on mother's day

To breathe, to feel, to think. These are rights.

To defend, to protect, to fight. These are duties.

Sometimes people get confused about what their rights are. Off and on, I see this simplistic and illiogical little sketch: "Don't like abortion? Don't have one," attempting to assert a woman's pretended "right to choose." I'm all for simplicity, but not for stupidity, and I just have to say (in the nicest way possible, of course) that this is the stupidest piece of preschool-level argument I've heard from anyone who fancies themselves a feminist. Let's follow the course it takes:

"Don't like child abuse? Don't beat your kid."

"Don't like infidelity? Don't have an affair."

"Don't like child p*rn? Don't look at it."

"Don't like rape? Don't rape anyone."

See where this goes?

Some people will protest that these are totally different topics and can't be compared to abortion. They don't understand that about two-thirds of abortions in the US are coerced or forced onto women. The act of abortion itself is a violence toward women and children that surpasses that of even rape or molestation. They argue about health care, but they don't understand that the abortion industry cares about women's health in the same way a pimp cares about the health of his prostitutes - it is only a means to a very lucrative end for them. In either case, women are used.

It's called "choice," but it's not. It's called "feminist," but half of the babies killed are feminine. That's not feminism, that's brutal murder. Slave owners fought for their "rights," too...and fancied themselves civil rights activists, also - but they weren't, and history shows the foolishness and cruelty of their position. And yet the reality of abortion makes even slavery look like a walk in the park.

And yet women are still deceived, grasping at this "right" that reveals the very deepest identity insecurity. Being a woman isn't good enough - we must have the option to reject the very nature of what we were made for. And, oh, don't you dare tell me I was made for creating children! I was made for more than that!

Oh, were you? Then you, my dear friend, have a very sorry, skewed idea of what motherhood is - which is understandable enough, considering that many of us were raised in a time when our mothers also bucked this calling, so how are we to know any better? But it is a very high calling - some say the highest of callings - higher than working in some office, higher than having your own business, higher than finishing some degree. And, yes, higher than that bucket list.

It is the gift of being able to mold and influence the very beginning of someone's life. It is the influence you have for the next generation, and every generation after that. The other stuff is good, sure - I like having a business, I love education - but these come far short of the calling of being a mother to as many kids as God will give me to raise for the future.

Humans breathe...feel...and think. Science shows that even the smallest of us do this. We were human before we were born. Toes, fingers, faces, at nine weeks gestation. I've seen it myself.

This very day, May 11th, was Mother's Day nine years ago. I was almost twelve weeks pregnant. During a long, devastating illness I woke up at four in the morning in excruciating pain, and realized we were losing our baby. Later that morning in the emergency room I saw him...he had arms, hands, and a little, tiny nose. He - yes, he - was no mere clump of cells, but fully human. The doctor said he had probably died two weeks earlier. He had been alive, but wasn't anymore.

I had never before known how human the unborn were. And it was Mother's Day. We named him Baruch.

As humans, we breathe, we feel, we think. As mothers, we defend, we protect, and we fight. We hold monumental influence over the future.

We pursue the highest calling, and make no apologies.


originally published at Copperlight Wood

Progress?

In Which History Is Not Actually A March of Progress

reposted from The Common Room by TheHeadGirl

The Toltecs in ancient Mexico sacrificed their children to a rain god... presumably considering the exchange of their child's life worth the benefit (rain) to society.

The Vikings practiced female infanticide ~ apparently considering a daughter's life less valuable than that of a son. Better family life by killing a daughter...

Ancient customs in parts of Africa (and sometimes still carried out today) demand the murders of undesirable babies (including some with special needs). These babies are counted as undesirable for the peace and and prosperity of their families or community.

We reel at the ignorance and cruelty. We pat ourselves on the shoulder. We're too enlightened to even contemplate benefiting society by killing our children; we know it doesn't work like that.

Or do we?

