I've always been unpopular, so why try to change that now. What I'm about to write is going to make people mad. Hopefully, it will also make people think.
My son cannot seem to point his feet or his legs. It drives me crazy. A full year after me telling him that his feet are not pointed, he still cannot point them as they should be for the art of ballet. He thinks he is, but he isn't. So, he needs to work on strength and flexibility. Easy enough, right? Guess not. It's the same for much of health and fitness. There is a goal at hand. We must work for the goal. It will take dedication. After time, we hope we are closer to the goal than the starting point. But physical changes seem to be easier to tackle. It's the changes in us mentally and emotionally that we have a harder time with. Probably because they wrap more around our sense of self. (Disclaimer at this point- please read it all. I know some of you will be mad. I understand. But please, please read it all.) Lately the hot topic is what? That's right, abortion. I see this as a sticky situation. I know! I know! But I asked you to read it all!! For many people, the idea of abortion is a cut and dry. As someone who grew up in the church, my first reaction is simple. Abortion = bad. Killing of babies = bad. Killing of unborn life = bad. Simple. Regardless of the situation, I still hold on to this mindset. I don't think it's right to take that life. But! Ah, the existential but. I've never been placed in a situation where abortion was on the table for me and my body. I chose my children. I still do. And I would again. And if I were to become pregnant again (insert boisterous HA!) I would keep that child. But I am a 37 year old woman who knows herself. I know my God. I know my family. I know the blessing that can come from this situation. I have never been raped, thank the Good Lord. I have never had to deal with that mental and emotional waterfall of pain. I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to live with that pain for the rest of my life. And if impregnated by the rapist? Wow. From the outside, I say keep that child. It's a miracle. That baby, your story, it can all be for the glory of God. It can all be used for good. Don't let this happen! I'm still on the outside. I don't believe that abortion should be used as a "I was irresponsible" fix. It shouldn't be a "the condom broke and now I'm not ready" solution. If two people enter the ring together, they know the potential outcome of the dance. Taking one life because you were not prepared is not okay. When it comes to children that will have a lower quality of life, I still say, keep the baby! Again, I have not experienced this pain, but I have watched. I have watched my friends keep their baby until birth. I have seen life taken in mere days. I have seen poor quality of physical life, but rich in spiritual! I have seen friends and teammates live hard lives with difficulties I cannot imagine. They thrive! They press on. They are remarkable. I thank God for their push in this unfair life. The biggest problem I see is not keep the baby (whether to raise or give for adoption) but whether the mother to be is supported properly. We forget that this is not a battle of flesh and blood, but of the spirit. Those rooted in Christ will rarely choose abortion. When I see people stating their case for abortion, what I see is a call for help. I see people that made choices because they don't have God. I see people that don't have physical help - parents, families, partners - that will be with them through the upbringing of a child. I see people that don't have mental support - families, counselors - that help them to understand who they are. And again, I see people without spiritual support - church, families, the Holy Spirit - that can lead them in the quiet strength they need. When someone is against abortion, I understand why. When someone is for abortion, I sometimes understand why. For some people, pregnancy and childbearing is more than they can handle. I can try to put myself in the shoes of a 14 year old girl that was raped by a family member, but the Lord has blessed me and kept me from that tragedy. I can give my thoughts and opinions, but I have not experienced that pain. If we have illegal abortions, we must also have stricter penalties for sexual assault, abuse, rape. We must also have better health care - physically and mentally. And we must be actively portraying the LOVE OF CHRIST and not the judgment of pharisees.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI have a lot to say about a lot of things. Archives
May 2023
Categories |