Brain overload

So for most people school doesn't start for another week or so, but I had a seminar that started this last week. It consisted of 3 days (8 hours each day) of lectures. I signed up for the seminar at the advice of one of my favorite professors.

Overall the seminar was really interesting, but it was packed full of information and required A LOT of thinking. The seminar was titled 20th Century U.S. Leaders (sounds interesting, right?). I wasn't really certain what to expect because this if the first seminar class I've ever attended. I figured lots of lecture, movies, and a bit of Q&A. I was wrong. The majority of the class consisted of a dialogue between the presenter and the class. Lots of deep thinking analysis about the foreign aid policy following the Cold War (1945-1989).

I seriously left the class each day thinking about all of the stuff we learned in class that day and how ill informed I am about the state of America and our government. Did you know that we have a National Security Plan (essentially a strategy plan) that is available online to the public?

I didn't. I thought that that was part of the reason why we voted on the President. (I know this is just showing how ignorant I've been.) I figured they decided these things and we'd only find out about them after the fact.

Also, do you know why we're at war? (Yes, this was covered extensively in the seminar and yes, the presenter is a hard core Democrat.) My only point in this is how many of us have really thought about this and looked into finding out an answer to this or do we ignore it and let others worry about it. (Wow, can I tell you how...political I feel right now?)

(SOAPBOX below, but hopefully it's short and to the point)
I guess overall what I got out of the class is how much more I need to do as an American citizen. I need to learn more about where we're at, what the government is doing, and MAKE DECISIONS about where I want to go. We should become more educated about our country. We can't hope others will keep our interest at heart if we're not willing to take the time to tell them what we think. That's the other part. THINK. We need to start thinking. Use our minds to find out what we think. Even if we don't all agree (cause we know that rarely happens). Learn to speak with people of differing opinions without belittling them or their ideas. Instead learn. Learn why they think what they do. Maybe they are aware of something you aren't.

Okay, I think the soapbox is over. lol. I guess I can go now that my brain is once again hurting. Overall, I'm going to read more political books and articles. I'm going to learn more about policy and start thinking more about it too. (Maybe then, I'll feel better about having political conversations.)

(And as a side note, women in the early church were VERY active in politics.)