A 1995 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that a little over 17% of women who might consider abortion would be more likely to do it if the fetal tissue (ie, their baby) could be used for medical purposes.

A 1991 poll published in Time magazine found that 18% saw no problems with "conceive and intentionally abort a fetus so the tissue can be used to save another life."

Those stats, and more like them, here.

A mother is supposed to protect the life of her child no matter what society's supposed "needs" are... and we are in a dangerous, dangerous position when we forget that.

Give Me Music and Life

It is so heartening to stumble across pro-life shops while browsing on Etsy. Megan is the heart and talent behind Heart Strings 4 Life and donates a percentage of the proceeds to Pro-Life causes.

Her necklaces are made from up-cycled violin strings, hand braided (a tough task) and accessorized with various glass pendants. Beautiful Christmas present idea.

200 million

How much is 200 million?

200 million pennies would fill 9 school buses to overflowing. If you wanted to count to 200 million, and you were really ambitious and didn't take any breaks to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom, it would take you just over 12 ½ years. But what does 200 million children look like?

Jesus’ heart was for children everywhere He went – blessing, defending, and loving them, and He calls us to do the same thing. When He called a little child to Him to stand among His disciples, He told them that they had to become like little children in order to enter the kingdom of Heaven, that whoever humbles himself like this child would be the greatest in the Kingdom…and the very next thing He said was "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5)

Just a few verses later He says, "Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father." (v. 10) Throughout the Bible, God is defending children and calling his people to defend the orphan. Over and over. God cares about the vulnerable enough to repeat Himself.

So, what does 200 million children look like? They look like what the entire population of the United States was in 1969. They look like enough kids to fill over 3 ½ million schoolbuses – and to give you an idea of how much that is, if you lined those buses up from bumper to bumper they would stretch over 20 thousand miles, or the distance from Barrow, AK to Tampa, Florida...five times.

.

Here’s the issue - In just this year, about 200 million is the number of children who will be despised throughout the world – they will either be left as orphans without a family of their own to love and care for them, or they will die as a result of an abortion. 200 million little lives with their own giftings, callings, and futures - image-bearers of the King who created them lovingly with a purpose – Who, if He were standing with them, would pick them up and say, “you look like Me.” But will they ever realize their calling? Will they know their Savior if that future is squandered on the streets of a third world country while they try to fend for themselves? Or what if they don’t even make it that far – if their life is snuffed out before birth because they were conceived in a society that deemed them inconvenient and expendable? Maybe you heard recently that 40% of pregnancies in New York City end with abortion – and for black babies, that number jumps to 60%. That kind of math is easy to visualize – six out of ten babies. These are “the least of these” that Jesus spoke of.

But He has not left them without defense. He calls us to do what He did – love, bless, and defend them. There have been pockets of His people doing this all along, but it hasn’t been enough, because somehow the numbers of unloved, uncared for, and undervalued children – image bearers of the King – have reached numbers that we can’t easily visualize.

.

The calling is out of our comfort zone, but now is the time for everyone who calls themselves a follower of Jesus to step up and say, “NOT ON MY WATCH! We will stop this injustice.” Many of us are probably already doing something – but we are being called to more, to stretch our comfort zone. Maybe He is calling your attention to something new that you haven’t considered before. Maybe He’ll call you to adopt, or to help another family with the financial challenge of adopting. Maybe He’ll call you to missions or volunteering at a pregnancy center. Maybe you’ll want to be involved in the 24/7 prayer vigils for the 40 Days of Life campaign. Maybe you just know an apathetic voter who needs to be challenged. We allow God to move us in new ways, and suddenly an unfathomably huge situation has hope – because the situation is not too big for Him. 200 million children is a lot, but He wants to use His people to save them. Will we be a cruise ship, or a battleship?

Let your hands be strong! Don’t give up, don’t give in, and don’t be intimidated, because the task is ours!

