Why even bother to vote? Because...

I seriously considered leaving some of the elections positions blank on my ballot - thinking that I didn't want to be held accountable for choosing either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton as our next president.

But beyond being a cop-out, I remembered that an Election Volunteer in Florida was caught filling in her own choice when opening early ballots with no vote. I realized I HAD to choose.

There is not a way to avoid responsibility for voting, because NOT CHOOSING was literally allowing some random person to choose for me instead - whether it is an unethical elections volunteer or someone else who voted when I did not.

I remembered living in Mexico and having as a hostess someone who counted ballots during their elections. Mexico requires citizens to vote, at least they did then in order to get certain privileges. But they also allowed for write in candidates - or people did it anyway. "For decades," she explained "Su mama came in first place, Mickey Mouse came in second place, then the incumbent party's candidate came in third. but the first two were never announced." I suddenly understand!

I am not suggesting you vote for a Disney character or someone's mother, but I am suggesting there are other choices...though a third party candidate or a write-in likely is a throw away vote.


So I will choose based not on the person on the presidential line of the ballot, or even for the political party, but for who I would like to be nominating the next three Supreme Court Judges, and therefore likely affecting our country's future not for four years, but for decades.

"All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD." Proverbs 16:2

Why do I place this verse on this blog post? Because making good choices are NOT always easy. And not choosing IS choosing. So in every difficult situation, pray, seek what is right, and be accountable to no one but God. That, indeed, may even be harder than knowing who to vote for in this election, but we are held to a higher standard and a higher power than the President of the United States...One who is not limited in how He is able to acts...not even by the winner of an election. 



Be Blessed My Purposeful People, Heather J. Kirk
Wearable Art - Heather J Kirk's VIDA Collection: http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk Art by Heather J. Kirk http://heather-kirk.pixels.com and http://AEC.pixels.com Literature by Heather J. Kirk http://www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html

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How sex plays a role in this election (and probably not what you were thinking)

Part  II of my little "We DO get what we want" election series.
How sex plays a role in this election
(and probably not what you were thinking)

If  you read yesterday's post, you know what I think of the choices we have made as our party representatives for President, so I will just start with ... And finally (well not finally, but I've had enough) ...

Why are we surprised that there are some powerful men (including a presidential candidate and a candidate's husband)?:
1. Have a history of (or history of accusations of) objectifying women;
2. Would try to avoid talking about it; and
3. Have women in their lives who stand by them.

We are also oddly surprised that some women who have been objectified or used sexually:
1. Would not come forward right away;
2. Would only do so years later and in the safety of numbers;
3. Had even possibly hoped to get something out of it - whether defensively, like keeping their jobs, or actively in hopes of getting ahead.

Neither of these should be a surprise when our culture is shockingly full of women competing and begging for male attention, or attempting to get ahead in life using their sexuality - I mean that's what advertisements and pop culture (music videos, concerts, movies, TV, news stories)  try to teach us in necessary, isn't it?

Of course in real life many women (even most, go figure) actually get ahead by being smart, talented and educated, having connections, friends and determination. But at the same time, perhaps because of wanting a dream at all costs, or the economy making it hard to get a job, or single motherhood and costs of childcare, or inequitable pay for equal work, or pressure by a boss to give in or keep quiet, and many other reasons...some women may feel they need to do whatever it takes to get or keep a job.


Many women know that it means pretending not to notice a brush of a hand against a body part, or competing with coworkers for the bosses attention in ways that may put other women down.

And then whether they fit that stereotype or not - women who are groped or assaulted or even have sex because they feel it is required, or at least very helpful, to keep their jobs, fail to come forward for fear of being blamed or not being believed.

So again I say this is, at least in part, our own fault.

We apparently think it is okay to have Victoria Secret's fashion shows on TV, with commercials running during prime time family programs. We let our girls wear short shorts because they insist their friends are. We take or send them to concerts with women wearing hardly anything, or men simulating sex on stage. We tell our adult friends to suck it up at work or dress hotter or go ahead and have that affair with the boss - it will be worth it. And so on...

We say boys will be boys. Men don't call their friend's on their behavior because they don't want to be seen as wooses or 'homos" or disloyal to the "male race". We say our athletes, movie starts or musicians wouldn't "need" to pay or force women to have sex. We shut our eyes when we see women who are repeatedly 'walk into doorknobs". And so on... 

Why then are we surprised that we are all messed up sexually as a nation.

Oh, some of you think I've gone too far now... And why? Because I've stopped talking about the candidates and slipped into what we accept as acceptable...or do nothing about. Because I am saying that we explain away too often others behaviors by saying 'to each his own'.

So, if you want to get back to the candidates, fine. One is a wealthy powerful man who many women have come forward to say they were treated like a piece of meat or sexually assaulted. One's husband, as President of the United States, used his power and position to manipulate at least one young female intern, and paid off several lawsuits to keep other women quiet. And this candidate did not appear to hold him accountable. Or her own ambition was great enough to stick with him anyway.

