Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Usually, the cars in the parking lot at the abortion center are beat up old jalopies. They are a huge contrast to the abortionist's ride, which is a huge silver Lincoln Continental. He parks in the back, next to the dumpster...how appropriate. Sometimes I point that out to his "patients."

But this morning, one of those PT Cruisers was parked in the abortion parking lot. A mother and her daughter got out of the car and started towards the sidewalk. The mother immediately began shouting at me. She said I have no right to be in front of the center. She was yelling at me asking me how many babies I adopted. She was very upset, as she should be. I told her taking her daughter here has nothing to do with adoption, it has to do with eliminating her grandchild, and hurting her daughter. Of course, it never was about adoption, it was just a front to hide her guilt. She bolted inside, and I prayed that she would come back out so that we could talk about her daughter. That did not happen.

Two black girls approached, and I gave them the CPC information. One said she is getting a pregnancy test. When she came out, I asked her in my best happy voice if the test is positive. She showed me the white folder to prep for the abortion. She held up my card, and ran to her car.

A man brought a woman to the center. She was very hostile to me. But he stopped, and I asked him if his wife or girlfriend is pregnant. He said he did not know. He side-stepped me and went to his car. I walked with him as far as the law allows, and talked to him about the joy of holding his own child...maybe his son. He looked at me square in the eyes, and took off in his car.

I was alone until Chris came. He immediately went for the entrance way and starting singing and talking so that the people inside could hear him. Chris is very passionate about his ministry. A few minutes passed, and then a man I have never seen before came to wait for the bus. I greeted him, and he asked me if anyone left the "killing center" this morning. We exchanged names and a hand shake, and he began to speak...very slowly.

His name is James. He asked me, "Do you know what you are?" I cringed...oh no here we go... He responded, "You are a mistake". He said, "I am a mistake". I asked him to explain that to me. He said, "It is very possible that many of us are here on this earth as a mistake made by our mother who never intended a pregnancy. But, yet, here we are standing together on the sidewalk talking in front of an abortion clinic. What makes us different from the babies in the bellies of those mothers going in there? Nothing! The difference is that our mothers transferred thier mistake to a life and to a love. But these mothers transfer their mistake to death". He emphasized death. The bus came, we looked at each other silently, he stepped on the bus, and he was gone.

Richard, his wife Rose, Joe, and Kathy all came to pray. Chris stepped away. We pray so they can hear us inside. We pray the Chaplet on our knees. That is my favorite part of the prayers.
Kathy has been ministering at that center for over ten years. She has seen many miracles, and she is amazing.

I might go to a day retreat next week for sidewalk counselors and abortion clinic prayer warriors. I have been praying about it. I am not sure it would be good for me to go. I really dislike what some say and do as sidewalk ministers. I can't stand the "saves" language. They are not "saves," they are persons. Besides, we rarely know if the mother delivered the baby, or went to another clinic for the abortion. I think people should stop counting what they call "saves," and just be happy that God chose them to do His work, no matter what happens or doesn't happen. Then there is the badgering and harassing of the women and abortion staff which is so unloving, and does not allow any quiet time for the Holy Spirit to work .

YES, YES, I know...too few do this work...and it is good that people are out there. Satan is the divider. Yes, I know. That is why I may not attend. If I start hearing about those "saves" I might have to speak about that, and I don't want to divide people. Better not to go. I don't want to make a "mistake".

I keep thinking about James' interesting commentary about mistakes. I smiled to think that my sister who is twelve years younger than I...is who James is referring to as a "mistake".

5 comments:

Suzanne said...

I'm so glad you're back. I just love your blog.

MDHichborn said...

Hi,
My name is Michael Hichborn, and I'm the media director for American Life League. I am currently contacting pro-life and Catholic bloggers all across the internet in a concerted effort to more effectively spread the word through what is being termed “the new media.” As such, I was hoping we could send our video releases to you for posting on your blog. I have recently established a regular webcast for American Life League, and I would be most honored if you would share it with your readers as they come out (every 2 weeks. If you are interested in this, please e-mail me at mhichborn@all.org and let me know. If not, just e-mail me and ask me not to bother you anymore.
Thanks, and God bless!
--Michael

Anonymous said...

I think it's very sad that people like you can't respect the law. There's a reason women are allowed to choose what to do with their bodies. Accidental pregnancies are painful enough without other people trying to make the choice for you. I'm so glad in my home town everyone respects everyone elses decisions, and pro-life organizations don't haunt our clinics.

amyanne said...

Hello,

I thought you might be intersted in this press release...I didn't see an email contact.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



January 23, 2008

Contact: Kathleen Y'Barbo

(713) 377-0047; Email: Kathleen@booksandsuch.biz









HOLLYWOOD MAMA DRAMA



How Babies Have Replaced Bling as the Cool Fashion Accessory and Why You Need to Know What to Do if Your Friend Buys Into This



There's a baby boom in Tinsel Town, and many of its biggest stars are taking part. Already this month, singer Christina Aguilera and her husband welcomed a son, and Nicole Richie, girlfriend of rocker Benjie Madden, gave birth to a daughter. Others are mamas-in-waiting, proudly showing their expanding bellies and giving interviews on when their engagement may take place. Still others allow the media to guess who the father might be.



