Today is the day Texas Governor Rick Perry called on Americans to pray and fast for our country. "The Response" (http://www.theresponseusa.com/) is going on as I type this and I have the Live Web Stream open on another page. The band and crowd are singing "Nothing But The Blood of Jesus." People from all over the country are there, raising their hands and their hearts to heaven, asking God to have mercy on our country. As Governor Perry stated when asked about the reason for the The Response: "America is in the midst of a historic crisis. We have been besieged by financial debt, terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters. The youth of America are in grave peril economically, socially, and, most of all, morally. There are threats emerging within our nation and beyond our borders beyond our power to solve."
You may not believe in God. You may not believe in prayer. You may think such an event goes against the separation of Church and State. But you cannot dispute the truth of his words about America. About the world, really. So why, I ask, would anyone mind if Governor Perry and thousands of others pray for our country? If God isn't real, it's a waste of their time not yours. If God is real and hears their cries for mercy, you benefit from their belief and sacrifice.
Critics believe Governor Perry is only after the Republican nomination. At this point, only Governor Perry and maybe his wife know if that is true. He hasn't said if he'll run or not. But if he does and this was all a political move, does that matter?
Not to me and I'll tell you why.
This morning I read Isaiah 58. It's all about fasting and the motives of our hearts when we do "religious" things. In this chapter, God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah to His chosen people, the Israelites. Apparently the people have been fasting without pure motives. Verse 4 reads: "Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high."
Fasting is not about going without food just so you can give the appearance of being holy. God is not fooled by our acts! 1 Samuel 16:7 says God "looks at the heart" of a man, not what's on the outside. He will see if our hearts are sincere in our prayers and our fasting and our Bible reading and our whatever else we do in His name.
It's God's place to judge whether or not Gov. Perry is sincere in his prayers. Just as He will judge if I am or if you are. But whether or not Perry's motive was political, the 30,000+ people that showed up there to pray and fast are definitely not running for President. They are there to pray for a country that desperately needs it.
Isaiah 58:8-14 goes on to tell us what will happen when our prayers and fasting are sincere.
"THEN your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will appear. THEN your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. THEN you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." (v. 8-9)
I will join Gov. Perry and the others in prayer for our country, for our President, for our leaders, for our people. I hope you will too.
A Blog About Life Along THE WAY ~ Acts 24:14
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Sarah Palin, the tragedy and my humble opinion
My thoughts have been with the family of 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green today as they said good-bye to the pretty brown-eyed girl. The families of the other victims in the Arizona shooting are also mourning and burying their loved ones. Such a senseless, horrible tragedy.
I was surprised, as a lot of people were, when I learned that many people in the media and in politics were quick to place the blame for the shooting on the Republicans, the Tea Party, and anyone else who doesn't agree with their 'side'. So far, nothing I've heard about the shooter, whose name I will not type here, has led me to believe his crime was politically motivated. If Congresswoman Gifford had been the only victim, I could be convinced. But not when he kept shooting people, including little Christina. It is very obvious to anyone with a brain that the shooter was mentally disturbed and unbalanced. I will even go so far as to say he is spiritually disturbed and unbalanced. The crime was heinous and evil.
Sarah Palin has also been blamed by some, mainly due to her 'target' map of Arizona during the election. I like Sarah Palin. I think she's a good person who really does love this country. Should she be president? No, not in my humble opinion, but I do think she has the potential to do a lot of good in other areas.
Today, Sarah is being criticized for using the term 'blood libel' in her 7 minute, 43 second speech about the tragedy. The term is historically used as an antisemitic reference to the accusation that Jews use the blood of Christian children in their sacrifices. Obviously that is not what Sarah meant. Others have used the term in contemporary writings that also were not about Jews or sacrifices. When I read the criticism of Sarah's use of it, I had to roll my eyes. Did they not listen to the other 7 minutes and 42 seconds of her speech where she shared her heart, her hopes, her love of country? Can't people stop looking for something to criticize and start listening? Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean they don't have something worthy to say.
Because I'm irked about the criticism of Sarah Palin, I'm posting the video clip in its entirety. Sarah doesn't need me to defend her and I'm not. I'm just really tired of people too full of themselves and too blinded by their own so-called brilliance that they can't just be quiet and listen for a change. Really listen.
