Count All Things But Loss

Our First Cruise

2011-11-09T21:50:00.007-05:00

There is a back story for this series of posts, but I will go back and tell it later. Right now, suffice it to say that we are taking our first cruise.

We started our trip on Monday, November 6, 2011. Instead of traveling south, we headed north to Michigan.
Of course, we had to pick up a copy of Glen's birth certificate, and out marriage license; but the best parts of this leg of the journey was Whitey's Restaurant, an old favorite of ours, where they sang "Happy Birthday" to Dad...

...a night with my love at the Comfort Inn in Davison, where we have spent Christmas times in recent years when we have been able to get home for the holidays...

...and most of all, of course, a night at Tom and Ginny's for Dad, and a sweet visit with Tom and Dick for Glen.

Set Yourself Ablaze at Christmas, or Anytime!

2010-12-06T07:25:00.000-05:00

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?

God, again, saved a baby!

2010-12-04T07:34:00.002-05:00

On Thursday, December 2, Ginger and I were at Planned Parenthood to witness God doing what only God can do.

Sometimes we begin to think that our words, tone, mannerisms and techniques are essential for this work. I learned again with Pablo and Kim a week before Thanksgiving, as I hoped in my compelling speech and despaired in what seemed to be a lack of response; only to rejoice in God's great mercy and power to save.

I don't remember speaking in particular to this couple as they went in. Suddenly, though, they came out. It was too early for them to come out after an abortion. They didn't seem to be coming out for a smoke. As they came away from the door, the man put his arm all the way around the woman and snuggled her, almost protectively in his body. I thought he intended to protect her from us, because he looked at us, then walked through the gathering of guard and escorts. As they walked the length of the parking lot to their car, they walked with a peculiar spring in their step.

Ginger said that she thought he sneered at the escorts as he went by, while I thought he sneered at us. Ginger thought they changed their minds, while I was skeptical.

As they drove past us, we intended to try to get them to roll down their window, but it was already down. The man, grinning from ear to ear was hanging out the window as he came to a stop near us. I said, "You guys didn't..." He said, "We are not going to do it!" We gave him our pamphlet anyways, and said if they need anything, to give us a call, and they drove away!

We don't know how or why; we don't know their names or circumstances. God did what He does, and showed us His power and glory.

Pray that this couple will humble themselves before God, that they will seek Him, and that He will draw them to Himself, granting them repentance and faith.

God, the Father to the fatherless, is able to do abundantly more than we could ask or imagine!

2010-11-19T07:22:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, at Planned Parenthood, God was pleased to save a little baby, and bring his father face to face with his sin, his past, his future, and his responsibility.

The man came there, not sure if this was his child, and therefore unwilling to protect it. God put him in the position of father to this fatherless child.

Unwilling to speak a word of defense for this child, God convinced him to give the child a chance, and yes, the ultrasound revealed to him, that God indeed made him this child's father. The family walked away: mother, father, and this little woman's fourth child.

Alive, and together; thank God, they have a long row to hoe.

They know they don't have to go through it alone.

Belated Birthday

2010-10-24T16:50:00.007-04:00

Some time ago, I turned fifty. I'm fine with that. I look back over the last fifty years, and I see so many ways that God has blessed me when He was justified to curse me; preserved me when He was justified to destroy me; comforted me when He was justified to condemn me. Beside, all the people my age are turning fifty now!

I have gotten many birthday cards over the years, but I was most delighted with a couple that I got from Lydia this year. She made them herself, and here they are:

This one was such a delight to me, and told me so much! I says, "Mom! You're always there when I need you..." When I opened the card, I saw illustrated many things I have told Lydia repeated, because I thought she didn't hear me.

The inside caption, "and when I don't need you!" tells me that she heard me. She heard me say these superficial tidbits that she included in this card, and she heard also other things.

This card, said one of those things, that this mother needed to hear. Yes, I needed to hear this. Thanks, Lydia.

Father, I thank you for the blessing of daughters. I thank you for your mercy. Thank you that you remember not the sins of my youth. Thank you for making me a happy mother of children. Thank you for being Strength in my weakness. Thank you that you are sufficient to redeem the years that the locusts have eaten. Thank you, Father, thank you.

Consecration of the fight against Planned Parenthood to Jesus through Mary

2010-07-31T09:35:00.004-04:00

Two weeks ago, my abortion protester friend, Marcelle left a message with Glen, because he got there before I did, and she had to go. It was a copy of a Catholic prayer specific to the abortion issue, but it was not the prayer that she had shown me a couple of weeks before that. Glen said that she thought that I might be upset with her.

She wrote this above the prayer:

Please read this!!
The reason I am writing this is because I love you and I don'[t want any misunderstanding to separate our friendship. I am asking you to read this prayer that we pray so you will have a better understanding why we pray to Jesus through His Mother (a human being). I ask you to pray for me a human being why not with Mary a human being. A Mother's prayer is always powerful remember she is the spouse of the Holy Spirit and a child of God the Father as we also are. Thank you I love you!!!
Marcella

Here is the prayer:

Consecration of the fight against Planned Parehthood to Jesus through Mary
NOTE: It is intended that this prayer should be said by the group fighting PP in their community together at some public gathering - perhaps in a church or outside Planned Parenthood. It would be said once and then repeated on an annual basis.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
O most Holy Mother of God, "who bore in your womb the very One who the heavens cannot contain," *to you we consecrate our efforts to stop Planned Parenthood's evil attacks upon humanity.

Since God ordained to bring His son, Jesus, into the world through you, so we humbly ask that, through you, we will bring Jesus to the very doors of Planned Parenthood and into the hearts of all who work or enter there.

With full confinece in you, we consecrate all our efforts, through you, to your Devine Son. Through your Immaculate Heart, we ask that you bring love and peace to all communities.

Banish, we beg you, Planned Parenthood and its progeny from the face of the earth. Crush, once and for all, the head of the serpent that schemes and strikes every day, taking the lives and souls of our children.

Holy Spirit, spouse of Mary, breathe forth a new and profound spirit of wisdom and respect for every human being's life upon those individuals who are employed by or volunteer their time or provide financial support for Planned Parenthood's efforts. Grant a softening of the cold, steely hearts that deny dignity and legal protection to all people, and grant that, from the first moment of biological development, the personhood of every human being be proclaimed and protected by law, respected by all, and honored as a unique and sacred gift from God.

Blessed Mary, who has been granted power by God to assist those on earth, by that power may Planned Parenthood, its progeny, and all like-minded entities that exist to destroy the human person be permanently driven out of our communities, our country and our world, and may those who commit and promote these heinous crimes against humanity open themselves to a profound conversion of heart.
Amen

Prayer approved by Bishop Emeritus John W. Yanta
*St. Louis De Montfort's Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Bay Shore, NY: Montfort Publications, 1980) p. 176-179.

There are so many things to say about this, that it is overwhelming. I will say just a few things now, and maybe come back to it again later.

First:

Marcella I don't want a such a misunderstanding of the person and work and sufficiency of Jesus Christ to separate you from Christ.

Mary was the wife of Joseph, not of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit miraculously created life in Mary's womb, out of wedlock. The Bible speaks briefly, and matter-of-factly of Mary's other children, conceived through normal marital relations with her husband, Joseph.

While the title of the prayer indicates that the pro-life efforts are consecrated to Jesus, through Mary, the first paragraph says, "to you we consecrate our efforts to stop Planned Parenthood..." In contrast, then the third paragraph says "With full confidence in you, we consecrate all our efforts, through you, to your Divine Son."

The fourth paragraph begs Mary to banish Planned Parenthood et al. Here the prayer also speaks of Mary's work of crushing the head of the serpent, (this particular serpent being the one that schemes to kill children's lives and souls). This work was clearly spoken of as Christ's (the progeny of Eve) in Genesis.

Any work of the Holy Spirit in this prayer seems to be strengthened by His relationship with Mary, not because He is God.

Marcelle had told me that Mary was granted power by Christ on the cross to help mankind. The final paragraph in this prayer speaks of this power, but I cannot find this granting of power to Mary in Scripture.

God Answers Prayer

2010-07-03T09:42:00.002-04:00

I have been unfaithful in the work that God has given to me to do. I have made the life and death, truth and lie issues at Planned Parenthood secondary to my own personal comfort and good name. Please forgive me if I have caused you to falter.

This Thursday, I prayed that God would make His servant's mouth true, his feet firm and beautiful, and his hands holy. I prayed that He would give ears to hear to those who came and listened.

This prayer was intended for myself at Planned Parenthood (and any other servant God sent there), and also for Glen, who I hoped would have opportunity to continue conversations with family.

At Planned Parenthood, of course, my intention was to reach the woman who would kill her child, the lover or mother who brought her, and the cheery escorts who attend the approach to the chamber.

The Holy Spirit of God, takes my prayers before the Father and makes them perfect. (Romans 8:26)

When I got there, there were no protestants, however, the Catholics, who normally are gone when I get there were there in abundance. They were not standing around chatting as if they were done and getting ready to leave. They were kneeling and chanting. They had a friar, and a large picture. They were there for a while.

I had to go around the block again, and park way down the street. This was God's answer to the prayer for firm feet. I, who would have been tempted to stay in my car, could not, and still say that I was there. I had to leave, by God's initiative, my car and put my feet on the pavement around Planned Parenthood.

As I walked past, trying not to disturb their rituals, and present a friendly countenance to the young ones, I greeted Marcele, who always is friendly to us.

I had little or no interaction with people involved in the killing at Planned Parenthood Thursday. I felt like my words were bouncing around the parking lot like rubber balls, but I took courage in Ezekiel 3:10 and Isaiah 55:5-11 and continued.

The Catholics wrapped it up and began to disburse. Marcelle came over to greet me. She commented that she hadn't seen me in a while. I vaguely told her that I had lost my courage. I was ashamed when she said that she is never afraid. I was thinking that I do not need to fear when God is with me (Psalm 56:11), instead, I should fear God when I refuse to go where He sends me (Luke 12:5)

She began to tell me that she fights that old devil all the time, and then she made a spitting sound like the mother in "Fiddler on the Roof". Then she told me to come with her and she would show me a new prayer they have. As we approached the dwindling group, a couple of them were wrapping up the large, ornately framed picture in a patted case. She said that many had been healed by this thing, or the statue in Mexico that it represented. I tried to tell her that it had no power, and she told me that she had seen many miracles, many miracles, but it was already wrapped up, so she couldn't show it to me.

She asked someone for that new prayer to show me, and a young boy gave her a laminated card. She showed me the prayer, and it started out addressing Mary. I told her that I was sorry, but I just couldn't pray to Mary. She asked me why not, Jesus honored her. She told me that Jesus gave the world to her when He was on the cross. I told her that I didn't think so, but that He gave John the responsibility to care for Mary while He was on the cross. I asked her to show me next time.

She told me that the Catholic church goes back to Peter. They have had many good and bad popes since then, but that they go back to Peter.

She covered the introduction to the prayer with her hand, and showed me the third paragraph, which said that we implore you, who dispels heresies, to ... What she wanted me to see was something about protecting teenage girls. I asked her, who it was that they were praying to who dispels heresies. She passed it on to someone who was looking over her shoulder, and he said, yes, Mary does dispel heresies.

She said, firmly that Jesus honored his mother, and we should to. I said that I agree that Jesus did (look at the wedding incident, and His care for her on the cross), but that Jesus saved her. Jesus intercedes for us. Jesus, alone is our saviour.

These are the ears that God sent to hear. I hope that God was glorified. I think I showed her that I love her. I hope that God will give her ears to hear.

Oh God, make your servant's mouth true, his feet firm and beautiful, and his hands holy. Give those who come ears to hear. In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

I am still here. God help me.

2010-03-11T08:21:00.004-05:00

On March 9, we watched a show on Mtv about some young people who had left the Amish community. It's part of Mtv's "True Life" series. This one was called "I'm Ex Amish." I don't know how to find links to it, or upload significant snippets, so I will try to express what impressed me about this show.

I don't know a lot about the Amish, and I don't promote lifestyle as faith. I think they have a lot of things wrong, but most of us do. If, however, they are counting on the purity of their lives to commend them to God, then they are fatally wrong.

One of the young people featured on this show was a young woman, who ran away from home when she was fifteen. She ended up in New York, and loved living there. She expressed a constant yearning, however, to have peace with her father. Finally, she contacted her family, and her father agreed to meet. With an Mtv crew in tow, she headed out to her family's home for a visit. She was scared and excited.

When she was nearly there, she called her Dad. She explained to us that her family had since "moved to a more liberal church" and now had a phone. She was pleasantly surprised that her Dad was so friendly and welcoming on the phone.

When she arrived at a normal-looking home, with modern conveniences, her regular-looking sister in a regular-looking dress greeted her excitedly. Her mother hugged on her, and her Dad smiled nervously. He wanted to talk to her alone.

The Mtv crew hung out on the deck and listened in as the Father pleaded with his daughter regarding Jesus, Scripture and Truth. She stormed out, claiming that he didn't respect her. She drove home venting that she hates it when he comes at her with the Bible.

This is heroic. I was impressed. The Dad was not pleading for the Amish, or for the lifestyle, or for the family or for customes or traditions. He was pleading in the name of Jesus for his daughter's life right in front of Mtv and everybody.

What fear of God this is. What a putting-off of the fear of Man! This is loving the Lord first, which causes us to love our children, our spouses, our bretheren, and sinners.

While I was out of the room, they "agreed to disagree" and she was welcome to visit, and willing to do so.

Then her grandmother died. She was asked to come to the funeral, and her father bought her an airplane ticket to come: one way.

She was infuriated that he disrespected her by not making the ticket round trip. She refused to come to the funeral, and they haven't spoken since.

Did the Dad reject the daughter? No.

The daughter rejected the Dad at each point and finally (up to this point). She actually desires the Dad, but the Dad is Christ's servant, and she will not have that.

She knows where to find him, and she knows that she will find him with his Bible, and his Saviour.

Teach me kindness, Lord, regarding customs and preferences, and a forehead of flint regarding truth and devotion to You.

May they always know where to find me: right here with my Bible and my Saviour!

To You, O Lord I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God!

2010-01-20T08:50:00.005-05:00

I am reminded again of this. I don't know if I am learning it again, or if I am just experiencing the reality of it afresh. Anyway...

How faithful is God! and how fickle is man!
I again realize that I must in obedience witness to His truth, His holiness, and His judgment and great mercy; while realizing that the result is in His mighty hand. I again realize that God does not punch my time-clock, or strive to reach my quota. I am His handmaiden, His watchman. I am His slave, not He mine.

The hearts of men, women and children are in His hand, not mine. These hearts are out of my reach, and yet, God puts them in my path and commands me to touch them. They are a field I walk through, and, not revealing what lies beneath, He commands me to sow the seed, and sometimes, to walk away. Did the seed grow? Did it rot and fertilize the weeds? Did anything happen at all? I must sow in obedience, knowing that sometimes, I will never, in this flesh, know. God knows that this obedience is for the seasoning of His servant, and He may also use this work to produce His fruit.

