PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU VOTE!

http://nagsheader.blogspot.com/2008/10/line-i-cannot-cross.html#links

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON!!!

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him."

Psalm 127:3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAUGHTER!

May Jesus always shine in your life!

MARCHING BANDS

One of the many pleasures of FALL is the sound of the drums methodically beating as a Marching Band takes their place on a football field. I love the cooler weather and the sight of parents excitedly scanning

the field for their student. Some of the most enthusiastic and intense parents are those who once marched themselves. They know the pressures and the relief when the routine is complete.

Watching my granddaughter march brings back so many memories of the high school band days with my son. Friday night football was ok but I was there to see the band!



My granddaughter's band won 1st place this past Saturday and will go to State Finals on the 25th. Now that she is a senior her marching orders will soon be coming at college level.


But we will soon have another high school band student. r Grandson is gearing up by practising with Papa.

BIRTHDAY WEEK!

During the next week I will celebrate my birthday and both of my children will celebrate theirs. We call this BIRTHDAY WEEK and we love it.

I never think about my age on my birthday; however I do think about my children's ages. Where did the time go?

I am very thankful that God gave me another year but I am no different than most. I do not like to dwell on my age only because the older you get the faster the days go by. I have so many projects I would like to accomplish that I do not want to consider the clock ticking on my time. I now dislike going into the Post Office because at the desk there is that clock ticking away the seconds. If you have to wait in line for your turn, then you must watch your life go by second by second. I pity those postal workers!

When you need to know my age I think it says more about you than me. Actually I am a little put off by persons asking my age. What I wonder is this. Why is it so important to know my age. If you think I am younger than I am would you change your opinion of me if you learned I am older. And if you think I am older and then learn my age, would that make a difference in how you treat me? Can we only be friends if we are the same age? Kind of takes you back to grade school, doesn't it?

I don't like the way society tags an age on people for everything. If your name is in the news for an achievement, there is your age as if it is very important to the story. I don't get it.

As I live out each day of my life I dwell on my age even less than I dwell on my weight. It just isn't very important in the grand scheme of things. Maybe one day when death is knocking at the door, I will be caught by surprise and say, "Wait, I didn't think I was that old!"

Birthday's could be much more exciting if everyone around me did not constantly remind me of the down side of aging. We talk about "aging" as if it is a disease that only afflicts a certain pitiful group. If the definition of aging is "the process of growing older" then anyone fortunate enough to be living is "aging", which makes it a desired process. And "aging" has been a positive experience for me in that it has caused me me to take more seriously the goals I want to accomplish. I have stopped procrastinating and gotten busy doing the things I “always wanted to do” and spending precious time with my family instead of thinking time is unlimited. Those were positive changes.

It seems everyone around me is determined that I feel as old as they evidently do. When my sister calls or e-mails me it is a sure thing that she will either mention age or ask if my husband has retired. I wonder, is she constantly thinking about her age? This really surprises me because she is a very busy person. She can hardly wait to reach retirement age. I am already where I want to be. I fired my boss in order to write and, Lord willing, I will write long past retirement age. Those who are longing for retirement may not be fully enjoying the now. I am not putting life's pleasures on hold. We are not promised tomorrow.

The last straw was being asked to serve as Senior Citizens Director at my church. I am just not ready to be my mother's leader! I declined.

IT'S ALL GOOD!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,not lacking anything."

James 1:2-4

It is, oh, so hard to consider it joy when you are in the midst of pain or disappointment. When you are walking in the fog of confusion the sights and sounds surrounding you can play tricks on your heart.

Last night I prayed into the night for my dear daughter. I know she is discouraged and burdened by the why questions. Thankfully, I also know that, though burdened she may be, her foundation will not be shaken. One of the precious stories of her childhood is the following:

One day as I drove home after picking her up from elementary

school she made a remark that jarred me from my

momentary complacency. She remarked, in her sweet, trusting

voice, "I know nothing bad will ever happen to me."

When I replied, "How do you know this?” she said with conviction,

"Because God loves me and He will never let anything bad happen to me."

