Matters of policy.

Well, the election is over, and I have to agree with my friend delta sierra (as she calls herself). I'm disappointed. And for the past two weeks, I've been bombarded by emails from friends and from my pro-life sources talking about how the pro-life movement (which is very important to me) will be facing its biggest challenges since its inception under Obama's administration. I was fully prepared to submit to gloom and doom and pray myself sick, but two nights before the election, I had a dream that stabilized me again, and I'd like to share it with you.

I was staying at my parents' house temporarily when an early, unnatural darkness covered the whole Valley. It was too dark and thick to be clouds and too early to be night. It rolled in like a storm, but it covered everything in less than five minutes. Almost every light outside was blotted out, and inside, even though I had turned all the lights in the kitchen on, they only worked like a strobe light, flashing briefly and palely and then blacking out completely. Needless to say, this frightened me, and as I was running over to another lightswitch to turn it on, I saw a tall dark figure in the middle of the dining room which frightened me even more. But when I bumped into him, the light flashed, and I realized that I was looking up into my father's face. He had come downstairs to make sure I was alright. (pause for moment of feeling good and reassurance) Of course, being the detail-oriented, will-manage-it-myself sort of person that I am, I didn't stop to take comfort in his presence; I went to find more lightswitches.

I'm pretty sure that the symbolism is obvious. My parents' house translates to the place where I grew up -- good old U.S. of A. The darkness is the situation we find ourselves in. My father represents our Heavenly Father. The lightswitches represent human effort. The lights represent faith, which happens apart from our own efforts.

Now I am not saying that Obama's election ushers in a great storm or a preternatural age of wickedness. I really don't expect the overall state of the American populace to change that much. Like my husband says, the most liberal American politician is still miles to the right of China or Iran or places like that. I do expect a storm of doubt. I have a suspicion that organized Christianity might lose ground in political, economic, and academic fields, especially if we don't respond with faith and prayer or if we're not willing to give up trying to blend in with the populace at large. But I think the point of my dream is pretty plain: in the middle of the darkness, our Heavenly Father is standing there, watching to make sure we're okay.

In the meantime, waiting must be accompanied by action. As soon as he is in office, Obama has promised to sign a bill called the Freedom of Choice Act which completely deregulates the abortion industry, overturns state authority over local abortion practices, subjects every current law limiting abortion practices to new scrutiny and probably rejection, and prohibits new laws limiting abortion from being passed. Not only would such an act be unconstitutional (all powers not specifically named in constitution belong to the states, not the federal government), but it would also remove safety regulations, parental consent laws, and informed consent laws that have saved thousands of lives.

Please go to this website and read the analysis of this bill:http://www.FightFOCA.com. If you feel so led, please sign the petition. If you have no faith in web petitions, please write to your congressional representatives and let them know how you feel about this bill.

Thanks and God bless.

Jennifer

First Halloween & First Chocolate

Let the season of milestones begin. first Halloween, first costume, first autumn leaves -- we are so there. Here are some pictures from Niki's first Halloween Harvest Party. Unfortunately I was working most of the evening, so I didn't get any pictures, but the church photographer managed to get a one of Niki and a few of me. Niki was supposed to be a dalmation, but she overran her diaper all over that costume, so

she went as a tiger cat instead. You can't see the ears or the cute little nose because she refused to leave the hood on. That doesn't bode well for when the weather gets cold.

The lady holding Niki is Lavonne, an old college classmate of my parents who goes to my church. Ain't it a small world? (Lavonne's husband Will was the Will who went in for a marrow transplant but eventually succumbed to leukemia. She appreciates prayer.)

My costume was supposed to be Marian the Librarian from The Music Man, but it turned more into an Anne of Green Gables sort of thing. Alas for shoulder-length brown hair when it should be long and red. Someday I will learn to make my hair stay put under a hat too.

Now these below were taken this morning after church. That is Niki with her first chocolate cookie. I hadn't been intending to give her chocolate until her first birthday, but she took the cookie right out of my hand and proceeded to plaster it all over her face, as babies should do. And the photographer just happened to be near by enough to catch us once again.

I'm so glad he was there. Some moments are meant to be recorded.

Just pictures.

I don't really have a rhyme or reason for this post. Mostly, I just wanted to post some more pictures of Niki.
I mean, why wouldn't I want to show off a face light that?

Or antics like this? (See, Mom, it's still too big. :) )

Here she's trying to catch sunshine. She still likes my shoes, as you can see. Don't worry, I disinfected them before I let her chew on them. She also likes my hair, and books,And the odd assortment of boxes, plates, milk jugs, garbage cans, ladders, and other household items that she really shouldn't be getting into.
It being election season, I deemed it appropriate to show off some of Niki's patriotism.

Definitely pro-military (that's Daddy's sailor hat or "dixie cup," as the servicemen call them). She's probably a Republican (hee-hee).
This video is kind of dark because it was taken in the dark. Niki was playing with the flashlight, and she had figured out that the light at the end of the flashlight was connected with the spot of light on the wall. I thought it showed significant cognitive development.

Boy, she really is into everything, isn't she? And she's not even crawling yet!

Day 30, a reflection

It's Day 30 of the 40 Days for Life campaign this fall. This morning's reflection really struck me, so I thought I would pass it on, with my own notes.

DAY 30 INTENTION

That those tempted to abort may understand that their child is already present, and already a real person.

SCRIPTURE

And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said,"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.--

Luke 1:41-44

REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone

Jesus not only loves unborn children -- He was onehimself! Think about this for a moment. We often hear people speak of a pregnant mother by saying, "She's expecting a child." Now if one is expecting a package, the package is not yet there. As reflected in our verse for today, however, this is not the case with the mother.Her gift is already there. The pregnant woman, a mother already, does not have a child "on the way,"but has a child, already present and in full possession of his or her human rights, starting withthe right to life.

It's true, you know. The person is present from the moment of conception. The gender of the child, every inherited trait from eye color to athletic proclivity is present from the moment the sperm nuzzles into the egg and their DNAs merge.

I remembering lifting Niki one day and realizing how much bigger she is now than she was then. As I reflected on the fact that she would always be moving forward in her development, I got a brief glimpse of how far back her development went, and I saw that it had always been her in my womb. "There was never a point when she went from being "baby" to being Niki. She was always my Niki, slowly adding piece by piece in the same gradual ascendance that I now get to watch outside the womb. Her dimpled chin, her blue eyes, her happy nature were present even before the ultrasound could show me how long her legs were.

As I watch Niki develop new skills and understanding I marvel at how much development has already taken place.

PRAYER
Jesus, open my eyes to your presence in the life of every child. Open my heart to joy in the birth of every child, a birth that reflects the joy of your own birth in Bethlehem. As you shared life in the womb of Mary, so now send your protection upon every child still in the womb,and grant to their mothers the strength and joy that comes from welcoming the gift of life. We pray through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Amen.

Now, as it's day 30 of 40 Days for Life, it's also ten days from the election, and I also got this little bit of unfirmation in my email this morning. Now I know that abortion is not the only poignant issue in this election, but it is an issue, and at this website below is a video detailing ecah candidate's stance on abortion in his own words.

http://americaschoicenow.com/

Another video

One more, just for kicks.