In 1909, Sarah Lawson was a widow and mother of 9 children. She’d already lost her husband and four of those children. She ran a boarding house in McMinn County, Tennessee to make ends meet. There was a telegraph office nearby in which men came to work, and Sarah’s boarding house stayed full.
Sarah’s daughter, Sally, was 20-years-old at the time, living at home with her mother. Sometime in 1909, a man named Everett, began boarding at Sarah’s boarding house. In December of 1909, he “took advantage” of Sally, and the young woman ended up expecting a baby.
The men in Sally’s family took out the shotgun and were ready to make the man “do right by Sally” and marry her. But Sally had no desire to be married to the man who had pushed himself on her. In September of 1910, Sally gave birth to a little girl who she named Thelma. Thelma was a spunky little girl who took to the piano at age 3 and taught herself how to play.
In 1914, Sally married a telegraph operator named Adolphus who became the only father Thelma would ever know. With Adolphus, Sally gave birth to a son and two more daughters.
Thelma grew up to be quite the adventurous soul. She learned to drive at 12-years-old, had her own car in her later teens, and played ragtime in a local silent movie house. She loved the great outdoors and cooking delicious food. She fell in love with a handsome young man named Eugene, and they were married in 1929.
Thelma gave birth to my mother – Betty Jean in 1933 via c-section with no anesthetic! She also had a son and three more daughters.
Thelma was a kind and gentle soul, who I never heard say a bad word about anyone. In fact, I never heard her say a bad word … period! She worked at American Uniform in Cleveland, Tennessee for 25 years, sewing aprons; and Eugene ran his own shoe repair shop. My grandfather, Eugene, passed away suddenly of a heart attack in 1970, at only 65 years of age.
Thelma (my Granny) never remarried. She spent her later years cooking big Sunday dinners for her children and grandchildren. We’d cram 40 people, eating in shifts, into her little single wide trailer. There was a lot of love and delicious food in that tiny trailer! I always said Granny had flavor in her fingertips.
In my opinion, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better soul than my Granny. I have fond memories of her visiting our home and playing ragtime piano while we gathered around, mesmerized by her stylings.
A lot of good people have come through my Granny’s lineage … a lot of people who simply would not exist if Sally had been born a few decades later and made the popular choice of terminating a rape pregnancy. Among us, we have dozens of loving fathers and mothers, nurses, a forest ranger, a physicist/inventor, businesspeople, several artists and teachers, an accountant, medical techs, preacher’s wives, an author, numerous missionaries, singers, musicians, nature-lovers and more.
I often wonder how many people are not with us on this planet because so many babies were never given the chance at life. How many scientists, doctors, inventors, and more are we missing?
Would we have a cure for cancer by now if someone hadn’t been snuffed out of existence? Would we have solutions to the world’s most pressing problems if some little girl or boy was allowed their turn on earth?
Just something to think about…
Photo: Thelma with three of her grandchildren: The artisan, the physicist/inventor, and the author (me).
My fourth child was due in November of 1994, and I had the usual morning sickness. Then one Sunday at church a friend asked me how I felt. I told her the morning sickness had stopped and I felt great. The next day I went to the doctor for my 16-week checkup. When the nurse did the ultrasound, she couldn’t find a heartbeat. She brought in my doctor and he, too, found no heartbeat.
My doctor sent me next door to the hospital for a more thorough intravaginal ultrasound. No heartbeat. I was sent home to wait for a few days and see if I miscarried on my own.
The days passed, but I never went into labor on my own. My doctor scheduled an induction, and I went to the hospital. The nurse came in to give me the medications to start labor. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that my child was dead. I pleaded with her to perform one more ultrasound… just to make sure that the baby was not alive before the procedure started. She kindly understood and immediately brought in the equipment.
I had already given birth to three other children, but I’d never seen a baby as young as sixteen weeks. In a few hours, I gave birth to an ashen-gray baby boy. I was shocked to see that he was larger than I expected – fully formed, just not as chubby as my other babies. An autopsy was done, and no cause could be found. Later, with my subsequent pregnancy, my hormone levels were tested, and results showed I had low progesterone. The doctor prescribed progesterone with my next baby and she was born healthy. She recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia and completed her Masters.
