Elected.

This will most likely be a similar post to others you’ve read by now from those of us shocked at the election results. I don’t have any new insights (I wish I did) and I don’t have any particularly encouraging words of wisdom (I wish I had some of these too). I spent the day after the election in tears. I had to leave work at lunch because I just couldn’t stop crying. I cried as his electoral college numbers rose and as I began to see that she wouldn’t win. I couldn’t believe that he was going to win. I still can’t. And this isn’t about political parties. This is about a man with no experience or diplomacy skills being given the highest office in our nation. A man who talks about women so poorly and offensively that I wouldn’t feel safe being in the same room with him. I’m not sure any of his supporters read this, but if they do, would you honestly want to send your young daughters to meet him? I wouldn’t. I don’t want to be anywhere near him. The president should be someone that you can disagree with but still admire. I continue to hear his supporters say they don’t condone his behavior but they trust him to run the country. That baffles my mind.

One of the saddest realizations I’ve had over the course of this week has been the divisions among us. Don’t get me wrong, I know they have always been there, but this election has allowed these thoughts to fester and rise to the surface. Even within myself I’ve felt anger and hurt. I felt let down by those talking the loudest from “the church” or “evangelicals” that I once believed I was a part of. In fact, I am most definitely not…not anymore. I’m wrestling with the reality of my faith and what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. If you find yourself in similar situations/feelings, I highly recommend this post from one of my favorite authors Rachel Held Evans: http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/life-after-evangelicalism

So what do we do now? Well, I can’t really answer that question. Protest? Write blogs like this one? Call your congressman/woman? Write letters to your government officials? Cry with your friends? Laugh when you can? All of the above? Regardless of what you do, please take care of yourself and your mental health. I couldn’t stay at work last wednesday and that was the best decision I made all week. Go home and sleep. So be sure to take care of yourself because you are important and needed in your community/household/etc.

I often escape into TV or other entertainment and this week it was definitely needed. I’m thankful this week for things/people/shows that helped me grieve and helped me feel less alone. They are listed below. I highly recommend each and every one.

Things Keeping Me Sane:
John Oliver
Stephen Colbert
Samantha Bee
The Weeds – Policy Podcast
Vox.com – Basically every article
Seth Meyers “A Closer Look” segments
The Liturgists Podcast
Ask Science Mike Podcast
My Worship Playlist on Spotify

I had wanted to post my feelings toward Secretary Clinton and how I felt I had let her down…but I’ll save that for another post. I’m sure I’ll be writing more about my womanist feelings and how much stronger I feel owning the “title” Feminist in future blogs! So stayed tuned for that.

I’ll leave you with this: As Rachel wrote in her blog (linked above) Jesus is in the margins. He is on the side of the oppressed and the poor. He defends the voiceless and the powerless. Any side that I find Jesus is a side I want to be on. Jesus…show me where you are and where I can go to find you in the midst of this broken world.

I’d love to hear what is keeping you sane this week in the comments below!