Oh Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their heart, You will incline your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may cause terror no more. Psalm 10:17-18

We can say, "Not on our watch! We will defend the orphan, we will get on our knees and pray, we will open our homes, we will stop this injustice."

Look with me: We are all standing in a deluge. It's pouring down. Two hundred million raindrops are falling all around us. God has given each of us a teaspoon – not one of us can save them all, but each of us can catch some. There are clusters of people standing out in the storm holding out their teaspoons in effort to catch some of these drops before they hit the ground. They adopt. They work at Crisis Pregnancy Centers all over the world. They change diapers at orphanages, do foster care, contact their politicians, educate others about the issue and refuse to let the apathetic or the opposition around them go unchallenged. They are raising world-changers, offering financial support, being bold about the issues, seeking God for the best solutions for each situation. Many of these 200 million raindrops can be caught and given a new hope. Some will fall to the ground, lost forever. But will you hold your teaspoon out higher? Will you say, Enough! The task is ours! We won’t be quiet until this thing is finished! We will step into the downpour and extend our arms.

We will welcome the children in His name. And He will move through us, and the lives of those image-bearers will never be the same.

(previously published at Copperlight Wood)

Still here....

I apologize for the neglect of the blog over the last several months. It really has been more than this busy mother can handle. Around the time of the birth of my newest baby, I tried to fiddle with a thing or two here and lost the entire template and organization of widgets and lists and such. I just let my head hit the keyboard in dismay and had to let it go. Oh, the hours it was going to take to reconstruct it all! It was such a mess that I temporarily took it out of the public eye until I could manage something respectable.

So... here we are. Admittedly, it's still a bit of a mess, but at least there's something basic to work on.
Thanks so much for your patience and continued commitment to life!

Melody

A Woman in Need...Let's Walk the Talk

I've been following the story of Haley and Baby Brayley over at Waltzing Matilda. Brayley has anencephaly and is due to be born on September 1st. In spite of financial and medical pressures, Haley will choose life (as long as God wills it) for her precious daughter.

Her obstacles are great. Personally, she faces this pregnancy out of wedlock. Financially, she faces mounting doctor bills plus the question of how she will provide a dignified burial for her child. A search for an organization in the area that will help provide a plot, burial and headstone have come up short; so people are coming together to support her.

Charlotte at Waltzing Matilda has set up a "Donate" button on her blog and is facilitating that effort. Haley is also asking for prayers for the baby's father, Billy, who has supported her decision to honor Brayley's life.

Please support Brayley with whatever prayer or gift you can. We can talk pro-life all day long but really living it is something else entirely.

parental notification...what's that all about?

Forget about California's wild hubbub over prop 8. Here in Alaska the big vote is on Prop 2. Maybe you have something similar going on in your state.

If a child has to have a parent's permission to get a tattoo, ear pierced, see an R-rated movie, or even -gasp!- take a Tylenol at school, isn't it a good idea for them to also need parental consent in order to have their uterus surgically cleaned out, effectively murdering their child and compromising their own physical and emotional health - perhaps for life?

Did you know that most teens are impregnated by older men - statuatory rapists - and our current law in Alaska protects them? No, no, not the teens - I meant it protects the rapist. Funny, huh?

Not a bit.

Here's an article that illustrates the scenario. It's real life. Truly happened. One could even argue that there's more documentation of this than there is of our president's birthday (aw, that was too easy, I couldn't resist).

Because we all need a little smile today...

