Friday, March 25, 2005

Trying again

I tried last night to post, but it was not meant to be.

I am so saddened by the Terri Schiavo situation. How far this country has strayed from our founding tenats-"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". 3 things that the Federal government are to protect, one of the few places they truly are supposed to be based on our Constitution and judges have claimed jurisdiction and set forth the ability to legally murder those who don't suit our ideals.

Food and hydration, basic needs. We don't deny convicted mass murderers food and water, but we can put this woman through that, as well as putting her family through the hell they are going through.

I'm tired of the argument that her parents can't possibly know her well enough to know what she'd want. Her husband would be the only one. Since when do we not talk with our mothers after we leave our home. My husband knows me better than anyone, I'll agree with that, but my mother knows almost as much, especially about my feelings about life and death. We've dealt with death all our lives, my grandmother, my step-father, my grandfather.

My step-father was paralyzed from the chest down, was still receiving nourishment, but died of cardiac arrest. They attempted to revive him for 45 minutes. It was not meant to be. The same will be true for Terri Schiavo, when it's her time, food and water will not keep her from dying.

The "sanctity of marriage" argument is not holding water with me. He turned his back on the sanctity of his marriage when he stepped outside his marriage vows. I don't care who suggested it or how "frustrated" he was, he made vows to Terri and God to forsake all others until death parted them. He promised to love her in sickness and health, for better or worse. Just like a murderer forsakes his own life when he chooses to take the life of another, so should we recognize that he forsook this marriage when he turned to another woman (and some accounts hold that there have been more than one).

I am comforted by the fact that this situation has been foretold.

2 Tim. 3:1 through 2 Tim. 3:5 (NIV) 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

But...

2 Chr. 7:14 (NIV) 14if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

This week has been filled with ups and downs for me. Life is difficult, it can be very sad. It's tiring to hear all the negative all the time. It's exhausting to be vilified constantly for your beliefs, but expected to be tolerant of immorality and paganism. It's so wonderful to know that the only thing that as ever truly changed your life is a relationship with Jesus Christ, and yet so sad, people don't want to hear it, don't want to believe it. They don't want to admit their need, pride rules. I know, I've been there, but I can honestly say that I am a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. I have light in my life, I have hope.

On Wednesday, I went to Sandy's funeral. She explicitly stated that she did not want the funeral to be about her, but about Jesus. That is what her life was about. It was truly a celebration of Jesus. He was exalted. I pray that many recognized the truth and put their faith in Him.

On a joyful note, by step-sister had her baby boy this week! He's beautiful. Today, another little one will enter this world, mommy is in labor right now. We are so excited for Levi to make his entrance. God is good!!

That said, I need to be knitting!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dawn,
That is quite a post.
The whole Schiavo thing has been so sad. What should have been a private family matter has turned into a media feeding frenzy. Like you, I am quite disturbed.

My aunt had a brain tumor at the age of 18. When the tumor came back 15 years later, she had aggressive treatment and a very difficult surgery. Alas, she did not come out of the surgery and she remained in a vegetative state for almost 8 years. Because of nerve damage, she could not see or hear but she continued to breathe on her own. But she was a human being and it would have been a cold day in hell if anyone removed her tube. It never crossed anybody's mind. Who are we to decide what is a worthy human being? My grandmother visited her every single day. One day she died. Come to think of it, I don't know what she succumbed to, I just always thought God wanted her back. We were relieved and saddened at the same time. My grandmother still cannot talk about it. To lose a child is not natural and I feel great sympathy for Terri's parents.

You are right: life is difficult. It's nice there is a birth in your family - hopefully that'll take your mind of the heavy things.

Take care,
lara

Kate said...

Congratulations on the beautiful new baby! What a wonderful blessing for your family.

I agree with your comments about Terri. She has a special rapport with her parents. When her mother talks with her, she just lights up. I am so proud of her parents for fighting the good fight.