breaking news!

Have you heard?!?!?

It's unbelievable! John McCain is making such a strong showing in the states that have early voting that all the major networks are saying he will definitely win tomorrow! The experts say they have never seen anything like this!

This just announced as footage aired showing Barack Obama weeping as he confessed he and Joe Biden have been carrying on an affair for months.

Can you believe this?!?!?

I hope not, because none of it is true.

Please, please do not believe everything you read on the internet. Be a little leery about what you read in newspapers and magazines, too, and be cautious about what you heard from your best friend, neighbor, or Aunt Mildred. (Yes, even Aunt Mildred.)

And for heaven's sake have the good sense to check out what you read on this blog.

I'm so overwhelmed with information lately -- particularly about the election -- that I'm just completely ready for this to be over tomorrow. I'm drained by the stuff that's been filling my inbox. I'm standing here in my choir robe shaking my head. Enough already!

I know there are still plenty of undecided voters out there, but I'm guessing most of them are weighing economic issues and not moral ones. Those of us who are voting based primarily on life issues have come to our conclusions long ago. We don't need to be clobbered over the head with any more emails that feature Senator Obama's middle name all in caps.

I think it's time we realize that in a little over a day, we are going to have a new president, and some of us will be pleased, and some of us won't. With either candidate in the White House our responsiblities will not change much. Each of us will still need to pray for our leaders and work locally to make our communities better. Those of us who are prolife will need to give women who are contemplating abortions real reasons to choose life. We will need to show love and compassion to those with whom we disagree.

I've personally not been called to public office, but as a Christian I've certainly been called to charity and living a life that will attract others. I know that aside from casting my vote, there is little I can do to affect public policy. But I pray there is much I can do to form hearts, to help others heal, to witness to the truth.

I won't make much impact by sending anti-Obama emails to friends who might support him. (Yes, I have friends who don't agree with me! Isn't that outrageous?) I might, however, gain their ear (over time) if I show genuine interest in their views and love them even though I disagree.

Tonight I will see a friend of mine whom I'm sure is voting for Senator Obama. He lived in San Francisco in the '60s. Yes, he is gay. He is passionate about ending the war in Iraq. He is as liberal as they come, I suppose. A part of him died when George W. Bush was re-elected.

He's also a Christian who's very involved in his church. He loves children and treats them unequivocally with respect. He is kind and gentlemanly.

So when I see him tonight, what should I do? Tell him who to vote for? Do you think I can change his views -- change him -- with a single conversation?

Of course not. And nor should I. "Changing him" is up to God, if God sees the need. It's my job to love him. I can completely disagree with many, many of his choices, but I can still love him.

So that's what I'll do. I'll give him a warm hug, as I always do, and receive the same from him. He'll ask about my family, with authentic concern, and we'll talk about the interests we have in common. (Yes, we do have things in common.)

On Wednesday, one of us will be pleased with our new president, and the other will be disappointed. But both will be left with the task of living in this fallen world and doing the best we can with it.

For my part, I'm praying I can move on not with a spirit of victory or defeat, but with one of cooperation and hope. Because whoever is president, God is still God, and I am still His little child.

And that's the truth.