36th Anniversary

This is taken from NPR article...


Roe V. Wade' Anniversary Could Bring Policy Change
by Julie Rovner

Thousands of anti-abortion demonstrators gathered during the March for Life in Washington, D.C., on the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade in 2006. Getty Images

Morning Edition, January 22, 2009 · Thursday marks the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. It's also likely to mark the day President Barack Obama will reverse at least a few of the anti-abortion policies of George W. Bush.
By now, it's become something of a tradition.
In 2001, just two days after he took office, Bush used the Roe anniversary to issue executive orders reversing some of the abortion rights policies of his predecessor, Bill Clinton, just as Clinton had used his first Roe anniversary, in 1993, to override some of the anti-abortion policies of President George H.W. Bush.

I pray for our country often. 50 M innocent babies have been killed because Americans have given women the "right" to do so.
I hope that our new president will not keep the promises he has made to the abortion activists. I hope for our citizens to be awakened and to come to the defense of these defenseless babies. Did you know that last Sunday was National Sanctity of Human Life Day? I didn't hear it broadcast on MSNBC. The proclamation signed by President Bush said "All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique and worthy of protection". He added that America recognizes that "every person waiting to be born has a special place and purpose in this world". If our area had a March For Life today, I would have participated.

Happy birthday Bree

The birthing process began about 2:30 am January 17th, 1981 on a very cold night. The roads weren't as bad as the night Casey was born two Januarys earlier but it was so cold. We drove a small Chevrolet and I squatted, backwards, on the edge of the front seat, tightly gripping the head rest with much of me hanging off the seat, all the 55 miles to Abilene. Unlike Casey's birth, labor contractions started right away.
By the time we arrived, we had nearly bounced that baby into the world. I'd recommend that method to anyone. The Doctor didn't have time to prepare as she wished. The first check, she said that Bree was posterior, her head looking the opposite direction and she would need to turn. OHNOOHNOOHNO, this was exactly like Casey's birth. The Dr who delivered Casey said that he had seen many births and that in his judgement, none had been harder (more painful) that his. Casey would not turn and after hours of his poor head hitting my poor back bone, they finally did an episiotomy (surgical incision of the perineum to enlarge the vaginal opening for obstetrical purposes during the birth process) large enough for him to walk through. Well, that is how it felt. I stayed in the hospital an extra day and my nurses would bring nurses from other floors in to see the port of entry. It was somewhat embarrassing. When this Dr ( changed Drs hoping a different Dr would make it not hurt) said Bree was also turned backwards, I loudly "asked" Brian to pray that God would turn her right away and He did. She made her entrance into the world. She was a beautiful baby. She was so cool and calm. She has been lighting up our world ever since. Brian and I talk about how fun it was to go to school or anywhere to pick her up. She invariably ran to the car with a huge smile, always excited about the day. How thankful we are for our Bree.
She graduated summa cum laude from A&M and has decided to go back and become a physician's assistant or physical therapist so she is getting the sciences she lacked. Here are some pictures of her.

"Praise" and "Snow"

If you or someone you love aren't going through a season of testing or suffering, you probably have or it may be in your future. If you have, I hope you experienced the comfort of God through obedient praise to Him. I can't explain it but I can testify to its reality. You may agree with me that in some extreme circumstances, daily survival can depend on what He does in us and for us when we praise. Below are some quotes about praise that I love.

"I think God is especially honored when we offer a sacrifice of praise. He is glorified when we offer words of adoration wrenched from a pained and bruised heart... Most of the verses written about praise in God's Word were penned by man and women who faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other intolerable situations." Joni Eareckson Tada

"Praise is a declaration, a victory cry, proclaiming faith to stand firm in the place God has given you. Praise is a proclamation that the enemy's intent to plunder you will not rock you. Praise declares that you will not be moved by the enemy's attempt to snatch you away."

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. Ps. 50:23

Praise Him! Tell others about this promise of God.

ON THE WEATHER, remember the snow of Feb ' 07 in our area? How we need moisture now. Literally everything outside is covered in layers of dirt. Enjoy these pictures of the pretty snow two years ago. I Love you.

Blogging

I don't remember discovering blogs. My Munday friend, Wilma, may have sent me a link to hers. I don't even know anyone in Haskell who blogs. Maybe blogging is attractive only to particular personalities. One friend said she can't imagine sitting at the computer longer than she has to. I am not a sitter either but time can get away from me when I am reading the experiences posted on blogs. You know how you can talk to a complete stranger and realize immediately that you have the same Father? That is what I have experienced visiting blogs. People who have been doing this a while have listed links to the blogs they follow and anyone can click through these links, reading as much or little as you wish. I have "met" some wonderful people, read some amazing testimonies. Most of the time, when I pull up a believer's blog the first time, I realize right away this is my sister in Christ. The words on the screen bless. It may be a simple description of someone's thoughts as she cleaned house. Or she may share how God is sustaining through one of life's hurts. She may recite how God used a scripture in her life that day. Or pictures: yards (where people get rain), families celebrating , new babies, church services, homes. I like blogging.
As I expressed in previous post, I want to be transparent. God has reminded me of that statement several times and given me opportunities to be "clean all the way through" - or not. I want to use the computer screen with that intention.
I hope that in 2009, you are being drawn to more Bible study and time with Him, being compelled to live in the light of His love. I love you.