Little Pink Dream - Organza Ruffle Florette Headband made by HFL member In Honor Of 

pictured on:

A Precious Little Baby Girl made by Her heavenly Father 

(she's not for sale)

ending abortion

Do you have plans Saturday? This has an all-star line-up you don't want to miss!

http://endingabortion.com/

I confess I do already have plans on Saturday, like many of you might - but don't let that stop you from registering! You can watch the speakers later on your own time once you've registered. I've watched many of these speakers before and I was moved - and I'm still moving. :) I hope you are moved, too!

we can stop pretending now

First things first. This is not a G-rated post. So please preview this before leaving it open on your screen for your literate children to find. 
And second...if anything in this post starts hitting home with you...I want to say Shame off you. This is a shame-free zone. Conviction and change, yes. Shame...can go to hell, where it originated. Because you are safe and loved here.
On to business. I kissed my kids this morning. I always do that; they sit at the table eating breakfast and I go around and ruffle their heads and give them smooches. It's a good way to start the day. We smile, we're happy, life is good.
The day is beginning.
Then I opened the mail and read Abby's story.

I don't know Abby personally yet. You probably don't either...but you might have heard of her. Here's what I read:
I was called into the room. I remember thinking that I was actually kind of excited to learn a new procedure, to witness a new technique. I thought it would be a good learning experience.

I got the ultrasound wand in place and I looked up on the screen and saw this perfectly formed baby. It was a full side profile - from head to foot.

Then I saw the cannula, the probe that is hooked up to the suction machine. All of a sudden, the cannula began to prod the baby in the side. The baby started to move. The legs started kicking.

The arms started moving. It was like the baby was trying to find a place to go in the uterus.

At that moment I thought to myself, "Oh my gosh. I'm about to witness something horrible."

Then the doctor turned on the suction and I watched the baby begin to twist and crumple through the suction. It was over in a matter of seconds.

This was the end of a life. It was the turning point in Abby's. Do you know who she is now?

Abby Johnson used to be a Director at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas. But then she saw what she was promoting, and realized how she had lied to women just as others had lied to her...and now she's on our side.

Are there sides in this? Must there be sides?

Oh, yes. There must be sides. There is no middle ground once you stop pretending and face reality.

I am not an advocate for showing pictures of abortions...unless you still think that abortion should be legal. Unless you think unborn babies should be disposed of like so much menstrual tissue. Unless you are still pretending that it's all okay...because it's not.

If you fall in that camp, you need to see the pictures. Now, don't be afraid - if you are so sure you are on the right side of this, then what do you have to be afraid of? Right?

If you're convinced you are on the right side of this, and that side is for abortion (even if that means "I-would-never-choose-it-personally-but-I-can't-make-that-choice-for-someone-else"), you can see the reality here. You ought to know what you are advocating. You ought to know what women are being lied to about. You ought to know what our country is coming to. You ought to know.

But if you don't want to see the pictures, it is an indication that you already know that something in your heart does not match up with your professed beliefs. Shame off you...you can stop pretending.

We'll stop pretending this is about choice...because women are being lied to.

We'll stop pretending women have no other options...because there is no such thing as an unwanted child in America. For every aborted baby, there are at least five families who would love to adopt that baby and give him or her a loving home.

We'll stop pretending this is about women's rights. Because women deserve better.

We deserve the truth. We deserve to be respected as people who can face the consequences of our choices. We deserve to be empowered, not simply enabled. We are so much better than this.

Autistic Salutatorian Inspires With Speech

I won't apologize

A five-minute-read that will add fuel to your fire and ammo to your artillery:

A funny thing happened to me the other day when my wife and I had, thank God, another baby (a boy). Many of my friends didn't seem all that happy for me. Sure, they went through the motions of smiles and congratulations. But it was evident that many thought me insane. Why would a young man and his wife ruin their lives with eight children? Who could afford the Jewish day-school bills? Didn't we want to live life a little, and not just be burdened with kids?

It got downright surreal when a European film company, pressed me, while my wife was in labor, to finish shooting a segment that had an urgent deadline (I obviously told them they were insane). And the next day, I was mildly criticized by a Jewish organization which was supposed to be hosting me for a lecture for having to cancel on them because the lecture clashed with the baby's [curcumcision].

