LIFE

Recently, I became an aunt for the very first time. My little niece is such a blessing; she’s beautiful, healthy and alive. For a while we were not sure if she would be born or born healthy as there were circumstances beyond her control that could have played a toll on her tiny body as it was developing. Miraculously, she was born happy and healthy right before Christmas; the perfect gift to our family.

Children are always a gift! Children are always a blessing! I cannot comprehend how anyone could think otherwise. If my niece were born and had had a disability, we would still love her. It does not matter what a child’s outward appearance, they are life at its purest and most innocent.

I am baffled that some will argue that to have a special needs child would be “too hard” on the family. Did you ask the unborn baby what she wanted? Obviously, no.  Did you consider how developed and capable this person can be? How do you convince yourself that you could be a good parent when you are obviously only going to love your baby conditionally.   “Hey John… we love you but only if you are ‘normal.’ Or when you are the star QB or when you get straight A’s or when you look perfect.”

My incredible cousins watch a family with three girls. One of the daughters has special needs. She is precious, she is smart and she is a joy to be with.  Just looking at her pictures and videos my cousins send make me smile. Her outlook on life challenges me all of the time. Despite all of her health issues and the appearance that makes people stare she doesn’t care. She loves life, her family and her friends. She smiles and laughs and tries to talk through her tracheotomy and say the names of those she loves all with a happiness and appreciation that we all should have a little more of in our lives.  Yet, some would want to abort her, kill her and never allow her life.

Why do we use that word? Why don’t we call it what it is? Murder, killing, destroying.

It brings me to tears that we live in a nation that still says it is okay to “terminate” a pregnancy at 6 months.  A coworker has a friend who had her baby girl 3 months early. She is small, she’s in NICU but she is alive and happy. She hears her father’s voice and smiles, a voice she has heard the entire time she was in her mother’s womb.

Now tell me… if a baby is born and knows his or her parent’s voice at six months gestation, born three months early …how do you call it a “blob” in the womb? What happens between month 3 and month 9, or month 4 and month 9, or month 6 and month 9…and for some of you as the “fetus” is being born and then when they are in their mother’s arms… what separates them from being a blob to being a human being?  Do you believe this about cats and dogs? Is a cat pregnant with kittens or are they just “blobs” or “fetuses” until you decide they are a cat?

What also needs to be addressed are the lies that are sold to single mothers by women’s groups, Planned Parenthood and even some churches! Take for example the  business in Pennsylvania who claim, “Grace Medical Care was established to provide safe, compassionate, therapeutic termination of pregnancy procedures in a considerate and respectful manner.”

Considerate huh? Tell me Grace Med, are you considering the life of the baby?  What about the physical and emotional trauma the mother will go through after the abortion and for years to come? Will you be there to help her with her guilt, despair and anxiety?

Tell me Planned Parenthood and National Organization for Woman (NOW), if the baby you are aborting is a girl?  What about her women’s rights? Do they not count until YOU say so?

Tell me Christians, pastors, priests, nuns, presbyters, bishops and deacons; where have you been? What are you doing?  Frankly, you repulse me. It sickens me that Christians would vote for politicians who support abortion, or death.   It makes me angry when pastors are silent and use scripture for their passivity.  They should be teaching their congregation to look into the Word before voting and know we serve and worship the God of life.  It disgusts me that as a church body we have done nothing of substance to save these beautiful children from dying.  And, it is sad that we haven’t done more to save those who are alive from the hell that is the US Foster Care System.

So, let’s start today.  I am starting, by challenging myself, my family, my friends, and society to change the culture of death in our nation.  Change the culture that says children are a choice when they are a blessing!  Change the culture in our political system so our politicians know the life is precious and you will only support those that believe so. Change the feminist movement so they realize there are real women out there who are hard working wives and mothers and that’s okay!  The challenge: to change our culture into a culture of LIFE.