So there's my one political post for the year. ;)
I was surprised, as a lot of people were, when I learned that many people in the media and in politics were quick to place the blame for the shooting on the Republicans, the Tea Party, and anyone else who doesn't agree with their 'side'. So far, nothing I've heard about the shooter, whose name I will not type here, has led me to believe his crime was politically motivated. If Congresswoman Gifford had been the only victim, I could be convinced. But not when he kept shooting people, including little Christina. It is very obvious to anyone with a brain that the shooter was mentally disturbed and unbalanced. I will even go so far as to say he is spiritually disturbed and unbalanced. The crime was heinous and evil.
Sarah Palin has also been blamed by some, mainly due to her 'target' map of Arizona during the election. I like Sarah Palin. I think she's a good person who really does love this country. Should she be president? No, not in my humble opinion, but I do think she has the potential to do a lot of good in other areas.
Today, Sarah is being criticized for using the term 'blood libel' in her 7 minute, 43 second speech about the tragedy. The term is historically used as an antisemitic reference to the accusation that Jews use the blood of Christian children in their sacrifices. Obviously that is not what Sarah meant. Others have used the term in contemporary writings that also were not about Jews or sacrifices. When I read the criticism of Sarah's use of it, I had to roll my eyes. Did they not listen to the other 7 minutes and 42 seconds of her speech where she shared her heart, her hopes, her love of country? Can't people stop looking for something to criticize and start listening? Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean they don't have something worthy to say.
Because I'm irked about the criticism of Sarah Palin, I'm posting the video clip in its entirety. Sarah doesn't need me to defend her and I'm not. I'm just really tired of people too full of themselves and too blinded by their own so-called brilliance that they can't just be quiet and listen for a change. Really listen.
So there's my one political post for the year. ;)
Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
So, Gov. Perry came to our church today...
...which was pretty cool. It wasn't an official visit. He wasn't the scheduled speaker or anything. He just came to worship the Lord on a Sunday morning with fellow believers. We attend the 9:00 service, which is the only service he was at, and usually sit on the 2nd or 3rd row slightly to the right of center stage. Pastor Joe and staff sit at center stage in the middle of the first row and that's where Gov. Perry sat, about 10 seats away from us. We had a direct line of vision to him and I have to confess that my eyes drifted over to that area more than once during the singing. Did he sing the songs? Yep. Did he get into the beat? Yep. He really seemed to enjoy the worship. And when he got up to briefly address the congregation, I saw a man--not the governor of Texas but just a man named Rick Perry--who loves the Lord. I don't always agree with his politics or his decisions, but I believe Rick Perry is my Brother in Christ.
Former President George Bush is too. Again, we may not always agree with his politics or his decisions, but there is no doubt in my mind that George W. Bush loves Jesus Christ! If you have never read his testimony or heard him speak of his relationship with Christ, then you've missed a huge part of knowing who the man is deep down inside. It was easy to pray for President Bush when he was in office, knowing that he knows and worships the same God I do. I think I will now find it easier to pray for Rick Perry as he leads our state, having seen him worship, heard him speak of the Lord and watched him taking notes on Pastor Joe Champion's inspiring message about having a radical encounter with God. (You can watch his message and probably Gov. Perry's address later this week at www.CelebrationChurchTX.com.)
But I'll be honest: I find it difficult to pray for President Obama, though the need to do just that is great. I am not here to judge the man, nor is it something any of us are called to do, but I will admit that I'm not completely convinced that President Obama has, as Pastor Joe said today, had a radical encounter with God. I just don't see the evidence in the public man that President Obama presents to the world. I hope he is and I hope he'll make it more obvious in the future if he is. Because God, I believe, isn't impressed with titles or offices. He looks at our hearts and his question to each and every one of us--including President's and Governor's--is going to be: "What did you do with my Son?"
So starting today, I'm going to put forth real effort to remember to pray for our leaders. For our President. For our Governor. For our Senators and Legislators. They have a big job on their shoulders and we certainly don't want them to try to do it without God's help.
