California mayor says God told him to leave politics

Mayor Larry Guidi

Politics is not a field for the faint of heart. Just ask Larry Guidi, the mayor of Hawthorne, Calif. He has experienced a gunman shooting into his home in retaliation for opposing a proposal, investigations and a close political ally turning against him.

Now, after 18 years in office, Guidi told the Contra Costa Times that he's being led to do something else:

'I'm leaving on top. God spoke to me, and he is going to choose my path, and it's not to be in politics,' he said. 'Now it's sinking in to people that the big, bad mayor isn't going to be here to make the tough decisions. This will be Hawthorne's second-most important election in 20 years.'

Best wishes to Mayor Guidi on the next phase of his life.

What love is

At my church this past Sunday, the speaker made an interesting point. He said that 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (the 'love is patient, love is kind' verse) has been used so much at weddings that people have glossed over what love really is.

He argued that a better approach to love can be found in Romans 12:9-21:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.


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


Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary:


'If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'


Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Leading our hearts in love by following Romans 12:9-21 definitely seems challenging, but it is what we are called to do.

Wise mothers listen when God says to go get the umbrella

Humorist Lucy Adams recently wrote a really funny column about hearing from God on a sunny day at a ballpark. His command:

He said, 'Go back to the car and get your umbrella.'

I looked up into the dizzying glare of the sun. I glanced toward the distant parking lot, having just returned from a second trip there already. I scanned the ballpark, spotting other parents wrapping their lips around relish dogs, scolding little-boy third basemen for not getting in front of grounders, casually competing via comparing their children's batting averages. No one else had an umbrella. Momentarily I settled on the idea that this was a suggestion rather than a command.

Then in the middle of my balk, I thought of Noah. God did not say, with a dismissive shrug, 'Noah, if you should feel so inclined and it doesn't put you out any, I think, if you want to, you might ought to build an ark.'

Turns out that God was right; read the rest of the column in The McDuffie Mirror.