:
The Suns
Melinda
Tazo Passion Shaken Lemonade
Let me clarify what I meant by being “kinda gray”…
Yes, I agree that as far as “right and wrong” there is no such thing as gray. In politics, however, there is no perfect party. No party is strictly “right” or “wrong”. Some candidates are better for certain positions (regardless of what party they are affiliated with) than others and that’s all I’m saying.
We all have choices to make in terms of the way we want to live our religion. For some people, they like to stay in church clothes all day Sunday to “keep the sabbath day holy”…but I don’t think the Lord loves those who dress casually any less.
That might be a poor example of what I’m trying to say. I just mean that there is a continuum of acceptable behavior. My parents taught me to look at the individual, not the party. The big thing for me is a candidates stance on abortion, healthcare, defense spending, etc. and then I look at their party (not the other way around!)
ok cari, i agree with you there.
Go nachos
Go communism
Republicans or perhaps Democrats will work too,but not really my cup of tea.
Romney doesn’t get my vote just because he’s LDS.
Go nachos
Go communism
Republicans or perhaps Democrats will work too,but not really my cup of tea.
Romney doesn’t get my vote just because he’s LDS.
Oops I posted twice, sorry!
I think there are beautiful shades of gray.
I would have gone with the carne asada quesadilla and a chips’n mild.
I think some of life’s greatest lessons are learned in the gray.
Well, I would have to say you made some good decisions. Nachos over burritos (but would have added some meat to that!). Utah Jazz all the way. Giuliani had a good debate jab at Paul, but still leaning towards Mitt too. Being a Republican may not score extra points with HF, but I think it’s a great choice! And sorry, I live in WY so I can’t say much about the Provo City Council. Anyway, thanks for letting me comment on your blog. My friend Jamie turned me onto it.
p.s. I notice this is for LDS women, so hope you don’t mind that I crashed the party.
Questions: Is your whole family vegetarian?
What was the alliance vote regarding?
Questions: Is your whole family vegetarian?
What was the alliance vote regarding?
Tiffany, Provo’s Downtown Business Alliance is an association of ALL property owners in the downtown area (this is a good thing). Members can exercise their “free agency” and be involved in beautification committees, events, etc.(this again is a good thing). For six years, the Alliance has been funded by taxing EVERY property within its boundaries (this is a good thing for some, not a good thing for others). This tax must be paid or the gov’t can take away one’s property (this is satan’s plan). We voted (7-0) to keep and fund the Alliance (which is the good thing) but do away with the tax (5-2) (which is the bad thing).
So, we choose sides yet again. In my case, I have to/get to choose sides because I vote on the issues.
Funny how even the Provo Downtown Business Alliance can be framed in terms of good and evil, huh? Heavenly Father probably would have chosen to watch the Jazz.
Courtney, I like Council-ing with your mom. You, your dad and my wife are, no doubt, the only ones watching channel 17, though. When are we all going to go out to dinner again? How about La Casita? Your difficulty in choosing food came about because you were in the entirely wrong restaurant!
hmmmmmm el azteca - i miss utah mexican food!! and yes of course he cares, because those decision are what make you … well you!
and yes i still want both the burrito and the nachos right this very instant (and its 9am in chicag :0)
Oh you famous people, talking about famous things. Go ahead, flaunt away. Where’d all the populists go?
“Funny how even the Provo Downtown Business Alliance can be framed in terms of good and evil, huh?”
Steve - that is something I think about EVERY day.
I watch Channel 17!
But I’m a nerd.
My channel 17 is from Mexico.
And I have been having nightmares about Mitt. Not about him winning, but just about him. Like where W is dead, and all of a sudden Mitt is in my living room. Or where I am skiing at Mammoth and all of a sudden Mitt is there as I am crashing.
So that is affecting my vote, at this moment.
As far as Heavenly Father is concerned, I think that He cares more about our free agency than He does most of our choices. For example: I am choosing to eat a crapload of carbs for dinner tonight, and I think He is down with that, because I am not diabetic.