Can you keep a secret?

A friend pointed out yesterday that our trip to California should be good for at least five blog posts, and I will have to agree with her on that one. However, the folks who were kind enough to pay for our trip made us sign a nondisclosure agreement, so there are several posts that will have to wait until after the show airs on December second. I do have to share this, though. When a producer looked at me and said, "We're going to need all of you to sign a nondisclosure agreement," part of me wanted to look at him and say, "Dude, are you for real? You realize that you're dealing with two six year olds and a two year old, right? Oh, and let's not forget that my kids couldn't keep a secret if their lives depended on it!" But I just smiled and signed on the dotted line.
My two oldest children are about to bust. The baby did her very best to tell someone on the plane about it, but fortunately she doesn't really know what to say and I still have to interpret for her sometimes. I'm pretty sure the kids have invited around 300 people or so over to our house on December second to watch the show. It's going to be an interesting month around here.
And now for the topic of the day: the Presidential Election. My kids have taken more than a passing interest in this whole process, down to asking me every five minutes last night who won. This morning, one of my girls wandered into the kitchen half asleep and said, pushing her hair out of her face, "Who's the new principal?" "What?" Impatiently she repeated,"Who's the new principal? I mean, the new President?" "President Obama. He got re-elected." Her sister chimed in, "Aww, man! But this is the last time he can be it, right? He can't enter the contest next time?" "Yep. He can't enter the contest next time." "Good." Her dad then proceeded to give them the "we respect the office, no matter who the man is" speech. Good for him.
I have to admit that I'm concerned about what the next four years holds for us. But that said, here's what I think. If we truly believe that God is who he says he is, and that he can do what he says he can do (which I do) then don't you think he could alter the outcome of a Presidential election if he wanted to? I believe that God calls on us for obedience, and when we disobey that he treats us as any parent would. Sometimes he lets us travel down the road of destruction to teach us a lesson. I have done the same thing many times over with my own children. You can only say, "Please don't do that. You're going to hurt yourself" so many times before you let them fall down and skin their knees. (And then fight the urge to say, "I told you so!") It doesn't mean that I don't love them, or that I don't still want what's best for them. It doesn't mean I've turned my back on them, or that I will no longer protect them from harm. It simply means that I needed to let them learn that particular lesson for themselves, because they weren't listening to me and heeding my advice. I believe God the Father feels the same way about us. Just because he allows us to make mistakes doesn't mean he doesn't love us and want what's best for us. I believe that no matter who is in the White House, we will all answer to a higher power someday. So our family will continue to respect the office of the President and say our prayers for the nation at night. It's time to figure out what you believe. Do you have faith in God and in his goodness? Or do you just like to say you do?