His ways are much higher than mine, but His word will not go forth without accomplishing that which He desires.

Sow the seed, servant, because your Master commands it.

Psalm 73
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold...

23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

THANKS BE TO GOD!

Set Yourself Ablaze this Christmas, or anytime!

2009-12-17T17:58:00.000-05:00

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?

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

2009-12-09T08:59:00.003-05:00

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

A Prayer for Our President Obama

2009-08-22T07:38:00.002-04:00

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)

JAMES SAMUEL KINNEY, Millington

2009-06-26T12:19:00.004-04:00

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.

The James S. Kinney Family

2009-06-16T05:46:00.012-04:00

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)

James Samuel Kinney

2009-06-15T06:40:00.001-04:00

February 25, 1923 - June 14, 2009

I love you, Dad.

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

2009-04-18T10:12:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-18T09:55:00.001-04:00

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.

What does the Bible say about Abortion?

2009-04-14T06:23:00.004-04:00

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.

Happy April Fool's Day!

2009-04-01T12:06:00.002-04:00

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!"

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

2009-03-01T17:38:00.009-05:00

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.

Friendly Fellow

2009-02-17T14:57:00.002-05:00

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

Open-Minded Guy

2009-02-17T14:47:00.002-05:00

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?

Inter-Active

2009-02-14T06:58:00.003-05:00

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

How Dangerous Do You Suppose I Am?

2009-01-30T13:45:00.003-05:00

Who can know the mind of God?

2009-01-29T14:17:00.007-05:00

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!

What are we doing there?

2009-01-24T08:22:00.003-05:00

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?

2009-01-24T07:56:00.005-05:00

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.

Parables

2009-01-12T05:59:00.002-05:00

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

Sow the Seed Abundantly

2009-01-12T05:42:00.003-05:00

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.

Can we talk?

2009-01-01T09:48:00.001-05:00

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)

Just trying something...

2008-12-12T08:29:00.002-05:00

Take her to buy for your love more passinnate

2008-12-11T11:48:00.005-05:00

Yesterday an email with this title slid past my spam filter. I didn't open it, but I wrote the title down. It seemed profound...now I know why:

A man at Planned Parenthood today went away for a while, and came back with a bundle of flowers. My heart sank. He opened his car door and put them in. Then he stood behind the fence and smoked a cigarette.

I just can't even express the churning thoughts and feelings that I have about that. Was it gratitude that prompted the purchase? Was he trying to make it up to her? Did he think this would placate her? Was he trying to be romantic?

From now on, flowers will mean something to her that he will obviously never understand.

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

2008-11-27T08:30:00.002-05:00

Thank God for family gatherings...may we speak the truth in love.

Thank God for Thursday Holidays...Planned Parenthood is not killing Children today.

Thank God, for it is He who brings us trials that humble and strengthen us. Give glory to God!

33 Words

2008-11-27T08:21:00.003-05:00

I am unable to say something in 33 words or less, so I found a blog some time ago that intrigued me. Just theological thoughts in 33 words. Since then I have had it on my sidebar. However, some time ago, I found that the page could not be found. Occasionally I would check it, and recently, I thought about cleaning up my sidebar, and I got an email from Tim Spong, the owner of 33Words. He let me know that my link was broken, and gave me a new link.

So, check him out.

...in 91 words (including names, but not including numerals) (that's 100!)

Polycarp on the N Train

2008-11-17T06:45:00.006-05:00

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?

Stand True's Response to the Election of Barrack Obama

2008-11-12T15:58:00.004-05:00

On my side bar, you'll find "Stand True: Christ-Centered Pro-life". I highly recommend this website for information and encouragement in standing in defense of the innocent. After the election, Bryan Kemper wrote this encouragement to keep our focus where it should be. He gave me permission to post it here:

Last night was probably emotionally draining for many people as they saw one of the most rabidly pro-abortion candidates ever get elected as the next president of the United States. Some are even saying that the pro-life movement was set back at least 30 years last night.

Last night I watched the acceptance speech of Barrack Obama. I watched as Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey were trying to hold back the tears of joy and hope. I listened to interviews with pastors and civil rights leaders and my heart broke as they talked about Obama like he was the Messiah. I understand that this is a monumental event in the history of our nation. I also understand that our hope lies in no man.

While some people were ecstatic last night, others were in deep mourning, feeling utterly defeated. It almost seemed as if they thought John McCain and Sarah Palin were our only hope. I can't tell you how many times I heard people trying to convince me that Barrack Obama is the “Anti-Christ”, as they prayed for John McCain to save us from his takeover of the world.

As the results came in last night, the political landscape of this country was changed. Men and women will be either taking new positions of power or stepping down from positions they once held. Laws and policies will change, and we will have to adjust to this new direction our world in heading into.

One thing, however, did not change last night. One position of power was not affected in the least bit. While we will have a new President in the White House, the Throne of God remains sovereign. Our one and only true Hope is still our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Two things I heard last night were “change is coming” and “yes we can”. Change is coming, and I am not going to cower or back down in the face of this change. Change is coming, and the battle for the sanctity of human life will be tougher; my resolve to win this battle is stronger.

If change is what they want, then we shall give them change. We will destroy and deny the apathetic spirit that has had a hold on this generation for too long. We will raise our voices louder than ever before until we see the end of this abortion holocaust. We will share the only true Hope for this world without shame or fear. We will not chant “yes we can” but rather “yes we will”. We will believe what God promises us in Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”.

I have often said I do not know why God has chosen me to lead this ministry. I am humbled and honored to be able to serve God in this manner. I know that I have a responsibility to stand up in the darkest times and trust in the Light of Christ to lead us to victory.

I stand before you today and pledge to you that I will not be defeated by this election. I refuse to allow any earthly setbacks discourage or slow me down in this fight for life. I promise you that I will never lie down or quit; I will stand true until my last breath.

Will you stand with me?

For Christ I stand,

Bryan Kemper bryankemper@standtrue.com

And the Two Shall Become One...

2008-11-12T14:20:00.006-05:00

It has been a long-standing Piersonism in our house that Glen is me and I am him. This is just our way of recognising and reminding each other of the truth of God's word.

Recently I have been beating myself up for paths I have taken and choices I have made through the years. I again was reminded of the one flesh truth when Glen told me the other day that I have to stop kicking him for that.

It was what I needed to hear.

Thank God for Glen!

Barak Obama Promises to Sign FOCA Sound Bite

2008-11-01T06:23:00.002-04:00

Sorry, for some reason, I could not get that video to load. Click on Barak Obama Promises to sign FOCA for the sound bite version. The video below is something like 24 minutes. This one is less than two.

The First Thing He'll Do As President

2008-10-31T06:35:00.005-04:00

I am a natural sceptic, I guess. I wanted to know if Barak Obama really said this:
(give it about 7 seconds to start)

Let's Never Find Out

2008-10-27T06:58:00.002-04:00

This is a baby...what was I thinking?

2008-10-25T07:08:00.003-04:00

Evansvillians, I love them!

2008-10-23T21:13:00.006-04:00

Some of the most striking people come from Evansville.

At Planned Parenthood today, I called a woman to come talk to me. She turned to me, and acted like she wanted to come, but asked, if we would hurt her. Haha. That is so precious! She has heard, either from the popular culture, or the media, or the escorts at Planned Parenthood that we are dangerous.

We told her that we are not there to do harm, but to help... we love her. She came over, we asked what if she was there for an appointment. She had apparently already taken her friend in to the appointment, and had gone away for a while and was just coming back. We told her whatever we could, and offered help to her and her friend. I gave her my phone number, but she said she's not from around here. She had a cell phone, and I asked her if it was AT&T. It was. I told her it is a free call, then, because, I am AT&T too!

As she was walking away, I asked where she is from...Evansville. I meet the nicest people from Evansville at Planned Parenthood.

If you live in Evansville, would you find out when they do their pre-abortion examinations? These people need to hear the truth before I see them in Bloomington!

Please, go to your local Planned Parenthood, and declair the Truth to those who need to hear it.

These women come to the well at Planned Parenthood, and they do not find the living water, but rather poison for themselves, their babies, and for their souls. Take water there and give them to drink.

Ha en god reise, Glen!

2008-10-04T14:52:00.018-04:00

Thursday evening my husband and I went to the corner of Kirkwood avenue and Indiana to reach out to the IU campus community on behalf of the unborn, as servents of Christ.

I always start out with simply offering a brochure and asking if I can give them some information. I have decided, though, that being vague is a huge waste of time, if I can be ignored, then conversations will not happen.

I almost right away started asking for responses from people about the issue of abortion or human beings at their most helpless stage of development, and so on. Few people were able to pass that corner without either despising me further, or thinking about the issue at some level.

Most people on that corner are common. Same same same. Glen began to think that it may have been unwise of us to send our daughters off to college, just so they could begin to think they know everything, like the people we met there.

Three things happened that night to impress themselves on my heart:

A swarm of conference attendees hit us in two waves. Of probably 50 or so people, not a single one took a pamphlet, and few even took the trouble to acknowledge my presense. They were so full of the knowledge that they had packed in that day, that they could not entertain even a smidgeon more.
A young man refused my brochure, saying something about being pro-choice. He was
half way across the street when I said that on that basis we have something to talk about, and I started telling him about unborn children and so on. Instead of going obliviously along his way, he stood on the other side of the street and listened to me. He thought about what I said, and responded or pondered, depending on what the point was. He was in the middle of a ponderence when I came across the street and engaged him in an extended conversation about the issue.

When I finished, I came back to find Glen in a conversation with two guys (what do you call those guys who wear mostly black, are covered with tatoos, and have metal studs in various parts of their faces?) He finished talking to them and invited them to church. I hope they come.

I love God. I love Glen. I was glad they were both there with me. I hope that we see some of those people at church tomorrow.

One more thing: Glen is on his way to Norway! A lady from Norway was so delighted to see the Americans standing on the corner exercising their rights, that she took his picture and is going to show all her friends in Norway!

Ha en god reise, Glen!

She Touched my Heart

2008-10-04T07:48:00.009-04:00

Thursday, a young woman parked in the back row of the parking lot at Planned Parenthood, and approached the entrance. She was alone, and it was past the time when most arrive for abortions. I asked her if she was here for an appointment, no. I asked her what she was there for. She shrugged her shoulders and threw up her hands, and said she just was looking for some information. I invited her to come talk to me, and she came. She seemed shocked when I told her that they were aborting children there.

"Isn't that creepy?" she asked me later.

Yah, it is.

Here's another thing that, although I would not call it creepy, it is definitely out of the ordinary: You, young lady, are standing in the middle of a parking lot in Bloomington, talking to an older woman, who is holding a Bible open, about some of the most personal things in your life; things you haven't told any one else. This, was truly an honor. Thank you.

I think she was uninformed, and simply hadn’t thought this through. If this is the case, she was in a very vulnerable position. She was looking for information, and she knew, like we know to breath when our bodies need oxygen, that Planned Parenthood had the information she needed. As it turned out, she thinks she might be pregnant, and everything else, it seems is unstable.

Thank God! Thank Him for bringing her to me to talk to her. Thank Him! for the times I have spoken His words to people who wouldn't listen so that I would be ready for this appointment! Thank Him! for the turmoil in her life that may be used by God for her salvation! Thank Him! for CPC, and pray for them in their work.

I gave her phone numbers (mine, CPC’s, and CGS’s) and directions to CPC. Please pray for her, and her boyfriend. Pray that she will come to church, and that God's people will love her, and her baby. Pray for her parents also.

God is gracious and good, and very powerful! He is able to do more than we could ask or imagine!

My Hypocrisy

2008-09-12T06:47:00.002-04:00

I have recently been involved in a discussion about women in authority as it relates to Sarah Palin's cadidacy for vice presidency. The issue has been comsuming me; my time, my thoughts.

Suddenly, as I received the kind words of a brother, I was convicted of my hypocrisy. Even as I stand opposed to voting for a woman, based on God's order of creation and His placing women in authority as a judgement on nations, and His giving peoples over to their iniquities as judgement on them, I was not going home and asking my own husband. I was not being silent or humble, but argumentative. I was also taking time, purchased from me by my employer, to read and respond in that blog.

When I said, "I want to follow my Saviour very closely." My Saviour crushed my prideful heart, and showed me my sin.

Father, I thank you for weighing my heart. I thank you that You are
able to show me my unclean ways, and cleanse me. Forgive me, love me, lead
me in the way everlasting!

In Christ's name, Amen

"Special Meetings"

2008-09-12T06:00:00.002-04:00

Meetings Canceled

Yesterday Planned Parenthood was closed for a "Special Meeting". There were no children killed yesterday at 421 South College. My heart rejoices, but is aware that those little ones who didn't die yesterday, are on the docket for slaughter next week.

So, as my heart rejoices for the relief, the break in the battle, it is also heavy, knowing that the war goes on.

Pencil Me In

Last Thursday was the first Thursday of September, it was also the first Thursday of the Fall Semester at IU. On the first Thursday of the month, the CGS Pro-life group has an outreach planned on campus. There, we may hold signs, or pass out literature. As it turned out, it was raining, and we (old folks) wimped out on the youngsters (sorry Ben and Hannah!). We slid by the corner of Indiana and Kirkwood, and finding no one standing for the unborn in the rain, we went home ... to our dry, safe, quiet home.

This Thursday, then, was our rain date. Glen, however found himself in a special deacons meeting. So I had special meetings with passers-by on the corner of Indiana and Kirkwood.

I am so glad I was not alone. If I did not believe that God brought people to me, and stood with me, and strengthened me,

I would definitely be intimidated by the microbiologist, who knows all the facts, and will not take my pamphlet because she is secure in knowing that it's still OK to kill the little ones.
I would never have approached or walked with the man in the suit and tie, with a bluetooth in his ear, who confidently asserted against all reason that this is just not an important issue.
I would never have given literature to the lesbian couple who eyed me suspiciously from across the street.
I would never have stood in the middle of a group of jovial young men and talked to them about unborn children and the importance on considering their helplessness and need for protection.
I would never have spoken with any authority to beautiful young women about such a "personal choice."

I gave away about 140 pamphlets with information about unborn children, choices, life, God, and my phone number. The conversations were not very stunning. Everyone was in a hurry.

God, I pray that you will do a mighty work in the hearts of my people. I pray that we will humble ourselves, and trust you, and that you will strengthen us for the work you have prepared for us to do, give us words to speak and people to hear them, and be glorified in our presense. In Christ's name I pray, Amen.

Do not trust in horses and chariots: McCain vs Obama

2008-08-31T05:28:00.003-04:00

When I heard about McCain's choice for his vice-presidential running mate, my heart fell. Then I looked into her and found myself saying, "Well, at least she's pro-life." Although I smelled a scheme, a carrot, I couldn't help getting a little excited. I was simply expressing relief, and hope that maybe victory and rest from the struggle is within reach...

I am concerned with Christians, though during this time. Christians need to discern, and frankly we're not very good at it. When a shiney prize is dangled in front of our faces, we will grab at it, believing that we are helping God to accomplish His good will on earth.

