What Have We Learned in 150 Years?

Have you heard about the secession movement? If you're watching TV news, you have not. They wouldn't report it. You see, America is UNITED now. We're all happy, excited the election's over, and ready to come together, right?
WRONG!!!
Apparently 30 states have petitions going to the website of the White House asking for the peaceful secession of their respective state from the Union. The White House says that the President will consider any petition that gains 25,000 signatures. There is a news article on an alternative media site (which you can read here), and it's even caught the attention of  Glenn Beck. Coincidentally, this story has come out about the same time of Steven Spielberg's Lincoln film.
Now, two years ago I wrote an incredible position paper in my English class about how the South was justified in seceding from the Union. (Just being honest- it was incredible. I aced it- an eight page paper.) I am quite captivated with the history of that time. I do think that the founding documents of this country do not forbid a state from seceding. I won't go into all that detail here, but will if it warrants.
I also think that today's secession movement has something else going for it: no slavery. That's what we're told the Civil War was all about, and because "History is written by the winners" (paraphrasing a phrase attributed to Winston Churchill), that's what most people say it is. But there were other reasons for secession- an economic structure that favored one part of the nation over the other, and the belief that the few were legislating against the wishes of the many. Now those reasons sound familiar.
But here is why I will NOT sign either of these petitions. First is the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution, ratified after the Civil War ended and mandated to each state as it reentered the Union to ratify. Section 3 of that amendment reads like this:
"Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."
This should disallow many Senators from their current service. But that's a topic for another day.
But this says that essentially anyone engaging in a form of rebellion from the US is no longer able to serve in government of any form.
Also think about part two of this: to sign the petition you have to create an account on the White House website. Do you really want the White House to know that you no longer want them to be a part of the country? Is that really smart?
I didn't think so either.
Shelby Foote said during Ken Burns' The Civil War "It was said before the war 'The United States ARE.' Now it is said 'The United States IS."Obviously after 150 years we are more divided than ever. Only God knows how long we will stand.
So what do you think? Feel free to leave a comment. I'd like to have a discussion on this.

Nearsightedness

"Nearsightedness is when light entering the eye is focused incorrectly, making distant objects appear blurred. Nearsightedness is a type of refractive error of the eye."
- From the National Center for Biotechnology Information website
I have been blessed with pretty good eyesight for most of my life. But I fear that I may soon have to visit an eye doctor for the first time. I believe I am becoming nearsighted as I get older. Today I sat with people at their desk and absolutely could not see a thing that was happening on their computers. I used to pride myself on being able to read the fine print. I still can- if that fine print is right in front of my face.
I was thinking about some circumstances in my life that have very recently changed. I don't believe they have changed for the better. Family and friends have been praying for me and encouraging me, hoping to help me out of my pit. My dad reminded me of Romans 8:28, my mother-in-law gave me some encouraging scripture and some misplaced scripture (Daniel 5:23), which gave me a good laugh. My wife has been very encouraging to me, and I may not have told her how much I appreciate that.
The point is- I may be growing physically nearsighted, but I have always been spiritually nearsighted. It reminds me of 1 Corinthains 13:12: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known" (NASB).
I don't like my circumstances because I don't think my circumstances favor me. That's typically how it is for us. Christians want to do great things for God and want God to great things for Him. But not everyone can be at the pinnacle. If you want to be a preacher, you can't start out at the megachurch. If you want to play in the band, you can't learn your part on stage.
Surrender is not easy. It is hard to be put in the grunt work. It's tough to be where you are when you don't see a way out. God does not always let us see the big picture at this side, in this time. Only with time does He let us see the big picture and cure our nearsightedness. Romans 8:18 says "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (NASB).
I can't say I'm there yet. It is a work in progress. I don't trust Him like I should. I admit that. "I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24) . 
In the meantime: anyone know a good eye doctor?