While I was thrilled that she already put her trust in her heavenly father, my reaction was not what it might have been had I been privy to advance notes on the conversation to come. Instead of simply agreeing that God would always take care of her, no matter what, I went into the parent/teacher/mentor mode and thought I should explain to her then and there that bad things can still happen to you, even though God loves you dearly; however He will always be there with you.

Truthfully there wasn't much I needed to tell her since she was growing up in a home where family devotions were shared most every day and the church was our second home. She knew she was loved by God and her family, and she felt safe and secure. I came out of that short conversation feeling kind of low. Had I mislead her to believe that Christians never have problems and that we are a bubble family, like bubble boy? I actually felt much worse than I did on the day I had to tell her that she had not yet made the choice to follow Christ. (she had remarked, “We are a Christian family aren't we?) That's me, no teaching degree, but I am compelled to teach 24/7. Even when I know I should give it a break.

I felt that I had taken away her childish innocence in the world as a perfect place. Sure, it would have happened at some point, but I didn't want to have a hand in it. After that day, for a while, I watched her closely to see if she felt less happy or less secure.

What I saw was her begin her journey towards spiritual maturity. And I have had to confess to her that she was right. God won't let anything bad happen to her. That's because God loves her He only wants good for her. All that happens in her life is ultimately for the good. Whether because He wills it or because He allows it. He even gave us the gift of prayer to use to communicate with Him our needs and to listen to His guidance. Although, in the purest form of devotion to God there is never a doubt that what is happening in your life is good.

Very simply, it is much the same as when you trustingly took the hand of your parent as you walked into the doctors office to face the needle which held a medicine of protection. I was always amazed that neither of my children minded at all getting their shots. They were so brave! The shot may sting for a moment, but you knew, without a doubt, that your mommy or daddy would not let someone hurt you unless it was for your own good! Maybe, that was what my daughter was saying long ago when she expressed, "God loves me and will never let anything bad happen to me."

“We know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28

BEAUTY FOR ASHES part 3

Just when you think you have it all figured out, Satan drops another bombshell. In the news this week is a local family where the step-father has been arrested for the sexual abuse of his 11 year old step-daughter. If that isn't enough to make your heart shutter, the 11 year old is pregnant.

Unfortunately, due to my years as a child advocate and working closely with the Department of Social Services this is not the first time I have heard this tragic story. Yes, sometimes the child victim is also the mother of an infant who needs protection. Adults who want to protect the infant often lose sight of the fact that the infant’s mother is also a victim and needs protection. These situations are so convoluted that sometimes paper and pencil are needed to map out who is who.

It would truly take a team of professionals working quickly to gather information to council the child and her care givers. Unfortunately, it may well be that the blood family are not capable of putting the child's best interest first. Obviously, in this case, bringing in a new father figure, the mother failed to make a wise choice. And the child’s fate is likely in the hands of state workers. But, I digress.

My adult daughter called to ask my opinion of abortion in this situation. She knew how strongly I appose it. "But what if the mother is only eleven?"

When my daughter was 11 she was very much a little girl, as I was at that age. I know she was thinking that an 11 year old could not easily have a baby. Although, abortion to protect the life of the mother is often used to argue why abortion needs to be legal; in actuality this is extremely rare. It has been reported that it is less than 1%. Would abortion to save the emotional life of the child be acceptable?

At what age is the mother still a child and the abortion is essential? 11, 12, 13? And how advanced is the pregnancy? There are so many caveats to this question. There are no easy answers. I suppose this is why pro choice-pro life and Roe vs. Wade is still being argued. Either way the child is scared for life. Doctors may deal with the physical and emotional; however, only God can heal the heart.

“Because of the Lord’s great love
we are not consumed,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23

BEAUTY FOR ASHES part 2

"You are valuable because you exist.

Not because of what you do or what you have done...

but simply because you are!"

~Max Lucado

Tonight I received an e-mail announcement of the birth of a former co-workers first child.

