Come, Read the Bible with Me!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Set Yourself Ablaze this Christmas, or anytime!

Once again, from long ago on the Bayly Blog, my favorite story:

Christmas, 1988, N Train

A young woman we know writes: It was the gilt-edged pages that gave him away. Most people who read the Bible on the subway have a small pocket edition and keep it to themselves. This young man looked as if he had come away with the family King James. Otherwise, he was ordinary-looking; gray jacket, plaid scarf, blue jeans, white sneakers, bristly brown hair; a gold wedding band. He waited until the N train had pulled out of the Queensboro Plaza station and was under the East River, and then he read aloud, "In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus…" A groan went out from my fellow-passengers.

Talk about a captive audience. The train was too crowded for people to switch cars. And New Yorkers will put up with all sorts of things rather than give up their seats on the subway. I couldn’t help thinking that the young man was lucky there were no maniacs aboard and no piles of stones at hand. But no matter how you feel about being force-fed the gospel under the East River it holds up better than the Times or the Post or the subway ads for Dr. Zizmor, dermatologist. Anyway, no one moved. No one said, "Oh, shut up." No one wanted to be identified as an irreligious loner at Christmastime.

I found myself criticizing the young man’s intonation. He had a good strong voice, but the words rocked up and back unvaryingly: "…to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child." When he was done, and the shepherds had rejoiced, he changed--thank goodness--his rhythm. He started singing "Joy to the World." He sang two full verses of it, again in a good, strong voice. But no one joined in. I was tempted, partly because I felt sorry for him--singing in the face of so much hostility--and also because I’m a sucker for actual human voices raised in song, as opposed to canned carols such as one hears in Doubleday (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) and in Barnes & Noble (gloh-o-o-o-o-oh-o-o-o-o-oh-o-o-o-o-oh-ria). But I was sitting next to a man rigid with pain and fury at having his subway meditations interrupted, and I felt sorry for him, too. Especially when the young man finished singing and began to preach, reminding us that we were all God’s creatures on the N train and that for each of us He had a plan. God’s creature next to me was probably thinking that he didn’t take the subway to fall in with God’s plan--he took the subway to get to Fifty-ninth and Lexington.

(“The Talk of the Town” in The New Yorker, Dec. 26, 1988.)



So go out and light yourself on fire! What have you got to lose?

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Once Upon a Time, Men Wore the Pants (warning, the following material may be offensive)




If you click on this post title, you will be taken to a "WalletPop" article about this Dockers ad.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

A Prayer for Our President Obama

Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.

He will judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.

The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.

He will defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
he will crush the oppressor.

He will endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.

He will be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.

In his days the righteous will flourish;
prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.

He will rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The desert tribes will bow before him
and his enemies will lick the dust.

The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
will bring tribute to him;
the kings of Sheba and Seba
will present him gifts.

All kings will bow down to him
and all nations will serve him.

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.

He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.

He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.

Let grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon;
let it thrive like the grass of the field.

May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
All nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.

Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.

Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.

This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse. (Psalm 72)

Friday, June 26, 2009

JAMES SAMUEL KINNEY, Millington

JAMES SAMUEL KINNEY passed from our world peacefully and entered God’s Kingdom Sunday afternoon, June 14, 2009 at his residence with family and friends, at the age of 86. James Samuel Kinney was born in Watertown Twp. on Feb. 25, 1923 and was the son of the late Chester and Mary (Seddon) Kinney. Jim had been a Millington area resident his entire life. He was a graduate of Mayville High School. After high school Jim served our country during WW II in the U.S. Navy Upon his returning home from his tour with the Navy after the war Jim married Viola Burns, and together they have celebrated 62 years. Jim was a tool and die maker for companies of Frankenmuth Engineering, Wicks Tool & Die in Saginaw, retiring from the company known as Godman Tool, based in Milford, CT. Jim and Viola raised 10 children, of which he was very proud of all of them. Jim leaves to cherish his memory, wife Viola; children, David and Dianne Kinney, Tim and Carolyn Kinney, Dan Kinney, Debbie and Vern Wilkinson, Tom Kinney, Libbie Knauer, Peter and Darlene Kinney, Ben Kinney, Rachel and Glen Pierson and Hannah Henderson; 16 grandchildren, David and Michelle Kinney Jr., Darren and Patty Kinney, Brian and Sherrie Kinney, James and Lonie Gornick, Stephanie and Randy Riley, Patrick Kinney, Jason Kinney, Monica and Mike O’Keefe, Heather Knauer, Sarah and Shawn Phelps, Grace Henderson, Holly Pierson, Lydia Pierson, Sam Henderson, Phillip Kinney, Matthew Kinney; 15 great-grandchildren, Travis Kinney, Megan E. Kinney, Megan A. Kinney, Rebecca Kinney, Jayden Kinney, Shane Kinney, Avery Kinney, Sydney Peterson, Brent Riley, Payton Riley, Krysta Riley, Natalie Riley, Lauren Riley, Colton Kinney, Aiden Phelps and Quenton Phelps; sister and brother-in-law, Esther and Ran McDonel; brother and sister-in-law, Chester and Betty Kinney Jr., as well as several nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