After this miscarriage, I was kept overnight in the hospital for monitoring and recovery. I was put into a private room and left largely undisturbed. I had time to pray, read, and reflect on my child… my son, Samuel, who I would never nurse, never sing to, nor see reach adulthood.
If Samuel had made it, he now would be 27 years old. I often wonder what he would look like, what his interests would be. Would he be smart like his siblings? Would he be funny? Would he be a spiritual giant? Would he be quirky and random? Would he be really tall like two of his brothers? Would he be a musician like the siblings on either side of him? What impact for good could he have made on the world?
There is one thing I know… the answer I received in those hours I spent alone in the hospital… is that Samuel was too good for this world. For whatever reason, he did not need the experience of mortality that I or his father or his siblings did.
I don’t know how things work, but I know Samuel was and is a real, distinct human being. And I know that he is in heaven with a loving Father and that one day I will be reunited with him and get to know him.
Nobody can tell me that my son was not my son. He wasn’t a growth, a tumor, an appendage to my own body. He was my child and is my child forever.
Featured Image Copyright: Jennifer Davis / BigStockPhoto.com
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to overturn Roe vs. Wade, after nearly 50 years of Federally legalized abortion. This definitive Constitutional move is a return to the Constitution’s 10th Amendment, which clearly states:
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
10th Ammendment to the U.S. Constitution
Since abortion is nowhere discussed within the U.S. Constitution, this subject is being rightfully returned to the states and to the people. This has never been, and should never have been, a subject for the Federal government to be involved in.
Rioting, Looting and Protests In Response to Roe vs. Wade Reversal
Ironically, many of the states which already legalize abortion at the state level have citizens who are rioting, looting and threatening to attack various churches and pro-life facilities in retaliation. People in cities like Los Angeles are destroying their own communities in response to a ruling reversal that does not even impact their states. Constitutional ignorance plays a forefront role in the responses to this ruling.
Following the Science
Of equal import is simple science and human dignity and compassion. While abortion might have been deemed acceptable when modern ultrasound was not available, it is reprehensible that people would pitch violent tantrums because they cannot kill babies who are clearly distinct individuals, viewable in detail with modern ultrasound technology. I’m not sure what happened to the cry to “follow the science,” but it’s clearly not happening on this subject.
The question that is uppermost on many people’s minds is WHY? Why would people feel they have the right to kill other human being? Science has provided us with plenty of evidence that these babies actually back away from the utensils and vacuums sent in to dismember them. Via ultrasound and other scientific technologies, we see that these babies cry out in anguish and pain as they are being slaughtered. Many medical experts have testified that unwanted babies in hospitals are left to die while those who have loving mothers are given every heroic measure necessary to help them live.
How could people be so heartless?
Some say it’s all about choice. Pro choice is what they call it. My question is: What about the choices of the 48 million babies per year who are snuffed out of existence and permanently lose their power to choose?
The term “pro choice” is an oxymoron. Those who support abortion aren’t pro choice. They are only for providing endless, continuous ability to choose without reaping consequences. They don’t care at all about the children’s ability to choose.
The biggest lie is that you can have choices without consequences.
The nature of choice is that when you choose liberty and life, more choices are afforded you. When you choose captivity and death, your choices dwindle. You don’t get endless chances to cover your detrimental choices.
You don’t get unlimited choices to cover your tracks. At some point you pay the piper. The flip side of the coin of Choice is Accountability.
There Can Be No Freedom without Personal Responsibility
We live in a society that is losing its freedoms because we do not understand that freedom can only be maintained as people take personal responsibility for their own actions. Only people who stand accountable for their own choices can remain free. Those who seek to disconnect choice from accountability self destruct.
Not taking personal responsibility for your own sexual acts and then expecting God and society to condone the mutilation and death of an innocent child (who was created BECAUSE of your choices) is the ultimate in the abdication of personal responsibility. It is the ultimate in myopic selfishness.