I don't mind that the world doesn't really love babies, just that it pretends to. It's time we got honest about our priorities. Most people get a new car every two or three years, but one or two babies through the life of their marriage is plenty. You can get drunk on an airplane, laugh hysterically with your mates, and still not really anger people. But if you dare bring a crying baby on board you will be given malicious looks as if the little thing is a package that ticks. If you walk your dog along the street, people will stop you to tell you how cute he is. If you walk down the street with a baby, you might find a woman or two who coos, but for the most part, you'll be utterly ignored.

Indeed, the contempt shown to parents of many children is the last acceptable prejudice in our society. As a father of a large family, I find myself apologizing wherever I go, as if I committed a crime. The frequent and loaded stares from scornful onlookers imply that the famine in Africa was caused by my selfish insistence on overpopulating the earth. Long ago my wife and I discovered that few hotels were prepared to accommodate so many children, even if we took three of four rooms, which is why we bought an RV for travel.

How strange to live in a world where loving children casts one in infamy. Having a family with many children implies a backwardness and primitivism that is deemed unbecoming in the developed countries of the West. Large families, it is thought, exist only among religious weirdoes or the teeming hovels of the Third World.

Rich countries, by contrast, prefer to increase their standard of living rather than the number of the living. Looking at Western birth rates for the year 2001, the United States averaged only 14.2 births for every thousand Americans, and the birthrate among white Americans is so low that the United States will soon lose its white majority. Indeed, one can go for days in a wealthy city like Manhattan without encountering a single pregnant woman. Riches and children have become inversely proportional such that the more of the former, the less of the latter.

Hence, the high birth rates of extremely poor African nations like Uganda – at 47.52 births per 1,000 – or Niger with 50.68 births per 1,000, are deemed to be prime causes and indicators of their penury. The abundant fertility and unconstrained sexuality of these countries confirms the unspoken Western mindset of these country's inhabitants as being just one step above savages. Contraception has become a synonym for civilization.

A Christian mother of six once wrote to me, "I find it troubling to worry about getting pregnant again ... because I don't want to face the criticism of friends and family. Why do people not see children as a blessing?" A fair question which deserves a fair response.

Why is it that even many synagogues today are not children friendly? Why are people impressed that Jay Leno owns 20 motorcycles, but disgusted that some religious families choose to have 10 children?

Let's not finesse the response. We all know why. A world that has lost its innocence has trouble appreciating beings who are innocent. A world that has become selfish has soured to the idea of leading a life of selflessness. A world that has become grossly materialistic is turned off to the idea of more dependents who consume resources. And a world that mistakenly believes that freedom means a lack of responsibility is opposed to the idea of needy creatures who "tie you down."

They can go fly a kite.

By just looking at my children, I become more innocent. By loving them, I become more noble. By spending my money on them rather than myself, I find transcendence. And by being a father and liberating all of the love in my heart, my spirit soars free. I work hard to support a large family and I give up no pleasures in doing so because my children are my foremost pleasure.

I am often asked by women dating men how to tell whether they are marriage material. I tell them, "See if he enjoys children." A man who loves children is playful. He will spend his life joking with his wife because he loves to see her laugh, and will flirt with her because he loves to see her smile.

There was a time when husbands and wives worked hard to ensure they could afford the blessings of a large family. Today, the higher your earning bracket the fewer children you have, but then we always knew that many turn money from a blessing into a curse.

Before he died, the Lubavitcher Rebbe launched a campaign asking parents to have one more child than they originally planned. It is a campaign that a dwindling Jewish community should revive as it continues to disappear.

- Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, 2006

No Arms, No Legs, No Worries...

Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs. That doesn't stop him from living a life of joyful gratitude. And from making it his passion to share a message of hope. Watch this video to be inspired and to see your life a little differently; and then visit his incredible website for more.

Woman Conceived in Rape is Grateful for Life...