Besides his parents, Jim was also preceded in death by an infant daughter, Dinah Ruth Kinney; two sisters, Iris Burns and Joan Sherman; two brothers, Andrew and Paul Kinney and two brothers-in-law, George Burns and Mar Sherman.

The Kinney family will receive friends at Hanlin Funeral Home in Millington on Wednesday, June 17 from noon-8 p.m. Funeral service will be held at Millington United Methodist Church on Thursday, June 18 at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Millington Township Cemetery in Millington. Pastor Pete Crawford will deliver the funeral message and the committal prayers at the cemetery. Military honors will conclude the cemetery service under the direction of the Conrad-Wager & Keene American Legion Post 164. Memorials may be made to the family or to a charity of one’s choice.

You may leave a personal condolence or share a memory online at hanlinfuneralhome.com. Hanlin Funeral Home has been assisting the Kinney family with the arrangements.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The James S. Kinney Family



Dad grew up in the Chester Kinney Sr. family. Here they are, from left to right beginning in the back: Aunt Esther Nell, Dad, Uncle Chester, Uncle Paul, (front) Aunt Iris, Gramma Kinney, Grampa Kinney, Aunt JoAnne. My Mom said he was the best of the lot...

...so he married her. Mom said that she married him because he knew his Bible, he didn't cuss, and he was a good man. I think she was also head over heals. He was a good man. He was a James 1:19-21 kind of man.

James and Viola Kinney had children...a bunch of them. Here we are in, probably 1966 or '67 judging by the teeth I am missing, and that the two eldest sons are gone. Dave is probably off to war, and Tim to college.

From left to right; back row: Tom (#5), Deb (#4), Dan (#3), Lib (#6)
From left to right; front row: Ben (#8), Rae (#9), Mom, Dad, Pete (#7)
On Dad's lap: Hannah (#10)

Years of events, world and personal kept the entire family from meeting up again until 1978 when we all got together to celebrate MY high school graduation (jk). I think there was a gathering when Dave and Dan came home from the war, but I don't have a picture. Here we are in the coolest decade. I will not name them all, except to point out are the ones missing from the previous photo: Dave (#1) is second from the left, and Tim (#2) is second from the right. The one on Dad's lap this time was his most recent grandson, and namesake, Jimmy. Three other grandsons are pictured, and I suspect there were two pregnant daughter-in-laws! Also of significance, Harry Burns, my mother's father is seated front and center.


In 1985, Mom and Dad's youngest living daughter got married. Three of us are missing, but look how the grandchildren are growing in size and in number!


This is two years ago, in July 2007. This is my family.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

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

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

(Psalm 127)

Monday, June 15, 2009

James Samuel Kinney


February 25, 1923 - June 14, 2009

I love you, Dad.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

The Wind Blows Whereever it Pleases (Jn 3:8)

I cannot speak for anyone else who was there, only for myself. It's the oddest thing.

I am at Planned Parenthood very little on Thursdays. Sometimes, it seems as though that is my whole world, but it's only one hour out of one day in a whole week of them.


God saved a little one Thursday from death. He did it so quietly, and with no help from us. God is powerful, able, and sovereign. God is frightening in His power! He saved one little one, the one He planned to save, the one who's Mom walked into the building without much being said to her. Suddenly, the fog cleared, the lights came on, and she said, "I don't have to do this!"

Now, this is what was told to me, and I believe it. There have been other events that have been told to me that I passed on immediately. This one I didn't. To my shame, in my mind, it is so unspectacular. What a sinful woman I am!