Former President George Bush is too. Again, we may not always agree with his politics or his decisions, but there is no doubt in my mind that George W. Bush loves Jesus Christ! If you have never read his testimony or heard him speak of his relationship with Christ, then you've missed a huge part of knowing who the man is deep down inside. It was easy to pray for President Bush when he was in office, knowing that he knows and worships the same God I do. I think I will now find it easier to pray for Rick Perry as he leads our state, having seen him worship, heard him speak of the Lord and watched him taking notes on Pastor Joe Champion's inspiring message about having a radical encounter with God. (You can watch his message and probably Gov. Perry's address later this week at www.CelebrationChurchTX.com.)
But I'll be honest: I find it difficult to pray for President Obama, though the need to do just that is great. I am not here to judge the man, nor is it something any of us are called to do, but I will admit that I'm not completely convinced that President Obama has, as Pastor Joe said today, had a radical encounter with God. I just don't see the evidence in the public man that President Obama presents to the world. I hope he is and I hope he'll make it more obvious in the future if he is. Because God, I believe, isn't impressed with titles or offices. He looks at our hearts and his question to each and every one of us--including President's and Governor's--is going to be: "What did you do with my Son?"
So starting today, I'm going to put forth real effort to remember to pray for our leaders. For our President. For our Governor. For our Senators and Legislators. They have a big job on their shoulders and we certainly don't want them to try to do it without God's help.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Mr. B and Me
Once upon a time there was a liberal named Mr. B and a conservative named Michelle. Michelle worked for Mr. B and his wife in their home. Over the years they became more than employer/employee. They became friends. Family in many ways.
One day Mr. B asked Michelle, "What do you think about politics?"
And so began the first of many, many discussions, not only on politics but on religion, family, hopes, dreams and anything else the two could think of to talk about.
Mr. B passed away in 2007. I miss him dearly. I miss our chats. After Mr. B suffered a stroke in 2002, I was in his home four times a week to help with his care and the care of the house while Mrs. B focused on getting him strong again. During those years of his recovery, we spent a lot of time just talking. One of his favorite topics was politics. Our conversations took place during the Clinton years--Mr. B liked Clinton but disapproved of his personal failings-- and President Bush's first term.
Now, I was not a blind fan of President Bush, but I like the guy. Mr. B did too, although not as a president. I would like to know what Bush's presidency would have looked like had 9/11 not happened, but that's not possible. Iraq and the war cannot be summed up as good or bad, black or white. There's a lot of gray area in my opinion. Taking Saddam Hussein out of power was absolutely a good thing. The mess that followed was not. Had the world been on board with us, things would have been different. But the world seems to think we're a "global community" only when it comes to tourism and making money. War and fighting evil dictators is not their business.
Mr. B and I never agreed on Iraq. He felt the whole thing was a disaster. I see his point. One just has to watch the news to see that. But when asked if taking Saddam H. out of power was a good thing, Mr. B had to agree that it was. We both agreed it should have been done a decade sooner though, after Saddam invaded Kuwait.
Abortion was one of those topics Mr. B struggled with. He believed in the sanctity of life, but also believed a woman should be able to choose what happens to her own body. Someone close to him once had an abortion and I think it was hurtful to think of it in terms of "killing a baby." When he told me that, I never brought up the subject again. There was no need.
Obama was just coming on the scene when Mr. B took a turn for the worse. His cancer was back with a vengeance. When I asked him what he thought about Obama, he frowned. "I don't think he has enough experience to be president." I wholeheartedly agreed!
Gay marriage was another thing we agreed on. Neither of us was for it.
Which brings me to another topic Mr. B enjoyed discussing with me: Religion and Christianity.
He and Mrs. B grew up Methodist but admit they'd let their church going slip over the years. Once they retired to our town, they made a point of becoming involved in the local Methodist Church. By that time I'd grown much deeper in my own walk with the Lord and I was sometimes amazed at how childlike Mr. B's questions could be. Yet, aren't we all continuously growing in spiritual understanding and maturity? None of us has "made it" or received a diploma from God saying we've got our degree in Spiritual Maturity and can now quit learning. I suppose it was because Mr. B was so much older and wiser about many topics that I expected him to know more about the Bible and God than I did.
One particular discussion comes to mind.
