Political Ramblings

I have been hesitant to post these thoughts, as they are not from the flow of popular opinion in what I am certain is the majority of my blog audience. Homeschoolers tend to be predominately heavy on the evangelical right of the political spectrum. I have always tended to lean in that direction myself.
I believe in the sanctity of life and marriage. I have just started to wonder if we can make laws that govern morality, and what great moral ground we gain by making laws that then drive people into back alleys and dark closets.
I know....all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Are we really doing something when we go to the polls with our vision narrowed to these two items as our primary focus? Is it possible that the thing we are to do as good men is to impact the lives of those whose paths we cross in our daily comings and goings? Can laws really touch the heart and change the climate for good, or are we duplicating the outward cleanliness of the Pharisees, and having the depth of who we are as a culture unaffected?
When our family moved a year and a half ago to southeast Texas, I was introduced to the legalistic strivings of the Christian community to ban the sale of alcohol, and it caused me to dig deeper and think harder about such things, and of what importance they are to God. I have come to understand that God cares about the individual, and that legislation can never replace relationship which was His ultimate plan for impacting the world. (The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.) I may obey the letter of the law, but it cannot make me love an unwanted child growing in my womb, or restrain myself with sexual integrity.
Sometimes my head starts to spin, when I think of those who awaited Jesus to take His throne as an earthly King and their disappointment when they realized this was never His intention. I often feel like we are caught in that same chasm.
I have no political agenda, or easy answers, nor am I asking for any. I am just putting these thoughts out there into cyberspace. I am eagerly anticipating your (respectful) thoughts.

Way to go Texas!

This may not be the absolute best way to support "life" - but at least they are doing something! Texas is going to be voting on a bill to pay pregnant women $500 to choose adoption over abortion. There's more information in this article. I am too tired to coherently think it through - one thing that does immediately come to mind is that women will initiate unwanted pregnancies just for the money. I have heard of worse absurdities than this!

This Woman Should NOT Be Somebody's Mother

I try not to bog down my blog with my opinions on news stories, but sometimes it is just too much! I read this story about a woman who had a botched abortion two years ago that did not end in the termination of her pregnancy, and later had a doctor fail to detect that she was still pregnant. She gave birth in December '04 and is now suing Planned Parenthood and her physician for the cost of raising her child. We are not talking about a teenager here folks - this is a 45 year old woman who should know how to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. I have one thing to say to her, "STEP AWAY FROM THE BABY!" This poor 2 year old child will know one day that she first, wasn't wanted and, second, I'll raise you as long as I don't have to pay one red cent. Talk about failure to accept responsibility! UGH! Can anyone hear my disgust?? I think the capital letters and bold type cannot possibly adequately convey how completely, totally and irrepressibly DISGUSTED I am! Grrr. I'll raise the munchkin - give her here!

There But for the Grace of God Go I

The newest issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine arrived last week. As usual, it is a blessing to me - a source of encouragement, and a vast array of some serious resources for any style of homeschooler. But there was one article by Jenefer Igarashi that was so real, I just had to blog about it. I am not going to quote her article, entitled The Unlovables: My Reluctant Testimony, so be sure to grab the winter issue and read it for yourself. But her article provoked my thoughts - which I will share here:

I found myself in a similar situation - pregnant and unmarried. My husband and I had been living together for 3 years, but had never taken a commitment very seriously. I was not a Christian, and although I knew who God was, I lived my life separated from Him. During my pregnancy, I started to feel that something was missing - that something being God - and I turned to the only place I knew at the time I might find Him - the church. My experience was not what Jen described - the loving support from believers - but more a judgmental glance, an indignant comment, and a circle being drawn leaving me on the outside. Baby showers were hosted for the "married" pregnant women in the church - and I remained invisible. I know that some of my experience was due in large part to my overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame, and even so, there were specific things said and done that made me feel that not only could the church not love me, but God could not possibly love me.
It took a long time before I was able to see past "the church" and allow God to speak to my heart about what He has to say about my sin. When I gave my life to Him, there was no more condemnation. And yet a few years ago in Sunday school, somebody inadvertently put the shame right back in my lap. This particular couple would come to our church with their "anti-abortion" stickers blazing on the rear bumper of their car, and their legalistic judgmental condemnation (the very thing that drives young women into the back alley entrances of abortion clinics) on their faces. During prayer request time, this man was asking for prayer for his niece who had recently given birth "out of wedlock", and blah blah blah, but they didn't want her to think that they condoned what she had done, yadda yadda yadda. I sat for a while as he rambled on feeling the shrinking, diminishing feeling of shame. When I finally found my voice, I was able to share that I too had a child "out of wedlock". I also was able to encourage that man to live out his convictions, and support his niece as she attempted to raise this child on her own - buying diapers, and baby food, and whatever else she may need. (The less Christlike sentiment in my head at the time was "Quit buying bumper stickers and put your money here your mouth is!" I might have also thought "freak" and then sure and sudden conviction and repentance!)
Sin is sin - and as believers we have to call it what God calls it. There is no doubt that sex outside of marriage is sin. Aren't we to help those up who stumble? Why do we look at that particular sin as if it is so heinous - and yet gloss over our own materialism, gluttony, gossip, etc. as if they are nothing. In God's sight all sin is equal.
I think that in the Christian community we need a constant reminder - there but for the grace of God go I! I've been there - I've done that - I have the t-shirt - with a big scarlet letter branded that has since been washed white with the scarlet blood of Jesus!