This was spectacular! God showed his servants here, that when we plead with someone, and they change their minds, GOD SAVED A BABY FROM DEATH! Although God calls us there, and makes us faithful and effective, it is GOD WHO SAVES and not we ourselves.

In what can I boast? Let him who boasts, boast in the LORD! (I Corinthians 1:31)

Middle-aged White Guys


Once a month, we try to get to the IU campus to talk to people about abortion, protecting unborn children, life, death, sin, salvation, etc.

In March, because of the whole discussion about being mindful of purpose, I was a little short with some people. I was disappointed in myself, frankly.

I am trying to figure things out, all the time. One of the hardest for me, is relational. How to talk to people. Small-talk for me deteriorates into empty jokes, or worse it becomes not worthwhile, and just evaporates along with whatever relationship and future opportunity for meaningful conversations that might have been.

Conversations about meaningful things turn into lectures, with me doing the lecturing, which has a tendancy to boil away most relationships and future opportunities for meaningful conversations that might have been.

God is good, though, and through my faltering attempts to keep my conversations that meaningful, He let me meet a young woman who is going into the army soon. I wish I could see her again. I will definitely keep her in my prayers. I hope to see her again, soon.

Two quotes of the day for this month:


1. "Yah, but if it is illegal, only criminals will get abortions!" This is true, and what an interesting way to put it! It just calls to mind for me some lyrics. I think they (didn't) go something like this:
Imagine no injustice
It's not so hard to do:
Someone kills a child,
They get arrested too.
Imagine all the babies
Being born in peace!

You-woo-who-o-o You may say I'm a dreamer
But I love the Only One
Who can save you from all these lies!
The Truth of Christ can set you free!

Imagine all the people
Born and unborn
The strong protecting the weak
A brother-hood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world.

You-woo-who-o-o You may say I'm a dreamer
But I offer hope to you.
Turn to Jesus now
Our Lord is quick to save!

Imagine all the women
Treated with respect
With her husband there with her
Not giving in to fear
Imagine all the people
Supported through tough times

You-woo-who-o-o You may say I'm a dreamer
But that how it should be
Those in need aren't enmies
But they are blessing indeed!


2. (A car full of young angry women) "I just love to see middle-aged white guys holding those signs! @P#^&@!"
(to the left you will see our middle-aged white guys holding signs...ya gotta lov'm)

Scott, the young white man with the sign, showing abortion statistics, wrote about this encounter at his blog. (In a more recent post, he defended scripture against attacks...very level-headed; highly recommended for it's quiet calm.)

While we were out, someone who claimed to be from the IDS came along and asked if he could ask us questions. (I finally figured out who he reminded me of. You can see in the pic to the right.) I thought that was fine, until he lead me away to a table and chair down the sidewalk. I think this is one of those distractions, those things that take us away from why we are there. I learned from this to remain where sent, and he is more than welcome to talk to me just like anyone else there. (I haven't found the alleged article in the IDS)

Afterward, we had everyone involved, except that young white man holding a sign, and the character from the IDS, over for food and fellowship. Both were invited. It was a good, good time.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

What does the Bible say about Abortion?

I got an interesting question in a comment on a previous post. This is a question that I asked myself, several years ago, too. I cannot hope to answer it perfectly, so I invite all to flesh out this response.

Could you please point me to the specific passage in the Bible which states that abortion is the terrible wrong you claim it to be?


The short answer: "No." (Well, Yes, Exodus 20:13)

Neither can I point you to the specific passage in the Bible that states that God is Triune. Rather, what we know about the Triune nature and substance of God, and what we know about what God thinks about the murder of unborn children in the womb is learned by getting to know God.

We know, for instance that God is the giver of life in general, initially and continually (Genesis 1-2; Acts 17:25). We also know that it is God who "opens the womb" and creates a child within the womb of a woman. This we know not so much from a direct statement (although I think it is stated), as from the narative and example after example. For instance: Jacob, through the deceipt of his father-in-law, ended up with two wives. He loved Rachel and did not love Leah. God saw that Leah was not loved, and He gave her a child by Jacob (Genesis 29:31). Then, Rachel was tormented because she had no child and God "opened her womb" (Genesis 30:22). These are just a scraping of the surface of the explicitely stated involvement of God in the conceiving of children. We could also talk about the midwives in Egypt, Sarah, Hannah, Ruth, Bethsheba, Elizabeth, Mary. If we have eyes to see, then we can look at Mildred, my grandmother who was given five sons, and, finally a daughter, who was my mother, Viola. (The gifts handed down to Viola and James, and to me are for another post.) I know of a woman who could not have children. She went through rigorous, expensive, and heart wrenching fertility treatments to no avail. Finally, giving up, the Lord opened her womb, and she has a little girl following her around as she carries her second-born in her arms. I know another woman who was protecting herself from pregnancy by several methods, and still the Lord opened her womb, and gave her a child, who has been an unexpected blessing.