This precious baby girl is healthy and absolutely beautiful. If she were not so perfect would her life be of less value?

Viewing the photo of this baby was a bittersweet moment. While I am extremely happy for the new mother (who will be an excellent parent to her daughter) I feel a stab of pain as I remember another mother whose baby was due this week also. A mother who didn't get to hold her baby, a mother who still waits for God's answer to her prayers.

As October approached, my calendar began to remind me of the date I had written in ink for the approximate day of the birth of my grandchild. Because this was the third loss for my sweet daughter and her dear husband our thoughts and conversations often touch on adoption. I, also, have a daughter in law who was adopted as an infant. The wait for a newborn can be a long one. I think of all the babies that could have been adopted but were aborted.

While working in a non profit created specifically to advocate for neglected and abused children, I was told by my employer that my personal views on abortion were irrelevant. I do not think that they were. I might keep silent regarding my personal political opinions but the protection of children must begin even before they are born. As a christian my belief is a part of me that cannot be left at the door as I enter any arena.

Women can be prosecuted for using drugs that end the life of the unborn and two charges are sometimes brought against the one who murders a pregnant woman. Why, then must we look the other way when women choose to end the lives of their children. Can the agency which protects the rights of children work hand in hand with the agency which assists parents in terminating the life of a child?

I have been privileged to see so much beauty from the ashes of failure. God can take anything and use it for good. I have many friends who have adopted. Serving as a foster parent I had the joy of caring for adoptable children. My heart was broken when those children left my life, but the beauty they left behind is immeasurable. Three of the many boys I have advocated for are currently serving our country in the military. I am so proud of them and more importantly, they are proud of themselves.

Of the many terrible home situations I have witnessed, I have never, even for a second, thought the children should not have been born. The challenge was and is to encourage them to live beyond their obvious limitations whether it be poverty, abuse , physical or mental challenges, or, the most tragic of all, lack of family love and support.

"Children are a gift from God."

Psalm 127:3

Baby Spencer, one of God's beauties!

BEAUTY FOR ASHES part 1

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Isaiah 61:3 (KJV)

A friend inquired as to how I reconcile my pro life view with the many children who are born unwanted and then experience unspeakable horror in their short lives. And if thousands upon thousands (millions upon millions) of children were being born instead of being aborted what would happen with over crowding, food supplies, etc?

This doesn't puzzle me as much as why God allowed some to be born in America when many others are born into poverty, war, disease and famine in other countries. The only thing that makes sense is that we are to help those less fortunate than our selves; and, helpless unborn babies are the least fortunate of all. The issue of child abuse or other terrible situations in life is totally separate from the issue of terminating an unborn life. One doesn't justify the other.

I had a mostly rotten childhood. Would it have been better if I had been aborted because I would face abuse at the hands of my parents? It is my history that causes me to care about the suffering of children. It is my history that allowed me to hear the call to be the voice of almost 50 abused and neglected children. It is my history that looks for ways to encourage families who are struggling. And I wouldn't trade the joy I had in my own babies for anything, even a wonderful loving childhood.

Has God brought beauty from the ashes for me? Most definitely, yes. Has my life made a difference? I hope so.
But what is important is that I am thankful for my life and believe every soul should have the same opportunity even if the evil in this world harms or takes away a life.

God is in control but He is not a dictator. Parents who abuse have the opportunity to parent with love. Their wrong choices which cause suffering for others should not cause us to make the wrong choice of ending life instead of protecting it. We can choose to turn our backs or to help.

Maybe the woman's life is easier without the burden of caring for the aborted child. But the child has no life at all. How can one person’s life be more valuable than another? How can the woman's right to choose carry more weight than the baby's right to live?

What if the child who would grow up to discover the cure for cancer has been aborted? Or, will be aborted in the future if someone doesn't change his or her mother's mind?


He gives beauty for ashes

Strength for fear

Gladness for Mourning

Peace for despair


~Crystal Lewis

"..I knew you before I formed you in your mothers womb.." Jerimiah 1:5