Influence Peddling: "The practice of using one's influence with persons in authority to obtain favors or preferential treatment for another, usually in return for payment." (www.yourdictionary.com)

Whew! It's Tuesday morning, September 27, 2016, and we woke up, pinched ourselves, and figured out that we had survived what had been termed the debate of the century. My reading coming out of this debate confirms what we have known all along. This particular presidential contest has mostly been a race to the bottom since the get go, therefore, I'm not sure we should feel good about much that happens on the campaign trail. The coach at LSU doesn't have to wait to find out about his job. He, along with his offensive coordinator, were unceremoniously fired after starting the season 2-2. I mention this because I had read an article at the end of last season that pulled back the curtain on the role of money and politics in college football. There were a number of prominent LSU alumni who wanted Les Miles fired last year. How much did they want him to be fired? They pledged $10 million dollars of their own money to buy out his contract. It wouldn't have cost the school any out of pocket dollars. I'm going to make a leap here. This is how money and power works. In something as inconsequential as having a winning college football team, folks are willing to open their pocketbooks and use their influence to get their way. Take that as a microcosm of how influence is exercised throughout the workings of our day by day way of life. Think about the power of government in our modern society where trillions of dollars and how they are spent is at stake. Ten million dollars to get what you want would be less than a penny when one thinks of those vying to get a share at the United States feeding trough. Race to the bottom, unpopular candidates, and all of the above, however, the old saying still applies: Follow the money!

I know some of you are waiting with bated breath to hear my personal endorsement as to who I believe should be elected President. If the Lord tarries, I do know this. There are only 41 days left before we stand at that electronic voting device to cast our ballot. It's interesting to listen to the so-called prominent evangelical voices who dominate Christian media. At the start of this cycle, many stood on principle in stating their objections based on biblical grounds to the now current Republican nominee. Some, a much smaller number, continue to voice their opposition, while, the majority have moved to support him based on the alternative, that being, a President Hillary Clinton. They have gone to great lengths in stressing how that we are not electing a pastor, only a President. Before, many of them had what they considered to be strong biblical grounds for not supporting him. They somehow have been able to put those behind as they see compromise as the way forward. I can only tell you about the nagging conflict I still have in trying to make up my mind about what God would have me to do regarding the privilege we have. Yes. I did end up voting for Mitt Romney even though I stood then and continue to stand in opposition to his religious identity within an organization that claims to be Christian but their teachings prove they are not. In the end, I could not bring myself to vote for another term for the incumbent. Just so you know, I am still in the wait and see, praying phase. (A Christian cult is defined as a group, church or organization whose central teachings and/or practices are claimed to be biblical or representative of biblical Christianity, but which are in fact unbiblical and not Christian in nature. http://www.apologeticsindex.org)

That's enough of that for today. Most likely, for any day. I was looking for some more lighthearted things to share and I found a few quotes that appealed to me. They are not guffaw-worthy or even laugh out loud material but they did cause me to pause and smile. Maybe one will do the same for you. "The Pentagon announced that its fight against ISIS will be called Operation Inherent Resolve. They came up with that name using Operation Random Thesaurus." Jimmy Fallon, late night talk show host ~ The star of Cake Boss was arrested for DWI. Police interrogated him for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Comedian Joe Toplyn ~ Never be in a hurry to terminate a marriage. You may need this person to finish a sentence. Erma Bombeck ~ If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one? Abraham Lincoln ~ Give me a one-handed economist! All my economists say, “On the one hand …on the other.” Harry Truman ~ A sign outside read “The Great Debates Program, ‘Is American Politics Broken?’ has been relocated due to Government Shutdown.” ~  Okay. Now it is time for us all to get out there and see if we can make a differene for good in someone's life. God has promised to help us to do that very thing if we will be willing to make the effort. Take care. And, may God bless us all along with this nation we all love. Amen. ....More later.