Tuesday, November 18, 2008

THANK YOU, LORD! for safety on the highways (It's good to have babies!) (revised post)

Chrissy called this morning. She had slid a long way in her car -- though going only 30 mph on her way to her teaching job at school. She tried to just steer without braking, but it got worse, so she put the brakes on and then fishtailed wildly, landing in a corn field on the opposite side of the road, going the opposite direction. She said she felt numb in her hands and feet and ears at first and wondered what that meant. Wondered if it was shock. Her father said a neck x-ray might be good. The numbness didn't stay with her --so far. She called while still on her way to school. There was only one Jeep anywhere in sight --and it resumed driving when it saw she was back on the road. So, thankfully, no cars to hit.

She said she called out to the Lord, "Jesus, help me, help me, Jesus!"

I'm so glad she knows Him by faith to call upon Him.

Maybe she needs better tires. She slid into a car a year or two ago on those country roads.

Thank you, Father, for protecting and sparing our girl. We can imagine and share the sorrow and feel the devastation of any who lose their children, through accidents or war.

How can anyone abort these precious ones, missing the joy of knowing their own children? They have no idea what they've missed, whom they've terminated.

When Chrissy was coming, we wondered if we could possibly love no.2 as much as we loved Baby No. 1. When no. 1 was coming, I was in disbelief as I hadn't been around pregnant people much and couldn't imagine it for myself. I wasn't opposed to it; I just couldn't imagine it. I felt I had a condition, more than a baby. It wasn't something I was dying to have happen to me!

Way too many young people today are thinking that way--that other people's children look like a pain to raise--and a lot of work --and who would want to raise those howling, whiney kids? and who would elect pregnancy? But they have no idea what it will be like for them. It's amazing what parenting does to stretch the heart and soul (never mind our bodies!) We shouldn't recommend abortion to anybody --nor even allow it --1.6 million American babies per year--the biggest holocaust in the world.

When those babies came to our house, we knew in a new way what it was to be a family. We were now parents together, bonded forever through these children. It enriched our marriage and enlarged our hearts and our social world. We will have 11 people (at least --maybe more if my brother would come up and bring my mother-she usually celebrates with his in-laws) at the dinner table for Thanksgiving --8 are there because we married, had kids, and they married. Our own social niche and support network --interesting, enjoyable people who enjoy getting together.

I'm sorry for those whose marriages fail. God hates divorce and the damage it wreaks upon the abandoned ones. Family is both strong and fragile --it takes a commitment to Christ to help cement the bonds --and the ability to forgive and practice Golden Rule living in the home. Jesus shows the way--the light to the home. And He is the comforter to those with broken pieces, the mender of the heart, who can take sadness and replace it with joy.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.





"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

29 comments:

mud_rake said...
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Scott said...

Hi, Barb

I'm glad your daughter's accident did not result in tragedy. Hopefully she will have no lasting injuries.

Candy said...

Thank God for your daughters safety and thank you for a touching blog. For me(us), this Thanksgiving and holiday season will be hard as it will be the first since my father passed away in March. Your blog post reminded me of the holidays with my family and made me feel warm and fuzzy on this bitter cold day, of doing homework, nonetheless.

kateb said...

Thank you Lord. What a blessing. Maybe she does need tires!

Barb said...

Thank you all for your kind comments.

Candyly, my father died of colon cancer at 58. It was so sad for me as I was his only daughter and a Daddy's girl. I have one brother. My dad was such a nice man --had the "common touch" --no snobbery.

When he died in our home, my mother and I just sat down and wept --as we were there when he left and witnessed his last breath--what a difference between precious life and death. The earthly finality of death seemed too great a pain to bear. But I was soon buoyed up by my faith and sailed through the funeral with confidence that he was in Heaven and that I would see him again.

But later on, the cold earthly finality of his burial was depressing me giving me niggling doubts of our hope in Christ--and out of the blue --about 4 or 5 months later, when I was going through this blue period, an old college roommate wrote me --and said, "Barbara, the Lord has laid you on my heart. He has impressed me to tell you that you are being tested like Job --and the Lord cares. I am to encourage you." She didn't know my father had died. She is a very spiritual Christian with deep faith.

That so touched me that over time and distance the Lord had laid me on her heart --it was a small thing, but big to me. Like a sign from Heaven.

"Jesus wept" at the death of lazarus --even before He knew He would bring him back to life.

Jesus is the greatest comfort --and the only comfort there is in the face of death with any convincing validity. Only 20 centuries ago, he rose and said he went to prepare a place for us that where He is, we may be also.

If He had not risen, Christianity would be about HIs teachings only, not about His resurrection. It's about His resurrection because it happened.

I hope to be comforting and not depressing. sometimes spiritual things depress people if they need to draw closer to Him. He presses us to press onward for the fullness of knowing Him and the joy of salvation.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad Crissy is okay. My dad always puts weight in my trunk during the winter so it helps a bit with small cars and fishtailing. New tires would probably help too! Thanks for raising wonderful kids. I'm so lucky to be friends with them. Seeing your family makes me desire to have children someday (even though I joke about not having them) :). You're a good mom!

Barb said...

Thank you for this public affirmation, Measure! You were a good egg, too! (Not one of mine but I would be proud to claim you!)

See there, Mudly, I was a good Mom --says so right here in the blogosphere!

kateb said...

