"...where does my help come from?"

Warning: this post is not really law-related, it represents a very rare visit to my soap box, and it's a bit of a downer (sort of).

Last night I was just plain grouchy and not at all pleasant for my poor husband to be around. I find myself struggling mightily against despair and hopelessness at the state of this nation. I love America. I have always harbored an innate patriotism and love of country. I chose a path of military service immediately after high school, and I am returning to those roots even now, because I still believe in defending the values on which we were founded. I worry, though, that our bright light as a world leader is beginning to fade, and I let fear creep in as other (read scarier) leaders emerge.

I've noticed my time is divided among three states. I'm either in denial/willful oblivion, mild depression, or strained hopefulness. I suspect most Americans exist in the first state. They just can't or don't want to allow themselves to imagine our empire being dethroned. There is a pervasive attitude of arrogance and entitlement, of expecting to be blessed and cursing when the blessings fall short, yet failing to take any action whatsoever toward bettering of our country.

Others dwell primarily in the second state. According to them, we are going to hell in a proverbial hand basket. Our reign is over, and there is no hope as we spiral toward socialism or dictatorship. Our government--who is my and my husband's employer--will soon implode. They express pessimism at every turn and scorn our elected officials.*

*Side note: while I do sincerely appreciate "Tea Party" affiliates' willingness to send a message by standing firm, our nation's leaders have always had to compromise (i.e., we would never have forged our amazing founding document if the Federalists and Anti-federalists had not been willing to bend).

Though regrettably I spend my fair share of time in both of those mental places, I spend the majority of time trying to convince myself that this, too, shall pass. I often remind myself that America has endured unimaginable hardships in the past and, tested by fire, has emerged stronger than ever. And perhaps that's precisely what we need--for this generation that has never known real deprivation to reach our collective rock bottom before we remember those values of our founding and return to them, and more importantly to our Creator, who has endowed us with all that we enjoy.

The problem is none of these is the right place to be. While it is surely good to desire those things that I know are godly for America, my focus is misplaced. I will choose this day to remember only that God is on His throne, that He is good, and that His will is perfect. I do long for hearts to turn to Him; for Americans to recognize how far we've gone astray and to dig in and fight from a position of common ground; and for this great nation's light to be restored as the beacon it once was. But my hope is in Him alone.

When I was in basic cadet training at the Air Force Academy 18 summers ago, Psalm 121 was displayed prominently on the cadet chapel's altar, and it became etched on my heart during the toughest thing I had experienced to date. I lift up my eyes to the hills...

As my husband said last night, "the end is good"!