Mr. B wanted to know if I thought all religions lead to God. Well, yes, ultimately. Every single person, whether Christian, atheist, Buddhist, Muslim or whatever will one day stand before God. THE God! The one and only God! So, in a sense, yes, all religions lead to God. But not all religions lead to heaven, and that is where Mr. B and I parted ways. He didn't see how God could condemn good people to hell because they didn't know Jesus as their Savior. I quoted John 14:6 until I was blue in the face, but he never did agree with me.
Yet in all these discussions...over a decade of conversations...not once did we resort to calling each other names. Not once did we raise our voices and demand that the other agree with us. Not once did Mr. B dismiss my opinion because we differed and not once did I dismiss his. We respected each other. We respectfully disagreed. We didn't get all offended and huffy when the other couldn't be swayed. Name calling, angry outbursts. They don't bring anything positive to a discussion and I'm glad we didn't resort to that.
I miss my liberal friend.
I wish there were more Mr. B's in the world!
One day Mr. B asked Michelle, "What do you think about politics?"
And so began the first of many, many discussions, not only on politics but on religion, family, hopes, dreams and anything else the two could think of to talk about.
Mr. B passed away in 2007. I miss him dearly. I miss our chats. After Mr. B suffered a stroke in 2002, I was in his home four times a week to help with his care and the care of the house while Mrs. B focused on getting him strong again. During those years of his recovery, we spent a lot of time just talking. One of his favorite topics was politics. Our conversations took place during the Clinton years--Mr. B liked Clinton but disapproved of his personal failings-- and President Bush's first term.
Now, I was not a blind fan of President Bush, but I like the guy. Mr. B did too, although not as a president. I would like to know what Bush's presidency would have looked like had 9/11 not happened, but that's not possible. Iraq and the war cannot be summed up as good or bad, black or white. There's a lot of gray area in my opinion. Taking Saddam Hussein out of power was absolutely a good thing. The mess that followed was not. Had the world been on board with us, things would have been different. But the world seems to think we're a "global community" only when it comes to tourism and making money. War and fighting evil dictators is not their business.
Mr. B and I never agreed on Iraq. He felt the whole thing was a disaster. I see his point. One just has to watch the news to see that. But when asked if taking Saddam H. out of power was a good thing, Mr. B had to agree that it was. We both agreed it should have been done a decade sooner though, after Saddam invaded Kuwait.
Abortion was one of those topics Mr. B struggled with. He believed in the sanctity of life, but also believed a woman should be able to choose what happens to her own body. Someone close to him once had an abortion and I think it was hurtful to think of it in terms of "killing a baby." When he told me that, I never brought up the subject again. There was no need.
Obama was just coming on the scene when Mr. B took a turn for the worse. His cancer was back with a vengeance. When I asked him what he thought about Obama, he frowned. "I don't think he has enough experience to be president." I wholeheartedly agreed!
Gay marriage was another thing we agreed on. Neither of us was for it.
Which brings me to another topic Mr. B enjoyed discussing with me: Religion and Christianity.
He and Mrs. B grew up Methodist but admit they'd let their church going slip over the years. Once they retired to our town, they made a point of becoming involved in the local Methodist Church. By that time I'd grown much deeper in my own walk with the Lord and I was sometimes amazed at how childlike Mr. B's questions could be. Yet, aren't we all continuously growing in spiritual understanding and maturity? None of us has "made it" or received a diploma from God saying we've got our degree in Spiritual Maturity and can now quit learning. I suppose it was because Mr. B was so much older and wiser about many topics that I expected him to know more about the Bible and God than I did.
One particular discussion comes to mind.
Mr. B wanted to know if I thought all religions lead to God. Well, yes, ultimately. Every single person, whether Christian, atheist, Buddhist, Muslim or whatever will one day stand before God. THE God! The one and only God! So, in a sense, yes, all religions lead to God. But not all religions lead to heaven, and that is where Mr. B and I parted ways. He didn't see how God could condemn good people to hell because they didn't know Jesus as their Savior. I quoted John 14:6 until I was blue in the face, but he never did agree with me.