We must remember not only that God is the creator of life, and we, as His children must protect helpless, innocent people (even when one candidate is tickling our ears about poverty, crime and the war), but that He has given it to men to lead (even when one candidate is a pro-life, pro-guns, pro-traditional-marriage mother-of-five, one being a down-syndrome-infant.

In Scripture, the shedding of innocent blood, the killing of children in the womb is one of God's judgements on His people. We do it, because we are in rebellion against God, and we do it because we are under God's judgement!

We need to also remember that when God placed a woman over His people and others, it was His judgement on them as well (so sorry, I am haveing a hard time finding references right now). We want a woman to rule over us because we are in rebellion against God, and He gives us a woman to rule over us because we are under His judgement.

Oh, it was so much easier when the focus was on Obama against Clinton, wasn't it? Both were clearly proabortion, one a woman and one a man. As an independent voter, it was soothing to sit back and watch what God would do.

And I so hoped that McCain would stick with what I think is the closest thing to a politician's commitment, and choose an anti-abortion running mate. I really didn't think he would, because I think he will do anything to get elected. It just makes things messier that his choice is a woman.

Then I so hoped that Sarah would turn down the offer. What a hero she would be to turn down the offer of running for the second highest office in the United States of America so that she could take care of the important business of raising her little ones that are so precious to her (and her shiniest badge on her chest).

The the more I read about her, the more I realized that this was right up her alley. She is not Deborah, who took the position of leadership only when it was obvious that no man would, and gave warning that she would do so, but that there would be consequences for their failure to lead. She is not even Delilah/Herodious/(Ahab's Wife). She does not manipulate men to get her way. She GETS HER WAY. She will be a dinamo (aka: bully) in the white house just like she is in the Alaskan sate house, and in her own home.

So, if Obama is elected, we are under God's judgement and abortion will continue, and possibly be expanded, if that is possible.

But, if McCain is elected, and we have as his second in command, a woman over us, we are under God's judgement. I'm not even sure that I know what that means.

I haven't really checked out the third candidate, but I am going to. I have never been a Rep or Dem, and am not committed to either. I think McCain's choice is a reminder not to "go to Egypt" for help in fighting our battles. The judges, the congress, the president are the horses and chariots that we must not trust in. The battle belongs to the Lord.

If we trust in the Republicans to end abortion, they will betray us for political or monetary gain. If we trust in the Democrats to end poverty or discrimination, they will betray us for political or monetary gain. If we trust in a third party to be independent thinkers, they will betray us for the same or new reasons.

Put your trust in GOD!

I know that God raises rulers and brings them down. I think we need to think really hard this year, and encourage all Christians to do the same.

I think we also need to humble ourselves, confess our part in all this, and pray.

Go to the polls in November and vote according to the Will of God, and the teaching of Scripture, and according to God's leading. Do not vote strategically. Don't cast your vote because you think it will cause one result or another. Cast your vote because you know that you will stand before God one day and give an account for that action.

My suggestions:

Don't vote for Obama; he has few redeeming ideas, and he is adament in his support of abortion.

If you vote for McCain, do so with trembling, realizing that you are ushering in God's judgement.

Consider another option.

In the meantime, as long as Roe is in force, God is bringing people to Planned Parenthoods around the country (3-4000 a day) to hear what He would have His servants say to them. Are they hearing it? Are they being told the truth? Are they being warned? Are they being loved? Are they being called to repentance? Are they hearing of God's judgement and mercy?

What is A Good Wife's Place These Days?

2008-06-02T11:47:00.003-04:00

We are definitely in a time of confusion. Up is down, right is wrong, and left is right. Did the '60s or '70s send us spinning, or did it start much, much earlier than that?

The divorce rate is either leveling, or decreasing, and this is not necessarily good news. It reflects, rather, that heterosexuals are not getting married, but instead they co-habitate. Homosexuals, in the mean time are demanding, on every level, that marriage be for them! How ironic.

We chase our careers while refusing to allow children into our lives, only to find out that we have waited too long. With one or two children, obtained through great expense, we raise them on pedistals of our own construction, only to find that, "our children will choose our nursing home" one day. We die in our old age, as we lived in our youth, alone.

We lower the standards of education in High Schools, so that no one will feel like a failure, and then 90% of any graduating class goes to college for four years, going into debt to acquire a degree that enables them to manage a McDonalds, making barely enough money to pay off their loans, thus delaying marriage and family. So, our two-income economic system is set up to presumably support only upper class service jobs, two incomes per household and daycares raising the fewer and fewer children.

Then, when the marriage fails, when either or both "parties" are not getting from the arrangement what they bargained for, divorce is easy. "Incompatibility" not infidelity, is the only thing necessary for the schism. Not only that, but women are paying child support to men, and men, who try to demand visitation are guilty of child abduction!

Although I will claim laziness and dread as reasons for not working on the "right place" for the wife, the unraveling of the problem is mind boggling. I was a young child when this web began to be woven...or was I only in God's plans? Each of our objections must be held up in the light of Scripture. Each must be sifted as wheat, and the chaff must be burned.

Is there anything new under the sun? Was it my mother who taught me to rebel against my husband, or did my Mother Eve?

Is there any sin that is unique to our age, that is not dealt with in Scripture?

You thought you lived in a ball of confusion back then:

1, 2... 1, 2, 3, 4, Ow!

People moving out, people moving in.
Why,
because of the color of their skin.
Run, run, run but you sure can't hide.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Vote for me and I'll set you free.
Rap on, brother,
rap on.
Well, the only person talking about love thy brother is the...
(preacher.)
And it seems nobody's interested in learning but the...
(teacher.)
Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration,
Aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation.
Ball of confusion.
Oh yeah, that's what the world is today.
Woo, hey, hey.
The sale of pills are at an all time high.
Young folks walking round with their heads in the sky.
The cities ablaze in the summer time.
And oh, the beat goes on.
Evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul.
Shooting rockets to the moon,
kids growing up too soon.
Politicians say more taxes will solve everything.
And the band played on.
So, round and around and around we go.
Where the world's headed, nobody knows.
[Instrumental]
Oh, great GoogaMooga, can't you hear me talking to you.
Just a ball of confusion.
Oh yeah, that's what the world is today.
Woo, hey, hey.
Fear in the air, tension everywhere.
Unemployment rising fast,
the Beatles new record's a gas.
And the only safe place to live is on an Indian reservation.
And the band played on.
Eve of destruction, tax deduction,
city inspectors,
bill collectors,
Mod clothes in demand,
population out of hand,
suicide, too many bills,
Hippies moving to the hills.
People all over the world are shouting, 'End the war.
And the band played on.
[Instrumental]
Great GoogaMooga, can't you hear me talking to you.Sayin'... ball of
confusion.
That's what the world is today, hey, hey.
Let me hear ya, let me hear ya, let me hear ya. Sayin'...
ball of confusion.
That's what the world is today, hey, hey.
Let me hear ya, let me hear ya, let me hear ya, let me hear ya, let me hear
ya.Sayin'...
ball of confusion

.

Does the wife belong in the home? barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen? in a corporate office? in public office? in authority? We will definitely have to rely on Scripture for any meaningful discussion:

Genesis 2:18-25 (niv)
18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make
a helper suitable for him."
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the
ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them
to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each
living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the
livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was
sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22
Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he
brought her to the man.
23 The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called 'woman, '
for she was taken out of man."
24
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his
wife, and they will become one flesh.
25 The man and his wife were
both naked, and they felt no shame.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 2:18:

Power over the creatures was given to man, and as a proof of this he named them
all. It also shows his insight into the works of God. But though he was lord of
the creatures, yet nothing in this world was a help meet for man. From God are
all our helpers. If we rest in God, he will work all for good. God caused deep
sleep to fall on Adam; while he knows no sin, God will take care that he shall
feel no pain. God, as her Father, brought the woman to the man, as his second
self, and a help meet for him. That wife, who is of God's making by special
grace, and of God's bringing by special providence, is likely to prove a help
meet for a man. See what need there is, both of prudence and prayer in the
choice of this relation, which is so near and so lasting. That had need to be
well done, which is to be done for life. Our first parents needed no clothes for
covering against cold or heat, for neither could hurt them: they needed none for
ornament. Thus easy, thus happy, was man in his state of innocency. How good was
God to him! How many favours did he load him with! How easy were the laws given
to him! Yet man, being in honour, understood not his own interest, but soon
became as the beasts that perish

...to be continued.

May Zeal for Your House Consume Me

2008-05-20T06:48:00.004-04:00

I went to Planned Parenthood yesterday. (It used to be that the pre-abortion appointments were made on Tuesdays. Now, according to their answering machine, these appointments occur on Mondays. This is a gift from God, since Tuesdays were becoming very difficult for me to go.)

I went with a renewed sense of purpose, but I was consumed with other thoughts, desires, concerns. I sat in my van, thinking of these things. I was too consumed, even to pray, for the most part.

6 May those who hope in you not be
disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD
Almighty; may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me,
O God of Israel. (Psalm 69)

It's true that I don't want to be a stumbling block to other Christians. I want to be a light leading others to the Gospel, and I don't want to drive some away from God by my sinfulness.

5 You know my folly, O God;
my guilt is not hidden from you. (Psalm 69)

I despair! I am not the person who is prepared, right for the position in which I find myself! I don't have the answers. I don't have the personality. I don't seem to convey Christ to those who are close to me.

8 I am a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my own mother's sons; (Psalm
69)

...to those I work with, to my husband, to my children... To those that God has placed in very close proximity to me! These are the people I am most ill-equipped to influence.

It is not I, who am to influence, but God. ..

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same
attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2 As a
result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires,
but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past
doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies,
carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They think it strange that you do not plunge
with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But
they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the
dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now
dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but
live according to God in regard to the spirit.
7 The end of all things
is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of
sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use
whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's
grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking
the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God
provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him
be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 4)

PS: into this despair God sent His servants, Clint and Ginger to encourage and focus. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Pre-Abortion Appointments

2008-05-15T20:03:00.002-04:00

I have to say that, although I was again weak this Monday at Planned Parenthood, cowering in my car, I am renewed in my resolve that pre-abortion appointments need a godly witness. We need to be there on the sidewalk to talk to people. We need to meet them at the time of revealing. It is then that seeds may be planted. It is then that the ground is furrowed, and when no other seeds are sown but those of deception. It is then that the seeds of love, conviction, truth have soil to grow in.

I was reconvicted of this great need here in Bloomington, but I also discovered something that I had not considered.

Do you live in a city where there is a Planned Parenthood? Not every Planned Parenthood does abortions. Some do not. The one in Evansville does not, and that is where the man and his girlfriend in my previous post went for their pregnancy test, and referral. No one had told him about another option. He saw only obsticles. Would they have chosen differently, if someone had been there with another message? ...another choice? ...an offer of help, a hug? I don't know.

I do know that some people don't go to Planned Parenthood on the killing days, because it is too radical, too "militant" (it's not, really), too hopeless.

Some, who do go on the killing days do not go on the testing days, because the level of urgency is lower, maybe. I am not sure, but I think that is why I cower in my car, shamefully.

I would like to encourage you, whether you are the former or the latter, go. Based on the white harvest fields, go. Based on the call of Jesus to go to those in need, go. There is great need. Go.

He's Got the Power!

2008-05-10T07:53:00.003-04:00

God is amazing! He is amazing in all He does, He is right in all He says, He is just in all His judgements! God holds the hearts of men in His hand, and directs them like a river to go here or there.

Thurdsay, May 8: I am sorry that I am finishing this post a week later. By now, much has sloshed out of my brain.

A black man came out of Planned Parenthood to smoke a cigarette. We had been there a while, and thoughts of leaving were on my mind. I had asked God to show us His glory, and He had. Here we were, in Bloomington saying things that no one wanted to hear. This is God's glory. He uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. He uses our weakness to show His strength perfect. We were weak fools, and we had confidence in God.

This black man was smoking his cigarette, and I motioned for him to come over. Here we were, the weirdos (everyone knows that we are weirdos, freaks) calling him to come to us, in the rain. He came over. Why did he come over?

He came over and stood, smoking his cigarette under my umbrella. I asked him why he was there. He shrugged his shoulders. He knew why we were there, didn't he? I asked him if he had gotten someone pregnant. He looked me in the eye and said, "Well, ya know, shit happens." I agreed. I told him the facts about unborn children and abortion. He said, "If we didn't do this, would you take the baby?"

At some point, I gave him one of my brochures.

I have to tell the truth. I can't take the baby. Glen and I have already talked about this. I also know, personally, several couples who would, and others who might. I also know, for a fact, that, given the opportunity, our church would support that woman through her pregnancy.

I told him the truth. Shelly asked him if he would go get her, if it's not too late. He started to give my brochure back to me, and said, "It's too late." I pushed the brochure back into his hand and told him of the pain she will feel later. I told him that she's going to be sad, and she won't understand, and he won't know how to help her. I showed him my phone number, and told him to have her call me. I told him that we want to help, that we love her.

He looked at me and his eyes melted. I knew that was how the woman at the well looked at Jesus. I think that God was glorified in our presense.

From there, the man confessed his sins to us. We told him about Jesus, and that he needs to read his Bible, and get married, and find a church family. We told him that the best we can do in this world on our own, is our lousy best. "Shit happens" alright. Jesus is our only hope.

Jesus is the answer to this man's pitiful attempt to improve himself. Jesus is the answer to his girlfriend's need for a man's approval. Jesus is the answer to my loveless heart. Jesus is our only hope, and our greatest fear!

God, I pray for Ray. I pray that he will be broken. I pray that you would grant him godly sorrow, and that you will give him a new heart!

Thursday's Obedience

2008-05-02T05:52:00.005-04:00

For some time, I stayed away from Planned Parenthood.

Physically, for a short time, various things prevented me from standing for truth and in defense of the helpless, and calling for justice. After that, I was hesitant to go. I felt out of place. I felt helpless, speechless, meaningless.

When I started going again, I kept myself silent. I didn't love the babies enough to call for mercy. I didn't love the women, the escorts, the guards, the manager of Planned Parenthood, the staff enough to warn them of the danger to their souls. I didn't love God enough to proclaim His just judgements; His great mercy and magnificent salvation; His truth. I found myself confused by the friendly conversations between guards, staff, and protesters. I found myself jealous (this is ugly) of those who could speak, sing, and read Scripture there; of those who seemed to belong there.

1 I said, "I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue
from sin;
I will put a muzzle
on my mouth
as long as the
wicked are in my presence."
2 But when
I was silent and still,
not even saying
anything good,
my anguish
increased.
3 My heart grew hot within
me,
and as I meditated,
the fire burned;
then I spoke with
my tongue:
4 "Show me, O LORD, my
life's end
and the number of
my days;
let me know how
fleeting is my life.
5 You have made
my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my
years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is
but a breath. Selah
6 Man is a
mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about,
but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth,
not knowing who will get it.
7
"But now, Lord, what do I look
for?
My hope is in you.
8 Save me from all my
transgressions;
do not make me the
scorn of fools.
9 I was silent; I
would not open my mouth,
for you are the one
who has done this.
10 Remove your
scourge from me;
I am overcome by
the blow of your hand.
11 You rebuke
and discipline men for their
sin;
you consume their
wealth like a moth—
each man is but a
breath. Selah
12 "Hear my prayer,
O LORD,
listen to my cry
for help;
be not deaf to my
weeping.
For I dwell with
you as an alien,
a stranger, as all
my fathers were.
13 Look away from
me, that I may rejoice again
before I depart and
am no more."
Psalm 39

Yesterday, God returned to me. It may be that I needed to sort out the pearls, the swine, the way of the wicked, love for my enemies, and hatred for those who hate God. Yesterday, God removed the restraint on my tongue, and gave me words to speak and desire to speak them.

