Lament for Liberty and Jobs

Here is a piece written by an ex student of mine from years ago, a successful small business
owner. Read it and weep. It is long, but worth the read:  It was written a few days before
the last election.  Our struggle is not over, but we must keep on, for it will be a long one

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As a business owner for over 19 years, I find myself in a disappointing position. Running
a company that manufactures products in America I have found it a challenge to find those
willing to do the work for a reasonable price. I have been advised by others to use cheaper
China labor more times than I can remember. I have kept my manufacturing in America
with the one hope that Americans will wake up one day and see that small companies are
the backbone of this country. We employ, we spend, we invest and we add momentum
and strength to our country. More than any other sector small business builds and innovates
adding to our national strength.

I have paid Americans hundreds of thousands of dollars more to do the same job I can
have done in China for a fraction of the cost. Why? Because I love our country and want
to invest in it.

I fall asleep each night grateful for those I value, respect and love and my employees are
very much considered a part of that group. I am confident most business owners would
understand and agree with this sentiment.

In our American capitalistic system schools are important...but without business we have
no schools. Fire protection is important but without business, we have no fire protection,
law enforcement, regulatory agencies, public sector jobs, all part of a system built by
capitalism and our freedoms and rights to conduct free trade.

The first time Americans voted in Obama could be described as an understandable
mistake. His speeches were very seductive to those that didn’t understand or those
that have been removed from what drives our country forward and what our country
was truly built upon.

But twice?

I see this election to show our country has turned its back against business, against
freedom and yes, even against the extreme efforts I have made, as well as many others
like me to keep our country first in our business decision making process.

While the jobs lost to overseas by a company my size may be just a few, the countless
other companies that may be forced to make the same decision now, is without doubt a
major impact to our nation.

I fear that both the left and rights individual retirements, based upon our stock market,
will soon show the loss of faith in our govt. A fiscally irresponsible leader does not and
cannot foster an environment of investment security.

I, for one, was striving to see something in Obama’s first four years to get behind…
something that could help me to hold my head up high when the eyes of the world look
our direction. I have failed to find anything note worthy.

He is an excellent speaker, a well groomed man who is well poised and spoken. A man
with a beautiful family with shining faces and smiles. However, his actions speak of a
man that is either ignorant to the workings and needs of this country or worse yet,
indifferent to them.

How can so many intelligent, good hearted people see him in a light so different than
I do? How can those I know so well, who have similar upbringings and education see
in him a man worthy of giving their valued vote and trust.

I have always stood behind our elected President and will continue to do so with the
belief that there is more in God’s plan than I am able to see. I am still proud to have
friends on either side of the political chasm.

My words here are truly meant to express a quick release of confusion over how so
many can be so far apart ideologically. I am left with prayer and a concern for the
future of my wife and two children in a country where it truly appears freedom and
opportunity is being eroded.

Hope for our countries future is never lost. We are an incredibly resilient people,
however, I find it increasingly more difficult to bring hope for our country into focus
after such an election.

If the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child” has any truth to it, then quite possibly,
it may take a country to raise a good president. Lend your voices to causes you see
that need a voice. Let those in govt. know your concerns. This can be done all the
way down to your local representatives. You might keep in mind to do so in a way
that shows respect, even if you feel you have been shown little respect yourself. Problem
solving seldom comes through bickering. I would hope that you stay true to your beliefs
but do not stagnate due to a closed mind.

It’s been said that there is always opportunity for growth in times of conflict. My desire
is to see growth in all sides, as after this election, it appears we could all use some.

May God guide and protect those that govern this great country, as well as the governed.

Prayer and Meditation on Psalm 86:1-8

Our Heavenly Father, we confess that we are content 

to rest in Your heavenly kingdom and our Lord Jesus 

Christ forever and ever.

You have heard the prayers of your saints in all the 

ages of the world, when they called upon You. You 

heard the blood of Abel, Your first martyr, cry to You 

from the ground, slain by Cain who was of his father 

the devil.

You heard Enoch and Noah and Abraham, Isaac and 

Jacob. The prayers of David when he fled from Saul, 

the cries of Elijah and Elisha; the prayers of Your 

apostles and Stephen the martyr, and the thousands 

and thousands of the saints that called upon You in 

all the history of the church.

We think of the great reformers, Wycliffe, and Thy 

martyred servant John Huss; Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, 

Bucer, Ursinus, Cranmer, and our Fathers of the faith 

in the United States. We praise and thank You for 

hearing and showing Yourself strong to preserve and 

keep Your servants in life and in death.

We pray that You would incline Your ear down to us, 

O Lord, for we are poor and needy. We have no 

strength of our own, and our voice is small in the 

world. How helpless we feel when we behold arrogance 

and pride and wickedness strong, entering even into 

Thy House the church and defiling the holy things. 

Stretch out Yourself to us down here in the world, 

O God, for we cannot do Your work without you 

and your Spirit.

You have set us apart for Yourself, O Lord, and 

You must preserve our souls, for we cannot stand 

against the assaults of the devil unless You save us. 

We trust in You and Your salvation, for our souls 

are needy and cry to You. We ask and plead for 

Your mercy—O God our Father, do not deal with 

us after our sins, but according to Your mercy and 

grace.

Your Son, our Lord Jesus, said that You are a 

gracious Father, who will give the Holy Spirit to 

those who ask, and we ask, O Lord, because our 

souls can only be renewed to bring forth the fruit 

of Your kingdom when Thy Spirit moves our hearts 

and minds.

Thy joy is our strength, O Lord, and trials and 

tribulations will weigh us down and destroy us if 

You do not lift us up. We lift our souls to You, O 

Father, for You are our life and our joy.

You are good and merciful, O Father, and You 

delight in mercy and are ready to forgive to those 

who call upon You. You are great in kindness. 

Hear our prayers and the loud supplications of 

our hearts, for we cry to You in the Name of 

Your dear Son.

You have said to call upon You in the days of 

trouble, and we so call, O Lord. You have 

appointed days of trial and tribulation for Your 

people, and we do not know what the future holds 

for us, but we cling to You, Or Lord.

There is no one like You, who will hear prayers or 

can do the works that You do, for all the gods of 

the wicked and dead and deceitful liars, and cannot 

do either good or evil, for they are filled with vanity.

We bring our prayers to before Your throne. We 

pray for those being persecuted in lands of darkness 

and wickedness. We pray for the healing of the 

nations, as You have promised.

Surround Your people with your holy angels and 

preserve them in their lives, their goods, their 

families, their reputations, and their righteousness, 

which is of You, O Lord. Bring confusion and rebuke 

upon the godless; puts hooks in their jaws and confuse 

them with great confusion.

Send Your holy Gospel to all people in all lands. Search 

out Thine own and add them to the church that You 

purchased with Your own blood, the blood of Jesus 

our Lord. Grant us Your mercy and grace, Precious 

Father. We ask in the Name of Christ our Lord.