Natural Bridge

Here we are at the Natural Bridge in the Gold Coast hinterland. This is simply gorgeous part of the world. The beaches at the Gold Coast are one of the world's best and then half an hour's drive away you enter this lush world of rainforests and spectacular views and scenery.

I mentioned previously that I thought it fortunate that we had alot of overcast and even on-and- off rainy periods. This was a holiday where we all needed to relax and renew badly and I just didn't think day after day of hot weather, traking wet sand into units were going to do it.

So on all the cloudy days we went into the hinterland for bushwalking and we had a simply lovely time. We were still praying for the US elections as we travelled and since it is easy to pray as a family in the car, we were happy to do some slow motoring around the range.

We didn't receive the news of the elections until Wed afternoon because of the time difference. The last full day of our holidays was Thurs and that was the one, hot day we had, where we swam at the beach all day. So when I think of the hinterland I think of many prayers and anticipation...and sadly, disappointment.

I'm Australian as most people would know but I've always been very interested in American politics. I suppose I was aware how much we are influenced by the States and how a good or bad political outcome, does in turn, effect us - it effects the whole world.

I can even say I remember where I was and/or how I reacted to the previous two US elections where the presidency changed hands.

When Clinton was elected in the early 90's, I cried and cried. I bawled. I thought, "what will come of the world?". I knew he was not pro-life and sadly his notorious vetos on partial birth ban proved that, among many other things.

When George W Bush was elected, we were at friend's place, way out in the country, fairly isolated. We all looked at the TV and we were excited and had feelings of anticipation... Here was a pro-life president elected on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Then each year when I watched the March for Life rally in January, I'd listen to all the new and good pro-life legislature he had been responsible for - I'd listen to his recorded speech to the pro-life people...

Now this time, I'll always remember this beautiful Australian landmark with the 2008 US election results. Strangly enough I didn't cry or react with emotional passion as I had in the early 90's. Maybe because I don't remember actually praying for the elections back then, I may have said a few prayers but I can't remember.

For us personally, I think the intensity of prayer by us all, took away the intensity of emotion on the other side. Though maybe if I were actually a US citizen, it might have been different.. Not that I wasn't deeply disappointed, for in fact I was experiencing an even greater disappointment than the early 90's election. Because I knew that while all elections mattered, nothing to date counted quite like this one.

Maybe the emotions were tempered with the fact I knew we had done our best (well, we can ALWAYS do better, particularly me, but we had tried to respond to the promptings of grace as much as we could.)

Or maybe we were in the wash of peace and serenity FROM all those prayers to Our Lady, you see, we didn't watch the coverage on the screen (Australian channels started the coverage from late in the morning) as would do with the Australian elections. I knew I couldn't handle that, I just had to pray with faith and not hear the bias from the media.. So we were separated from the worldly take on it all, just left to our prayers only and beautiful, natural surroundings.

Or maybe I'm just numb? Though I don't think so, I AM feeling and thinking and pondering about it all...

For whatever reason, it is not time. It is sad I know. I'm sad because it looks like the 40th anniversary of Roe vs Wade in the future will come and go with this still standing.

I remember watching the March for Life two years ago and a priest was being interviewed, he said something interesting. He said that if the 40th anniversary were to pass in the future without it being overturned, he believed there would be serious times ahead.

40 years. It's a biblical figure. Trial and testing. 40 years of anti-life legislature. The sanctioning of taking life for no reason at all, enshrined in law.

It all seems surreal in a way. Why does the world allow this to happen everywhere throughout the world? Even 50 years ago this sort of thing was unthinkable in most people's mind. Why are pro-life people viewed as fanatics?

Once again though, I think of the movie Amazing Grace and see how the abolitionists were viewed..pretty much the same...fanatics. Yet we ALL cheer them on! Everyone does! No one sits there thinking, "I hope that pompous, selfish lot of politicians on the other side wins the day." Didn't we all cheer when the tickets to Exeter were waved over the top of the lounge chair?"

BUT, see HOW they won...they had to trick the senate into passing a law that would indirectly close down the trade of human lives, they had to cut off the 'money source', no wonder they say that money is the root of all evil.

This has been like a 'dear diary' tonight, I'm just in a very reflective mood and truly wonder what the future holds for us all.

I do wonder but I have peace also, for I believe in the power of prayer. I remind myself 'that the gates of hell will not prevail.' My Faith will always stand strong as a beacon to the world. I pray that my own faith will also stand strong, for my family, for their future. Bubby is now calling for me.