God explicitely tells us that He gives children, and that they are a blessing or reward in Psalm 127:3-5.

God gives us a glimpse of His involvement in our growth and development in Psalm 139:13-16.

All of the above contributes to the conclusion that when God tells us that He knew Joshua, Esau and Jacob, and John while still in the womb that He knows each child in the womb, because He is directly involved in their creation, growth, and development.

God forbids murder (Exodus 20:13) and then the Bible continues throughout to define murder as the taking of innocent life (http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=murder); and exacting punishment for murder (death).

If you, like I, have a wicked heart, and are still saying, "Yes, but so far you haven't shown me that God says, 'Thou shalt not abort your unborn child,'" there are two more places to look. If you insist on not seeing it, please let me know. I know the One, the only One who can change your mind and your heart.

In Amos 1:13, God was expecially angry with the Ammonites who tore open the wombs of pregnant women and killed their babies. "But look at the vicious damage they did to the women, this was what angered God! Abortion is safe for women now." No, look again. "...that they might enlarge their borders." It was not the women who threatened the Ammonite wealth enlargement, but those children in the womb, who would use up those resources. This was a vicious killing of innocent blood for the purpose of preserving wealth for those who are strong. And don't kid yourself about women not being hurt by abortion.

In Exodus 21:22-25 God tells the people (because like us, they had to have "what-if" laws to keep them from justifying themselves) that if two men are fighting, and one hits a pregnant woman, if the baby is born early, but well, the one who hit her will pay a fine, whatever the husband thinks is right. If the baby dies or is hurt, the laws apply as if that person were a person (life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.).

The language that GOd gave His people at the time, Hebrew, used the same word for a child whether that child had been born, or not. That's as refreshing as it is significant.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Happy April Fool's Day!

Glen called me this morning and told me that our neighbor's house had burned down!

I completely believed him. Why would I think that my husband would lie to me?

I asked him if he could go over and ask them if they needed any help. He said no one was there!

Oh my word, where could they be? I was having such a hard time taking it all in!

Then he said, "April Fools!"

Sunday, March 01, 2009

The Open Mind: Is it a door we should walk through?


I am going to think this through. Feel free to voice your thoughts, because I haven't got it all figured out. Let's think biblically.

For some time, the CGS Pro-life group has been going on campus (actually, just across the street from on-campus, where free speech by non-student entities is still allowed) with a pro-life outreach. Some people hold signs, some hand out brochures or flyers, and some are able to engage people in conversations regarding dangers to and protection of the unborn, the characteristics and needs and rights of the unborn, etc.

This is an area of outreach that Glen and I at first avoided. Various "reasons" held us back. We are old; they are young. They won't listen to us. That is for the younger people. They are sophisticated and swimming in wisdom, and we are ordinary and have fumbling tongues. Eventually, all these things got shook out, and we are convinced that this is where we need to be from time to time.

The very things that previously held us back, now spur us on. We are old, and must share our wisdom and experience with the young. They won't listen to us, unless we have something to say. Very often, it is one's contemporaries that are the hardest to talk to, or to listen to, even though everyone struts about stating the opposite, together. Most importantly, the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God (I Corinthians 1).

Jeremiah 8:9
The wise will be put to shame;
they will be dismayed and trapped.
Since they have rejected the word of the LORD,
what kind of wisdom do they have?

On February 16, we went on campus, and Glen and I were not alone, but we had the Clint&Ginger family, and Carole, who introduced me to the idea of standing in defense of the unborn.

It's good to have others involved. Among many reasons is because through them I am able to see more clearly. I can see that what I had previously thought was great might be some distraction; but I am not sure, and this is what I am trying to think out here...
A man named Stephen came along, and when I first approached him, he refused my brochure. I asked more direct questions, attempting to engage him in conversation. He said that he undertands my point of view, but also understands the pro-choice view. I encouraged him to speak openly to me and to read my brochure, since a child is a person from conception, and ought to deserve, and certainly needs our protection.

