Those of you who know me might be surprised by my reaction to the Planned Parenthood situation when I first heard about it. I got onto Facebook (unfortunately, I get most of my news from Facebook) and read a heading that basically said that Planned Parenthood was caught selling baby parts in an undercover video. I wasn't shocked. On the contrary, I was relieved.
Finally.
They did it to themselves.
Planned Parenthood did for themselves what those in the Pro-Life movement have been trying to do for decades. They proved that abortion is horrifying. They proved that those babies have life. They proved that abortion is wrong.
Planned Parenthood has done for this country (I can't say the world yet, because genocide happens across the world all the time, even when the validity of the life of the person is not a question) what nobody in the pro-life movement could do. They, themselves, are the cause of new and intriguing conversations. They, themselves, are the reason so many have decided to stop funding them, why so many are encouraging our nation as a whole to do so, too.
They are going to revolutionize the pro-life movement.
Although I was relieved, I could not celebrate what happened, because it was so horrible. I always believed that the only way that people would really see how bad abortion is, would be if something truly appalling happened. I had no idea it would be this. Evil can only reign for so long. It gets greedy, it gets sloppy, it goes too far, it pushes too fast before its victims are truly, fully, on board, and it makes mistakes. It gets caught. It always has and it always will. I knew that the good men and women who fight for the lives of unborn babies could only do so much. That doesn't mean that I thought that they should give up, it just meant that, something either miraculous or horrible was going to have to take place. Sadly, it was the horrible. But sometimes that's just how it has to go. Sometimes evil destroys itself.
The abortion conversation is far from over, but a softening of hearts has taken place, and I believe that we can run with that. Even some of the most pro-"choice" people out there have agreed that what Planned Parenthood has done is wrong. Disgusting. Horrifying. Evil. Those who haven't admitted that are in denial, stubborn/prideful, or actually corrupt. The first two will eventually come around. The later, well, we gotta keep those folks in our prayers in a big way. I'm not saying they won't come around eventually. Saint Paul can be their patron Saint. If God could change Paul's heart, He can change theirs.
As terrible as this whole thing is, it might just be the thing that ends it all. All those little babies, the uncorrupt, souls who never sinned, never hurt anyone, never caused any harm, all of them are in Heaven praying for this situation like we don't know or understand. With that many prayers, we can be assured that evil will not win this fight. Good always wins. This just might be the tipping off point.
I decided not to use any pictures in this post. There are so many graphic graphics going around surrounding this issue, sometimes we just need a break. Celebrate this victory, mourn over those who were lost, rest your eyes from the images you've seen, and then get back out there and fight for what's right.
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Friday, June 6, 2014
Must I?: Krissy's List of Life Stuff
I have recently seen a lot of posts about things that I, for some reason or another, "must" do. Youtube videos called "Places you must travel to while in your 20's," or "Things every woman must know," or "Foods you must try." As I read through these lists, I find myself feeling a variety of emotions: inspiration to do/be something cool or different, sadness at what I haven't accomplished, jealousy that others get to accomplish those things that I can't (afford to) do, and more sadness that they tell me to do things that I believe are morally wrong (apparently I am "supposed" to carry a condom and Plan B with me at all times!). I feel so down after reading those posts and watching those videos, when I think that the goal from those authors is to get me to feel only inspired and/or accomplished.
They don't even make sense. I mean, so often the list will say, "Have enough confidence to not do what anyone else tells you to do," or "Don't let anyone dictate your life," or "Break the rules." Ok, so if I follow your advice, you're saying that I shouldn't do what YOU tell me to do. But, by not doing what you tell me to do, I AM doing what you tell me to do. You see why that's a conundrum?
I have come to the conclusion that those lists really should be called, "what I should do, because I liked it, and I think that you might like it, too, so maybe I'll inspire you to do something you've always wanted to do or to try something new." I guess I can see why that isn't the title. It's a little cumbersome. It just seems that those authors are really writing those lists for themselves. Who says that I should sky dive in my 20's? Why? I don't want to sky dive. I wouldn't like it, and it'd be a waste of my money, time, worry, stress and adrenaline (ok, YES, I realize that adrenaline is not, like, in short supply, but you get my point). What are the reasons we "must" do these things? Who are you to tell me that? I always want to scream, "Stop 'shoulding' all over me!"
