The word from on high: Respect all American leaders

So where do you stand these days? Are you ready for President Joe Biden to sail on into the sunset come Monday? Or do you dread the moment that Donald Trump takes the oath of office for the second time and for the first time in eight years?

This is polarizing question for most Americans. Here is the scoreboard from the Associated Press:
Donald J. Trump 312
Kamala Harris 226

Donald J. Trump 77,303,573
Kamala Harris 75,019,257

The top score above counts. The score below is of interest. President-elect Trump is the first Republican candidate for our nation's highest office to capture the popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004 - victory over John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Vice President Harris, all circumstances considered from 2024, ran a strong race. However, she was thrust into the national spotlight suddenly in the summertime. She perhaps was not ready to campaign for the Oval Office on such short notice.

Will we ever have a female president? I say "Yes". But it will take the right candidate from the right party at the right time. Women don't get an automatic vote because they are women. They don't lose because of their gender, either.

All candidates are judged by the American people on their merits and the circumstances of the moment in history. If God gives us enough time on this planet, we'll see a woman in the White House. For the past four years, we have had the first female vice president in American history. Vice President Harris should be proud of this despite her defeat in 2024. 

Here is the upshot on how we should approach Monday, January 20 - a big day in many ways. It is a national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is inauguration day for President-elect Donald J. Trump of Florida and Vice President-elect JD Vance of Ohio.

Trump and Vance will take over at 11:00 a.m. CST.

At 6:30 p.m. CST, the college football national championship game kicks off - Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Check out Romans 13:1 - New Testament
"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."

Note that this passage of holy scripture never says that we must agree with everything our leaders attempt to accomplish. But we must realize that we are subject to authorities established by God.

Yes, folks: It includes Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, and JD Vance.

Even if you do not agree, respect.

Let the great debate begin - beginning Monday afternoon at 11:30 a.m. in our time zone, about the time that President Trump finishes his inaugural address.

May God bless our great country.

James A. Rose, Publisher