He took the brochure and saw the panel that tells about sin and judgement and mercy. "Ah," he said, "you see, I have a problem with organized religion." ...and away we went. This man had read so many things, and accepted so many conflicting ideas as possibilities, that he frankly was at a loss for words at times to express the profoundly inexpressible. The only thing that he seemed opposed to considering was the God of the Bible, especially as revealed as a masculine entity. At this point, a friend of his inturrupted our encounter, and I slipped away. I was surprised that he reapproached me after his friend moved on.

He again asserted that he was too open minded to go for the old god-bible-religion thing. Since his basis for truth seemed so nebulous and broad-based, I told him that we really need to have a solid foundation of truth on which to bounce all these ideas, whether foolish or wise, off of to determine which to keep and which to discard. He talked, starry-eyed, about love for everyone as a basis of truth. I told him that he is right about that. The Bible tells us that true religion is caring for the orphan and widow, and loving our enemy and our neighbor as ourselves. So I told him that I, for instance would be in sin to leave this encounter if I didn't love him enough to tell him that he was dying in his sin, and that he would die and go to hell unless he submitted to God's Word in repentance, and embraced His Son in humility (I can't remember how I said it, certainly not so eloquently). He was visibly taken aback by this. I was certain he would walk away, but he continued.

He regained his composure, and said that even Jesus said that people would do things even greater than the things that he did, so he was admitting that he wasn't "all that." Praise be to God, who by His Holy Spirit is able to give us all that we need to do His good will, I was able to tell this man that Jesus said:
John 14:11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Eventually, I encouraged him to call or email me to continue the conversation, and we parted with a handshake and a friendly smile. I walked away, and moments later looked to where I had left him, and he was still there, looking at the brochure, and he waved at me again.

Another thing that happened that made me think, was that we saw a the woman that I have mentioned before, who is pregnant and will be keeping her baby. I had been unable to reach her for such a long time, and I was overcome with joy to see her. I spent quite a few minutes talking to her, both me and Ginger.

I am just not sure if I let myself get tied up with these people, or if they were valuable conversations. Can I be brief and caring? Do I cling to people because they will talk to me? Do I want nothing more than to win an arguement, for the sake of winning? How can I tell if this is a conversation that God wants me to engage in or a distraction sent by satan to prevent someone else from hearing a word from God's servant?

Talk to me.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Friendly Fellow

"Friendly Fellow" generally refers to an animal when googling.

Open-Minded Guy

Just a warning:

I was going to look for a picture to illustrate my upcoming post on our Campus Outreach for Life and Christ last night, so I googled, "Open-minded guy." Don't do it. You will find a bunch of people so comsumed by "the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another" that they "become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity." (From Romans 1:24-29)

Who knew that "open-minded" now means bi- or homosexual?

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Inter-Active

Last Thursday was a highly interactive day at Planned Parenthood in Bloomington. God was busy, pruning those He loves.

Pray:
On the previous Thursday, Ginger spent a great deal of time and words and care on a couple who seemed to be there for an abortion. The woman called her mother, who prayed on the phone with her. Ginger gave her her phone number, which she took. She said that if she didn't do this, she would need a ride, because he would leave her there. Finally, they came out. It seemed that they had changed their mind, although they did not stop to tell Ginger that they had as they left together. This Thursday they cae back. Their resolve was locked, and their coutenence unshakable. They killed their baby.

From time to time during the week, I thought of them, and prayed. I prayed little prayers like sticky notes left on the bathroom mirror or refrigerater door for God to see when He happened across them. This was not a pleading for the life of a child, or the soul of a friend. There was no pounding on His door in the middle of the night.

Be No Respecter of Persons:
A couple showed up in a car that was held together by bungy cords. The guy had a huge knitted hat that was filled with his dreadlocks. The girl was bouncy and giddy, and there was an awkward silence about the length of a stick of butter before anyone said anything to them. Most people have words before they shut their car door.


On the other hand:
A large white bearded man drove up in a white hot rod with two young black women. He parked and the two girls went in together. After a while, I noticed that his car window was wide open, so I stood behind his car on the adjacent property and talked to him. I frankly told him what this looked like, what they were doing at Planned Parenthood that day. I offered him information, phone numbers, and help. I offered to talk to him about what was going on.
Once, he turned around in his seat to look at me, but otherwise, he remained unmoved.
Then, the younger of the two women came out. I asked her if she was here for an appointment. She said she was not here for an abortion. I told her that that is what they were doing there that day. She said she knew that, and that she just couldn't wait for her sister any longer, because she did not believe in abortion. She said she was a Christian.