Just another reminder that there are always two lives to consider in the decision to choose life or abortion.
Deborah Morlani, pro-life speaker and mother of five, defends Cardinal Oullet's stand in defense of those conceived in rape and talks about her own mother's decision, at the age of 16, to defend the life of her child:

"When she found out she was pregnant there was no doubt in her mind that I was her little baby and she was going to keep me and ensure that no one hurt me like she was hurt. She always felt very protective of my life while I was growing in her womb and throughout my childhood..."


"My mom made a doll named Suzie for me shortly after I was born and  I still have her to this day. This little 12" handmade cotton doll has meant a lot to me over the years; she reminds me that I was a baby worth loving no matter how I was conceived. She reminds me that babies are worth loving, no exceptions."

Morlani has made it one of the missions of her life to defend the lives of babies, like her, "who were conceived in rape and to work toward ending the discrimination and hatred aimed toward us."

Read the full article here and do pass it on: Woman Conceived in Rape Thanks Quebec Cardinal for Abortion Statements

Raquel Welch takes an honest look at sexual freedom...

Raquel Welch, an award-winning actress and American sex symbol, has penned the following article for the CNN Opinion website discussing the pros and cons of a sex-saturated culture. Without knowing her specific position on abortion, I would definitely classify this as a "pro-life" article as she strongly recognizes the importance of family, children and the importance of limits to sexual freedoms.

(CNN)  -- Margaret Sanger opened the first American family-planning clinic in 1916, and nothing would be the same again. Since then the growing proliferation of birth control methods has had an awesome effect on both sexes and led to a sea change in moral values.

And as I've grown older over the past five decades -- from 1960 to 2010 -- and lived through this revolutionary period in female sexuality, I've seen how it has altered American society -- for better or worse.

On the upside, by the early 60's The Pill had made it easier for a woman to choose to delay having children until after she established herself in a career. Nonetheless, for young women of childbearing age (I was one of them) there was a need for some careful soul searching -- and consideration about the long-range effects of oral contraceptives -- before addressing this very personal decision. It was a decision I too would have to face when I discovered I was pregnant at age 19.

Even though I was married to the baby's father, Jim Welch, I wasn't prepared for this development. It meant I would have to put my career ambitions on hold. But "the choice" was not mine alone to make. I had always wanted to have Jim's babies, but wasn't at all sure how he would react. At the time, we were 19-year-old newlyweds, struggling to make ends meet. But he was unflinching in his desire to keep our baby and his positive, upbeat attitude about the whole prospect turned everything around. I have always loved Jim for how he responded in that moment.

During my pregnancy, I came to realize that this process was not about me. I was just a spectator to the metamorphosis that was happening inside my womb so that another life could be born. It came down to an act of self-sacrifice, especially for me, as a woman. But both of us were fully involved, not just for that moment, but for the rest of our lives. And it's scary. You may think you can skirt around the issue and dodge the decision, but I've never known anyone who could. Jim and I had two beautiful children who've been an ongoing blessing to both of us.

Later, I would strike out on my own, with my little ones, as a single mother to pursue a career in the movies. It was far from ideal, but my children didn't impede my progress. They grounded me in reality and forced me into an early maturity. I should add that having two babies didn't destroy my figure.

But if I'd had a different attitude about sex, conception and responsibility, things would have been very different.

One significant, and enduring, effect of The Pill on female sexual attitudes during the 60's, was: "Now we can have sex anytime we want, without the consequences. Hallelujah, let's party!"

It remains this way. These days, nobody seems able to "keep it in their pants" or honor a commitment! Raising the question: Is marriage still a viable option? I'm ashamed to admit that I myself have been married four times, and yet I still feel that it is the cornerstone of civilization, an essential institution that stabilizes society, provides a sanctuary for children and saves us from anarchy.

In stark contrast, a lack of sexual inhibitions, or as some call it, "sexual freedom," has taken the caution and discernment out of choosing a sexual partner, which used to be the equivalent of choosing a life partner. Without a commitment, the trust and loyalty between couples of childbearing age is missing, and obviously leads to incidents of infidelity. No one seems immune.