Last night, alone, Glen and I, without a sign, no camara, no one else with us, went to the IU campus and passed out about 80 black and white flyers. I looked for the girl (Peobe?) whom I met last month on campus, and who was going to email me her sources to back up her statement that child abuse rates have decreased since abortion has been legalized. I did not see her. (sigh) I hope that as she is packing up to go home for the summer, she runs across my email address and remembers her promise to email me.

I asked God to be glorified in our presence. I asked God to increase our faith.

I did talk to a young woman, Jaymie, for quite some time. She would not personally get an abortion, but is pro-choice. She was not going to take my flyer, but I asked her to read it, and think deeply about it again. So she checked it out to see what organization I am with, and was repulsed to find that I am with the Church of the Good Shepherd. So we talked about her experience with this church, which lead to talk about God, and truth, and women and men, and the Holy Spirit's role of guiding us in truth, and much more. I hugged her and asked her to call me. I hope she does.

She brought up this post from my pastor's blog. She knows the young man who posed the question. It is an excellent question, and well worth thinking deeply about.

I'm glad I had a talk with Jaymie, and I hope that God will compell her to think deeply of these things that we talked about, and that He will graciously draw her to Him. But if He hardens her heart, He will be just in doing so.

Jaymie, turn to God, while He is near.

EARTHQUAKE!

2008-04-18T05:43:00.003-04:00

I think I just experienced my first earthquake.

I was sitting here at my computer, checking out some stuff, when it seemed like one of the dogs started scratching. Sometimes when they scratch, they will be up against a wall or door, and they will make something vibrate.

Then I realized that the shaking was happening to everything, and not just one particular wall. The things on the shelves in the kitchen were rattling, and in the living room, and everywhere!

I was standing, when I realized this, because I was going to get the scratching dog so she didn't wake anyone else up; so I went down on my knees. I guess I was thinking that if the ceiling fell, it would be better if it didn't knock me down, I suppose.

While I was on my knees, I remembered Who holds my life in His hand, Who provides me with the roof over my head, and Who will sustain it and me, if He so decides.

The rattling subsided, but the house continued to vibrate. One neighborhood dog had started to bark with a frightened tone. I looked out the front window, and everything seemed normal, except that there are no cars in my neighbor's driveway.

I went to Lydia's room to get one of the dogs, and found her up gathering her birds back into their cage. The quake had frightened them. By the time I was done there, the quake seemed to be completely done.

Glen slept through it.

Thank you God, for this reminder of Your great power. Thank you for life and love, our home, and for all that You provide and require of us. In Christ name, Amen.

Today @ Planned Parenthood

2008-02-07T11:29:00.000-05:00

Today at Planned Parenthood, we talked to people. We talked to a woman who said that she was just there for birth control. She seemed shocked that they were killing children there today. "No wonder the waiting room is so full." Birth control is cheap, though, so we'll think more deeply about that later. Was she telling me the truth? I hope so.

Her girlfriend had long bronzed hair, drove a black pick-up truck, and was a #24 fan. She talked loudly on her cell phone whenever she was outside.

We talked to a couple of escorts on their way out. They ignored us. I hope that they will be changed, by God's grace.

We talked to a young man with an big cheshire grin that was his protection, until he just had to let it out: He works there. What does he do? He had an attache case that was as big as his grin, and heavy. He had to open his passenger door in order to let it in.

A young man came out to have a smoke, and ignored us, better than the one who works there.

The black woman who works there, heard again that this is wrong, and there is a better way.

Another woman, who works there, and has access to the back entrance also heard from us.

A woman, who came alone, said that we should not judge and that God said we should not judge. (This after I told her that they were killing children today, here.) She insisted that we should not judge people.

As we were leaving, a woman, probably in her early forties, with short hair, and a nice car drove up. She was alone, and I thought she would go next door to the community health outpost. She walked toward the entrance to Planned Parenthood, though and since she was alone, and because of her age, I guess I thought she might work there. I simply told her that it is wrong to kill children. I thought that after that, I might be able to determine her purpose there.

She exploded! She was there for birth control, and that we should leave these poor little girls alone, and that they should have the safest health care available. She started walking toward us, shaking her finger at us, and getting louder and louder. The poor security guard, whose first day it was, and who wasn't even wearing a uniform had to get out of his warm car and be ready to protect us if this woman got out of hand. He was probably told that there was nothing to do after 10:00!

She was still yelling when she turned around, telling us that we would rot in hell, and went into the building.

This woman took many steps to come to this moment. Who knows who the "little girls" were, whom she sprang to shield from guilt? God knows her path. He directed her steps to cross ours. Quite frankly, the conversation is a blur to me. I really was nearly afraid for a moment, she was very angry.

I'm sure that we were less than eloquent. God, though, used Jonah to turn the Ninevites to repentance. May God also use us to turn that angry woman, that smug young man, that grandma, who sat out in the car with a pre-schooler while, God-knows-what atrocity was happening inside, that woman who knows that we should not judge, those women who work there day after day, those escorts, and the new guard away from their evil, and to repentance, teaching them His ways.

Examination of the Good Wife

2007-12-15T19:44:00.000-05:00

I intend to examine the 1955 article, "The Good Wife's Guide." I will probably start on Monday. First, though, I want to knock out a few expectations, and then establish some:

1) I am speaking from the position of failure. I can tell from experience what does not work. However, whether I fail or succeed, I find out what works and what is right from God's revealed word: The Bible.

2) Since I have always drifted along on the waves of feminism, without really staking a claim on it, I am not an expert, and I welcome any one's comments or expertise. I have not studied it or fought for or against it. I have seen some of the devastating effects on women and culture, but I am not positive that they are the direct result of feminism, or if they are the result of other influences in our society. I do think that they are very closely tied to it, though.

3) Since I am, relative to my age, a novice on Biblical womanhood, I am not an expert, and I welcome any one's comments or expertise.

4) I am going to take the points out of order. I will start with "A good wife always knows her place." It is a highly volatile statement, and, I think, highly misunderstood. It is a good place to start, and it will serve to lay the foundation for the remaining points.

5) After that, I may group some things together, because they are points of advice that represent a principle; like examples of or exceptions to a rule.

I am pleased to already have a discussion going on this subject. Please feel absolutely free to discuss, rebuke, refute, or debate. I hope that everyone will be respectful. I have lived on both sides now. I, and my Saviour will love you.

I will stand on nothing but Scripture. All other ground is sinking sand.

A wife of noble character who can find?

2007-12-11T12:56:00.000-05:00

I have recently, again, received the above graphic forwarded to me by email. (click on the picture for easier reading)

In the following weeks, I will commit to examining each point from the biblical perspective.

Make no mistake, I was raised in a feminist America. Feminism is the air we breathe. It is very much like trying to think like a tree to see things in another way. However, just because I am a woman of unclean lips, and everyone around me also has unclean lips, doesn't make unclean lips alright. This is not like wearing a kilt in Iowa, or jeans in the Buckingham Palace. These are things that have far-reaching, and commonly denied effects.

The funny thing is how simple little steps to make the home a pleasant place to gather have become, not only a lost art, but a laughing stock. The main reason is that we are a culture that teaches us to live for ourselves, for the most part. Even philanthropy is based on what's in it for me (WIFM) with tax breaks and incentives.

Some of the suggestions in this 1955 advice can simply be tossed, but we should not have thrown out the baby with the bath water. Reading these, makes my natural self, cry out, "Why?" or "But what about me?"

Mere nostalgia is not a hill I will die on, but this is really more than nostalgia. There are lessons to be learned from what we learned in '60s and '70s. "You've come a long way, baby!" Can we even see where it has gotten us? Women do not hold the place of honor that we used to. We have given up sacrificing ourselves for our children in order to grow old alone. We have given up serving our husbands, in order to raise our children without the strength of the father.

We have become all we need, to become all we have.

We have come a long way, baby!

Kindling Polycarp Incandescence

2007-12-05T15:19:00.000-05:00

I first posted this in January of 2006. I had snatched it, though, from From the BaylyBlog. I just love this story; everything about it. I think of it often as I burn. It is an example of one setting himself on fire for Jesus:

...where will you take tidings of comfort and joy this (year)?

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.)

Where's Rachel?

2007-11-30T08:53:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted in a while. I realized today that it is November 30. I have not posted in November. I haven't a lot to say, so I will just post a few observations:

>I found a quarter yesterday. It was from 1985. That is the year I met Glen.

>A couple of days ago, I got two wheat pennies back in change. One was from 1941; the other was from 1951. I think that 1951 was the year that Glen came into existence, but he was not born that year. He was in God's plans much, much longer than that, though!

>Glen told me to leave off on trying to find that woman at Planned Parenthood a job. She's not interested. He's probably right. Besides, she is more able to disregard me when my message is so temporal.

>God is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine. His thoughts are much higher than our thoughts. He sees the beginning from the end.

>I got on facebook, against the advice of the younger generation; although they were gracious and patient to help me find my way around. I'm not sure how much I like it. I always feel like I am spying on people, and really only get half of their conversations. The huge benefit, though is the connection with people that I otherwise would not connect with.

>My sister, Deb, is on facebook, too. It is nice to talk to her there. We don't talk on the phone often, and sometimes I feel like a stranger to her. Now she has a blog, too! Check it out on my link bar! She is, and has always been one of my most interesting sisters; right up there with Lib and Hannah!

>I really don't understand the whole Federal Vision controversy, and when I try to read up on it, I don't seem to be able to grasp the gist of the mass of prodigiously inaccessible nomenclature. (sigh)

Job Hunting

2007-10-26T09:11:00.001-04:00

You may know that I have been talking to the African American woman who works at Planned Parenthood. I sincerely feel for her. When I started talking to her, she expressed the need to pay her bills. She subsequently defended her position there as helping people.

I want you to pray with me this week. I told her yesterday that I would meet her at Wendy's at 5:15 and we could sit and talk and have supper together. We could look for a job together. She was not there. I went in and looked for her, and then (being frightened, really) I waited another ten minutes in my van outside with the doors locked.

I did drive past Planned Parenthood when I left to confirm that she wasn't still at work... She wasn't. She probably has to get home and fix supper.

Next week, I want to be ready with some job offers. Pray with me, and ask me if I have been looking, and if you hear of anything, tell me. I am serious about this. I don't know if she is a nurse or a nurse's aid or what, but I would like to love her with a job. She will not come to me for a meal or help in finding a job. She probably thinks I am a cloud without rain.

13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.

14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him

20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

I John 3:13-24

Don't be so mean, ya mean ol' Meanie!

2007-10-25T12:36:00.000-04:00

Mean: What do you mean, "mean."

Today, at Planned Parenthood, I was loitering. A woman went in, alone, and I pretty much left her alone. As she came out and got in her vehicle, she looked at me. Then as she approached me, she stopped and rolled down her window and asked me if I needed a ride or something. I said, no, I'm here to offer people information about children, and abortion and life. I offered her a brochure.

She was repulsed, and the brochure that should have been in her extended fingers when I let go of it landed on her passenger seat. She said, "Oh-h, you're mean! So mean! Let people make up their own minds!" She handed the brochure back to me, and drove away.

Mean? Wow.

She was so kind, to ask me if I needed a ride. Why was I so mean?

Discouraged, maybe, but mean?

There was a guy who brought a girl. He was waiting for her to get out of the car when I pleaded with him to reconsider what he was here to do. Don't kill your child, it does nothing but damage to everyone involved. I exhorted him to take responsibility to to protect them. He ignored me. Then I tried to talk to the girl, who grinned at me and shrugged. They went in. He said something to me, but I can't remember what. He was very flippant and cool.

They came back out to fill out some papers on the bench behind the fence, so I went there and tried to talk to them. I offered her a brochure. She again just grinned at me. He said something about hell. I asked him to repeat it. I heard something about sodomites and hell, but I was still missing something, this wasn't making sense. I finally realized that he said that they were murderers and sodomites, and that they were going to hell. He seemed fine with that. I said, "OK, but would you please not kill your child on your way there."

"Nope, we're going to kill it."

What could I say? Mean? Me? Maybe. Lame is more like it. I don't know.

I'm Just a Little Black Rain Cloud

2007-10-24T13:27:00.000-04:00

(fast foward to the 4 minute mark if you wish)

11Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
12These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude)

How much of a cloud without rain I am! How often have I chanted with the rest, "Be bold, don't be ashamed of the Gospel!"

More than once, fully aware that I have been guilty of no more than skirting the subject of God; hinting that He is the source of help in times of trouble; I have been brushed aside like an annoying fly...an opportunity lost without actually offering an offense!

These are not lost opportunities of strangers passing on the street or acquaintances sharing air in the office.

I just am very ashamed of myself for missing this:

27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt.10:27&28)

Secrets and Mice

2007-10-24T09:54:00.000-04:00

It used to be that no one knew what went on in the Pierson home unless we told. Not so any more!

The last time we had mice, it was a great story to tell...if we so chose. This time, while I suspected that we had a wild visitor, I didn't know for sure until a member of our small group silently mouthed, "Mm-ouw-sss" to another one, and giggled. (sigh)

Later the same Sunday evening while we were engaged in a VERY serious discussion of sexual sin, another of our group saw one running through the rafters, and offered to catch it. (si-igh)

This morning, Glen discarded the seventh mouse caught in the week and a half since that meeting.

Edgewood Marching Mustangs 10/13/2007 Regionals

2007-10-17T15:50:00.001-04:00

The Edgewood Marching Mustangs: Taking their awesome show to the Dome.

The Marching Mustangs: State Bound!

2007-10-17T15:31:00.000-04:00

This is what I have been up to for the last month and a half...

Awesome!

They perform at the RCA Dome at 3:02 pm. They will be the last of the top ten Class C bands in the state to perform.

(sigh)

Breaking News

2007-10-16T10:21:00.000-04:00

Breaking my long silence to bring you this news:

Police: Suspected shooter still in apartment building
Bloomington Police Department Capt. Joe Qualters says police are trying to get communication with the man still in the apartment building; police are sending a telephone up to the apartment.

The apartment building is at the 1300 block of West Arch Haven on Bloomington's west side; the initial call came in after 7 a.m.

9:01 a.m. update

A man fired shots from an apartment building balcony this morning, according to police.

Sgt. Faron Lake told H-T reporter Marci Creps that a man fired shots from the balcony of an apartment building behind the BW3 restaurant on Second Street this morning. Lake said the man shot a rifle numerous times, but did not hit anyone that police are aware of, then went back inside.

