One Up Side to the Economic Drop

It seems as if these economic hard times are negatively effecting Planned Parenthood. State governments faced with smaller budgets are cutting their funding. Take this example from Corpus Cristi, TX. I am also pleased that the reason Planned Parenthood was dropped from the budget was because about 20 concerned citizens showed up at the City Council meetings and voice their opinions.

Oh, the Insanity!

Stupid criminals are my favorite kind. Take this fellow for instance. He shot a man twice (and not fatally). Then he recorded a rap song about the experience stating the injured man's name. A jury of his peers gave him 20 years.

Stupid (or just left-leaning liberal) judges, on the other hand, are my least favorite kind. Even when they are in Canada. The Canadian Supreme Court has ruled that obese people are functionally disabled and therefor deserve two seats for the price of one. I ask you, "Why should airlines have to suffer the consequences of other people's eating habits?"

Stupid (or just left-leaning liberal) law-makers are almost as bad. Especially when they are in my own state. Texas Sen. Shapleigh is trying to pass a bill to make it illegal for a restaurant to prepare, pakage, store, or serve food with tras fat unless the food in question is yeast dough or cake batter or pre-packaged food served in the original package. (Insert eye-roll here.)

Pro-life Legislation to Be Introduced in Texas

I got a heads up from Free Market that new pro-life legislation is going to be introduced this session in Austin. I think these kinds of laws are still being proposed despite the looming Obama presidency. Here is the official press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Logan Spence (512) 463-0107
November 10, 2008
Kathi Seay (512) 463-0646
SENATOR DAN PATRICK JOINS REPRESENTATIVE FRANK CORTE IN FILING
INFORMED CONSENT LEGISLATION
Important legislation enjoys broad and united support

AUSTIN – This morning, Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston) and Representative Frank Corte (R-San Antonio) filed legislation to ensure that women are better informed about the decision to obtain an abortion.

The legislation will require abortion providers to give a patient an ultrasound of her child and an explanation of the child's current state of development before the abortion procedure. However, the patient is not required to view the ultrasound against her will or in the case of medical emergencies.

"Passing this bill is a high priority for me this session because women seeking abortions deserve to be fully informed about the consequences of this procedure," stated Representative Corte.
The bill is strongly supported by several pro-life organizations. "Including the ultrasound as part of informed consent for women undergoing abortion is a matter of medical consumer protection to further safeguard the health of women," said Elizabeth Graham, director of Texas Right to Life.

"We strongly support this bill," stated Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life. "There is no other medical procedure in which women are denied such relevant information like they are during an abortion."

"Ultrasound technology is the result of extraordinary medical progress. This bill is a step forward for all pregnant women in Texas, and to deny women such information would be a terrible injustice," said Jonathan Saenz, director of legislative affairs and attorney, Free Market Foundation.

During the last legislative session, Senator Patrick pushed a similar bill through the Texas Senate with broad bipartisan support. "This bill is about enabling women to become informed patients as they make this vital decision," explained Senator Patrick. "No conscientious person can oppose this proposal."

Parental Rights in the State of Texas

Thanks to JR at A Keyboard and a .45 I have been alerted to a new parenting law introduced in Texas by Texas Rep. Alonzo that makes me cringe. The proposed law talks of ensuring that children are a priority and a good education, etc. Here are the things that popped out at me.

From Article 1-
The child has a right to live in a home where "the child is treated with respect". I agree with this, but I can see the government (or judges) twisting this to: It is disrespectful to the child to swat, ground from the prom, limit friendship choices, etc.

It even specifies later that "any form of discipline that humiliates or demeans the child" would be banned. I can see this being almost anything but time outs.

This phrase "access to a quality education" opens the door to homeschool regulation.

This one "receive appropriate medical, dental, vision, and mental health services" bodes of more regulation of people who oppose vaccinations or medical birth or Western medicine all together.

Article Two largely deals with "Family Education Centers". Somehow I can't really imagine that these will be based on God-centered biblical parenting. One of the things new parents are supposed to learn is to "develop short- and long-term family goals". Now I can only imagine that these would be more in line with the State's goals and less in line with God's goals.

Needless to say, I will do my part in fighting this rubbish. Parents are responsible for the character molding, health, education, and training of their children. The State needs to get the c*** out. (The stars are for OneMom's benefit.)