Suddenly that large man, who drove her there, and sat in the car while the women take care of their business, got out of his car and finds his tongue, behind the skirts of this young black woman. He's suddenly telling me that he didn't appreciate me standing there trying to lay a guilt trip on him. They were not ther for an abortion but to "prevent pregnancy" and if I wanted to talk about the Bible, he would be happy to engage in that because he is a deacon in a church. (About that time, my deacon - and hero Glen - can be seen heading over in our direction and this fellow ducks back into his car and tells the girl to get in as well.

I don't know all that he said, because I was giving the girl a brochure, and telling her that I would like to talk to her, if she needs to talk, and her sister too. She did take the brochure, and when the man told her to get in the car, she did.


A deacon? Well, shet ma mouth! I should be coming to him for guidance. I waved at the girl in the back seat when they left. She smiled and waved back.

Right is wrong; good is bad; those who shun evil have become prey:
A red car arrived, parked near us, and a woman, and two men fot out. The woman flipped her finger over her shoulder, as one of the men escorted her quickly to the door.

One of the men hung back. He seemed to get all caught up in what people were saying to him. When he said that the baby is not a baby yet, I showed him my brochure and told him about what's going on with his baby right now. He tore it in half and threw it on the ground. Then he went to the guard and asked if it was illegal for us to do this.

That just is so ironic, and may come to be: That it will be legal to kill a child, and illegal to speak against it.

Clint, Ginger, everyone spent a great deal of time with this man. He was a puzzle for me. Sometimes I thought he must be pulling our chains. Sometimes, I thought he was just a simple man who believed that if it was a child, it would be illegale to kill it, therefore, it must not be a child.


I don't know how this last on turned out.

Pray:

For the couple who killed there child, and for the woman's mother, that she will be a convicting and restoring agent in her life. May they come to Christ.

For the two men and a woman in the red car. God, help them. Holy Spirit, take my prayers to the Father, and make them righteous.

For the deacon and the two black women. For this deacon's church.

God, teach us to pray. Teach us to love. Teach us Your way, and lead us in the path everlasting! In Christ name I pray, Amen

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Who can know the mind of God?

One time, my friend, Ginger commented about the possibility of seeing someone on Thursday (killing day) at Planned Parenthood that you had seen on Monday (planning-to-kill day), thereby knowing that what you had said to them on Monday was futile.

This was brought home to us this week.

I was encouraged this week when Ginger and her husband were able to join me at Planned Parenthood on Monday. We attempted to talk to an asian couple as they came out of the building. (It is unusual for couples to come and go together on Mondays.) They would not come and talk, but looked at us curiously. They got into their SUV, and as they prepared to leave, I reminded Ginger that God can cause them to stop and take a flyer and exchange words, even when we cannot. So, as they were driving past her, she held out a flyer, and they stopped, rolled down their window, and took it. A few words were exchanged, and Ginger, as always, offered help. Today, they showed up. Seriously, they showed up late enough in the day so that I would have seen them even if I were only there for my 10-11:00 break like I usually am (I, through an act of God was able to be there for a longer time today). Ginger asked them if they had read the information we gave them on Monday. The man said that he has two children at home, and just can't... Then we pleaded and tried to reason with them, all to no avail.

This is heart wrenching. Pray for them. Pray that this will break their hearts and humble them before the cross. They have our numbers.

There was a young woman who was escorting. She is not, I infer, someone who has done this often, or for a long time. She affected Glen, because she strikingly reminded him of our daughter. She affected Ginger, somehow tying her tongue.

Some of those involved with Planned Parenthood have their shells so hardened, and their walls so high, that you think a great event is needed to get through to them. I think that about the guard, who has been there consistently, except for when he had an injury, for about two years.

This young woman, I hope and pray, will see the truth, and reject the lies.

Allison, an IU student, and a blessing in our church was present today. Bless Allison's heart. When this young woman left, Allison called out to her, wanting to talk to her. Young college women, like Allison, Dani, Hannah, Kaitlyn, and others, who will reach out to these women are a blessing. My heart was warmed by the effort.