Police believe the man is back inside the apartment at this time, and has not come back out.

Bloomington police's Critical Incident Response Team is on the scene, staging next to Stonebelt on Adams Street.

Dave Burnworth, senior director of clinical operations at IMA, said Internal Medicine Associates’ Landmark Family Practice and Landmark Medical Center were both locked down at 7:45 a.m.

“No patients or doctors can leave the building until we get the OK from the police,” he said. “Everyone seems to be fine. They know they are secure if they stay inside the building.”

8:43 a.m. update

Bloomington Police are at the scene of the incident near Second Street at this hour.

Preliminary reports from police indicate a man with a rifle came out of an apartment building on Adams Street, between Patterson and Second Streets, and fired shots.

Police did not say who the man is, or why shots were fired.

The area is sealed off, including Second near Landmark and Patterson and Adams Street.

A news briefing is expected in about a half hour.

This story will be updated as information becomes available.

We are all safe and sound. More later.

Lame

2007-08-31T09:09:00.000-04:00

I had a perfect U-tube video to embed in the last post. It would actually be better to post separately because I would be able to comment on the difference between being part of a flock, and being someone's puppet.

I don't understand it. Everyone else can put videos on their blogs, but I can't... Boo-hoo-hoo!

Puppet on a String

2007-08-31T08:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had a conversation with a young woman who goes to a church which we used to belong to. This is a person who grieved me several weeks ago when I saw her go into Planned Parenthood, but I didn't get to talk to her that day.

(This is one of those things that happen that
you hesitate to tell people
because they will think you're fruity:
I would never have remembered her name,
but I asked God,
and it popped out of my mouth
even as it appeared in my mind.
I was amazed when she responded.
Agh! This frightens me.)

Yesterday, when I arrived, there was a strapping young man waiting by the door. I was told that he brought a short heavy woman in. Funny what we assume. As she was coming out, I called her name. I asked her to come to me, and she did.

(This always amazes me when people come to me.
I often hesitate to ask them to, because it doesn't seem like they would.
Would you?
God clearly holds the hearts of men, kings, young women, and girls in
His Mighty Hand!
They make their plans, and
He directs their steps.)

So, I ask her what she is doing here. To my GREAT surprise, she said, "Don't worry, I am volunteering here." (!!) She is counseling. What sort of counseling do you suppose they do at Planned Parenthood? Don't worry, though, because she also volunteers at the CPC just-down-the-street. Oh, and she told her Mom that she saw me there, a couple of weeks ago. (Peace, peace)

I asked her if she could, while counseling, tell someone that abortion is wrong, that it is killing a child. She said she couldn't say that this "procedure" was wrong, but that she could (wink wink) guide them toward other options. (Peace, peace)

I almost fell for that one. Then she came in with the left jab: (Just when I was wondering if she had stopped going to church) Don't worry, she did talk to Pastor about it. He said it's OK. She said that he said it's better than being "one of those people who stand outside." People just think they are morons, you know. It's more effective, you know. (You Fool!)

Oh, and she's a Nanny, and a Doula (not officially certified --sh-sh). And I really should come back to church, because they're just about to build their new auditorium, and so and so (would you believe it!) are getting married, and so and so are having their third baby and she's just glowing. And everything is so wonderful (bright smile). Oh, and the little baby, in my arms is so cute, he looks just like So and So's youngest one. (peace, peace)

I wanted to ask her to stop flinging crap in my face. Alternately I wanted to fall on my knees and beg her to come to her senses. I gave her another hug and sent her on her way...she really had to get going.

What was it her t-shirt said? "I have visited Motherhood"? Who was that tall strapping young man towering over her. Her "friend" wore a t-shirt with too much writing stretched across his muscular chest for me to have time to read. He also wore a crucifix. He had an appointment, or we might still be there talking. She drove away with him slumped in the passenger seat.

What's in a Name - Meme

2007-08-31T07:47:00.000-04:00

Kim at Hinds Feet tagged me for the name game. At first I was thrilled. My Mom and Dad had eleven children. My youngest sister died shortly after birth. My parents gave each child a good Biblical name, and really quite good middle names. I have always been impressed with them. I really should sit down with them and ask them where each one came from and what they were thinking in choosing names:

David Lee
Timothy Ray
Daniel Wade
Deborah Kay
Thomas Keith
Elizabeth Faye
Peter James
Benjamin Scott
Rachel Lee
Hannah Lori
Dinah Ruth

I think I have blown my chance at this conversation, though, because my Mom still thinks I'm mad at her for giving me a hand-me-down middle name. If you're reading this, Mom, I'm really really over it.

Not bad for a woman whose parents gave most of brothers middle initials instead of middle names. My parents' names:

Viola Mae and James Samuel

We had a nap mat for kindergarten that was used by each sibling in succession. My Mom sewed each of our names on the mat. It was pretty neat. Each of us had Mrs. Lockwood for kindergarten, until Hannah's turn came. The school put her in the other teacher's room. My Mom tried to buck the system, but the system won. I hope that God worked that all out for the good of my sister and my Mom.

Now, on to the game:

WHAT’S IN A NAME?
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Lee: There are only three letters and two of them are duplicates. This can't be that hard. I'm never any good at self contemplation, though and I tend to be too harsh. I asked for more objective help from family and got things like "Luscious" and "Egregious."

I went then to the online thesaurus, and found words like:

L: Loathsome, Lackluster, Languid and Lumpy

E: Enervative, Exigent
(and for some more enticingly exciting "E" words)

E: Exasperating, Echoic

I'm no good at this game. I'm not going to tag anyone. I had some interesting people in mind, but I'd rather they don't come here and read this.

There will be no puffing.

The War on the Unborn

2007-08-22T15:18:00.000-04:00

One day a war protester stopped by at Planned Parenthood and tried to start something.

I dug right in. I probably failed to communicate eloquently. She mentioned 8,000 people dying in Irag in the past year. I told her that 4,000 Americans died of abortion yesterday.

After that things just escalated into a yelling tyrade. I vaguely heard Glen tell me to be quiet, and I shamefully found my bulldog teeth sunk in too far to let go. She asked why we are here; why do we care about these unwanted babies; why don't we care about the innocent Iraqi civilians who are dying in an unjust war?

Too many words and too much volume.

What I would really love to do is to get really close to this woman, with forearms touching, look her in the eye and communicate the difference between that Iraqi civilian man, woman or child who is dying of the war, however unjust or unwarranted; and the 10 or 20 unborn children who were dying on College avenue that very day as we spoke, and those who will die tomorrow.

The difference is that the man could run or defend himself. The woman could plead for her life or hide. The child could scream or cry out for help. The baby in his mother's arms, or abandoned in the corner of an alley, could cry pitifully. Maybe none of these things would save their lives, for long; but maybe death would be delayed, or mercy realized.

The children dying on College Avenue in Bloomington Indiana can do none of those things.

On the Road Again

2007-08-17T14:15:00.001-04:00

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?

Glen and Holly are on the road today. They are actually probably by now in Lafayette. Holly is starting her second year at Purdue and is moving in today.

Maybe that is why I am feeling melancholy today. I feel an empty place. I feel left out. I feel powerless to help Glen, and to strengthen Holly.

I have Lydia. She will be picking me up soon, and then she has to go to the first football game of the season, wearing the new uniforms for the first time ever. I feel left out. I won't be there to see the first public performance of her senior year show with the band. I won't be there to encourage and critique. I am powerless.

I, though, will go to a discipleship conference with church. I am looking forward to it, but at the same time, I know that even if I know the tactics, I am powerless. I think that is what cast my soul down so yesterday; my powerlessness.

Instead, my powerlessness should be a source of delight, for in my weakness, God says, His strength is made perfect.

Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

I am afraid to say this:

2007-08-16T13:38:00.000-04:00

This video is very telling. Who are we to be more "compassionate" than God? If we cannot believe God, then what are we doing there? Who are we to speak for God, if we don't know, or won't say what He says?

I post this with great trembling. I am afraid of it. I don't want to be harsh, or uncaring. I don't want to be arrogant. I want to be faithful to God.

We are of all men, most foolish and pitiable. That is obvious.

What would I say?

My opinion here does not matter. I defer to God.

What does God say?

5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed;
for in the image of God
has God made man.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."

(Genesis 9:5-7)

Downcast

2007-08-16T11:32:00.000-04:00

Psalm 42

1 For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.
2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?
3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Love for and Distractions of the Enemy

2007-08-10T08:42:00.000-04:00

The Enemy

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:19-24)

There is a woman who works at Planned Parenthood, who used to get a ride to work. She arrives after I get there, and for months I kind of disregarded her. One day, I realized that I never talked to her. Why? Maybe because she is black.Am I a racist? I never thought so, but there is a blonde white woman working there, who leaves after the black woman arrives, and I call her to account; so I can only think that I let this woman slide because she is black. Of course it may have been because she got a ride to work, and I could imagine the conversations around the dinner table about me that night (racism or fear of man: which is the greater sin?) I repented of this silence to God and to her, and began to talk to her each time she arrived.

A month or so ago, she got her own vehicle. It's a van. Soon after she got it, she started parking it across the alley. This means she has to cross my path to get to work. I have noticed that she does this even when there are plenty of parking places at Planned Parenthood. Just yesterday, I realized how delightful this is, and that it must be because God directs her in this. If God puts her in my path, who am I to keep silent?

I have talked to her about sin, guilt, innocent blood. I have talked to her about income and jobs, and responsibilities.

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

Yesterday, I told her that I would like to sit down with her and help her find a bloodless job. She turned around and faced me, and shouted at me to not harass her when she comes to work. I told her that I want to help her, and that a woman with her skills and compassion ought to have a job where she can help people and not help to kill people.

She spent more time there with me than was necessary. I totally expected the guard or escorts to surround her, but they left her out in the open and vulnerable. It seemed like a very long time, and afterward, I was shaken.

11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (I John 3:11-24; emphasis added)

What have I done? I have been thinking about this ever since! Even after a war protester came and diverted our attention from the imminent death of helpless children, who cannot hide, fight back or even cry out, to the war in Iraq, where thousands of humans, made in God's image have died in the past years of the war.

(Can we compare the two? Four thousand children yesterday in America alone compared to how many thousands of men, women and children over the past 6 years. Besides, why must it be assumed that just because a person does not want to kill unborn children, that they are blood-thirsty war mongers? This was a distraction, but I did not know how to diffuse it. I regret my behaviour.)

The black woman who works at Planned Parenthood is an enemy of God. Therefore, according to Psalm 139, she is my enemy as well. How did Jesus command me to treat my enemy? With love. What did I John say about love? It is more than words, but action and truth. I hope that she will take me up on the offer. I hope to sit down with her over coffee or a bowl of chili, and search with her for a job... and share the gospel with her.

Look Around

2007-08-08T08:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I while I was at Planned Parenthood, a young Asian woman was moving out of the apartment above the used furniture store across the street. Actually she was talking on her cell phone while standing on the side walk as her mother lugged the bed frame down the stairs by herself. She got cut off as her mother stopped for breath and waited for the young woman to put her phone away and help. In exasperation, she redialed, speaking sharply to her mother for expecting help. The mother's face got deeper red in the over 90 degree heat as dragged a mattress down the narrow stairs and leaned it against the building alone.

As I watched this, I was reminded about the commentary on the Stand True website regarding the Everyday ProLife Life (Go to the Stand True Website, Click on Commentaries, then click on Everyday Pro Life in the first column). Am I Pro-life just just because I contend for the life of the unborn? I don't think so. I contend for the life of the unborn because I am a Christian.

I struggled with standing across the street or going over and helping. Finally, I put my stuff back in the van and crossed the street. As I approached the older woman, without even breaking up her cell phone conversation, the younger woman placed herself between me and the mother and asked how she can help me.

I told her that the woman looked like she was moving and needed help. She said, "No, I'm moving, she's fine." After trying to convince her of my good intentions, and her insisting that I am not needed, I went back across the street.

I thought she would be motivated to help then, but she continued to talk and the mother continued to work alone and aggravated. Then an young Asian man came alone from the south and the young woman ran to meet him. They all gathered at the entrance to the apartment and talked. Then the young couple began to walk toward Second Street quickly. The older woman gathered three bottles of water and tried to follow, but they were too far along. She called to them, but they kept going. When they got to the parking lot at Kroger, they got in a car and drove away.

The old woman was left with two mattresses and a bed frame that she was unable to load into a van by herself, and three bottles of water. I don't know if there was more furniture upstairs that was still to come down.

When I left to go back to work, she was still there, alone.

This was so poignant.

1. Why does it take me so long to act? Why did I give up so easily? Why didn't I go help after the young woman was gone?
2. How did that young woman become so incredibly selfish? Did her parents inadvertently teach her selfishness?
3. I am speechless with questions! How? Why? How...?

It's Personal

2007-08-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

Pro-life: It's personal.

Christ Centered Pro-Life has posted a commentary about a comprehensive "Pr0-life" life. "Everyday Pro-life" is more than just defending the defenseless in the form of the unborn baby.

It is also uplifting the downtrodden; encouraging the hopeless; feeding the hungry.
It's Jesus at the well;
it's Jesus spitting in the mud;
it's Jesus drawing in the dirt;
it's Jesus feeding the five thousand;
it's Jesus delaying his journey to Lazarus' bedside in his illness;
it's Jesus weeping over Mary and Martha's loss;
it's Jesus loving the children of Jerusalem even as they rejected Him.
It is the unrelenting Stephen explaining from scripture God's plan of salvation as his accusers became more and more vehement.
It is Jim Elliott, flying into the jungle, unarmed because he was ready to die, but the natives were with out God and without hope in this world.

It is sometimes hard, and always surprising. It is surprising how, when my heart waxes cold, and begins to wander, something happens to make it personal.

Yesterday, I saw someone I knew... I am at a loss. Pray for me.

OK, I am entering a contest!

2007-08-03T08:37:00.000-04:00

My dear friend Kim, has been going nuts on her blog this summer. She has been participating in a wild variety of contests, and seems to be having a good time, and having lots of visitors. While I have been tempted each time she has had a contest to join in, I have been too trepidatious to join in. Now the temptation is too great!

Go to 5 minutes for Moms and enter their TV Contest Giveaway! and make sure you thank Best Buy for making this available.

Believe it or not, this is what is being given away free:

The ultra slim, lightweight Insignia® 37″ Flat-Panel LCD HDTV (Model: NS-LCD37) features 1366×768 Resolution, with 16:9 widescreen ratio for cinema-quality viewing. You will be enjoying picture perfect quality from every angle and not missing any details with its built in high definition capabilities.

The TV measures 5″ deep and will look fantastic either in an entertainment center or mounted on a wall (with optional mounting kit, not included.)

