I believe in YHWH, the Creator who stands for peace on earth, good will toward men. I believe in YHWH, whose law of love can bring about peace. I believe YHWH works through servants: truth tellers, justice seekers, peace marchers, citizen lobbyists.
I believe that more blessings flow when we give thanks for blessings received. And so this essay is to give thanks.
As I look back over the past 8 years, I see many horrors, but I also see many more horrible possibilities that did not come to pass. Thank you, YHWH.
We have not had a thermonuclear war. Yes, more depleted uranium has been spread around Iraq, and Afghanistan, and probably Gaza. It's scary. But a thermonuclear attack on a city has not happened, although there have been many threats, especially against Iran, and perhaps an American city- a "false flag operation". It hasn't happened. Thank you YHWH.
And now we have a President whose stated goal is to rid the planet of nuclear weapons. Thank you YHWH.
The Constitution has not been suspended. We do not have martial law and fascism, despite all the moves in that direction. The cattle cars and concentration camps we've heard about remain empty. Thank you YHWH.
And now we have a President who spends his first day in office getting rid of torture, closing down Guantanamo, stopping the military tribunals there. Thank you YHWH.
Just as was done in Poland, Venezuela, Bolivia, and other places, we Americans have voted out the greedy selfish tyrants. Our Constitution has held, our democracy has withstood the efforts to subvert it. Thank you YHWH.
And now we have a President who believes the government is for We the People. "It's not about advantaging yourself. It's not about advancing your friends or your corporate clients. It's not about advancing an ideological agenda or the special interests of any organization," Obama told Cabinet members and senior staff at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. "Public service is, simply and absolutely, about advancing the interests of Americans." Thank you YHWH.
Thank you YHWH, for seeing us through the past 8 horrible years. Thank you for sustaining the truth tellers, the justice seekers, the peace marchers, the citizen lobbyists. Thank you for sustaining our faith that our efforts would finally be rewarded, and that honesty and integrity would return.
I pray for Obama, that he remain true to the vision that got him elected. So far, he has done so. And I pray for the American people. I pray that we continue to appreciate the Constitution which we've fought to hard to uphold. I pray that we clean up the wreckage of the past 8 years in a spirit of cooperation, that we insist upon justice, that we help those who are most hurt by the economic crisis, that we rebuild our country as a peaceful, ecologically sound society.
Thank you YHWH, for blessings received. May we always thank you.
In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace,
Carol Wolman
