Every now and then, going round the bend, I send some thoughts to my family and friends. This morning I sent this journal below to them and a bunch encouraged me to share it with a broader audience. So I guess that means you my friends. I trust you, like me, are praying for healing and hope, again.

Dean

Family & Friends

For some it's a joyful morning. For others it feels like mourning. Both feelings are genuine. It's alright to shed some tears on either side of that equation. Tears of joy & tears of sorrow. They come from somewhere deep inside of each human being, the way God designed us and intended us. They are not manufactured like some political ad, they're not made up, they're not for show. They are real, they are what makes us uniquely human. They are a gift from God for healing and humility.

Last night I couldn't help but notice all the tears, from both sides. I couldn't help but be brought to tears, not for either candidate but for those that supported them and shed them. In one sense last night, across all the channels, across all the nation, the one thing we did share in common was our tears.

I saw Jesse Jackson's tears, mixed in the crowd like tens of thousands of ordinary others. I wondered what he was thinking. Was he happy, jealous, ashamed for his own words, or just relieved? Through the screen, honestly he looked tired and humbled. Most of all he looked better with tears on his face than the last time I saw him on TV with egg on it.

I saw Oprah's tears. She too was just another citizen in the massive crowd leaning on the shoulder of a white man. They seemed to be just strangers packed together bonded by a common hope, a common dream. She looked radiant. I wondered what she was thinking and what her tears meant; proud, a partner, amazed, grateful. I pray she and many others will be as graceful in victory as McCain was last night in defeat.

I saw McCain supporters weeping at the Biltmore even though John was composed and dignified and did his best to block out the boos. I admired that, I admired him more than ever before. He is to be commended for wasting no time, no excuses, no bull to get us all on the road to national healing. He helped this camp to wipe away the tears of disappointment and roll up their sleeves for the work ahead. 

I saw Sarah's misty eyes beneath those designer glasses. She's a true believer and ya gotta love that. She's young and maybe her day in the sun will come. My prayer is that she can take her genuine faith and help other believers to keep from lashing out, to erase their facebook pages saying "He's not my President". I sincerely hope in those strategy sessions ahead which I'm sure she'll be part of on behalf of the religious right, that she will help them learn to love and forgive and ask for forgiveness. Her sincere faith and humility in defeat could be the shining silver lining for her party.

I reflected back on times we saw other tears over the course of this year. Hillary's tears, and who's to judge, they seemed like they came right from the heart. I think it softened her heart. And who could not be touched by Barack's tears. There in the rain, at a outdoor rally at my son Isaac's University of North Carolina - Charlotte campus on election eve, he cried too when he heard his dear white grandmother passed away before the celebration even began.

So we all come to this joyous morning and this sorrowful mourning. Can we stop for a moment and feel the other's emotions? Can we not open our hearts of congratulations, concession and condolences? Can we really be the united states again? Only time and healing will tell.

And finally, I wonder what Jesus felt last night. Well, all I know for sure is that he weeps with those who mourn and rejoices with those who rejoice. He is still the savior of the whole world, "red and yellow black and white they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world." And face it folks, we are still little children, scraps, scars and all.

Paul reminds us in

Romans 12:14-21 (New International Version)

 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Blessings and Peace to all of you,

Rev. DEAN COWLES