My heart is warmed by the flames of God's servants, Mick, Ben, Dave, Glen, Clint, Aaron & Crystal, Jim, Carole, Veronica, Vanessa, Ben & Kyla, Josh, Varuni, Bob, Andrew, Matt, Lucas, Joseph, and others who are willing to set themselves on fire for the Glory of God!

God, make our feet firm and beautiful. Let not the hand of the wicked drive us away. Make our words Your Words. In Jesus name, and for Your Glory, Amen!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

What are we doing there?

I used to post a lot about what I witnessed and did at Planned Parenthood. I worried about posting such things, because I felt like I was puffing myself up. Mostly, though, I recognized the work that God did in my presence.

One Monday, I met a woman at Planned Parenthood who just found out she was pregnant. I have since had lunch with her, and she is planning to give her baby up for adoption.

I never posted about her.

I know that no one reads this blog, so I know that it's not like publishing someone else's story. It's just that suddenly, it was so personal. Suddenly, here was this woman, who ate lunch with me. I met her son.

So, I'm not sure about posting. I have had a few people stop by who have been encouraged. Mostly these have been posts where I have been undone and helpless and hopeless, realizing that my only hope is in the Lord.

So, maybe I should post. I will ask God.

I recently read a reaction on facebook about what happened this week at Planned Parenthood from a guy who used to go to our church, but has since moved away. The first year I was there, I went to the Pastor's house for a women's get together, but I was bouquou early. They were just cleaning up after supper, and this guy was at there house. He was discussing the effectiveness of "protesting" at Planned Parenthood and men's place in it. That was probably five years ago. His reaction to Thursday events was that it was encouraging, and that he was just discussing with a friend the effectiveness of "protesting" at Planned Parenthood.

Maybe people do need to hear the play-by-play.

What Happened at Planned Parenthood?


Last Thursday seemed so different than usual, but it was really all the same...

When I got there before work, Glen and I wondered at how many people were there. It looked like Ginger was rallying the troops. She was standing at the end of a long line of young people who had colorful, flourescent signs. She seemed to be encourageing them, but when I approached her on the sidewalk, instead of being pleased that there were so many extra workers, she seemed discouraged. That was when I looked at their signs, and noticed that one said "Pro-Choice..."

There are times, when things happen at Planned Parenthood that you begin to realize are darts sent by the enemy to get us all in a tizzy.

A couple of years ago, for a period of a couple of weeks, they started bugging us about where we could stand. The realtor who owns the property would come out and talk to us about where we were allowed and not allowed to stand, and about complaints about noice. This would create a buzz among us, like when you close the opening of an ant hill, and the ants start moving around faster, and going in circles, and for a period of time, they seem to be in a state of panic. Once we focused on what we were there about, the buzzing stopped, and we were back to doing what we do. The good thing was, that they resurfaced the parking lot and repainted the lines. Now, we know when we are crossing the line, and that's cool.

Once a guy got vulgar and attempted to pick a fight with my husband, and tried to offend as many people as could hear. It became obvious that this was one of those darts.

There is the smiling escort, who seems to cause one of us want to discuss Einstein's view of God. There was the woman who pulled into the alley, and wanted to argue about the war in Iraq. There was the time when I found myself insulting the guard for not doing his job.

What are we doing there?

Of course, as a servant of Christ, we want to be ready in any situation to switch gears and go with what God brings us. But while some of us were standing behind this wall of Pro-choicers, women and men were walking in the doors, not hearing what God sent them there to hear.

We prayed, and I went to work. Glen, who usually runs errands from then until he takes me to PP on my break, went back. We saw Thursday that prayer is effective, and that God can direct our hearts, and focus us for the work He has for us. Amen! Glen said that everyone was down to business, and that they were being good witnesses. The Jerico March (A Catholic march around the block 7 times) was on its sixth lap and there were a lot of them.

When I got there, Ginger told me that 1. a catholic woman had left the march and told her (first time to verbalize this to anyone) about her abortion; 2. a woman had come out and talked extensively to her, was crying, and she turned and went away from PP with her husband and baby. She has two children at home.

The march was done and a kazillion people were gathered in the parking lot across the street. Glen said that the pro-choicers were well coached to not engage us in conversation. Glen has a heart for these people, so he tried to give them my flyer. Mostly he did what he usually did, stood there with his sign to let people passing by know what was going on there.