Debunking The Suffering Myth
I often hear the excuse by those who support abortion that the children will just suffer if they are allowed to live. Or the mother will suffer if she can’t get an abortion. Her quality of life and future options will suffer. The child will be homeless, hungry, or uncared for.
Our privileged society has a massive misconception about suffering. Freedom actually comes on the other side of suffering. Facing your own demons, your own trials and challenges, and taking personal responsibility leads to freedom, true freedom of the soul.
Continually doing everything you can to keep from being responsible for your own choices, actions, and emotional baggage is enslavement.
It seem that many who choose abortion are trying to avoid suffering at all costs. They are not choosing to abort because their own life is in danger, but because they don’t want to be inconvenienced. They want to avoid what they deem will be their future suffering, so they choose to end another human life. They justify murder by extrapolating that the child will lead a life of suffering. They assume that this child’s suffering will be endless and that the child’s life is not worth living.
Proponents of the “suffering excuse” have no faith in the human soul or its growth and development – theirs or their child’s. Better to kill the child than risk that the baby — or the parent — might be unhappy or suffer.
Every major growth and progression people make comes as we face adversity and rise above. One could say that it is one of the major reasons for living. To live your whole life and kill others to avoid suffering yourself (or pretending you’re saving the victims from suffering) is foolish at best and selfishly cruel at worst.
The wholesale lack of personal responsibility and dehumanization of others has untold rippling impacts and very well may lead to the destruction of mankind and our liberties.
What About Women Whose Lives Are In Danger?
No one is going to tell a mother with an ectopic pregnancy that she has to carry a baby to term. In fact, the natural consequence of this will be a miscarriage. No one is going to tell a mother whose life is in danger that a pregnancy has to continue. Likewise for rape or other sexual crime victims. These extreme cases are not why people who have fought against abortion all these years are fighting.
We’re fighting for the lives of innocents who have no voice. We’re fighting for the innocents who are discarded and left to die simply because women — and men — don’t want them or are afraid of the consequences of having a child. This is about the millions of babies each year who are murdered simply because they are inconvenient. This is about the millions who are murdered because the women carrying them — and yes, the men who fathered them — are sexually irresponsible and use abortion like birth control.
What About the Woman’s Feelings?
A woman on Facebook recently posted that she was feeling all the disappointed “feels” pro-abortion women are having over the Supreme Court’s ruling. For some time now, my husband and I have been feeling for the 48 million babies/year who are snuffed out of existence and/or torn limb-from-limb and left to die.
I can’t tell you how many times we’ve prayed in tears for this nightmare to end, and for forgiveness and healing for our land. Unlike many who were enraged when Roe vs. Wade was finally overturned, we wept in gratitude. Praise God! This is one step in the right direction. I’m not expecting that it will stop abortion completely. But at least it may save some lives in some states.
“Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death. Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need.”
Proverbs 31:8-9
National Sins Bring National Calamities
In light of choice and accountability before God, this shift in responsibility to the states and the people will lay the responsibility on those specific geographic areas (aka states) who condone and support crimes against humanity.
While advocating against slavery (another instance where groups of people were dehumanized for the convenience of others), George Mason, on the floor of the Constitutional Convention, warned:
“As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this by an inevitable chain of causes and effects. Providence punishes national sins by national calamities.”
George Mason, ConStitutional Convention
If God’s wrath is poured out on this land through national calamities, it will be a bit easier to see which states — and which people — valued life and which didn’t. Perhaps there will be a bit more mercy given to the citizens in those geographic areas — those state governments — who had mercy on the innocents.
Photo Copyrights
Featured Image Copyright:ZF_foto / BigStockPhoto.com
Friday January 22nd was the 48th anniversary of Roe V Wade. Over 62 million innocent lives have been exterminated since then in the US alone. One of President Trump’s last acts was to declare Jan 22nd a National Sanctity of Human Life Day.
