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First, on this historic and wonderful day, I want to say how proud I am today to be your neighbor. If things had gone a little better here on our end, we would have been in the States today to be a part of history. The world's thoughts and prayers are with you all and with President Obama. (It just feels so darned good to print that after eight years of the other guy).

Okay, now, ironic? I don't see it as even vaguely in the same category to put the human right of health care that is not based on an ability to pay, or taxing wealthy people so that those who have nothing at all as being on the same level as same sex marriage. One is giving people their God-given rights, and the other, the same-sex marriage deal, is imposing your values and taking away from someone else something that affects you not at all.

Even if you don't agree that same-sex marriage is some kind of God-given right and even if you feel it is an out and out sin - is it somehow more a sin than the poverty, violence and despair that afflicts the inner cities of the wealthiest nation on earth?

As far as the definition you got in civics class, are you saying that it was different from the definition on the link? I'd really like to see your definition on a link somewhere. It reminds me of when we were living in East Germany, shortly after the Wall fell and one of the most popular books in English in the university library was Elmer Gantry. If you recall, that novel was about a slime-ball preacher who was fleecing the flock to line his own pockets.

That book was the communist's definition of evil, decadent America and of Christianity. You could tell by what was underlined by students in pencil and the comments scribbled next to them for essays. I've always had the feeling that something similar must go on in American schools when it comes to socialism and communism.

As to how we got into it, well, we got into this subject not from the point of civics but rather from the point of Christian behaviour. I was highly confused by the many folks screaming "socialism" when it comes to loving their neighbor in terms of things like health care.

I would way rather pay higher taxes so that my trailer park neighbours have the same access to health care that I do, then pay lower taxes and let them do with second-hand care or none at all, or have to go into debt so far that they will never have a hope of getting out.

All of society benefits from that. There's a reason infant mortality is higher in the States than it is in countries with a socially responsible medicare system, like Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom or France.

As to your other question, no, I can't say I keep coming across the same thing. I'm not sure what you mean when God is trying to make a point. About what? What would you come across? I try to be open to whatever crosses my path in the day so that I don't miss an opportunity to be, well, nice, or something. In case someone needed an encouraging word. Sometimes I will come across insights while doing certain things, something that makes clearer a thing I've wondered about. But my prayer is always for God to make things clearer to me, to push me out of my comfort zone. Since I'm actively asking for it, I wouldn't necessary consider something along those lines to be God making a point. Aren't points usually made when you're not open to something?

My main prayers and concerns these days are all about my brother. I don't want to bother him or push him in any direction but I want to be open for him to confide in me. If my advice is asked, I give it. Otherwise I don't. He did call the other day and asked my advice regarding his marriage and I've been worried that I said all the wrong things.

Sorry if this is all over the place - I have one eye on the inaugeration and the other on this, and my mind divided between that and other things I have to do today.