Oops! Almost forgot to include instructions:

Here is how to enter:
First - leave a comment here at this post (NOT HERE AT RACHEL'S BLOG) by Friday, August 17th, 2007 at 12:00am Eastern (really Midnight on Thursday so don't miss the mark by thinking Friday). We will announce the winner Friday morning, August, 17th. Please only comment once - any duplicate entries will be deleted.
Second - on your blog, link to this contest so that your readers can have a chance to win too. You gotta let your readers know about this! And also please link to Best Buy to thank them for sponsoring this great contest. If you are not a blogger, no worries, you obviously can’t link. But please tell your friends about the contest. I am sure they will thank you!
This contest is open to both Canadian and US shipping addresses!!! YEAH!

(sigh)

A Bridge Collapsed in Minnesota

2007-08-02T13:19:00.000-04:00

I first heard about this on Albert Mohler's blog. I appreciated Mr. Mohler's sensitivity and focus during this disaster.

Pray with me for God's people in this tragedy. Pray for His church, that she will be a place of comfort, mercy, and refuge. Pray that souls will seek God's solace during this time, and that He will be glorified.

Go here for more details and pictures.

Psalm 57
For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam . When he had fled from Saul into the cave. ^[a]
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me;
Selah
God sends his love and his faithfulness.
4 I am in the midst of lions;
I lie among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Great Picture!

2007-08-01T16:03:00.001-04:00

Just click on the image to see where I got this great picture!

The turtle picture below came from here.

Perspective

2007-08-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

There was a letter to the editor in our paper a week or so ago. It was from a woman who passed a turtle on the road. She just knew that turtle wouldn't survive the onslaught of traffic, and went back to rescue the it. When she got there, she found a young man already moving the turtle off the road.

He told her that eight other people had stopped for the same purpose.

She thought this was wonderfully encouraging.

On my way back to work from Planned Parenthood yesterday, having finally talked to the two people that God brought to me, Lindsay and her man, I saw a young robin just near the curb on Second Street. Cars whizzed by it, one right after the other. It sat very still, with its beak pointed to the sky. It made me think about that turtle and its 10 rescuers. Then it made me think of how few people attempt to rescue the 10 or 20 babies who are killed every week at Planned Parenthood.

Lindsay was just there, she said to "purchase something." She seemed quite concerned that Planned Parenthood kills babies on Thursday. She looked at her stone-faced companion and then at me.

For the Love of God!

2007-07-26T13:42:00.000-04:00

Why do I write about these things? Just so I don't forget:

Today was a very interactive day at Planned Parenthood. Intense conversations.

A couple of women left Planned Parenthood and headed down the alley toward Walnut on foot. I greeted them and asked if I could give them some information. I was too far away to casually intersect their path, so they would either have to stop, or I would have to run if there was to be eye to eye. One continued on. One stopped. She took my paper, looked at it, folded it up and put it in her pocket while asking me if I had ever adopted a baby. I haven't, but...she scoffed. There you go..we have free choice. I asked her if she thought that wasn't a baby. She said that she knew it was a baby. I asked her if she thought then, that the woman's perogative superceeded the helpless one's right to live. She said that we have free choice, and I have never adopted a baby.

Later, when they returned and were talking to the guard and escort, I called to her that there are no unwanted children. (there are truely people who want these children) She came right over to me (all the time telling me that I am casting judgement on these people and don't know their struggles) and stood and talked to me about poverty, down-trodden women and babies who have nothing. She said that she and her mother were there, in poverty, have I ever been? I told her that I am ready to help, and others like me. I asked her if she knew of any who need help now? She said no. I offered her my phone number so she could call me when she found one who needed help. As she walked away, she said that she will be too busy helping them herself.

I told her that is why I am here. .. to help those who are helpless, and dying. (This is where I went and cried in my husband's arms while he prayed for me. God gives strength.)

A man and woman arrived and got out of their car. As I approached, he raised his hand and said that they were not here to kill a baby today. (peace, peace) When they came back out, I asked if they were there for an appointment, or just to check out the place (this cut off the joke about liking babies fried). I gave the man a flyer as we talked, and the woman said that it was really none of my business and that I will leave her alone. She looked sad, and as she waited for her man to unlock her door from the inside, I noticed her brown paper bag and paperwork. I probably gave them the wrong flyer. They needed information about the morning after pill.

Right after I told the guard and escort that I hoped that God would grant them a guilty conscience, to hear the cries of their helpless victems, repentance and faith, I gave an escort a flyer. I told her I hadn't seen her there for a while and offered to buy her a cup of coffee (I've been listening to John Piper sermons on the subject...how do you love a woman at the well?). I offered her my phone number. She refused, saying that she would just see me here (Lord willing).

Another woman with van with a Florida license plate took my flyer, told me she would read it, and that she would leave it with them (Planned Parenthood). She was older (although probably younger than me) and she was with a youngish looking man; nineteen or twenty. I did not see the woman she presumably brought for an abortion (she made a noncommitally affirmative gesture when I asked if that was what she was there for).

Another couple came out, ignoring me, and started to leave with their windows rolled tightly up. I held out a flyer in a lame attempt to communicate with them, knowing that they would just drive by. They stopped, though, rolled down their windows, and took my flyer.

Why do I write about these things? I wonder if I write them because I think I'm cool, fast on my feet, or clever. I wonder if I write them to get some sort of positive feedback from my friends. Sometimes I am a most rediculous woman.

As I am writing, I see what I did, and re-hear what I said, and it makes me sick to my stomach. What a poor excuse for a watchman. What a rediculous woman!

What a Glorious God!
Why did the one woman stop and the other go on?
Why is it that she now has our flyer in her pocket?
Why did that woman from Florida go out of her way to take my flyer, make eye contact with me and exchange words?
Why did she threaten to give it to the people in Planned Parenthood, and probably carry through with that?
Why, then, did J Lewis, the manager, come out? He seldom comes out, and only when he feels like things are intense, I think.
Why on earth would that couple, safely encased in their car, stop, hold up the car behind them, open their window, and take my flyer?

1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
       he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

2 All a man's ways seem right to him,
       but the LORD weighs the heart.

3 To do what is right and just
       is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
       the lamp of the wicked, are sin! (Proverbs 21)

9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps. (Proverbs 16)

Birth Control

2007-07-12T17:22:00.000-04:00

Marriage, Singleness, and Birth control: Hot Topics.

I read today something that I hope to always remember. Pyromaniacs started a series entitled "Hello Out There." In it, the author intends to speak culturally to cultural people about important things, leaving behind the shibboleths of Christianity. I think this is a good idea. I think that I myself have nothing to say to the world, my neighbors, others. God does, though, and I keep hearing people say that you have to give it to them in their own language. You have to be relevant. So, I'm glad the Pyros have started this. I am looking forward to learning how to be as wise as serpants, and as gentle as doves.

In the first installment, on truth, the author says:

The Christian agrees with his non-Christian neighbors on one point: no mere mortal has the authority to create and impose truth on another. It is the Christian position that we are all finite: "we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow" (Job 8:9). Even the smartest man is limited in his grasp of the facts. Further, none of us has the infinite perspective necessary to assign the right meaning to those facts we do possess. We are bound into our own context, and lack a transcendent vantage point.

I think it is also important to remember to keep the content scriptural. How do you find that balance? I don't know, but I will try. I'm not sure that it is a balance so much because, how can you possibly balance anything with Scripture. When men try, Scripture gets diluted. On the other hand, I get in trouble, and err, when I think I am God's interpreter, His lawyer, His partner, His beautician, His public relations coordinator.

Church of the Good Shepherd had a very compelling sermon called Fruit of the Spirit (2/26/06). The springboard for this sermon was Galatians 5:22-26. While the sermon was excellent, I question the premise (although, God may use children to grow the fruit of the spirit in His children). If I were discussing godly seed, the blessing of children, or full quivers, I would not use Galatians 5 to back me up.

Pastor Bayly, however, used an unexpected springboard for this sermon, quite possibly for the very purpose of calling us from our selfishness, greed, fear and pride. I will also approach this discussion from probably an unexpected direction to shine God's light, I hope, on other ways that we may fail, calling God's discipline on us.

HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER This may seem a little backward, but bear with me for a moment, and I'll see if I can't get to a point.

I grew up in a family of ten children. As a child, my plan was also to have as many children. When my eldest brother stopped having children after two, I promised my Mom that I would have 18. My parents were jars of clay. They did their best, and that was a mighty fine job.

When I was thirteen, my Mom was expecting her eleventh child. My oldest brother, who was thirteen when I was born, had a son. The pregnancy was, I'm sure, not an easy one for my forty-six year old mother, but she bore this burden joyfully, even while defending the child's very existance. She sewed diapers, burp cloths, nighties and quilts. She was glowing.

My little red-headed sister, Dinah Ruth, did not live more than thirteen hours out of the womb. She was born too early, and her lungs were not ready. Her death was a greater burden to my mother than her life had been. Her smile and joy were packed away with the unused nighties and the unsoiled diapers.

The next few years were very dark, and to my shame, I was not a help to my mother in her pain, or a comfort in her time of sorrow. Instead I distanced myself from her need. The odd thing is that distance tends to create callouses, where as closeness creates softness in hearts. Here is where I began to despise my mother.

For many years, I continued in this sin, and God did not strike me down. I began to see all of my mother's faults, and to disagree with her lifestyle. I remember telling people as an adult that I thought my mother should have stopped having children after four, because the world would have been a sadder place without my oldest sister. So I despised the goodness of God, and loved the things of the world.

As an adult the concept of birth control was not even an issue. Yes, you control births. Relationships, education, career, and self esteem were my highest goals. My first marriage was to a barren man, and I cried myself to sleep at the thought of never having children, but I did not still recognize my sin, or repent of it.

After that one failed, I married a man (Glen) who had two children already, and he longed to have children with a wife (me) together. So we "decided" to have children, and did have two of them. (Praise be to God for His inexpressible mercy to us, opening my undeserving and rebelious womb, and granting us children to teach us our sin.) Then the decision was made for me not to have any more.

Is this command to honor your father and mother tied up in the blessings of God? I think so. God has used His birth control, to discipline me, and convict me of this sin, and teach me His way.

I have worn myself out with this first point, and cannot complete the next two points, but leave them here to feed our thoughts. I am happy to engage in this discussion personally or by blog or email.

SERVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, ALL YOUR HEART AND ALL YOUR MIND

Serve the Lord now. I see and experience so much discontentment with where we are, always hoping for the next blessing. I want to be married. I want to have children. I want to have more room for hospitality. I want to serve the Lord in Africa. I want to do this, I want to have that.

We need to be looking daily, and asking daily for the tasks and relationships that God has for us today, while it is today. We need to be faithful in the small things.

RECEIVE WITH JOY FROM YOUR FATHER'S HAND

Would you receive "good" only from the Father's hand and not evil too?

Revised Message to a Rebelious House

2007-06-18T14:12:00.000-04:00

Two evenings from now, June 20, the Bloomington City Council will meet to decide on the distribution of Jack Hopkins Social Services Funds. The presentation of each of the applicants can be viewed at the council website (http://www.bloomington.in.gov/council/) and by clicking on the link to view current and archived meeting (look for May 3). This is long and interesting viewing.

Unless someone compels me not to speak thus, this is what I will say to them Wednesday night:

In regards to the financial support, and approval of the City of Bloomington of Planned Parenthood, I have something to say. In regards to the care taken by the City of Bloomington to make sure that public funds granted to an organization of mercy and compassion not be used to promote or be involved in any way with religion; while promoting, approving and funding the abhorrent practice of heartlessly ending the tiny lives of the most helpless people among us, at the unofficial rate of 10 to 20 each week, I have something to say.

I thank God that He has preserved us and brought us together here, that I may speak, and you may hear, that your soul may live!

I call you now to righteousness, mercy, and justice. Since I see by your duplicity, that you are blind to these concepts, I have some counsel for you.

You are now, as in the past, considering funding an organization which is involved in the killing of helpless and voiceless persons, and the perpetuating of the victimization and dehumanization of young girls and women, and their loss of honour in our society. I call you to examine your hands, and see that they are stained with blood, and repent!

You are now, as in the past, considering the funding of organizations which may also be involved in religion or housed at religious facilities, or would like to work with people who follow Jesus Christ. In all your deliberations, you are so careful to make sure that these funds will not be used to contribute to, or promote religion. I call you to recognize that the God who created heaven and earth and everything in it, also created you, and brought you here to hear these words, that you would turn from the evil that the world would call good. I will tell you that it is He who has put you in this position, and not you, yourself, and that to do right is not to do right in your own eyes, or the eyes of the public, or in the eyes of your fellow councilmen; but in the eyes of God Himself. I urge you: "Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:24)

God holds judgment in store for those who rebel against Him, wrath for those who revel in their wickedness, and terror for those who disregard the plight of the helpless and show no mercy. However, we know from His profit, Ezekiel, that He does not delight in the death of the wicked, but rather He calls them to turn to Him to learn righteousness. He has provided His own salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ. Nowhere else will you find the Words of Life, but from Him.

We have all together drank of the deceptive waters of our own selfish hearts, our society, our world. You, too, have been deceived; and have deceived yourselves. Why would your persist in your own way, and die? Turn, rather to Jesus. Take His yoke upon you and learn of Him, for He is the truth.

And now hear the Word of the One True God from His prophet, Amos:

Seek good, not evil,
       that you may live.
       Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,
       just as you say he is.
Hate evil, love good;
       maintain justice in the courts.
       Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy
       on the remnant of Joseph.

Come now, Bloomington, let us reason together. Won't you take refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ with me? He is your only hope.

When I posted this before, and requested input, I got a little bit of the "oil on my head' referenced in Psalm 141 (thanks, Jeff and Dave). This is revised based on their input. I will not refuse wise counsel. I beg for it. If these words are inappropriate or inappropriate for me (a woman) to speak in this situation, please let me know. My cause is Christ. I seek to honour Him.

Keep one another, the Church of the living God in prayer during this time, and every day. Each moment, we need to live to Christ. We were saved unto good works that were prepared in advance for us. Is this one of them?

Each day, God brings people into our lives. Brothers and Sisters, this is not by random chance. That which He whispers in your ear, shout from the rooftop!

Careless Words

2007-06-06T16:48:00.001-04:00

I hurt someone's feelings today.

I am truly sorry.

A Message to a Rebelious House

2007-06-06T12:52:00.000-04:00

Unless someone else does, this is what I will say to the Bloomington City Council two weeks from tonight when they meet to vote on the disbursement of the Jack Hopkins Social Service Funds:

I was here last June during this same meeting. I sat paralyzed with fear at the thought of speaking. I thank God that He has preserved us to this day, that I may speak, and you may hear, that your soul may live!

You, councilmen, are in a high and lofty position and have weighty, as well as trivial, decisions in your hands. People look to you for wisdom; and this is a great burden, that I hope you regard with trembling. I know that you are concerned with pleasing those who have put you in this position. I hope that you are also concerned with justice and doing what is right.

I am not going to claim to think like the majority. I will not deny that I am part of what many would call the "fringe." The Bible calls us the "remnant."

Therefore, I will not try to convince you to make decisions that will make political friends; I will not give you advice that will make you successful in the public arena; and I will not encourage you to seek the good pleasure of the majority. In fact I have a drastically different message for you.