On January 18th, Trump’s proclamation was for the National Sanctity of Human Life Day. In it, he said: “As a Nation, restoring a culture of respect for the sacredness of life is fundamental to solving our country’s most pressing problems. When each person is treated as a beloved child of God, individuals can reach their full potential, communities will flourish, and America will be a place of even greater hope and freedom. That is why it was my profound privilege to be the first President in history to attend the March for Life, and it is what motives my actions to improve our Nation’s adoption and foster care system, secure more funding for Down syndrome research, and expand health services for single mothers.” (“Roe v. Wade a ‘Constitutionally Flawed Ruling,’ Trump Says,” The Epoch Times)
The White House announced Friday that the new administration “will codify Roe v. Wade, which would allow for legal abortions even in the event that the Supreme Court overturns the 1973 ruling.” (Source: White House Announces It Will Codify Federal Abortion Law, The Epoch Times)
Bottom line, the sanctity of human life is the core issue. If we do not value human life as a nation, nothing else really matters. Our nation was built on the principles that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are our inalienable rights (God given rights which shall not be taken away). If we will sacrifice babies on the altars of our greed, selfishness, convenience and careers and support it with tax payer dollars – forcing those who find this practice appalling to pay for this devilish practice — mark my words, we WILL reap God’s judgement.
“Vengeance is mine and I will repay,” saith the Lord. (Deuteronomy 32:35)
God will not allow the blood of innocents to cry from dumpsters forever without answering it upon our heads. He will not allow their body parts to be used as science experiments and sold to the rich for their purposes, and continue to do nothing. In fact, the judgement has already begun and we’ve only seen a tip of the iceberg.
“As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this by an inevitable chain of causes and effects Providence punishes national sins by national calamities.”
In this episode of Front Porch Sense, Marnie addresses Nike discontinuing the Betsy Ross Flag Nike shoe because Kaepernick was offended by it. Why do modern people disrespect the Founding Fathers and the sacrifices they made? Why are people so hopped up to judge people throughout history and each other? Marnie talks about the ingratitude, judgmental and hypocritical nature of modern America and why we need to step out of that and into gratitude to preserve freedom.
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This episode addresses the right to life vs pro choice and what is happening in the world with abortion. How does the inalienable right to life relate to a woman’s right to choose? Are we asking the right questions when it comes to pro choice? What price are we paying for abortion?
For world abortion stats go there is a detailed report at Guttmacher.org.
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Marnie’s dad, Jack Morton, joins her on her front porch to talk about what’s happening in the world. Jack, an octogenarian, shares the 5 concerns for America that he has. These are five things that he’s seen drastically deteriorate in the last fifty years (since Marnie was born).
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Some are saying men shouldn’t be allowed to make laws about women’s bodies. So does that mean men get no say about the right to life of their own gender? What about the roughly 30 million baby boys who have been aborted? Who speaks for them? And are we to believe the 30 million little girls were on board with their lives being snuffed out?
The woman carrying the baby is only part of the equation. One could make a case that the father should have some say in the matter as well – especially in cases where conception is a result of two consenting adults. But even if you don’t want to give the father any say in the matter, the person with the most to lose is the child.
Who speaks for the innocent unborn? As my husband says, “Who gives people a voice who don’t have a voice? Who gives people a choice who don’t have a choice?”
Make no mistake, the price for this horrific crime against humanity is hefty.
I have been pondering on the price we pay as a nation for the deaths of 60 million children since Row v Wade was passed in 1973. How can there not be consequences for such a mass destruction of life? After thinking on this for some time, a question came into my mind: “Who are you missing? Who isn’t here?”
1/5 of the family of God … our brothers and sisters who would have been born since 1973 are not here. Statistically we are missing 1.2 million geniuses. Who isn’t here to cure cancer? To cure AIDS? To invent solutions for the world’s greatest crisis? What problems aren’t being solved because those who would have solved them aren’t here? How many soul mates and friends are we missing?
Think of those who go to war and make it back but their buddies don’t. Think of the pain and guilt the living suffer knowing they made it but their friends didn’t. Might the living be suffering something similar on a soul level?
We may not consciously know our friends are missing but do we suffer spiritually because they are not here? Is this why so many suffer from depression and despondency and a feeling that they don’t belong here? As if there is this inexplicable mourning? There are no secrets on the spiritual plane. What price are we as a nation paying for the destruction of so many souls?
Something to think about…
Featured Image Copyright: Eraxion / BigStockPhoto.com