Yet in all these discussions...over a decade of conversations...not once did we resort to calling each other names. Not once did we raise our voices and demand that the other agree with us. Not once did Mr. B dismiss my opinion because we differed and not once did I dismiss his. We respected each other. We respectfully disagreed. We didn't get all offended and huffy when the other couldn't be swayed. Name calling, angry outbursts. They don't bring anything positive to a discussion and I'm glad we didn't resort to that.
I miss my liberal friend.
I wish there were more Mr. B's in the world!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Hate Crimes vs. "Regular" Crimes...
If you're up on things going on in Washington, you know the Hate Crimes bill--the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act-- was passed by the House a few days ago. It is now in the Senate.
Now, I'm not against this bill for reasons some conservatives are. I don't have any fears that my personal rights are going to be violated because of it. Some have said that because of the vague wording in the bill, pedophiles could be protected under it. I certainly hope that loophole is fixed before it becomes law! But quite frankly, I think anyone who commits a crime against another person for any reason needs to be punished to the full extent of the law. Every single day we hear on the news that someone has been murdered or brutally attacked. Old people. Young people. Married people. Single people. People of faith and people of no faith. Black. White. Asian. Hispanic. No one is safe from crime of any kind.
But here's why I don't agree with these so-called "Hate Crimes" laws.
If someone kills another person, it's murder. Right? Then that person needs to be punished for murder. Life in prison or even the death penalty.
But let's say the Hate Crimes laws are in effect when the crime happens. Let's say the murderer hates gay people and kills a gay person. What then? Well, I don't see how the criminal can be punished anymore than life in prison or the death penalty. Do you?
OK. Moving on.
For the sake of argument, let's say the victim doesn't die. Let's just say a gay person is brutally attacked, as has happened, simply because he is gay. And let's say the Hate Crimes law is in place.
BUT....
On that very same day, I am attacked by a stranger, too. Some creep wanted to steal my car and I fought back. My injuries are similar to the gay person. No, the attacker didn't necessarily "hate" me, but I was attacked nonetheless.
My question is, should the criminal who attacked the gay person get a harsher punishment than the person who attacked me?
Why??
Am I not as important as a gay or black or whatever person? If we are going to call out for EQUALITY, then yes, let's have equality. Hate Crimes legislation is not equal. It puts a greater value on those protected under it.
Apparently I would not be protected from hate according to this bill. I am a white, heterosexual woman. If someone kills me for my purse or my car, it's not considered a "hate crime." Doesn't matter that the murderer took my life. He supposedly didn't hate me when he did it, so therefore it's not a "hate crime."
Guess what, folks? I'd still be dead! My kids would still lose their mother. Doesn't the person who took my life deserve to be punished in the same way as the criminal who murdered the gay person? Or the black person? Or a Muslim person? Our country (and the world, really) has a shameful past of placing greater value on certain people because of the color of their skin. It seems to me that "hate crimes" legislation does basically the same thing. It places greater value on certain groups of people over the rest of the population.
And from what I've seen, just about everyone could stake a claim to being hated by someone else. People hate me because I'm a Christian. Because I'm American. Because I'm middle-class. Because I'm a woman. Because I'm alive! There are no parameters to hatred, folks! It abounds throughout the world!
So, there's my beef with so-called "hate crimes" legislation. I think the law should cover everyone and not make anyone more important than their fellow human beings. Not for race, religion, sexual orientation or station in life.
Now, I'm not against this bill for reasons some conservatives are. I don't have any fears that my personal rights are going to be violated because of it. Some have said that because of the vague wording in the bill, pedophiles could be protected under it. I certainly hope that loophole is fixed before it becomes law! But quite frankly, I think anyone who commits a crime against another person for any reason needs to be punished to the full extent of the law. Every single day we hear on the news that someone has been murdered or brutally attacked. Old people. Young people. Married people. Single people. People of faith and people of no faith. Black. White. Asian. Hispanic. No one is safe from crime of any kind.
But here's why I don't agree with these so-called "Hate Crimes" laws.
If someone kills another person, it's murder. Right? Then that person needs to be punished for murder. Life in prison or even the death penalty.
But let's say the Hate Crimes laws are in effect when the crime happens. Let's say the murderer hates gay people and kills a gay person. What then? Well, I don't see how the criminal can be punished anymore than life in prison or the death penalty. Do you?
