If you know me, you know I fear for our democracy, but I’ve decided not to get stuck in dread. I want to celebrate this coming 4^th of July like no other! I could miss our glorious country by dreading its demise.

To one side of our home is a beautiful field. Chances are, it will be developed with hundreds of houses soon. But they’ve been saying that for years. I don’t want to miss enjoying that field every time I look at it by dreading its development.

I know a lot of elderly, disabled, and struggling people, but I don’t want to miss them as they are by dreading their decline.

I can fight for our democracy without living in a dark, foreboding space. I can welcome new neighbors who’ll get to share our stunning view. I can hang out with my people today and make the best memories of our lives.

I’m not sticking my head in the sand. My eyes are wide open about our country, that field, and my friends. I can prepare. I must prepare, because all the demise, development, and decline might happen. Some certainly will happen, but that is then. This is now. It’s possible that God can bring redemption to these situations, so I’ve been thinking of the value of turning dread into prayer. “Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything.” Phil. 4:6

Some of my friends are going through, or have gone through, something almost unbearable. A cancer diagnosis. Unspeakable loss. Crippling pain. My prayer for them is grace, plus the knowledge that somebody miles away is literally on their knees in solidarity. I’m not preaching a cheap message to them. They are on the forefront.

I’m just preaching to myself, a person who could easily miss the wonder and possibilities of today by dreading tomorrow.