So in my opinion, the lesser of two evils is a terrible way to choose, but at least one has not already played a role in defiling the Oval Room.

What women rightly long for is spiritual and moral initiative from a man, not spiritual and moral domination.- John Piper, Chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary

Blessings to My Purposeful People, Heather J. Kirk

Wearable Art - Heather J Kirk's VIDA Collection: http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk
Art by Heather J. Kirk http://heather-kirk.pixels.com and http://AEC.pixels.com
Literature by Heather J. Kirk http://www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html

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If our nation has chosen what we admire then the only answer is to humble ourselves

If it's true that a nation can suffer the consequences for the things that we as a whole have done, we are getting what we deserve. Too many people I know feel they have not even "the lesser of two evils" as a choice for President, but no choice. And to be honest in other political positions as well. But WE DID CHOOSE, and we chose these. (Some may say they voted for someone else in the primary... then divided we fall.)

Let me say also that it is not just in the Presidential race that we have a lack of great choices, but it seems to be exaggerated there. We need to ask ourselves overall what have our votes (or the choice to not vote) brought us?

How true is this? "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked person rules, people groan"Proverbs 29:2

In our Presidential candidates we chose pridefulness. We chose those who have had both great success and great failure (though the truth is a willingness to take chances and fail often comes along with anyone who has achieved much - still a President is not the place to be taking too many chances.) We chose people with lack of facial control - and negotiations and leading a nation requires that every thought that passes through one's mind does not show up in a laugh or a smirk. We have people who shirk responsibility. We have people whose staff or supporters keep getting in trouble, being fired, or leaving of their own accord.And when I just did a spellcheck on the word pridefullness because of a red line under it, the option it gave me was 'spitefulness,' and yes, we chose that too.


And if you disagree that you chose these qualities or people, then...if we have not gotten what we have chosen, then we have gotten what we have allowed.

IF you are still saying that YOU did not choose this, others did, then oddly you are part of the problem. The solution takes accepting the situation as it is and problem solving, deciding what to do about it, what to do differently now and next time. And we can only change what we feel we have some power over!


It is not just at the voter's booth ALONE that we are responsible. We must take the blame for our own actions, and yes, also for our nation's action as a very large group of individuals.  It is made up of a lot of "ME's". What have my (our) actions created in our families, in our communities? What have my (our) actions allowed to go on around us? Are we guilty of pride, deceitfulness, greed, putting our own needs above others needs, disrespecting others with our word and the looks we give, the way we roll our eyes. We often are very lenient on others guilty of the same sins as our own. And then we get what we get...in our own lives, and in our nation.

And if all else fails, we need to pray! As I write that I think that perhaps therein lies the problem - at least mine - we wait to pray until all else fails, and we have created a complete mess. 

So is there any hope? 


Only by humbling ourselves. Only by turning form the things we already know in our hearts are wrong, With humility and asking forgiveness we can obtain from God a goodness and mercy that we do not deserve but receive anyway out of love.


So late in the game, all we can count on is a MIRACLE - and I say that in full sincerity.  Maybe the miracle will be that neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton win the Presidency, but that, of course, is not likely. Yet the concept of miracles does not imply 'likelihood', it implies 'impossible without supernatural intervention'. But still, the miracle we may have to count on is to be surprised that God is able to work in our nation for our individual and national good through, or in spite of, whoever WE (yes we) vote in as 45th President of the United States.


"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14 

Who are "my people"? The verse implies God's people. but we are 'one nation under God" who have received favor for a long time. A perfect country? of course not, we are made up of people...but a humble nation chooses, and deserves, better than a prideful people!

Be Blessed My Purposeful People, Heather J. Kirk
 
Wearable Art - Heather J Kirk's VIDA Collection: http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk
Art by Heather J. Kirk http://heather-kirk.pixels.com and http://AEC.pixels.com
Literature by Heather J. Kirk http://www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html

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Ironic Interventions in Exhaustion and Depression

Last night I wrote on Facebook an absolutely true situation that happens to me: "The best way to keep from falling asleep is to give up trying and go get ready for bed. Then...WIDE awake!"

It happens to me all the time. It could be that it takes me awhile and I am simply moving around. It may also be that I am acknowledging what my body is telling me. If there is something I absolutly have to get done, Ill take care of it and then get to bed. Otherwise, in spite of the temporary spurt of energy, go ahead to bed, especially if you know you really need it!

But if it is day time, and you have got to get yourself moving, a super easy thing to do is to drink a a tall glass of cold water straight down. (I takes keeping chilled water in the fridge, no ice, so you can down it.) I think quite often tiredness has to do with dehydration. The hardest part is to just remember this helps!

Other things that help with extreme fatigue, if I can make myself do them are taking a short walk and turning on some music that I normally love to dance to. Often just putting on Salsa music makes me actually get up and move around. Must be something to the idea of "getting the blood pumping."