OK. Moving on.
For the sake of argument, let's say the victim doesn't die. Let's just say a gay person is brutally attacked, as has happened, simply because he is gay. And let's say the Hate Crimes law is in place.
BUT....
On that very same day, I am attacked by a stranger, too. Some creep wanted to steal my car and I fought back. My injuries are similar to the gay person. No, the attacker didn't necessarily "hate" me, but I was attacked nonetheless.
My question is, should the criminal who attacked the gay person get a harsher punishment than the person who attacked me?
Why??
Am I not as important as a gay or black or whatever person? If we are going to call out for EQUALITY, then yes, let's have equality. Hate Crimes legislation is not equal. It puts a greater value on those protected under it.
Apparently I would not be protected from hate according to this bill. I am a white, heterosexual woman. If someone kills me for my purse or my car, it's not considered a "hate crime." Doesn't matter that the murderer took my life. He supposedly didn't hate me when he did it, so therefore it's not a "hate crime."
Guess what, folks? I'd still be dead! My kids would still lose their mother. Doesn't the person who took my life deserve to be punished in the same way as the criminal who murdered the gay person? Or the black person? Or a Muslim person? Our country (and the world, really) has a shameful past of placing greater value on certain people because of the color of their skin. It seems to me that "hate crimes" legislation does basically the same thing. It places greater value on certain groups of people over the rest of the population.
And from what I've seen, just about everyone could stake a claim to being hated by someone else. People hate me because I'm a Christian. Because I'm American. Because I'm middle-class. Because I'm a woman. Because I'm alive! There are no parameters to hatred, folks! It abounds throughout the world!
So, there's my beef with so-called "hate crimes" legislation. I think the law should cover everyone and not make anyone more important than their fellow human beings. Not for race, religion, sexual orientation or station in life.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Nancy Pelosi: Fewer babies will help economy...
I just read an article about Nancy Pelosi and her skewed ideas about the economy and how to stimulate it. You can read it here. Basically she's saying the government should encourage and pay for more contraception use and more abortions in order to limit the number of children being born to help our struggling economy.
China, anyone?????
This all fits in with my scripture reading this morning. 2 Corinthians 2:25 says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom..."
Some people think they are so wise and have all the answers. Our recent election is a good example. One candidate appeared to have all the answers. He's now our President. Will he solve all our problems? Nope. Will he create more? Probably. We'll just have to wait and see. For some unknown reason, a lot of folks in Washington DC believe they are so much wiser than us regular folks out in the states. I don't know about you, but every time I turn on the news I find that that is simply not true.
Wisdom.
It isn't found in man. It isn't found in money. It isn't found in government. (Ain't that the truth!)
It is found in God. Our leaders should remember that and take heed.
China, anyone?????
This all fits in with my scripture reading this morning. 2 Corinthians 2:25 says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom..."
Some people think they are so wise and have all the answers. Our recent election is a good example. One candidate appeared to have all the answers. He's now our President. Will he solve all our problems? Nope. Will he create more? Probably. We'll just have to wait and see. For some unknown reason, a lot of folks in Washington DC believe they are so much wiser than us regular folks out in the states. I don't know about you, but every time I turn on the news I find that that is simply not true.
Wisdom.
It isn't found in man. It isn't found in money. It isn't found in government. (Ain't that the truth!)
It is found in God. Our leaders should remember that and take heed.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Obama agenda: Kill more babies...
I find it discouraging that on his first day as President of the United States, President Obama continued with his plans to allow and fund more abortions. Is that really what this country needs? More abortions?! Is that really a top priority, considering the state of the country?! I think not.
It's going to be a long four years, folks. A loooong four years. *sigh*
Here is my position on abortion:
There is NEVER a good reason to have an abortion. NEVER! Not because of age, young or old. Not because of marital status. Not because of economic status. Not because of rape. Not because of incest. Not for any reason under the sun. There is NEVER a good reason to have an abortion. Period.
