Roe vs. Wade Anniversary, Life and Loss

(newest godbrother, 7th baby in his family!)

Today is the day that many pro-life Americans mark one of the greatest human rights violations of our time, the Roe vs. Wade decision. We honor those babies who have died in a most inhumane way. We pray for the hurting mothers, fathers, and families who have also been wounded by abortion. We offer our prayers and our support to those who work in the abortion industry and promote this great evil, that their hearts might be softened to the sanctity of unborn life.

We also lift up those who are in-the-trenches right now...accepting an unplanned pregnancy, adopting a child in need of a home, raising children even through great hardships, or dealing with the very real issues that face adoptive and foster families. We thank those who spend their life working for the pro-life cause, those who have opened their hearts and homes to mothers or children in need, and those who minister to some of the most vulnerable in our society, particularly the unborn and the elderly.

This is what we believe as pro-lifers: that every life matters, from womb to tomb. Every life is sacred. Every life deserves respect. Every human life is created for goodness, to eventually share in God's everlasting happiness in Heaven.

(our precious friend who has a chromosomal difference that causes many parents to terminate their unborn baby's life)

For us, the past year has been one of truly recognizing the fragility and sanctity of life. Last year on this day my dear friend +Beverly+ was chaperoning a group of area youth who attended the March for Life in Washington, DC. This year we all miss her desperately as we celebrate the life of her youngest daughter.

This past year has seen many losses for my group of close friends, and many pregnancy losses in my extended circle of friends. Recently I've been praying for a distant friend who has lost her foster son of 4 years, in hopes that he will be allowed to come back to their home. I have a local friend who adopted a teen from Eastern Europe about a year ago, and they deal with ongoing issues that many of us couldn't even fathom.

Today I heard the story of a friend who had to spend a week on the jury of a capital murder trial. Today I found out a friend's unwed daughter might lose the second twin in her unplanned but much loved pregnancy. Today I found out another friend has an unborn baby with a fatal diagnosis. So much suffering and loss.

Today is a somber reminder that there is evil and death in this world. There are hurting children, hurting families. There are people who haven't experienced love. There are people who don't respect life. We are blessed in our circle of family and friends to experience the selfless love and kindness that spring forth from a people that place their hope in a tomorrow that offers eternal life. I pray that each person in our own community, and especially our own family, can find a way to bring a little more life and a little more love into this valley of tears.

"...Turn then, o most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy upon us. And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus..."

(a little girl who has hope and joy even when faced with one of the greatest losses a child could endure)

Sanctity of Human Life

This has been at the forefront of my mind this week.  First of all, Steven's Aunt Katie is in the final days of her fight with pancreatic cancer.  She is a beautiful, joyful woman who served the Church with love for many years.  I've never had the privilege of meeting her in person, but I feel grateful that we were able to form a relationship through email and Facebook in the past few years.  It's been so touching to read others' messages to her on her Facebook wall.  It makes me cry every time as I read what an impact she has had on so many people.  Students, friends, and family are all praying her through these final days with their focus on Heaven.

This weekend I read the touching story of Mary Lenaburg of the Passionate Perseverance blog.  Her story is so moving, and it takes awhile to read, but it is truly a message of hope.  Her daughter Courtney has significant special needs, and yet her life is a reflection of God's love and faithfulness.  She witnesses to the sanctity of life to so many people around the world, and I'm grateful to be able to follow her story and read about such a special soul.

Today was a local adoption celebration for a little boy from our local community.  He is Thomas' age and his mother is very involved in the Church in our area.  It was an honor to get to share this evening with them.  Although our friends are already grandparents with all but one child grown and out of the house, they welcomed this sweet boy into their family with open arms.  A friend recalled when someone asked if anyone could take some children who needed an immediate home, and this woman immediately said YES.  I can imagine the feeling of being almost empty nesters, and yet starting over again with a new child.  What a message to the world on the sanctity of life and the blessing of adoption.

The party tonight was hosted by the most dear mother and grandmother I have had the privilege of getting to know while living in Corpus Christi.  I should add her to my list of the Things I'll Miss About Corpus Christi.  Sharon is one of those people who makes you feel loved just by the way she looks at you and speaks to you.  She has a huge heart and a great love for Jesus and for the pro-life cause.  She has seven children, three of them adopted, and I believe she fostered dozens of children before we knew her.  She homeschooled before it was "cool" to homeschool.  I think she said it's been 25 years of homeschooling, and she feels truly blessed and not burdened to be able to do it.

But the thing that moved me the most at Sharon's home tonight was her mother-in-law.  In the midst of the chaos of a big party with children running everywhere, there was a little room right off the living and kitchen area where this great grandmother lives.  The door was open and she was in a hospital bed, with oxygen and an IV and other tubes, right in the middle of their home.  Sharon and her daughters care for her, and I've never heard them complain.  In fact, Sharon tears up when she talks about her daughters and the way they care for their grandmother, doing difficult medical tasks with such love.  The great grandmother can no longer speak and may not be aware of her surroundings, and yet they keep her in their home and care for her day after day.  I believe her husband said it had been 15 years, and during that time they also cared for Sharon's mother in her final illness.  What a way to live out our call to respect all human life, from womb to tomb.

I can only hope that I will be able to live out this message of life and love now in the present, and as I grow old.  I pray that all my human frailty and weakness pales in comparison to God's grace in allowing me to continue to live out this calling, first to be open to life in our marriage, and also to be able to care for those who are vulnerable when we are able.  As we also mourn the tragic death of Robin Williams and pray for persecuted Christians in the Middle East and around the globe, it's hard to not be pessimistic about the future of our world.  And yet, I've seen hope this week.  I've read about it, and I've experienced it first hand.  I know that our God is a God of Life, a God of Hope...and that every human soul has a future in Him.