Choice

In the wake of the Tebow/Focus on the Family commericial during the Superbowl, I thought I would write a post about choice.

First, I think Pam Tebow had a choice. I think all women in her situation should have a choice. They should be able to know what the probability is that she would die, the baby would die, they both make it, etc and then make an informed decision. In almost every case, there isn't a 100% probability for any one of the outcomes, and the mom and dad have to decide what is best for them. I think most pro-life people would agree with me that if there is a very high risk the mom would die, then termination might be an option. If that risk is accompanied by a equal or greater risk of the baby dying, it becomes even more of a legitimate option in the minds of pro-life supporters.

But, what about if only the baby's life is at risk, like a baby with Trisomy 13 or 18? My question is what does abortion do for that family? MAYBE they won't become as attached to the little one, but since they already have pictures of the baby, I doubt that. Some of these kids live for years with the condition. Some lives for months. Some live for days. Some live for minutes, and some are born still. But, I don't see why so many people push to have these babies aborted. If they are going to die, why not let them live as long as they can first?

Okay, now for the "hot" topic - unwanted pregnancy. With the exception of rape, the woman who is pregnant had a choice BEFORE she got pregnant. She chose to have relations. She weighed the risks of that. I think that should be the only choice she gets. If you are going to have relations, you have to be willing to accept the "consequences" of such actions. We need to get back to living in a society where your actions have consequences! I think this would cut down on the number of STDs as well because people would be a little less willing to have relationships with people they are not committed to.

As for rape victims, I am not sure how I stand on this issue. I have read about people who were raped, had an abortion, and felt like they had been raped twice as a result. I have also read people say that it can cause emotional problems to have to carry a baby conceived in such a cruel manner. Personally, I would keep the baby because I believe it is a gift from God even if the act wasn't. But, I don't know if I could force my beliefs on that on others. It is a very sticky subject for sure.

So, that is my take on things. What do you think?

El Shaddai

Last night in our Faith Bible Institute class, we were studying the names of God. One of the names we covered was El Shaddai - The Mighty God. Literally, El Shaddai means the breasted one. John Yates went into an analogy about God and us. An infant/toddler is crawling towards the edge of a cliff. His mom tries to get him to come to her by chasing after him, etc, but he only goes closer to the edge (thinking his mom is playing). Then, in a last ditch effort, she pares her breast in an effort to get the baby to come away from the edge. The baby natural comes to his mom to nurse.

This description reminds us that God draws us to Him, just as a mom can draw her baby. He draws us to Him when we are wandering dangerously close to the edge. Have you seen God work in your life like this? I have. Some times you don't notice the callings and drawings at the time, but they are there. A friend may say something. Someone might ask you to do something to help them. There might be a special service or event at church you feel called to attend. Whatever it is, God is calling you back to Him before He has to call you home.

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Sunday I got my diploma from Faith Bible Institute. I completed the six semesters/three years through the Bible in December. My husband and one of our friends also completed it at the same time. I highly recommend some sort of complete, chronological study of the Bible. Studying this way allows you to put all the stories together. It gives you a better foundation for studying the Bible on your own.

Do Unto the Least of These...

The most common mp3s I listen to are my Andy Griffith CDs. One of the tracks is Andy telling "The Christmas Guest" story. THe story reminds that that of this verse:

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40

A few verses later is this:

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. Matthew 25:45

I have realized that I haven't reached out to these much. I am not rude to them, but I do not seek them out or make effort to get to know anyone that is very different from me in terms of socioeconomic status. I see the beggers on the street corners, but those that run the missions in town have recommended that we don't give them money. I have often thought about keeping some sort of non-perishable food in my car, but I haven't done so. With a little one now, I am more cautious as ever. So, know I need to pray and determine what course of action I should take. If you have any ideas how to serve "the least of these" while not putting yourself in any danger, please let me know!