Arzigul Tursun

I found out about this yesterday but couldn't bring myself to post about it because it was too sad. Now that the story has a happy ending, I can type the sad and horrific beginning. Arzigul Tursun is an ethnic minority woman in China. She had been told by authorities that she would have to have an abortion because she already had two children. She ran away to a different city. When she was captured and taken to the hospital, she escaped despite two guards. She finally surrendered when the government threatened to take away her house and livelihood. There has been an international protest and the prayers of thousands have been said. Today LifeSiteNews reports that Arzigul Tursun has been released without having the forced abortion. Praise the Lord! I plan to keep this poor woman in my prayers. May God bless her for trying to protect her child.

Christians and Politics

A friend of mine had a letter published in the Star Telegram. I thought it was so excellent I got permission to publish it here as well.

Columnist Cal Thomas appears to believe that Christians should abandon politics and instead be just about the business of doing "good works." (See: "Christians may have learned the most from the election," Nov. 9)

Even though some valid points were made, some of the opinions were, I believe, misguided.
Many Christians have an incomplete picture of God’s plan for his people in society. We stray from one extreme to the other: retreating or becoming like the culture.

Thomas’ answer is the former extreme: retreat — at least in politics. I heartily agree that Christians should do good works, but to abandon the institution of civil government that was established by God is not only unscriptural, but foolish.

"Are we to sit back and expect the ungodly to produce the fruits of godliness?," asked the Plymouth Rock Foundation. "That would not be faith, that would be folly. It would be handing the nation to humanism by default."

Does it not make sense that Christians would want civil government to be filled with godly men who understand godly principles?

There are reasons that some Christians do fail in politics and in efforts to transform government.
One is that they have little or no understanding of what God’s design for government is supposed to look like.

Secondly, we believe that we must vote for the lesser of two evils when it comes to choosing civil magistrates (i.e., president of the United States) instead of voting according to the clear qualifications in Scripture. We fail to realize that God can easily take care of the results when his people are obedient.

Thirdly, we, as Christians, must take back the authority of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation and understand that the word of God, in principle when not explicitly, is applicable to every area of life.

Finally, although not exhaustively, churches must stop worshipping at the altar of their 501(c)(3)’s and stand up and be heard. What a shame to us all that we too often fear to let our voices ring out today.

A clear reading of Scripture and knowledge of history leave no doubt that Christians should and must be involved in civil government in whatever capacity God calls them.

— Kerri Jackson

Review of My Little Girl

Thanks to Wickle, I am now receiving books to review from Thomas Nelson. My first one is My Little Girl by Tim McGraw.

I have to start this review by saying that I am NOT a country music fan. So I would probably never have purchased it as there is a picture (a small one) of Tim McGraw on the front cover. That being said, I found this book to be delightful.

It is a story about having fun just being together. The story line follows a father/daughter pair from morning until bedtime. It reminded me that all of my best memories of my dad are of doing normal non-spectacular things like building snowmen or riding on his back. This book is a good reminder that children don't need to be razzle-dazzled by fancy gifts or big vacations; children need interacting parenting parents.

The little girl in the book reminded me very much of my own little girl. She has a hodge-podge of tastes which I enjoyed glimpsing. I liked the father as well.

The illustrations are great. They fit right in with the story. The vibrant colors go so well with a vibrant girl.

If you have a daughter between 4-6, she will likely love this book. When I read it to my daughter, she asked, "Mommy, can I keep this book because I love it." It would make a great Valentine's day gift, but really would be appropriate any time. Enjoy.

Unsolicited Advice

I have been wondering, "When is it my duty before God to give unsolicited advice?" I look at people in the Bible like Elijah and Jonah and Nathan and John the Baptist. They all gave unsolicited advice (most of it unpleasant). Of course they were prophets. But as a child of God don't I have some of the same responsibilities: to warn, to rebuke. Now I know that unsolicited generally negative advice will likely turn many (if not most) people off. Then again, Jonah led a whole city to repentance and Nathan, a king. So how does this fit into my life?

When should I speak out against daycare (in a loving way of course) to people that have their newborn in daycare?

When should I speak out against shacking up to people that have been living together for years?

When should I stand up for husband headship amid Christian women who are disrespecting their husbands?

I have often heard that you need to have a strong relationship first. But is that what we find in the Bible? Nathan had a strong relationship with David, but Jonah hated the people of Nineveh and waited for them to die. John the Baptist rebuked whole crowds of people at a time.

When are we to speak the truth in love and when are we to keep our big mouths shut?

Am I more likely to be sinning when I remain silent or when I speak up?

In part I think that the real crux of this matter is: Am I willing to speak the truth even at the cost of friendships or ridicule?

Is most of this angst really about the right or wrong of saying something or is it fear of people and what they will think, say, or do?
I would love to hear all of your comments!