Election Day in Jackson County
Ray and I love where we live. It’s beautiful and the folks are top notch. Yesterday morning we went to the community center a few miles “up the holler” from where we live so we could vote. It’s a pretty, albeit curvy and steep ride and, hey, it saves three minutes from the flatter and straighter route. We saw a deer on our way there and we saw one on the way home.
The sweet elderly ladies who checked our IDs and signed us in all knew us; we chatted amiably. The one serving as election judge mentioned that she didn’t see our Wednesday night church service on cable TV last night as she usually does. She already knew the reason no one was able to get it on the air last night (news travels fast in Jackson County).
Our minister’s son and his wife and children (a homeschooling family) had been visiting our minister and his wife, while the son (also a minister) gave a series of lessons Sunday morning and on Monday through Wednesday evenings at a nearby church. Yesterday afternoon the three-year-old grandson broke his arm. Grandpa, Grandma, and Mama were all tied up getting help for the little one and taking care of his older siblings, while Papa spoke at the other church. With our church’s volunteers covering for our minister’s responsibilities last night, no one was able to get the service on the air.
One of the other ladies asked the election judge where she goes to church. She answered and then said that her church’s Wednesday night service is at 7:00, so she can usually watch almost all of ours before she goes to her own. She complimented Ray on the great job he does when he’s the adult class teacher. My heart was warmed. I didn’t know that this lady listened to my husband teach.
The owners of the local cable service donate airtime for our Wednesday night service and both services on Sunday. I wonder how much good is accomplished by this kind act of charity.
Ray and I took Wednesday’s copy of our local weekly newspaper along with us to our polling place because it had a copy of the ballot. We did some last minute talking about whom to vote for as we enjoyed our curvy drive there.
Political signs have been dotting the countryside for weeks.
Of course, the paper was packed with election ads since it came out the day before election day.
Here are some quotes from three ads that stood out to me (I have changed the names):
- I would like to take this opportunity to ask for your vote and support for our daughter, Jessica Thompson, for County Trustee. Jessica has worked very hard to get out and meet and talk to as many as possible, but due to my illness, hasn’t been able to campaign as much as she would have liked.
- JIM SMITH — Please vote to re-elect our son on Aug. 7th!
- Please vote for our grandson and nephew, JIM SMITH, for Sheriff of Jackson County.
Family matters in Jackson County–and everywhere. Faith and friends do, too.
First of all, then, I urge that
entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings,
be made on behalf of all men,
for kings and all who are in authority,
so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life
in all godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2:1-2