While I was there, Ginger and I tried to talk to a woman whose friend was there for an abortion. Even though she wouldn't come near, she heard what we said, but an escort (there were more escorts than usual, and they seemed more intense) came and stood between us and her. So, we talked to her and through her. (We never know how God might use our words when we can see no effect. We know, though, that God's word will not return to Him void.)

While I was at one corner of the parking lot talking to the cracked car window of a man who was smoking, Ginger was talking to a young international who had come to PP alone, on foot. They talked for quite a while and then Ginger came and asked me if I had CPC's number. I have it on my cell phone. We gave her our numbers, the church number, CPC's number, and she walked away. She had already given them a check, but the last time Ginger sent someone back in to get their money back, they came back out looking as though they had just gone through Guantanamo. She told her to put a stop payment on it, and if she couldn't, we would give her the money back. We told her to call us any time, and we could help her. Her boyfriend did not want her to abort. So there is a father in the picture. She said that she would need much help. She didn't know what she was doing. We hugged her and she went away.

After a prayer of thanks giving with others on the sidewalk, I noticed that the guy in the car was talking to Ginger's husband. He was there with a friend and his friend's wife. There was some sort of medical situation, and their doctor had recommended an abortion. This guy went in to talk to his friend. I haven't heard anything more about that.

I can't tell you how many children died yesterday. God knows.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Parables

I posted another past post below (Sow the Seed) in response to a call for parables by CenturiOn.

Sow the Seed Abundantly

While reading the following story (originally posted in November of 2005), consider where you are scattering the seed of the gospel...or is it still in the bag?

There was a land-owner who owned the land as far as the eye can see, no matter where you went. He gave his servant a large, abundantly full sack of seed, and told him to go out and sow it. The servant took the large, abundantly full sack of seed and went out--into the back yard. Although the master owned the land as far as the eye can see, the servant had come to think of the back yard as his own.

He set the large, abundantly full sack of seed down and dug up a plot of ground. He made it square, about 10 by 10; just right.
He dug up the soil and removed the sod. He tilled and added mulch and manure until the organic content was just right. He worked the soil until it was a pleasure to turn. Then he smoothed it all out; just right.

Finally, he made rows, straight and even. Each row was the perfect distance from the last one, so he would have room to go between and pull weeds as the plants grew. He stepped back and surveyed his work with satisfaction.

At last he turned around and opened the large, abundantly full sack of seed. He reached in with his left hand and pulled out a handfull of seed and went to the first row. He planted 2-3 seeds per inch all along the row, covering the seed with the rich soil and tamping it down as he went. When he finished with the first row, he went on to the next and planted in the same way. He worked diligently in this manner, row after row, returning to the large, abundantly full sack of seed when his hand became empty.

When all the rows were properly sown, he closed the large, still abundantly full sack of seed, and stepped back.
He surveyed his work with great satisfaction.
He noticed that the sky was clear so he watered the plot.

As the days and weeks went by he watered the plot, aerated the soil, weeded the rows, and surveyed his work with great satisfaction. He put up a scarecrow to keep the birds away from the seed. He built a fence around to keep rabbits from eating the young plants. He even cut down a nearby tree because he noticed that it shaded his plot from the sun in the early afternoon.

As the weeks went by some of the seed rotted because of mildew or fungus in the soil. Some were left exposed by the rain or watering hose and were eaten by birds who were not fooled by the scarecrow. Some grew, but maybe their roots found the rocks that the servant had missed, or they were crowded by a weed that sprang up as quickly as they did; and they remained small and weak, and were scorched by the sun in the early afternoons. Some of the seed grew, strong and straight. These plants produced much fruit --40, 60, 100 times the little that was sown.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Can we talk?

Sometime we should sit down and have a big talk. We should look long into each other's eyes and talk deeply about big things. I think sometimes that we talk in greys and light greys and dark greys.

When we talk deeply about big things, we will talk in hyacinth blues and impatien pinks and spring-moss greens; oh, and russets and maizes and lavenders, ...and that really cool dark grey that is almost a blue like a rock in a stream, too.

When one of us says something that the other one doesn't understand, she will say, "I don't quite understand, will you tell me deeper, still?" Then the first will take her heart and put it in the other's hands and then she will understand. Then we can cry and laugh together because we know that we love each other so completely that we just lay ourselves down for each other.

Maybe someday...this year.

(Originally posted December 31, 2006)