As a woman who has experienced two pregnancies, I fully understand what it means to have a life growing inside of my body. And I fully understood that the very life growing there was NOT my life. Yes, it was a part of my body, but temporarily. It was a separate person from me. He had his own heart, his own brain, his own soul. He is the same person today that he was then, only bigger. When I first learned I was pregnant with my son, Taylor, I read every book on pregnancy I could get my hands on. The miracle that was taking place within my womb was amazing! At six weeks, we saw his tiny heart beating on an ultrasound monitor. A few weeks later we could hear it. We saw his head, his arms, his legs. He was a perfectly formed tiny human being in there. All of this took place within the first trimester--the first three months--when the "experts" tell us the baby is not a baby, it's a fetus. Sorry, Mr./Mrs. Expert! That is a BABY!!!
What if there is something 'wrong' with the baby?
Does this mean that only "normal" or "perfect" people should exist? That only "normal" or "perfect" people should be loved? The day you start believing this to be true is the day you need to look in the mirror! The person looking back at you is as imperfect as they come!! You are no better than a mentally or physically handicapped person!!
Isn't it the woman's right and choice to have an abortion?
A woman who makes the choice to have sexual intercourse is at risk for pregnancy. Plain and simple. If you don't want to become pregnant, don't have sex. But if you do and you find yourself pregnant, having an abortion is NOT an option. You gave up any "rights" you had the moment you had sex. It is now your obligation to carry the pregnancy to term, because the life inside you IS NOT YOURS!
What about rape and incest victims?
My heart breaks for women who have suffered rape or incest. It would be especially painful to find yourself pregnant after such a horrific event. But will killing the life inside you make it better? Will it make the rape go away? No. Having an abortion will only add to the horror. The baby conceived in such cases is not a monster. It's a tiny, innocent person who does not deserve to die simply because it exists.
There are so many, many couples who cannot have children of their own. They would love to adopt a baby. I know of at least a dozen families with adopted children. They would not have these children had the mother's had an abortion.
What about when the mother's life is in danger?
When is one life more important than another? Can doctor's look into the future and know for certain the mother will die if she continues with the pregnancy? No. Would it be better to live, knowing you took your child's life instead? I don't think so.
I have a number of women in my life who had abortions as young women. Every single one of them regrets that decision. Every single one of them feels guilt. Every single one wonders what that child would have been like, who it might have become.
Bottom line: Abortion is not a choice. It's murder.
It's going to be a long four years, folks. A loooong four years. *sigh*
Here is my position on abortion:
There is NEVER a good reason to have an abortion. NEVER! Not because of age, young or old. Not because of marital status. Not because of economic status. Not because of rape. Not because of incest. Not for any reason under the sun. There is NEVER a good reason to have an abortion. Period.
As a woman who has experienced two pregnancies, I fully understand what it means to have a life growing inside of my body. And I fully understood that the very life growing there was NOT my life. Yes, it was a part of my body, but temporarily. It was a separate person from me. He had his own heart, his own brain, his own soul. He is the same person today that he was then, only bigger. When I first learned I was pregnant with my son, Taylor, I read every book on pregnancy I could get my hands on. The miracle that was taking place within my womb was amazing! At six weeks, we saw his tiny heart beating on an ultrasound monitor. A few weeks later we could hear it. We saw his head, his arms, his legs. He was a perfectly formed tiny human being in there. All of this took place within the first trimester--the first three months--when the "experts" tell us the baby is not a baby, it's a fetus. Sorry, Mr./Mrs. Expert! That is a BABY!!!
What if there is something 'wrong' with the baby?
Does this mean that only "normal" or "perfect" people should exist? That only "normal" or "perfect" people should be loved? The day you start believing this to be true is the day you need to look in the mirror! The person looking back at you is as imperfect as they come!! You are no better than a mentally or physically handicapped person!!
Isn't it the woman's right and choice to have an abortion?
A woman who makes the choice to have sexual intercourse is at risk for pregnancy. Plain and simple. If you don't want to become pregnant, don't have sex. But if you do and you find yourself pregnant, having an abortion is NOT an option. You gave up any "rights" you had the moment you had sex. It is now your obligation to carry the pregnancy to term, because the life inside you IS NOT YOURS!
What about rape and incest victims?