Barb, I am so sorry that you lost your Dad. At least in the worldly sense. It's good that you know you'll be together again, but it's one of the greatest fears of the daughter of a truly good father.

To be apart from them, even if it's only for a while.

mud_rake said...
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Antipelagian said...

Praise God for watching over Chrissy!

Barb said...

I have often referred to homosexuality as a case of "arrested development" --where boys become stuck in their hero worship and envy of ideal-appearing persons of their own sex --to the total lack of interest in people of the opposite sex --even though they could (and do ) perform sexually with the opposite sex. In surveys, many gays and lesbians admit to bisexual experience within a year of the survey.

I have called HS the Peter Pan Syndrome --and I was not the first or the only one to see gays as like the "lost boys of neverland who don't want to grow up."

There is a choice made by a homosexual where normal romance, normal husband-hood and father-hood are rejected as goals (as normal romance is usually ycchy in the mind of a small boy)--a choice whereby sinful same-sex love and sex are indulged in the mind -- and sometimes experienced in homosexual activity in adolescence--as in the case of Congressman Foley, because of molestation by older gay men --his priest --at the altar boy age.

St. Paul, who had a miraculous experience from God , called homosexuals "lovers of self" who had exchanged truth for a lie.

Now really, I like Peter Pan and his lost boys --but they needed to grow up someday, also. So with gays.

It was not a cruel remark --except from Mudrake's warped perspective.
No-- gays wouldn't like it--but they don't like what the Bible says, either. Truth is really tough love. The wages of sin is death --homosexuality is a sin--if we would be saved by Christ from eternal death or eternal Hell --we must recognize our sin and repent of it --all of us.

I can apologize here on line to any homosexual wounded by my Peter Pan reference. But I would also warn him that God's Word calls him a "lover of self." It says nothing about a lack of love on my part for him or her as a person --I'm telling them that full maturity includes a willingness to marry and parent if God provides the opportunity.

Barb said...

I should have said --"a willingness to marry the opposite sex and parent with them."

Barb said...

Yes, Antipelagian--PTL for the many times when He is there when we call.

Barb said...

I wrote "I can apologize here on line to any homosexual wounded by my Peter Pan reference. But I would also warn him that God's Word calls him a "lover of self." *It* says nothing about a lack of love on my part for him or her as a person --I'm telling them that full maturity includes a willingness to marry and parent if God provides the opportunity."

The *IT in this paragraph is not referring to God's Word --but my Peter Pan remark. That remark does not mean I lack love for gays as persons. I have a lot of compassion for people who feel they are "different" this way and don't want to be different. For those who were victims of others' sins toward them. For those who yearn to an extreme degree for male friendship and acceptance and intimacy because they lacked it from a father.

There is no one way to homosexual orientation--no guarantee of parents to blame --or experience with Chester the Molester. Peer ridicule of kids who are just "different" --non-stereotypical in their sexual self-image --non-macho guys, non-feminine girls --in mannerisms and interests --it is a theory of mine that such kids can be made to believe they are homosexual before they really have the attraction or the experience --in this day of gay promotion and school counselors and peers and even parents looking for predictors of homosexuality in our children.

but most concerning is the fact that same-sex preference in friendship and idolatry of same sex friends can be a normal but passing phase of childhood. I don't want sex ed that confuses children on this point, making them think their normal same sex affection and preference in friends is sign of homosexual orientation to come. I don't want kids to even HEAR about it --much less go to a gay wedding as kindergartners --as happened in a Calif. public school without parental permission.

Barb said...

PS --on Mudly's complaint--I did refer to the gays in Calif as Peter Pans and "brats" -for their behavior in demonstrations there.

I've seen that brat personality in more than one --not all. But there is an intrinsic immaturity in the lifestyle --along with the intrinsic promiscuity.

mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

Don't worry Mudly. "It's my blog and I'll bloviate if I want to."

bloviate: orate verbosely and windily

What RX do you recommend based on your experience?

mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

I meant it to recall those lyrics and the tune. Perhaps the rest of the song gives a clue.

mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

Wishful thinking, Mudrake, wishful thinking --on your part--and John Lennon's

You wish you could just die and cease your miserable existance --but you will be judged.

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'"

Christian Apologist said...

Praise the Lord Crissy was not hurt.

Barb said...

Yes, indeed! Thank you!

kateb said...

The actual lyrics under discussion were a Lesley Gore tune - It's My Party


"It's My Party"

Nobody knows where my Johnny has gone
Judy left the same time
Why was he holding her hand
When he's supposed to be mine

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you

Playin' my records, keep dancin' all night
Leave me alone for a while
'Till Johnny's dancin' with me
I've got no reason to smile

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you

Judy and Johnny just walked through the door
Like a queen with her king
Oh what a birthday surprise
Judy's wearin' his ring

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you.
___________________________

I can see how a specific party would rather cite a different song since this one wasn't a song about Johnny and Johnny :-)

Barb said...

Right! Thanks for research, Kateb.

Barb said...
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kateb said...
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Barb said...
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Barb said...

Mudrake, I still have your posts in my email. I never delete yours --if you are trying to remove evidence.

But don't worry --I told you I don't intend any legal remedy --unless you continue in impersonation, libel, harrassment, lewd art, etc. I would be the blogger with a strong case. I've been your favorite target, no question about it.

Funny, I remember you as a smiley man....