Letters to My Friend - Anti-Abortion Laws that Can Kill

In this Letter to My Friend I address a subject that has been a concern to me due to the recent anti-abortion laws. It may not be the most popular thing to to say in some quarters, because according to some we must never question the working of the pro-life movement in way or we'll be accused of not loving baby's lives. (Been there, done that.) This is not about disregarding the lives of babies, but it is about valuing the lives of mothers equally.

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Lately I've been reading in Genesis, and I came across a couple verses that I've thought on before. This time they struck me on a different topic, one that I've been concerned about since the Roe vs. Wade ruling was overturned. At that time I was unimpressed by the Christians who were saying that there had been a great victory for life, as if the overturning of that case automatically meant that abortion was illegal in this country. Of course, it didn't mean that at all. It only meant that the states now had the right to make their own laws based on the whims and beliefs of the "majority" in each state. As time has shown, some states will likely go farther and do more evil than even the national laws on the issue previously did.

But, that isn't the specific thing that I was thinking about in regards to these verses.

In Genesis 18, Abraham has been told by the Lord that He is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham took it upon himself to plead for the cities because he knew his nephew, Lot, was living there and he didn't want him and his family killed. At the beginning of his pleading he starts out with this observation on the nature of God: Genesis 18:24-25 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Let me tell a few personal stories:

Continue Reading

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Fruit photo by an anonymous friend.

Short Thought - Little Mountain Church House

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Luke 6:47-48 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Psalm 11:3-4 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 

Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

Sadly, these days there are many people who don't have a church from their childhood that taught them the way, the truth, and the life in Jesus Christ. Some never went to church, some went to churches that were not walking in the truth. I have more than one church that I look back to in my childhood where I heard God's word taught and preached and it became the foundation of my life, by God's good grace and mercy. 

Parents, what foundational church memories are you laying in your children's minds and hearts? Are you making sure they are regularly in the fellowship of a local church assembly where God's true word is taught and preached? Are you making sure they see the joys and sweetness of being part of a group of people who are following the Lord in sincerity and truth, where love is pure and good, and where there is accountability and support through the tough times? Grandparents, aunts and uncles, older siblings, friends of younger children, are you striving to do what you can to help some other parents' children get to church where they can learn the truth of the Lord and where they can know that Jesus loves them too? Many a young person has been taken to church faithfully by someone other than their own parents or even relatives. Maybe you can help some children have these foundational memories in some way, even if you aren't the parents. It's something to think about.

And here's something else to think on: There are going to be more babies born in hard places and to people who don't want them as the abortion laws are tightened and changed in some places. Those kids will seldom be loved and nurtured in God's ways if they are born to mothers who would have killed them if they could have. If you are going to celebrate the changes in abortion laws in favor of the unborn, you need to have a plan to reach them with the gospel as children. To save their lives in the womb only to let them grow up in misery, want, and abuse is not much improvement over being born straight into heaven in my humble opinion. 

Matthew 18:4-7 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 

Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 

Links Worth Reading - Technology's Negative Effects On Children and Babies

Psalm 78:2-4 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 

Some time back my husband and I were eating in a local restaurant. A mother came in with her daughter who appeared to be around 8 years old. They ordered and were waiting for their food. The girl had crayons and a coloring book or paper. The mother was glued to her smart phone. At some point the daughter after trying to communicate with her mom and being ignored or rebuffed started to cry. The mother told her in a harsh voice that was too loud for the situation that this was, "unacceptable behavior" and ordered her to stop crying. The mother was obviously highly annoyed to be interrupted in whatever she was doing on her phone by her daughter's need for attention. Dear reader, I wanted to get up and go over to that table and tell the mother that her behavior was "unacceptable." She shouldn't be loudly rebuking her daughter and that she should be paying attention to her daughter instead of being totally engrossed in the cyber world. Then maybe the girl wouldn't feel like she had to cry to get her attention! I didn't do it, but I have to admit that I was angry inside seeing that little girl be treated that way by her mother, and I am still sad for her.

This article is really worth reading. It addresses a serious problem with technology in many areas relating to childhood. I recommend it to anyone who is a parent, grandparent, aunt, sibling, or in any other way associated with children - pretty much all of us.

Excerpt: "Today’s children are being deprived of the fundamentals of a healthy childhood, such as:

• Emotionally available parents
• Clearly defined limits and guidance
• Responsibilities
• Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep
• Movement and outdoors
• Creative play, social interaction, opportunities for unstructured times and boredom"

Read it here: The Silent Tragedy Affecting Today's Children

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Is Ultrasound a safe option during pregnancy? I had heard some things in the past about the possibility that ultrasound was not as safe as it is reported to be. One man I know said that if they had children his wife was not getting any ultrasounds. Some situations may warrant one for safety purposes, but recreational, gender identification, and entertainment factor ultrasounds are highly questionable, and often repeated ultrasounds for "diagnostic purposes" should be avoided if at all possible. Some folks like to blame all the autism and various other problems on one source - often vaccines. I feel that there are multiple reasons for why children are suffering from so many disorders that were much less common in the past. One that people often don't think about, and I seldom hear mentioned is ultrasounds.

This article is informative and thought provoking, and it is written by a doctor who practices integrative medicine.

Perils of Peeking Into the Womb: Ultrasound Risks

Excerpt: "This recent study suggests that the seemingly benign practice of obstetrical ultrasonography is one practice that deserves urgent reassessment. Researchers exposed pregnant mice at 14.5 days gestation (a neurologically vulnerable window) to 30 minutes of fetal ultrasound and assessed the pups’ behavior at 3 weeks of age. They found that the exposed pups were significantly less interested in social interactions and had significant levels of behavioral hyperactivity, in the presence of an unfamiliar mouse."

Sew Happy Friday - Tutorial for Burp Cloths

Here is a tutorial at the Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth blog for making easy burp cloths for babies. These are really easy to make and would make a fun gift done in pretty or cute flannel fabrics (as shown). Please leave a comment for JES if you like the idea. :-)

Easy to Sew Baby Gift Burp Cloths

P.S. These aren't just for moms. Anyone who helps burp the baby can use these. :-)

Is The Duggar Position On Birth Control Biblical?

Philippians 2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

Here is an article I wrote addressing the issue of the Duggars' view on birth control. In the economy of God, it does not matter what people think about these issues, no matter how spiritual and godly they present themselves and their position. What really matters is what the Bible says and whether their reasoning holds up to the test of biblical principles and teaching.

Excerpt:

When someone, no matter how "wise" they appear, starts to promote various extreme ways to humble the flesh that are not clearly commanded to the church, it's time to step back and reconsider what they are doing. Frankly there is no clear scripture, especially for N.T. believers, that makes it "wicked" to use non-life-threatening forms of pregnancy prevention (known as birth control to the world).

Read More.

His Mother's Sorrow

Kola Ndoto Hospital, Tanzania in the 1940s.

A true story from my dad about his mother's miscarriage in Africa.

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Romans 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Writing Challenge #5 recently went up on my blog. I was blessed and honored to have my own dad decide to take on the challenge and write something. He posted it in the comments there, but I felt like it was important that this get shared in a place where it wouldn't be so easily missed.

As some of you may remember, I have had a burden this year for some young mothers who had their children go straight to heaven from their wombs through miscarriage. As Mother's Day approached this year I've been wondering what I should post. I'm often burdened at this holiday for the women who are outside of the "happy mother" category. When I read this true story from the life of my grandparents by my dad, I felt that the Lord had given me something that needed to be passed on.

CONTINUE READING.

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