As a result of the example set by their elders, by the 1990s teenage sexual promiscuity -- or hooking up -- with multiple partners had become a common occurrence. Many of my friends who were parents of teenagers sat in stunned silence several years ago when it came to light that oral sex had become a popular practice among adolescent girls in middle schools across the country.

The 13-year-old daughter of one such friend freely admitted to performing fellatio on several boys at school on a regular basis. "Aw come on, Mom. It's no big deal. Everyone is doing it," she said. Apparently, since it's not the act of intercourse, kids don't count it as sex. Can any sane person fail to make a judgment call about that?

Seriously, folks, if an aging sex symbol like me starts waving the red flag of caution over how low moral standards have plummeted, you know it's gotta be pretty bad. In fact, it's precisely because of the sexy image I've had that it's important for me to speak up and say: Come on girls! Time to pull up our socks! We're capable of so much better.

Aborted Fetal DNA in vaccines linked to Autism?

 

In Febuary of 2009, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims denied awarding damages to three families who believe that vaccines caused their children's diseases. They are only 3 of 5,000 such families seeking restitution from a government program that exists to compensate people injured by vaccines. The very existence of the program proves that these injuries do happen. However, government studies say that the dramatic increase in cases of autism is not linked to vaccinations.

The foundation of these case against vaccinations was the use and potentially harmful effect of mercury. But others are saying that this is the fundamental reason that the families lost their cases; that mercury is not the cause of the disease. There still remains a strong connection between vaccinations and the rise of autism, they say, but Mercury is not the culprit.
Studies conducted by the Sound Chose Pharmaceutical Institute indicate that the link is not mercury but rather residual DNA from aborted babies used to make certain vaccines.

We already know that embryonic stem cell research has been an abysmal failure . Not only has it been shown to be ineffective but also damaging to patients. Is this further evidence of the same?

Pro-life activist and blogger Jill Stanek thinks so: "That virus-laden DNA of aborted babies could be wreaking havoc on the DNA of healthy children is completely plausible."

Moral objections to vaccines created using aborted fetal cell lines have been raised for many years although not loudly enough to affect main stream users. Many parents are frightened by the risk of disease from a failure to vaccinate and override their moral objections for the health of their children. What many do not know is that effective, safe and morally acceptable forms of these vaccines are available in other countries but not approved by the ethically compromised FDA. When enough people refuse to participate perhaps someone will think the effort worth it.

Do we now have a health concern to add to our moral objections?

For further information about how many of our vaccines are tainted with the cell lines of aborted babies, please visit Children of God for Life .

HFL Artist Walks for Life...

Elizabeth Knox is a mother, artist and a pro-lifer who walks the talk. Literally! Please take a moment to read about her latest effort and find out how you can help her support life.

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Hello Friends!! My name is Elizabeth Knox and I am participating in an important event in my community. The Carolina Pregnancy Center of Washington, North Carolina is having its annual Walk for Life and I am asking neighbors, friends, and family to sponsor me. Would you please be one of my sponsors? This non-profit ministry served nearly 1000 clients and nearly 5000 students last year! Many of the teens, women, and men are facing difficult circumstances and need the emotional support and practical assistance offered free at the Center. The Center serves clients in 2 locations, Greenville and Washington, North Carolina. If you would like to participate with me by being one of my sponsors, I would really appreciate it. Sponsorship is for the event, not per mile, and any gift you give is tax-deductible. EVERY DOLLAR RAISED HELPS: *Teens hear the challenge of sexual abstinence through the “Its Great to Wait” program in the public schools. *Pregnant women hear the truth about all their options, while counselors pray they will choose life for the child. *Young moms-to-be prepare for birth and parenting challenges. *Young women & men earn vouchers for baby items through our parenting classes. *Struggling women find emotional and spiritual recovery from an abortion through the “Mended Hearts” program and the P.A.L.M. one-day healing conference. *Clients hear about the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. My goal is to raise $1000 to help these families in need! I know I have set my goal high but I am very passionate about this. If you would like to sponsor me, please send me a email - lizzy_h_03 [!at] yahoo.com. In the email specify if you would like your commitment of $10 or more to be billed to you by the Center and your address. If your donation is under $10 or if you are making a larger donation and prefer not to be billed, please send a check made out to the Carolina Pregnancy Center to Elizabeth Knox, 113 E. 12th Street, Washington, NC 27889.  I appreciate all your support!  God Bless, Elizabeth Knox ************************* In addition to her pro-life work, Elizabeth also dedicates her time to supporting research for Trisomy 18, the condition which took the life of her newborn daughter, Lilly. You can read more about her journey HERE . Mommy love and misses her very much!

