As you know, Labor Day is fast approaching. In an election year, I usually have it figured out who I'm voting for. This year, however has found me going back and forth in a couple different contests. The race for Governor, and the House race.

Later on during the Corn Palace Festival, the parking lot by my building was full so I had to park a couple blocks away. Last night, just as a spot opened up I was on my way to get the car when I met a couple of tourists from 60 miles away who were looking for their car. They had lost their way. Even though I had better things to do, or so I thought at the time, I decided to help these folks out. The first order of business was to convince them that I knew my directions. They insisted that north was west. I explained to them that even though I'd only lived there for 3 years, I knew that was north. I walked with them back to the corn palace and then helped them get to the right parking lot. They asked how much they owed me, and all I asked them was to drive home safely. After all, doing the right think was, is and always should be reward enough.

I was delayed in getting back to my car, but knew that as the night grew darker more parking spaces would open up, so nothing was lost. In fact everything was gained. Two lost souls were found, and despite myself, I ended up doing something useful.

Sometimes we are like those lost folks. We think we know the way, but we are lost, and when God shows us the right way, we resist. But by faith we see that we have to trust him. Getting lost in this big world is easy. I didn't know where the parking lot was, but I knew that once I got those two on the right path they'd be alright.

The world we know and the world we don't know can sometimes have a blurry boundary line. We knew were we are, then all of the sudden we don't. But God places candles in the darkness to light the way. What I thought was an interruption turned out to be a chance for God to do what he does best, bless his children. His ways are indeed mysterious, but that's what makes it all the more marvelous.

This whole flap about Obama being Muslim has caused me to believe that neither party has the monopoly on stupid these days. Way back when I was "riding the Obama train" as I called it, I had plenty of Republican friends pointing out his middle name to me as proof that he's a Muslim. I read in Snopes that he joined the Church of Christ at age 16, and that was good enough for me.

When when things started flaring up again, I started wondering what, if any difference it makes if he is Muslim or not. Just 50 years ago people were worried that if JFK was President, he'd be taking orders from the Pope. When he was, he didn't. Interestingly enough, we've not had another President of the Catholic faith since JFK was given early retirement in Dallas. When Kerry ran in 2004, his faith was not called into question, which is good. Obama should be extended the same courtesy.

The problem doesn't seem to be his faith, rather his unwillingness to talk about it. Yet he has the right not to share his faith. Let's remember he is the President of all Americans, whether Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, and every other faith that's held throughout this wonderful country. As such, he has to be as fair as he can to all of them, a tough job indeed.

It's been said that Obama has not shown any evidence of being Christian. That is entirely possible. That can also be said about many of us, myself included. We demand proof of the unseen, to know the unknowable. Yet, there are things we must take on faith. Instead of condemning Obama and his faith, we should pray for him. It's what a good Christian would do!