I would, rather, call you to righteousness, and justice. I call you to examine your hands, and see that they are stained with blood, and repent! I call you to recognize that the God who created heaven and earth and everything in it, also created you, and brought you here to hear these words, that you would turn from the evil that the world would call good. I will tell you that it is He who has put you in this position, and not you, yourself, and that to do right is not to do right in your own eyes, or the eyes of the public, or in the eyes of your fellow councilmen; but in the eyes of God Himself. I urge you: "Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:24)

God holds judgment in store for those who rebel against Him, wrath for those who revel in their wickedness, and terror for those who disregard the plight of the helpless and show no mercy. However, we know from His profit, Ezekiel, that He does not delight in the death of the wicked, but rather He calls them to turn to Him to learn righteousness. He has provided His own salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ. Nowhere else will you find the Words of Life, but from Him. We have all together drank of the deceptive waters of our own selfish hearts, our society, our world. You, too, have been deceived; and have deceived yourselves. Why would your persist in your own way, and die?

And now hear the Word of the One True God from His prophet, Amos:
Seek good, not evil,
       that you may live.
       Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,
       just as you say he is.
Hate evil, love good;
       maintain justice in the courts.
       Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy
       on the remnant of Joseph.

Come now, Bloomington, let us reason together. Won't you take refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ with me? He is your only hope.

I welcome your comments.

Whoopie!

2007-05-31T11:46:00.000-04:00

I spoke with a woman today who looked much like Whoopi Goldberg. I really almost felt like asking for her autograph.

(insert imaginary photo here)

(If you don't know what Whoopi looks like, go to: http://imdb.com/gallery/granitz/6110/WhoopiGol_Theo_14047038_400.jpg.html?seq=3 )

The heart of man is wicked and deceiptful, who can know it. If I went with my gut, I would seldom --no, never-- serve God. If I did that which I now call serving, it would be because it somehow satisfies me. Today was all about that.

I felt whoosie. I did not feel like being at Planned Parenthood. I felt afraid and sickly. Glen let me hold a sign with him for a while, and then he told me to go do what I am called to do.

So I put the sign under the back wiper on the van, and went to the alley to read scripture and sing. As I read, a woman with a cane and dreadlocks came toward me. I greeted her and continued to read. She said something like amen, and then, when she was nearly past me, she said almost under her breath, "But I still believe in freedom of choice."

I turned around to face her and said that some choices are simply wrong. She came back to me. (She came back to me!) She had a cane with a brace attaching it to her arm, but she carried the cane now instead of leaning on it. She said that people make mistakes, and that although she was lucky enough to be adopted by a wonderful man; a wonderful family, not everyone is that lucky.

She would not listen to the fact that there are people who would love to care for mother and child. She responded that "He gave us free choice" when I said that the little one ought not have to die for the "mistakes" of others. (Drats, I missed the opportunity for the Gospel!)

This is a conversation that would have been missed had I listened to my lying heart. While I was there, I read this:

1 I said, "I will watch my ways
       and keep my tongue from sin;
       I will put a muzzle on my mouth
       as long as the wicked are in my presence."

2 But when I was silent and still,
       not even saying anything good,
       my anguish increased.

3 My heart grew hot within me,
       and as I meditated, the fire burned;
       then I spoke with my tongue:

4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end
       and the number of my days;
       let me know how fleeting is my life.

5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
       the span of my years is as nothing before you.
       Each man's life is but a breath.
       Selah

6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
       He bustles about, but only in vain;
       he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

7 "But now, Lord, what do I look for?
       My hope is in you.

8 Save me from all my transgressions;
       do not make me the scorn of fools.

9 I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
       for you are the one who has done this.

10 Remove your scourge from me;
       I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11 You rebuke and discipline men for their sin;
       you consume their wealth like a moth—
       each man is but a breath.
       Selah

12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD,
       listen to my cry for help;
       be not deaf to my weeping.
       For I dwell with you as an alien,
       a stranger, as all my fathers were.

13 Look away from me, that I may rejoice again
       before I depart and am no more."

Psalm 39

Thank you, Father, for not dealing with me as I deserve. Thank you for calling me, and for making me stand firm on the Solid Rock of your salvation. AMEN!

Thinking on my feet

2007-05-29T11:32:00.001-04:00

I am really bad at thinking on my feet, but I am not allowed that excuse anymore.

Instead, as a servant of Jesus Christ, I must be ready to give an answer for the faith that lives in me.

Today, at Planned Parenthood, the importance of getting beyond myself and living in Christ was brought to light for me.

A woman and a man pulled up and parked. As they got out of their car, I greeted them and asked the woman if she was there for an appointment. She looked as if she didn't understand the question, and I repeated it, and to clarify, asked if she thought she might be pregnant. She said something and I asked if I could give her some information about unborn children that I didn't think they would give her in there. She said she has two children and knows all about them, and that it was none of my business. I backed down.

(In this process, the couple was diverted from the easy entrance to the facility to the front entrance.) They finished their smokes and went in.

When they came out, as they passed me (again, going oit of their way to pass near me), she said that I need to go home and mind my own business. She had a package of "Plan B" pills. I told her (they were nearly to their car by now) that I was just here, speaking for those who couldn't speak for themselves; they're too little. *She came back accross the parking lot to tell me that if I knew how difficult this was for people (the pregnancy itself) I would go home and stop making people feel guilty for making a difficult decision like this. She said that I need to get a f---ing life.

All I could think of was, "I hope you do too." I didn't say it though, because I knew that it sounded beligerant, and not the way I meant it, that she would find life.

*Here is the change as I see it. This is where the discussion went from abstract to personal. Here is where she exposed her tender underbelly. This is where she showed me her pain. This is a woman at the well.

I didn't see this until I was on my way back to work. Have I become that calloused? In retrospect, I could see that when I mentioned the little ones, she became defensive. That is when she walked away from the protective shell of her car to come back to me. This is where she went out of her way to come face to face and eye to eye to defend herself to a complete stranger whom she will likely never see again.

Jesus would have seen this. Jesus would have taken this discussion right to the issue.

You cannot plan each conversation that you have. This is not a play with a script and a score. This is life and God brings people near and we have something to say.

God, put a guard at our lips and give us these words of life to share with those whom you bring near, and make us faithful to speak them. Give us eyes that can see the pain of others, and their real need. Give us love for You that is all comsuming, and compassion for those who are wandering.

Don't Sweep it Under the Rug

2007-05-25T14:02:00.000-04:00

Things to expose:

Those pictures they use at Planned Parenthood are horrible!

Yes, they are!
And it makes you angry.
It makes me angry too, that that happens 10 to 20 times
every Thursday at 421 S. College Avenue in Bloomington!

The war in Iraq makes me mad!

Me too!
It makes me mad that I can't believe what people are saying!
It makes me mad that we are spending money on it
that doesn't acutally exist!
It makes me mad that we don't know that we will have a long-
lasting impact!
It makes me mad that so many are dying, and that so many more
die each day of abortion!

God is not wringing His hands. The hearts of kings and presidents are a river in the Hand of God. Men plan their steps, but God directs their paths.

Every Thursday women who do not acknowledge God arrive at Planned Parenthood because God opened their wombs. Why does God allow this? Is He a sadistic being? No. He is good and just and merciful. We can trust Him with the souls of the little ones that die at the hands of the Abortionist.

Why, then does He allow this? Does He allow it to stir His people to depend on Him; to stand firm in His truth and to be watchmen, warning men of coming judgement?

Does He allow it because, as He said in Romans that He has given them over to every sort of perversion?

His thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and His ways than my ways. I cannot claim to know, unless specifically revealed in Scripture, what His motives are in various world and local events.

I can tell you that women come each week to have abortions, and hear the gospel. There has been the same guard for quite some months, hearing Scripture every week. Escorts hear scripture every week. For these people, it may be the only exposure to God's word, and it is in the enemy camp.

Pray that God will end abortion!

Pray that until He does, His word will go forth in power, and that many will be saved!

Jude:

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.
18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."
19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt;
23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—
hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

By Appointment

2007-05-25T09:38:00.000-04:00

I was listening to Alistair Begg this morning on my way to work. He told a story about when he was a young preacher and he was assigned to preach three messages to a group of missionaries. He decided to preach on II Peter, and cover one chapter per message. He was young and was speaking before missionaries. He felt intimidated and was bungling it; deferring to the group and saying things like, "What Peter was trying to say..."

An older gentleman was in the front row intently watching him. When it was over, he took Alistair aside, and told him that Peter wasn't trying to say anything, he did say it. Also, Allistair was not there by accident, he was there by appointment.

I can't tell you what a striking message this was to me. It brought me to tears of relief, joy, humility, shame, and sheer realization!

I am appointed to speak to my brother about Jesus.
I must trust the message and the appointment.

I am appointed to talk to my daughters about Jesus.
I must trust the message and the appointment.

I am appointed to talk to my co-workers about Jesus.
I must trust the message and the appointment.

I am appointed to talk to people at Planned Parenthood about Jesus.
I must trust the message and the appointment.

This means not skirting the issue, but tackling things head-on. Not hem-hawing about what God is trying to convey, only exposing my weakness as my own, and exposing God's power for what it is. It means that I can be compassionate with others, because God was compassionate with me. It means that I can empathize with others while fearing God, because God brought me through the same waters that they are wallowing in. It means being up-front with people...

naked...

exposed...

standing only on the Rock...

depending only on true Wisdom...

Here I stand; God help me, I can not do otherwise.

Conversations

2007-05-21T14:46:00.000-04:00

I am really, really open to conversation here...

My brother, Tom and I were having a conversation. He brought something up, and said, "But I already know where you stand on that, so..."

I told him that I wasn't sure he knew where I stood, and I thought I knew where he stood, but that I would like to discuss it further.

I don't think that two people who know they disaggree about something have nothing to say to each other. I have had this shut down response from another person too, so I know that I must be doing something wrong.

If two people know they have identical views on something then they have nothing to say, but if they have different views, then they certainly have a discussion.

There is a man who is a professor at a university in Texas who is a Christian and hosts movie/discussion nights with an agnostic group. They begged him to host this even after their first event. They are aware that their views differ from his, and still they desire the discussion.

I must be doing something wrong. Help me out. This is important.

Why So Downcast, Oh My Soul?

2007-05-19T08:26:00.000-04:00

How faithful is God! and how fickle is man!

Even as I know that I am powerless, that my arms are too short to save, I still trust in my plans. I still trust in the emissaries that I send out, and when they fall short, I lament. I think, "Oh, what will happen now! What can I do now!" Thank God that as I became discouraged, my desire, the pull of my heart was to God. "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (Ps.42) When I went to my room and fell on my knees, I could reveal my discouragement to my Father, and amidst the unexpected tears, this Psalm came to mind:

Psalm 42:
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"

10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

And so, I again entrust my soul to God. I again realize that I must in obedience witness to His truth, His holiness, and His judgement and great mercy; while realizing that the result is in His mighty hand. I again realize that God does not punch my timeclock, or strive to reach my quota. I am His handmaiden, His watchman. I am His slave, not He mine.

The hearts of men, women and children are in His hand, not mine. These hearts are out of my reach, and yet, God puts them in my path and commands me to touch them. They are a field I walk among, and, not revealing what lies beneath, He commands me to sow the seed, and sometimes, to walk away. Did the seed grow? Did it rot and fertilize the weeds? Did anything happen at all? I must sow in obedience, knowing that sometimes, I will never, in this flesh, know. God knows that this obedience is for the seasoning of His servant, and He may also use this work to produce His fruit.

His ways are much higher than mine, but His word will not go forth without accomplishing that which He desires.

Sow the seed, servant, because your Master commands it.

Psalm 73
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

THANKS BE TO GOD!

And the Band Plays On...

2007-05-16T13:26:00.000-04:00

Today, I had an at the well conversation with my boss.

It stemmed from the terrible situation in which my brother was involved.

I said that I pray that through this, my brother will turn to Christ. (I know that my boss attends his wife's Episcopal church, but found out today that the governing lay people of the church are so flighty that they stopped attending until the dust settled)

He told me about his bishop, who comes around only once a year or two. She preached one of the most memorable sermons to him. She told about a couple whose son was involved in drugs. They were heartbroken and beside themselves with worry and care. She counseled them to hope and pray that the son would get peace with "his god" whoever that is.

I shuddered.

I said that there is no peace except through the one true God, right?

He said that if I picture my god, and he pictures his god, they might not look the same, that's what he is talking about. Then he took a cell phone call.

When he was done, I told him that while he was waiting for the dust to settle, he could visit us at the Church of the Good Shepherd. His wife, though is devoted to that church (denomination and building) but that he really is discouraged about certain things they are doing.

I told him that the Bible should be their base, and if they decided to go their own way on certain issues (we have previously had a discussion about men and women) then they are free to do what they want on any issue. They just need to move the line.

End of conversation.

Answer to prayer or springboard into more prayer? Both.

God has used Ben's situation to bring me to this conversation with this self-made man, and to bring me to my knees, knowing that it is God who holds this man's heart in His hands.

God, make me faithful in prayer, in word, and in deed. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN!

A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise

2007-05-15T12:13:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, May 9, my brother got shot. He was badly shot up, and the woman in the pick up truck with him was killed.

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create darkness,
       I bring prosperity and create disaster;
       I, the LORD, do all these things.

God has amazing shown mercy according to His good pleasure. My brother has been healing and his prognosis is better than we have reason to hope. A long healing is in store though, thank God.

Isaiah 45:5
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
       apart from me there is no God.
       I will strengthen you,
       though you have not acknowledged me,

I hope that God will use this calamity to reveal Himself, His power, His glory, His mercy and truth to my brother and my whole family. I hope that this will bring revival to the church that my parents attend. I hope that this will be used by God to accomplish His good and perfect will (tremble) AMEN!

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other;
       apart from me there is no God.
       I will strengthen you,
       though you have not acknowledged me,

6 so that from the rising of the sun
       to the place of its setting
       men may know there is none besides me.
       I am the LORD, and there is no other.

7 I form the light and create darkness,
       I bring prosperity and create disaster;
       I, the LORD, do all these things.

It Hadda Happen

2007-05-15T11:48:00.000-04:00

They resurfaced the parking lot at Planned Parenthood.

I think they must have done it this very morning! When I went there, Tim Ellis and three other guys were standing on the sidewalk, talking. They looked like a bunch of Catholics.

I pulled up and watched them. Tim's gestures made me think that they were talking about those annoying protesters. I thought it would be funny if I walked up, abundantly reciting Psalm 68.

I struggled with getting out, and almost decided to get out (I had a handful of words planned). One guy left, so that kind of set me off balance, so I called Glen. I was talking to him when they all split up and left.

Then I got out and inspected the work... It is a new sealcoat, I think, not actually resurfacing. The lines have not been painted on, and the parking (what do you call those large bars of cement which serve as car stoppers at the interior end of a parking space) bars are gone for the time being.

It will be interesting to see the work if it is finished on Thursday.

Whatever.

