In the News

Don’t Fall Prey: Brief thoughts on Trump and #takeaknee

Laura Elliott1 Comment

So, the blog has been pretty quiet. I just thought I’d pop in and share a few brief thoughts on the uproar over Sunday’s “take a knee” controversy. I posted these thoughts on my personal Facebook page, but they seem to be resonating with my friends on both sides of the political spectrum, so I thought I would share them here. It’s not spectacular oration, just the earnest ramblings of a mid-western mom that would like to see things accomplished in Washington for the sake of America and in America for the sake of Christ.

 

Guys. The take a knee thing started a year ago. Trump is fanning the flame to be divisive, fire up the base, and distract from other issues. Don’t fall prey. Racial justice is important. Our national defense is important. Freedom of speech is important. So are affordable health care, tax reform, immigration reform, and the little matter of impulsive national figures vainly puffing their chests with nuclear weapons at their fingertips. Stick to the issues. Work toward compromise. Love your country. Love your neighbor. Honor our military. Stand for justice. Be mature. These things are NOT mutually exclusive.

Don’t fall prey.

And Christian, remember. Our ultimate citizenship is in heaven. People are hurting. People are dying. People need the gospel. Stick to the issues.

Grace and peace, friends!

Your Weekly Newsrick is Back! (Bi-weekly. Fine.)

Laura ElliottLeave a comment

Whew! It’s been a busy couple of weeks! I’ve had more work to do at my “day job” so time to think about posting has been scarce. It’s been another tough news-week, but without further ado, here is my attempt at the week’s news in lilting limerick form:

 

As Harvey’s dark water subsides,

Common Grace–human kindness abides.

But still turmoil’s about,

Will Trump throw DACA out?

While in Asia, pompous Kim assails Japan’s skies.

Grace and Peace, friends . . . -LJE

Friday Feature! Your Weekly Newsrick

Laura ElliottLeave a comment

So, if you know me well, you know I have a fascination (obsession? fixation?) with politics, news, and current events. I know I love these things more than most of you, as I’ve noticed your blank stares when I launch into a tirade about the week’s top stories. You look at me as though I’ve just announced that my four-year-old has launched a bid to be the next President (seriously, though, could that be a thing? Rust or Bust 2020!), and I realize that you don’t have the tolerance to sift through dozens of news features a day like I do. For some of you, just the lingo of news is a hurdle that will not be overcome on this side of Glory.

Solution: I have a friend who loves limericks (Hey, Posey . . . ). She also happens to be the English teacher at my kids’ school. Last year, she inspired a limerick frenzy in my house which resulted in limerick challenges of all sorts. A couple of months ago, I had this thought: Could a limerick maybe, possibly, make the news more palatable, even fun, for those of you who have a low tolerance for actual “news” on your news feed?

That sealed the deal, so here it is, a Friday feature here on shimmersome.com: the week’s top news headlines in limerick form. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, sometimes poignant, sometimes goofy–we report, you decide. (I feel like I stole that from somewhere. Oops.)

Of course, this is a particularly difficult week in which to begin. Last night, I caught a bit of SNL’s summer “Weekend Update” special and watched the nation’s top comedians struggle through birthing humor from news conceived in evil. I won’t get in to all of that now, because if you want good perspective on the events in Charlottesville you can find it here, here, here, here, here, here, or here.

Just perusing those articles again makes me want to spew out a couple thousand words, but for the sake of restraint (i.e. writing, not blurting, as Marvin Olasky noted via Twitter this week), here it is–your newsrick for this week:

Now Liberty bows low her head,

As “Supremacy’s” wheels leave one dead.

Just a statue, they say,

We’re protecting our “Way”!

Church, arise! For this Sickness Christ bled.

Grace and peace, friends. – LJE

Are You Truly Pro-Life?

Laura ElliottLeave a comment

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In light of the weekend’s deplorable events in Virginia, I’m reposting this article, originally published here. Christians, being truly prolife is much, much bigger than being against abortion . . . .

As I sit here observing the aftermath of Election 2016, I can’t help but reflect on the impact that potential Supreme Court nominations had on the race. Within the Republican Party, and specifically the traditionally conservative evangelical community, we are left with a gaping rift, one that won’t be quickly sutured by calls for unity and #comehome.

“It’s the economy, stupid,” was the phrase coined by James Carville, campaign strategist for Bill Clinton during his presidential bid against George H.W. Bush. The phrase signified the notion that a single issue—the economy, in Carville’s opinion—trumped every other issue in the mind of the American voter. For many evangelical voters however, as demonstrated in every presidential election in my memory, that overriding issue can be summed up in one word: abortion.

It’s an ugly word, as sterile and slicing as the procedure itself. Sure, many evangelical voters have cited other issues affected by Supreme Court appointments during this gaudy circus of an election cycle. But when it comes down to it, when you get to the brass tacks of why a majority of evangelical voters are willing to support a less-than-admirable candidate it comes down to one thing: babies.

Over 58 million and counting in the past forty-three years in this country alone.

It’s tragic. It’s heartbreaking. Let’s just be clear about that right off the bat.

But Supreme Court justices? Anti-abortion legislation? Protecting the unborn? These are all noble causes, and ones that we should indeed champion. But my dear friends, readers, women who are committed to drawing worldly eyes to the loveliness of Christ and the beauty of the gospel . . .

It is not enough to be merely anti-abortion—
to be fighters for the lives of the unborn.
If that is where we fall,
if that is where our race ends,
we have simply fallen quite short.
It is not enough.

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