Here is a link - a testimony that would bless you. http://ruthlifestory.blogspot.com/ OR click on this link in the right column.

Happy Birthday Casey

Brian and I were married in 1974 and we were hoping for a baby by '76. I thought we'd be pregnant immediately but it didn't happen that way. After months and then years, I became very discouraged. I wasted some of our very limited dollars at the Dr.'s office every month, hoping I was pregnant. I broke several thermometers trying to take my temp when I first woke in the mornings. How I longed for a baby. I pleaded for God to send us a baby.
After examinations, a doctor told us the probability that we'd have children was slim. We began the process of adoption through Buckner Baptist Benevolences. We were attending a Sharing Group that was a result of God bringing people together at a Lay Witness Mission. God was truly at work in those evening get-togethers. One Bible teacher spoke directly to Brian and myself (He was visiting from another town and knew nothing about us.) saying that God was going to give us a baby. My spirit confirmed that this was a word from God but I had no problem continuing to pursue adoption. God could be sending us a baby through adoption. But Brian thought God was saying that we would give birth to a baby.
Our counselor from BBB told us we would have a baby before summer and we were making plans. We built a small house and a couple from the sharing group came by Brian's office with a house warming gift. I was not in the office and Brian didn't know where I was. I didn't know our friends were in the office or that they had brought a gift. I hadn't told Brian that I was making another trip to the doctor, just in case. And this time, the little slip from the lab had a different message.
I walked into Brian's office and handed him the slip from the lab that had "Positive" written in large letters from edge to edge, over all the other printing. He handed me the gift from our friends, a beautiful wooden plaque with scripture that said, "God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do?" We were thrilled. So thankful.
The next day or so, I called our counselor at BBB. It was the end of May, time for the baby they had matched to us. When I identified myself, she began to tell me how sorry she was, that there had been a change and that they would be working toward a new "match" for us and that we shouldn't get discouraged, etc. She was blessed to hear how God had a different plan.
Our first son was born in January, about six weeks early, when I had the flue. He was a healthy baby, but so skinny. He lost weight before he began to gain. My first baby, I thought he was a husky hunk of a man child and didn't realize how different a baby born at term is till I had my second. He has blessed us all these years. He walks with the Lord and we couldn't love him more. Here are a few pictures and don't tell him I put his scrawny, naked body on the WWW.

January 5th

If you can't quite see it, the title of his book is How To Diet...
I really mean it this year. I need to consider my health more seriously. And we have several special events. So, I must lose 25 pounds at minimum. Then, keep it off. I mean it. Really. I do.

We enjoyed a special time in our church Sunday. We heard about "encouraging ourselves in the Lord" as David did in the morning service. We returned at 4:00 to de-decorate. It didn't take as long to box decorations and store in the basement as it did to get out and put in place. We wanted to begin 2009 seeking God's wisdom so we decided to read the Proverbs aloud. Earlier in the week each volunteer reader had been given their chapters to read and pray over. There was something very special when each person stepped to the microphone and spoke God's Word from Proverbs. We read the first 16 chapters and then broke for a meal. We returned to the sanctuary and read the second half of the book and prayed.

"Holy words, long preserved for our walk in this world. They resound with God's own heart. Oh let the ancient words impart. Ancient Words, ever true. Changing me and changing you. We have come with open hearts. Oh let the ancient words impart."

Yes, Lord.

Two thousand and nine

I am thinking about a new year. My hopes create the image of a transparency. (I don't know the correct term for the piece of mylar that is used on the overhead projector.) My desire is that I will want to be transparently clean before Him, to get clean immediately when marked up. And I hope I will want to have that same transparency with others. Not artificial. Not insincere. Pure motives. Worldliness is wearisome. The scripture says that anything that is not of faith is sin. I want to please Him in 2009.

I bought a party sack of hats and noise makers thinking we'd celebrate with people on the 31st. I bought the sack, rather than the higher quality individuals because a lady was blowing, with her mouth, ALL the individual horns to see how they sounded. Well, we had no people around with whom to celebrate. Brian and I were in our home, reading, watching the news, and then praying around midnight. We didn't wear the hats. Friday we invited Kim's family and her visiting in-laws for a spur of the moment luncheon. We enjoyed playing with the hats, horns, and the blow-ey things that unroll into your face.

January 1, 2009