Popular magazines cover every moment of their pregnancies and likely would have sent reporters into the delivery room if allowed. Designer diaper bags have replaced designer purses as the cool new Hollywood accessory. Baby showers take precedence over wedding showers, and the wedding does not necessarily come before the birth.



It all looks so glamorous and exciting. Who wouldn't want a beautiful bundle of joy to lavish love and kisses on? And yet, sometimes that bundle arrives under circumstances that are not God's best. Take, for example, Jamie Lynn Spears. One moment she was a squeaky-clean teen television sensation and star of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101. The next, she's in the news not for her acting but for being a pregnant teenager. With one decision, her reputation is now in shreds and her television show is under the threat of cancellation. One decision; huge dilemma.



This week is Sanctity of Life week. And because of the Hollywood Mama Drama, it is also a perfect time to understand that mama drama doesn't only happen in Hollywood. Every year nearly 1 million teen girls find themselves pregnant, and unlike Hollywood stars who have the money and fame to carry them, these girls wonder what they should do. Many choose abortion, and because of this they not only sacrifice the life of their child, but this decision also brings heartache they must carry for the rest of their lives. Perhaps YOU can be the one who can make a difference.



Who was the first one Jamie Lynn Spears turned to when she found out she was pregnant? Not her mom. Not her sister. She turned to a friend. What if you were that friend?


As a teen what can YOU do when a pregnant friend comes to you for advice?




Remain calm and loving. Your friend most likely feels alone, frightened and extremely sensitive about her pregnancy. The most important thing you can offer is your continued friendship.


Show God's love and forgiveness. Your friend may have been looking for love by giving herself intimately to a guy. Now she might feel ashamed and unworthy of love at all. Point her to God, who loves her unconditionally.


Celebrate life. She may consider this baby a "mistake"--a barrier between her and "normal" life. Lovingly remind her that no matter how the baby was conceived, he or she is a gift from God.



Be available to share ... and to listen. Your friend has big decisions to make, and although you can't make those decisions for her, you can be available to help her consider her options. Share information you've discovered on fetal development and on the physical and emotional trauma of abortion. Most of all, be willing to listen to your friend's deepest concerns.


Find help. Your friend is most likely in need of more answers than you can give. Visit a local crisis pregnancy center with your friend, or call CareNet for help at 1-800-395-HELP. Encourage her to tell her parents and to seek the counsel of a pastor or youth pastor.

Partner with her to make better decisions in the future. My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson) is a book for teen girls and encourages teens to script their lives instead of being caught up in the drama and emotions of the moment. Read it together. Talk about the importance of making good choices.

Give her a book to help her face her unique issues, such as Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being Young Mom (Zondervan).



_________________________________

Of course teen pregnancy isn't the only drama young women face. If you or someone you know has made a positive decision as a teen, Tricia Goyer wants to hear about it.



***Video Contest for teens. Watch the video for the contest here!

Here's the scoop!

Attention TEENS! Want to win an iPod?

Yeah, me too! (Just kidding.) Tricia Goyer, author of the teen non-fiction book My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson) is hosting a video trailer contest! My Life, Unscripted uses the metaphor of screen writing to challenge young women to "script" your lives, rather than be blown along by the next emotional drama or temptation! (Been there, done that!) You could be one of three lucky contestants to win an iPod!

All you have to do is make a short (or not-so-short) video trailer sharing concepts shared in the book: My Life, Unscripted ... such as: how you've overcome temptation, or survived peer-pressure, or dumped the Loser boyfriend, or restored a relationship with your parents, or found your strength in Christ!

Be creative ...interview your friends (or even better, make them wear dorky costumes) and add some cool music. Then just post it on GodTube (video must be approved by GodTube before it is broadcasted, which takes a few hours) or YouTube! You also must include three things in your video:

1) the book title: My Life, Unscripted

2) the author: Tricia Goyer

3) and these words: "Check it out!"

After you finish the video, email your name, age, video link, and your address to: bookmarketing@triciagoyer.com

The winning videos will be the top three with the most views as counted on GodTube or YouTube on March 31, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. This contest is open to young women ages 13-19. So go ahead, tell your friends, your teachers, your youth leaders ... and your parents friends to check it out!



***Videos with inappropriate content as decided by Tricia Goyer will be disqualified (G-rated please). For your best chance to win, only upload videos to either GodTube or YouTube. Choose one. We will not add totals from more than one site together.



Three winners will receive an iPod Nano 4G.





Tricia Goyer writes articles for national publications such as Focus on the Family and is a columnist for teen moms through MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International: (www.mops.org/teen)

For more information, go to: www.triciagoyer.com

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...

I think it's very sad that people like you can't respect the law. There's a reason women are allowed to choose what to do with their bodies. Accidental pregnancies are painful enough without other people trying to make the choice for you. I'm so glad in my home town everyone respects everyone elses decisions, and pro-life organizations don't haunt our clinics.

3:12 PM"

Also along with that cases with women who are raped and get pregnant or even situations where the women find out that they or the baby would end up dying anyway.

Also, a person's relationship with Christ/God is exactly that! It's between them and God. Who are you to judge and chastise those you know nothing about.

"When they persisted in questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let the person among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."
John 8:7.