Guilty...

  

I confess. I have been guilty of some serious blog neglect here. My only defense is that I am busy (and very sick) walking the pro-life talk. I'm pregnant for the 7th time (my 6th ended in miscarriage) and even though I've finally entered the 2nd trimester, I continue to be very sick.

I keep wondering what the problem is. Is my body chemistry out of whack? Do I have some underlying illness? My SIL thinks I'm having twins. Twins? I'm on Zofran and it's really only taking the edge off. I asked my midwife: "What's wrong with me?" She said, "Nothing dear, you just have a healthy pregnancy."

Oh, if only I could bypass pregnancy and just have the baby! Come to think of it, I'd rather bypass labor, too. I don't want to be pregnant. I don't want to go through childbirth. I'm uncomfortable, sick and exhausted.

And whiny.

This really is the point where I can see into the mind and heart of the pro-aborts. I  used to be one before I became a mother. And now that I'm a mother, I know the pain of a mother's sacrifice. I certainly will never minimize another's. I also know that it's not all about me. This is 100% my pregnancy. But I cannot claim any percentage of my child's life. It is all his or hers. There is no natural right that I have to shorten that life. There is however a moral obligation as a mother to care for and protect my child.

I am suffering. I am weary. And I am guilty. Guilty of many acts of selfishness. But this child is bathed in innocence. And will not suffer for my guilt. My reward for protecting the life of my child will be the unspeakable joy that he or she will bring to my mother's heart and the satisfaction of having given the best (and yes, the worst) of myself for their well-being.

The blog is lagging because of my current struggle. I hope you all hang in there and overlook my lapse. I'm guilty. But I'm very busy growing innocence.

China enforces one-child rule with mandatory sterilizations...

The Chinese government once again demonstrates gross violation of the natural rights of the Chinese people.

"Doctors in southern China are working around the clock to fulfil a government goal to sterilise — by force if necessary — almost 10,000 men and women who have violated birth control policies. Family planning authorities are so determined to stop couples from producing more children than the regulations allow that they are detaining the relatives of those who resist..."

"Zhang Lizhao, 38, the father of two sons, aged 6 and 4, said that he rushed home late last night from buying loquats for his wholesale fruit business to undergo sterilisation after his elder brother was detained. His wife had already returned so that the brother would be freed.

Mr Zhang said: “This morning my wife called me and said they were forcing her to be sterilised today. She pleaded with the clinic to wait because she has her period. But they would not wait a single day. I called and begged them but they said no. So I have rushed back. I am satisfied because I have two sons.”

Thousands of others have refused to submit and officials are continuing to detain relatives, including elderly parents, to force them to submit to surgery. Those in detention are required to listen to lectures on the rules limiting the size of families." (Read the full article here)

On a somewhat related note, there is increasing concern that acceptance of voluntary sterilization brings a host of difficulties to individuals, families and communities. Is there any strength to this claim? Here are a couple interesting articles submitted by the Couple to Couple League clarifying those concerns:

Tubal Ligation: Some Questions and Answers 

Vasectomy: Some Questions and Answers 

For those who have no voice...