2007-04-24T15:32:00.000-04:00

1. Blogs

I used to like the BaylyBlog, out of our minds, too (http://timbayly.worldmagblog.com/timbayly/). While it looks boring compared to the new one (http://www.baylyblog.com/) and the address is more cumbersome, it was comfortable. Now, for some reason, when I read the new one, the words get all jumbled up in my mind. They are sticky and they don't make sense to me. Is it because they are while/grey words on a black field? Is there something different with the tone of the writing? I don't know. It is quite possible that I am an old fogey, and I cannot adjust as well as I did in the past.

2. Denominations

I read something on that blog with today's date and the title, "The Vatican shames Evangelicals." Discussions like this are disturbing to me. While I admire the Catholic church for the strength they show in opposing the murder of the defenseless and upholding church discipline and Biblical masculinity and femininity I cannot stand with them on even these issues, because even these issues are sinking sand. Therefore when I compare their stand against homosexuality with the falling of many Evangelical denomination, I cannot stand with them or sink with the rebellious denominations. I know that I sound simplistic in this, but II Corinthians 6 warns us again being yoked with unbelievers. If a church disbelieves in the saving power of Jesus Christ, and depends on rites and merits for favor in the sight of God, then how can I stand with them in defending the fatherless? Am I not then trading the power of the living God for the power of a long established church with powerful traditions and a wide base? If a church disbelieves in the inspiration of scripture and thinks that she can disregard the clear teaching of scripture regarding sexual sin without fear, how can I stand with them?

This kind of argument just blows my mind! Apples and oranges.

I have to stand on solid ground. I hope to understand, through clear reasoning and scripture, better how to respond to these issues. Come, let us reason together.

3. Face the Truth

There is a show on the radio that comes on during the week for just a couple of minutes. It is a pro-life show. A guy named Steve Veruka (sp?) is on it. He is a friendly sounding guy with a gruff voice. I like to listen to it. I have found that they have a longer version on Saturdays. I listened to it a couple of times this month while on the road with my husband. It turns out to be a catholic program, which, is not the problem, even after what I wrote above. The disturbing thing about it was a conclusion that they drew:

They were discussing "Pro-Abort Catholics" and how despicable they are. They concluded that is was one thing if they came a partook of the eucerist (which, I think is the Lord's Supper...communion), after all, God can take care of Himself. It is quite another thing, though if they come and try to preside over their prize bingo! This travesty should not, no cannot be allowed!

Which is sacred?

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

2007-04-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

(This post actually includes two points: The root of our problems, and our reluctance to recognize and deal with it; and God's sovereignty in our suffering, and blase life situations)

Part 1:

We recently watched this nearly perfect movie again.

It is a really fun movie to watch, and it gives an opportunity to talk about relationships. The relationships between men and women, and the biblical requirement of purity before marriage, and the situations we allow ourselves to be in that weaken our ability to resist temptation (the couple in the movie get engaged while lying naked together under a blanket). Also the relationships between parents and children, both young and old. The main character, Tula, comes to realize the wonderfulness of having "meddling" parents/family.

The father of the household is a really fun guy; very greek of very greek. He challenges his children and everyone who comes into his house to give him a word, any word and he will tell them how this word originated with the Greek. One of the children in his daughter's carpool thought she had him when she gave him the word kimono (from the Hawaiian). He did it, though.

This morning, on my way to work, I was listening to Truth for Life with Alistair Begg (http://www.truthforlife.org/site/PageServer), who is doing a study on Biblical characters used by God. Yesterday and today it was about II Kings 5:1-14. This is the story of the healing of Naaman. I was thrilled because we had just talked about this Sunday in Sunday School. This is currently my favorite story in the Bible!

At any rate, in today's talk, Alistair made the point that Naaman's problem was the problem of sin, and that God has the solution. Any of the world's problems is a problem with sin, and Jesus Christ is the solution! 'Aving a bit of depression are we, because of debt? Maybe then, you need to repent of your greed, and trust Jesus to wash this sin from your 'eart, then, eh? 'Aving trouble loving your 'usband, because 'e dusn't seem to understend you the way you'd like, eh? Maybe then you need to be on your knees, repenting of your foolish pride and asking God, the maker of your soul to give you joy as you submit to your 'usband, eh? Are you lonely and afraid? Pride, self-suffinciency.

Give me a problem, any problem, and I can tell you how the root of it comes from the sin, and how, ultimately, Jesus Christ is the solution, the only true solution to the problem.

How often do we tuck Jesus away and try to solve our own problems and the problems of others with whitewash? Depression got you down? Seek debt relief and smile! Don't love or feel loved by your husband? Teach him the five love languages, and smile! Are you lonely and afraid? You've got to love yourself, and build your confidence before you can love someone else! Smile!

Where is Jesus in this?

Part 2:

In our Sunday School class, we looked more at the little Hebrew slave girl. You know, the one who was wrenched from her mother's arms and her father's house by the marauding Arameans?

Do you believe that God has plans for good for you? Do you believe that God is in control of every thing that happens to you? Do you believe that God can, will, and does work everything together for good for the one who loves the Lord; the one called according to His purpose?

Then, what about this slave girl? She was torn by foreign invaders from the safety of her home and family. We are unaware of all that happened to her and all that she suffered. All of this looked bleak and bad. Did her circumstances change? We do not know. We have no basis to speculate that she ever returned home. We have no reason to believe that she was ever thanked or rewarded for her kindness. We have no reason to believe that she grew up to have a home of her own, a husband, or children.

What good ever came from her life? What good did God work through her circumstances? Naaman came to believe and trust in the only true God. Today, salvation came to his house.

Why are you where you are? Why does your neighbor live next to you? Why does that girl check groceries at the store where you shop? Do you believe that you are called according to His purpose? Do you believe that He works all things together for good for you?

Immaterial

2007-04-20T10:30:00.000-04:00

By the way. Yesterday, before I went to work, I told the guard to keep track today. How many children will be killed; how many will he lead to the slaughter? He told me it was immaterial. "It's immaterial," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

In a sense, he is right, you know. One, ten, twenty-five, thirty-two... three thousand, five hundred sixty-two or four thousand. It is immaterial. The one that went in before I got there was the one that counted. If Cho, at Virginia Tech, had stopped shooting after killing the two people in the dorm, those two people counted. The news stations, though would have thought that it was immaterial. That he continued until he had killed thirty more is, as the guard at Planned Parenthood said, "immaterial." It is material though, to their parents. I am so sorry for them!

After the Supreme Court upheld the ban on Partial Birth Abortions, I read an article that said that 90% of the abortions are done before 12 weeks. Ninety percent of one million three hundred thousand is one million one hundred seventy thousand per year. "Only" one hundred thirty thousand babies are remotely effected by that "landmark" decision per year. That particular method was used in only about 2400 of them in the year 2000 (don't quote me on this. I had these numbers but the were nauseating to me, so I threw them out and cannot recall where I got them), more recent figures were not available.

These numbers are just too big! I cannot fathom them!

I do know that from 10 - 20 women come to Planned Parenthood in Bloomington Indiana each Thursday for the purpose of having their pre-born children torn from their wombs, and none of them that I have seen so far have been in the second or third trimester.

Ten to twenty children die at 421 South College Avenue in Bloomington Indiana each week on Thursdays.

Immaterial?

I've got issues

2007-04-20T09:20:00.000-04:00

I really am annoyed that this blog appears to be a one-issue blog.

I really do ave other things on my mind. I just don't have that much time to do blog about them:

Daughters
Co-workers
Small Group
Online Class
Sisters in Christ
Diligence in Prayer
etc

Please keep these things in prayer

I Walk the Line

2007-04-20T08:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, when Glen and I stopped at Planned Parenthood to pray and encourage, the realtor who owns the property and the property next door, and also has his office in a building to the rear of the property next door approached our group. That early, there are only CGS people there, but there were five of us there. It was somewhere around 7:30 or 7:40 am.

Last week, apparently someone in that building complained to the protesters that they should keep quiet.

He came up and told us that the property next door is private (It holds the Bloomington Hospital Community Health Education extension office) and that while we are here, we would need to stay off this property. When we asked him where that property ended and the alley began, he began to show us, but had to refer to the driveway at the end, really to make an imaginary line that we could not cross.

Do you remember the Star Wars episode where they are in the garbage compartment and the walls begin to move toward them? Well, the walls are beginning to move. He told us that the alley is a twelve foot alley.

Glen, dear Glen, asked him if, if a car is heading toward us, could we step onto the property then to prevent impact. He said that this is a one way alley and there should be plenty of room for us to stand and not get hit. When asked which way the one way is, because there are no arrows at either end or on the pavement, he pointed vaguely toward Walnut, which would make each of the College Avenue access drives to Planned Parenthood entrances; but there are no arrows.

So I asked him what the answer to Glen's question was. He vaguely implied that the answer is no, not really ... sort of ... after all ... the alley is twelve feet wide ...

So, have a good time, he said. I introduced myself and got his name...Tim Ellis. He said that his brother comes to join us from time to time, JD, you surely know him. Of course this was name dropping, and politicking; an easing of his discomfort.

After he left I participated as our conversation turned to grumbling and projecting and worrying, and fretting. God called to mind those things He has taught me here, in preparation for this day: Jesus said we will have trouble in this world. Jesus has overcome the world. God will make our feet firm and not allow the foot of the proud to come against us, or the hand of the wicked to drive us away. We are standing on the firm ground and solid foundation of Jesus Christ, and do not depend on the worn blacktop of the area between Walnut and College to stand. Although there were butterflies in my stomach, I tried to encourage my brothers and sisters with these promises.

I still think that they will need to paint lines and put up signs. I still mull over words that did not come to mind at the moment. But I must stand on the true Word of God. I must know that this happened at His command.

The Women at the Well

2007-04-16T10:40:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I have posted....

Last week at Planned Parenthood:

I asked God Wednesday night what on earth He wants me to do there. What, of Jesus' life and love could I take to the women there? Why are they there? Why am I there? Why?

Jesus met a woman at the well. She was a Samaritan woman and was living with a man out of wedlock. She came to the well for water. He offered her the living water.

Have I been her? Yes. Did Jesus love me? Yes. Do I ever meet any one like that? Yes, yes, yes.

Women come to Planned Parenthood looking for what? A solution to a "problem." The problem looks different to them than to God, and the solution is misunderstood as well. They think the problem is the pregnancy. I could take it back a step and say that it is their understanding of sexuality or relationships, freedom and love. God, though understands perfectly their problem: they are sinners. I have been given the solution to their problem; it is the same as mine. It is Jesus Christ and a correct undertanding of our sin and His holiness.

God, help me to remember this!

Last Thursday was cold and windy. It was a cold that stayed with me all afternoon too. It was just a yucky day, and the wind shoved the cold deep under the skin.

In the morning, Glen and I stopped by on my way to work. When we prayed, I didn't mean to be the only one to pray. I shouldn't have prayed. I should have left it for the men there to pray. I don't want to offend God or any man. I don't think my words are so important that I must say them.

Later when Glen and I were there, no one would approach me; but a man who was there with a woman came out with her and sat in their truck for a long period of time. We talked to them, but they wouldn't talk to us. We offered them hope in Jesus, and he offered us his finger.

I didn't get arrested, but I was tempted once. Two women arrived in a large vehicle. One (dark haired) got out on the driver's side and made eye contact with us. The other (blonde) got out on the passenger side (closer to us). She started moving around the vehicle and toward the entrance. She wasn't moving smoothly. She stopped and looked at us and asked us to repeat what we said. She looked as if she considered coming over to us, but walking seemed very difficult and she turned and went in. What would a hug and a softly-spoken word done? Flesh touching flesh and eyes meeting... ? We prayed for them. Yesterday, Kim (who returned for a second time that day, to stand with Annie) said that she saw her come out later and that she looked broken and was crying.

Lane came. Next week he is planning to join Jeff M. at noon.

Josh said that Steve M. preached. Did you get to hear him?

I wonder what the sherriff's name is. I believe that God calls us there and that His Word goes out and accomplishes that for which He sends it. As many Thursdays as I have talked to that guard, I have never heard his voice directed at me. Last Thursday, I asked him how many, how many today? How many children, just today has he assisted to kill? Finally, he turned to me and said something, and got something out of his car. No one understood what he said, so when he turned around, I asked him what he said. He said, "I don't know." You know, it's not much, but it's something.

Pray for the staff, the doctor, the escorts, the guard, and the protesters. God, touch our hearts!

The day PP gave away free Morning After Pills

2007-04-16T10:16:00.000-04:00

On April 3 (a Tuesday), Planned Parenthood gave away the Plan B "Emergency Contraceptive" away, free to anyone. A prescriptionn is atill needed for anyone under 18, but their nurse practitioner would be available to write the script. Josh C. made up a flyer to present the facts about this pill, and our objection to it. The weather was unstable most of the day, and we had a severe thunderstorm later in the day, but we encouraged each other to be there to speak to people about this, and about God.

About stepping onto the Planned Parenthood property: I have mixed thoughts about that still.

There was a young woman and an older woman (mother?) who came out of Planned Parenthood. Since they came out together, and the young woman carried some papers, I asked if they had come for an appointment, and if she thought she might be pregnant. (Yes to both)

Then I told her that I had some information about unborn children and abortion for her that I thought they didn't give her there. The young woman cheerfully came to me and I gave her the flyer with the 10 facts on it. I asked her name, and encouraged her to read it. Her name is Ashley, and I asked her to call me if she had questions or just wanted to talk. I stepped onto the property to write my name and phone number on the flyer.

Then she got into her car. They did not drive away, but sat for a while. Then the mother got out and went back into the building. After a while, the manager and the mother came out. The manager approached me and told me that I had every right to stand out here, and even to hand out these papers (there was my flyer, with my name and phone number on it, wadded up and smoothed back out, in his hand), but that I can't step onto the property to do so, that he has a long standing agreement with the protesters to that effect, and that if I do it again, he would not hesitate to call the police and have me arrested.

I told him that I was aware of this and that I stepped on the property in a gesture of kindness, and that I will be careful, but that if he felt like he needed to arrest me, that was OK. (I was very careful to have a humble and respectful tone.)

I told him that we had not met before and my name. I asked his name (John; I don't remember the last name), and as I shook his hand, he looked at my feet. I don't know for sure if they were on or off.

On the Thursday following this incident, a man came out of Planned Parenthood and sat in his SUV for about 20 minutes, talking on his cell phone. When he got out and went in, we said something to him. Then he emarged with a woman and a teen-age girl. I felt great disappointment that it was too late, and began to tell them about hope and forgiveness in Christ and ask them to come talk to us when he shouted at me, "You need to be on the other side," and waved his hand as if I should be on the other side of the alley. He used a voice like a coach; very authoritative. I let myself be distracted, and looked at my feet, which were clearly on the right side of the faint line on the parking lot, and said "I am!" Then he was in his car and pulling out. The opportunity was gone. Since then, I have felt fear when approaching the field of battle. I need to remember the words of the hymn:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

It is easy to become distracted. The issue is not which side of the line on the pavement I am on. The issue is not the more shocking one that the customers were being briefed on where the evil protesters are allowed to stand. The issue is what side of justice and mercy are you on? What side of Jesus are you on: Is He your righteousnes or your judge?