These simply things often help also with depression. We here all the time about the mind-body connection, which makes me fee like I have to change my entire lifestyle,overwhelming when dealing with depression. But these few little tools can help in the short term.

In addition, specifically for depression, I notice at times that my visual focus has limited. Most obvious when driving, I may be looking straight ahead and not observing things all around me. Literal tunnel vision. By intentionally looking all around, it opens up not only the vision, but seems too loosen the hold of being overly internally focused that accompanies depression.

Try one of these. Let me know if they help. And share your quick and easy tools as well!

Heather J. Kirk
Art by Heather J. Kirk www.heather-kirk.pixels.com
Literature by Heather J. Kirk http://www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html

#depression #fatigue #exhaustion #rest #work #walk #water #dehydration #mentalhealth #physical #health

Whatever NaBloPoMo is...I'm Doing It!

Just found a cool site called BlogHer that has a NaBloPoMo Challenge...and the weird thing is nowhere did they say "This is what NaBloPoMo means..." I try to figure it out, but it's not happening. I get my brain stuck on a phrase in Dominican Spanish 'Na pa ri' (they cut out end, beginning, middle of words willy nilly). Turns out THAT mean 'nariz para arriba' or nose up in the air, or stuck up...which has absolutely NOTHING to do with this challenge. But it is like having Twinkle Twinkle Little Star stuck in your head. Ain't no other thought can break in!

But basically I signed up based on this headline because I've wanted to do more regular blogging and I like the concept of accountability: Sign Up to Blog Every Day in November: You Could Win a Pass to #BlogHer17

Only now do I go back and fairly easily find the following paragraph on that very page, and not even hidden. First up it says: "Every November, thousands of bloggers pledge to post every single day (yep, weekends; yep, Thanksgiving too) for National Blog Posting Month. It's about creatively challenging yourself. It's about growing your readership. And it's also about joining in, discovering other blogs, connecting with one another."

And since I am really in need of an imagr, I'll try this cute little Badge right here!
 

So, are you ready to read through this ride with me? Or take the National Blog Post Month Challenge with me? Sign up by November 5th here is you have every intention of being a daily blogger this month.

They'll give you some Blogging Prompts even (which right off the bat I'm not following, though I think some kind of explanation of my new habits was in order.) I'll let you get acquainted with their site in order to find their Daily Blogging Prompt page. Or you can go to The Daily Post blog to get daily one word ideas! Other qutie creatively presented writing prompts can be found on The Writing Prompts Tumblr page 

Happy Tuesday, November

Heather J. Kirk's VIDA Wearable Art Collection: http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk 
Art by Heather J. Kirk www.heather-kirk.artistwebsites.com and AEC.pixels.com
Literature by Heather J. Kirk http://www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html

The time is now for this "little" contest...

It's a win-win...

If you are at all considering buying from my Heather J Kirk VIDA Voices Clothing Collection, please do so by October 10th.

Daisy Crop Black and White: http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk

For me, there is a "little" contest going on for $1000 advertising package.

http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk

For YOU there is a $20 off if you use the Code FavArtist20 at http://shopVIDA.com/collections/heather-j-kirk

For the VIDA Clothing MAKERS there are Literacy and Math classes.

For those in the NATIONS of the images for my art, there are programs to prevent and intervene in the human trafficking arenas.

Heather J. Kirk
Art by Heather J. Kirk www.heather-kirk.artistwebsites.com and AEC.pixels.com
Clothing Collection http://shopVIDA.com/collections/heather-j-kirk
Literature by Heather J. Kirk http://www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html

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My 1st VIDA Collections customer has received one of her items and surprised me by wearing it to the San Diego International Film Festival.















The festival took place at the gorgeous Balboa Theatre in San Diego, California.








The image of the fruit rambutan was taken in Thailand on a boat ia floating market. http://aec.pixels.com/featured/rambutan-and-other-fruit-on-floating-market-at-damnoen-saduak-thailand-aec-abundant-eight-creative.html

Tit is not the only image available on clothing from my Vida Collections page.










We were there for both the film festival and my birthday.


After Party was on the rooftop of the beautiful Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego.

Rambutan Sleeveless Blouse http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk/products/rambutan-1

It was great to see my friend in the Rambutan Sleeveless Top. That meant I was able to share my art and clothing line LIVE with Film Festival attendees.




(And now for the shameless promotions portion of this post...but if you stay with me to the end...there is a gift card that goes with the promotion ;) )

Use Code FavArtist20 at http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk

Vida has a $20 off coupon plus a contest for the artists (artist with the most sales gets a huge advertising package). So if you plan to buy, please do so by October 10th, midnight, The code is FavArtist20 at http://shopvida.com/collections/heather-j-kirk



 

Heather J. Kirk
Art by Heather J. Kirk www.heather-kirk.artistwebsites.com and AEC.pixels.com 
Literature by Heather J. Kirk www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html 

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