The Inauguration - January 20, 2009 -My View

For the Obama Inaugural address… http://tinyurl.com/7w8vse . The world looks on and we now have our 44th President in a country that is considerably younger than the rest of the world. Yet, we are still the brave, the strong, the freedom loving people with dreams and goals, visions and hopes still waiting to be fulfilled. What should we be doing to bring change individually? Well, for one thing we need to be more involved with our church, our communities, the decisions being made on a day to day basis, log into your government in Washington to find out what bills are being passed.

For those who voted for John McCain, keep praying that this experience of running will help him in his future and will open new doors for his voice to be heard. I think about Mrs Palin and the work that continues as she resides over the state of Alaska. America did have a few laughs making fun of her and her accent on Saturday Night Live and her uncanny ability to answer questions fairly well without skirting the issue, except for the “I can see Russia outside my window” remark.

For our newly elected President Obama, we pray for wisdom and knowledge for the huge tasks he has to accomplish and that he will give Israel the support it needs from America. We do want change but we can’t put all the pressure on the president. We ourselves have a responsibility as citizens to voice our concerns, go to the PTA’s, the planning meetings at the city, the various groups that make a difference in our communities. President Obama has our support and as we saw millions in front of the Capitol Building, we must remember this day and tell our children of the historical significance of it.

Mr Obama has his work cut out for him. I’m sure there are many people anxiously waiting for legislation to be passed that various interest groups want favored. But we pray he won’t show favoritism but be as unbiased as possible. But then again, we don’t know of any politician that hasn’t been swayed one way or another. I pray he will listen to wisdom calling out and fulfill those words he spoke today.

We all want to hear good things and President Obama has spoken many good things that appeal to many different groups of people across the nation. What we are concerned with is the war in Iraq, in Afghanistan, the uranium situation in Iran and China, the situation in Africa and so many other places. We’re concerned that the local and state governments will be able to tighten their belts and have money needed to run their offices. We’re concerned with the way big business, large banks and investments companies have bottomed out. We worry where our money is going. We worry about the auto industry whether they can make it another year.

These are just a few of the problems we as Americans are concerned with but as we heard in his speech we need unity. That starts at home and spreads to our churches, our schools and community and ultimately to the Capitol. We have only been a nation for a short while and we have accomplished much but still there is a lot of work to be done.

It was good to see then President-Elect Obama rolling up his sleeves to help paint a facililty in the inner city and also good to hear that he wants to spend more time with his family, his girls. It must be quite a shock to them to be in the White House. There will be a great deal of adjustment that they will go through but being children they have an ability that most adults don’t and that’s flexibility. As Michelle has raised them into beautiful young ladies, I’m sure she has trained them well and now their daddy will need them to be his cheerleaders and his supporters that only comes from a loving family.

This day is not only a fulfillment of a dream but will mark one of the greatest turnouts in Washington that this country has ever seen. Gone are the days of stuffiness and pride, stubbornness and hostility. Today, we must surrender our agendas to the greater goals of getting this country back as the greatest nation in the world. We have stumbled, we have fallen, we have needs that are almost insurmountable but we can make it. We can be filled with praise and thanksgiving to God that it is His will President Obama is in office and though many may have ought or grievance, the majority are thankful and excited to see what many think as a breath of fresh air.

President Obama and his wife Michelle bring with them a certain style and flare and a youthful, ambitious, thoughtful and responsible mindset that has many rethinking their own goals and their preconceived ideas. We all want change but are we ourselves willing to make those changes? As Christians with predominately conservative values and ideals, we must remember the Scripture when it says to pray for those in authority. Pray not only for the President but his cabinet, the Senate and House, the city officials, the governors, the mayors and the PTA presidents.

We are on our way to something new and different and I pray good for the country. We are facing tremendous odds but if we would let God into our homes, our schools and our government, we can see miracles happen.