It's been a while.

I realize I have been lacking for blog posts recently, and I would like to put an end to that. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind and I have a feeling that life is going to get even crazier!

As so many people have, I've been thinking a lot about politics and the election lately. (It seems as if this is unavoidable in the world right now!) Now I do not think of myself as a political genuis by any stretch of the imagination (or any type of genius for that matter), but over the past few weeks, I have been trying to absorb as much as I can and make informed decisions and conclusions. I am not going to advertise who I am voting for, or rant about something that I know little of, but I would like to share some observations, lessons, and questions I have in light of pre-election America.

First, I have been surprised and impressed with the involvement of young people in the election buzz. As I think back to my high school days, not only did I know absolutely nothing about politics, but to be honest, I didn't really care to. I have talked with some of my youth group students and other young people who seem really passionate about major issues. While I think teenagers should enjoy where they are in life and not try to grow up to quickly, the fact that they are taking an interest in certain issues and questioning what they hear gives me a great sense of hope for our future!

Secondly, I have been utterly disappointed by the media during this election season. I find it very difficult to be well informed because it seems like every media outlet is biased in their reports. This is frustrating. For this reason, I have enjoyed listening to the various debates this time around because that seems to be the only way to hear directly from the candidates and also to hear the information in its intended context. I also find the "smear campaigns" disappointing. I would rather see someone promote themselves in a positive way than spend time and money portraying someone else in a negative light.

Thirdly, I have been struggling a lot lately with what it means to engage in politics as a Christian. There are so many things about politics and politicians that I strongly believe do not come from God, but at the same time I think He wants us to be informed about our world and to actively participate in it. I have heard the opinions of many Christians about all of this. Some are all for McCain, some all for Obama, some are completely apathetic about it all, some are bitter about politics in general, and others are just avoiding the topic at all cost. As I attempt to approach everything from a Christian perspective, I ask myself the questions: "what's more important: the personal morals and beliefs of our leaders or the economic policies they enforce?" "How do I as a Christian approach the military system our country is under?" "As a Christian, should having a Christian president be important?" "Is the role of the presidency overrated in our nation?"

Maybe these questions don't seem like much to you, but they are ones I have really been wrestling with.

When I attended a panel discussion of professors at Geneva about these very issues, one point raised has stuck with me, and has been a ray of hope to me in all of this. The professors were discussing the common notion that young people have no power to change Washington. But they reminded us that where we can make the most change is in our local government and in our community by volunteering and standing firm in the changes we would like to see. This is such a great reminder that I don't have to be some complex political thinker to make a difference in my world, but rather I need to find what I am passionate about, and look for opportunities to use that passion to improve my world. This is exactly what the title of my blog is all about. I am so inspired by the Ghandi quote, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."