My heart breaks for women who have suffered rape or incest. It would be especially painful to find yourself pregnant after such a horrific event. But will killing the life inside you make it better? Will it make the rape go away? No. Having an abortion will only add to the horror. The baby conceived in such cases is not a monster. It's a tiny, innocent person who does not deserve to die simply because it exists.
There are so many, many couples who cannot have children of their own. They would love to adopt a baby. I know of at least a dozen families with adopted children. They would not have these children had the mother's had an abortion.
What about when the mother's life is in danger?
When is one life more important than another? Can doctor's look into the future and know for certain the mother will die if she continues with the pregnancy? No. Would it be better to live, knowing you took your child's life instead? I don't think so.
I have a number of women in my life who had abortions as young women. Every single one of them regrets that decision. Every single one of them feels guilt. Every single one wonders what that child would have been like, who it might have become.
Bottom line: Abortion is not a choice. It's murder.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Praying for President Obama...
Today is the first full day President Obama will be in office. I woke up this morning thinking about that. The Lord impressed upon me how much our president needs our prayers. We may not agree with his politics. We may not like him as a person. We may even have many doubts about his personal belief system.
But one thing is certain.
The man needs our prayers.
One man cannot do all he has promised. One man cannot bring military peace to war-torn nations. One man cannot bring prosperity to a country full of greedy, self-centered people. One man cannot fix what years of government misuse has left us. Judging from the speech he gave yesterday, I think he knows that. In fact, I believe he knew that during the campaign, but in order to be elected he had to come off as Superman. Well, he's not Superman. The sooner the masses understand that, the better off we'll be.
President Obama needs our prayers.
It was easy for me to pray for President Bush. I love that man and Laura! I firmly believe they are my Brother and Sister in Christ. It won't be as easy to pray for President Obama. (It isn't even easy to write "President Obama". I'm still wishing I was writing "President McCain"!) But easy or not, the man needs our prayers.
But one thing is certain.
The man needs our prayers.
One man cannot do all he has promised. One man cannot bring military peace to war-torn nations. One man cannot bring prosperity to a country full of greedy, self-centered people. One man cannot fix what years of government misuse has left us. Judging from the speech he gave yesterday, I think he knows that. In fact, I believe he knew that during the campaign, but in order to be elected he had to come off as Superman. Well, he's not Superman. The sooner the masses understand that, the better off we'll be.
President Obama needs our prayers.
It was easy for me to pray for President Bush. I love that man and Laura! I firmly believe they are my Brother and Sister in Christ. It won't be as easy to pray for President Obama. (It isn't even easy to write "President Obama". I'm still wishing I was writing "President McCain"!) But easy or not, the man needs our prayers.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
THANK YOU, President Bush!!
On this inauguration day, I want to say THANK YOU to the man who has fearlessly lead this country for the past eight years. President George W. Bush. No matter what your opinion is of the man as our President, there are some facts that cannot be refuted.
*President Bush has never been ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ! From the very beginning of his political career, even during his governorship of Texas, he was completely open about his love for and dependence upon Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. His are not generic references to "God" as some we've heard recently, hoping to include every religion under the sun in order to get their support. President Bush is not afraid to say the Name above ALL names: Jesus Christ! I have read that not a day goes by that he doesn't get on his knees and ask God the Father to help him lead our nation.
*President Bush is not a coward. Despite mounting criticism not only from other countries but from his own countrymen, President Bush made decisions---difficult, unpopular decisions---to insure that this country is safe. You cannot dispute the FACT that the United States of America has not had a terrorist attack since 9/11. Why? Because our President is not a coward and didn't back down. Instead, he took the fight to the bullies themselves. As for the criticism, remember this: Half of the country despised President Lincoln in his day. They blamed him for the Civil War. But how is he remembered today? Only time will tell how President Bush will be remembered.
*President Bush is a man of honor. Unlike Clinton and Kennedy, who are hailed as some of the best presidents of our generation, President Bush was faithful in his marriage vows. My question to those Clinton and Kennedy fans: How can you possibly trust a man to be honest in his leadership of the nation if he can't honor the vows he made to his wife?!
So today, as President Bush steps down from his post as the leader of our country, I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT!! I am sad to see you go. I have many doubts about the man who is taking your place.
WELCOME BACK TO TEXAS, GEORGE AND LAURA!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)