Not trying to be a downer

You know, I want my blog to be a fun place to go, but sometimes, things just really bother me, and I am forced to allow it to get a little "deep". In the news this week there have been two stories specifically that have really gotten my goat. (What does that mean exactly when something "gets your goat". I'm not sure). I won't put links to the story because, well, frankly, who wants to read about them? They are very disturbing.

The first is the mother who smothered her twin sons. They were crying, so she killed them and then rolled over and went back to sleep. The second story concerns the brand new baby found in a trash can. (The baby survived!) These stories utterly confuse and bewilder me. I am really past the point that I tell God I don't understand why these women are mothers. I've come to peace with the fact that life isn't fair. However, I can't wrap my mind around why anyone would do this.

The U.S. began to issue "Safe Haven" laws back in 1999. This is basically the idea that a mother may leave her child at a hospital or police station. I thought this was a fabulous idea. Two million couples in the U.S. are currently waiting to adopt! If this mother doesn't want her child, let's allow her to leave the child at a hospital instead of throwing it in a trash can or smothering it. There are people lined up to adopt infant children.

And this brings me to abortion. I have my own feelings about abortion which are probably fairly obvious, and I know some of you reading this blog disagree with me. I also know that there are friends of mine who have had an abortion, and you have shared this fact with me. You know that I love you just the same, and I am not here to make you feel bad. I'm not here to argue a woman's rights at this point in time or to make anyone feel bad.

All I wish is that prior to getting an abortion, a woman had to participate in two activities. The first is that she would have an ultrasound. My friend Kristi, who has struggled through both of her pregnancies has told me that once she saw that child, it was so obvious how real he/she was. You can see the baby and the heartbeat at six weeks along! This is commonly when women find out they are pregnant. It is often after six weeks that abortions take place.

I also wish that all women considering abortion could meet a woman on the "other side". A woman like me who would give nearly anything for that opportunity and would gladly raise her child for her. I would love to sit down with this woman for just five minutes. I would love to share my heart and tell her what a blessing she has been given.

Yesterday, the U.S. population officially hit the 300 million mark. It is so difficult to comprehend that a baby is born every few seconds, and yet we still wait. I have been blessed to find peace with this waiting and how wonderfully strong it has made my marriage, my faith, and my walk with the Lord. However, at the same time, I wish more than anything that the gift of life would be appreciated by everyone as much as it is by me. Life is such a precious gift. Pregnancy isn't something that "just happens" as people try to tell you when you are young. It is a miracle that doctors aren't able to recreate with accuracy. It is something that only God can do.

Okay, I'm sorry for the step onto my soapbox. I was just grieved by these stories and really wanted to share my heart. There's my heart. Now my heart has to take a shower and get to work.