God kept me home

Sunday God kept me home from Church. The car I had wouldn’t start. The friend I asked for a ride woke up late and couldn’t get me. Instead I watched Hour of Power, Robert Schuler. It was the 50th Anniversary of the congregation that fills the Crystal Cathedral (by the way happy anniversary you guys). Robert Schuler thanked many people but the last Woman he thanked was Rosie Gray. She was severely handicapped from a stroke and after the Congregation executed its plan to move to a 150 person Chapel Robert Schuler kept preaching at the drive in so that Rosie could go to church. He was just going to do it until she died which was supposed to be before Easter but that Easter came and another and another and another. Three years she lived and the drive in Church kept growing and growing until it was large enough to build the Crystal Cathedral. The Day after they broke ground for that building Rosie died. Pastor Schuler related that Rosie couldn’t walk, she couldn’t talk, yet God used her mightily. Who knows what God had in mind for Terri. She couldn’t walk or talk either. Maybe she was supposed to be there just to comfort her mother and father, sister and brother. Maybe God had a bigger plan for her.* We will never know because in March 2005 other people decided that they would play God in Terri’s life and killed her by denying her food and water. R U Next?

*(I’m sure he still does after all this blog now exists.)

Then They Came for Me

THEN THEY CAME FOR ME

By: Rev, Martin Niemoller (after WW II)

First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

And so with thanks to
Reverend Niemoller

First they came for the Babies in the womb, and I did not speak out because I was not a Baby in the Womb. Then they came for those on Feeding Tubes, and I did not speak out because I was not on a Feeding Tube. Then they came for Terri, and I did not speak out because I was not Terri. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

Ask yourself R U Next?

The Culture of Death (cod)

Although Terri Shindler was profoundly limited in her abilities her life and her death had great meaning and purpose. For fourteen days She died under the Order of the Court that not only removed the tube which had previously been a pathway for food and water but also put armed guards around her so that no one could try to give her food and water. During those fourteen days the culture of death (cod) came out and showed itself. The people who have struggled in the pro-life community for many years knew this day was coming although the reality of it is still terrifying. First they came for the babies in the womb, then people on ventilators (Karen Quinlan), then infants whose life they felt wouldn’t be worth living. Assisted suicide? Oregon says yes you may. Terminate an infant whose remaining life is deemed not worth living, Texas says let the Doctors decide. Now there is Terri. I am in my early 50’s and I have little chance of dying a natural death when I am near the end of my life. The question remains R U Next.