My 29th birthday is rapidly approaching, which means that I have one year left in my 20's. At this point, there is an expectation that I have completed a certain number of things on my check-list of life. Well, instead of going by someone else's standards, I am going to create my own list for myself. If these things don't apply to you, than that's ok, because I don't expect that they will be universal. But here is, "Krissy's List of Life Stuff:"
1. Eat food.
2. Drink water
3. Drink less Diet Coke
4. Sing loudly in your car with every chance you get, but never subject others to that torture
5. Wear your ugly green shorts around the house, but no where else
6. Enjoy the summer
7. Be proud of the fact that you still (and always will) LOVE N'Sync
8. Change your mind about what you like (I used to not like onions, and now I do. I used to not like riding a bike, and now I do. I used to like mayonnaise, and now I don't).
9. Realize that #7 on this list possibly contradicts #8, and be ok with that
10. Keep quoting movies, even if some people think it's weird or annoying
11. Stand up for good grammar, even if some people think it's weird or annoying
12. Remember that sarcasm sometimes hurts people's feelings, and that you're better than that (this is not a sarcastic way of approving sarcasm either. I was being real)
13. Don't ever say, "a whole nother"
14. Keep watching children's movies. They're good for your soul
15. Remember that you do love kids, even though they kind of scare you and you haven't spent much time around kids (younger than junior high aged kids, that is)
16. Don't drive where you can walk
17. Ignore #16 if it's cold. Like, really, really, cold. Or windy. Rain, you can handle, but not the cold.
18. Give actual compliments. People crave positivity. It's amazing what genuine, real, actual kind words can do to a person's heart
19. T-Rex is awesome. Don't forget it, even though you have re-occurring T-Rex nightmares!
20. Sleep appropriate amounts (not too little, but not too much, either)
21. Stop being annoyed so much
22. Go back to the places where bad memories were made. Re-listen to songs that remind you of bad things. Create new memories associated with those things, so they aren't ruined forever (remember, nothing is ever ruined forever)
23. Some people aren't like you, and that's ok. If they tell you that you should only cry one or two tears and then move on, smile, thank them for their advice, and then cry as many dang tears as you need to! But don't tell them that. It's not worth the fight.
24. Some people aren't like you, and that's ok (it's worth putting in here twice)
25. You will probably always worry about what people think of you. You want to be liked. You want to be loved. You want to be accepted. You want them to think well of you because they are important to you. Because you care about them. Because they mean something to you. When you think that someone thinks poorly of you, try to stay calm about it. Be rational. Maybe they don't like you. And maybe it's because of a real flaw in you. You aren't perfect. You can work on your flaws. Maybe they do like you but the crazy version of yourself is rearing. You can stop being crazy. But, as hard as it may be for you, don't let them change the good in you. If you can't stop that, than that person doesn't deserve to be in your life. It'll hurt. It'll be lonely. It'll be sad. Because you care about people. And you care about their opinions. And, despite what may appear to some, it's not easy for you to just kick a person out of your life. But don't let them change the good in you. Don't let them take away your self-esteem. Don't let them make you angry (and therefore, take away your trust, your forgiveness, your patience). Don't let them take away the good in you. And there is good in you.
They don't even make sense. I mean, so often the list will say, "Have enough confidence to not do what anyone else tells you to do," or "Don't let anyone dictate your life," or "Break the rules." Ok, so if I follow your advice, you're saying that I shouldn't do what YOU tell me to do. But, by not doing what you tell me to do, I AM doing what you tell me to do. You see why that's a conundrum?
I have come to the conclusion that those lists really should be called, "what I should do, because I liked it, and I think that you might like it, too, so maybe I'll inspire you to do something you've always wanted to do or to try something new." I guess I can see why that isn't the title. It's a little cumbersome. It just seems that those authors are really writing those lists for themselves. Who says that I should sky dive in my 20's? Why? I don't want to sky dive. I wouldn't like it, and it'd be a waste of my money, time, worry, stress and adrenaline (ok, YES, I realize that adrenaline is not, like, in short supply, but you get my point). What are the reasons we "must" do these things? Who are you to tell me that? I always want to scream, "Stop 'shoulding' all over me!"
My 29th birthday is rapidly approaching, which means that I have one year left in my 20's. At this point, there is an expectation that I have completed a certain number of things on my check-list of life. Well, instead of going by someone else's standards, I am going to create my own list for myself. If these things don't apply to you, than that's ok, because I don't expect that they will be universal. But here is, "Krissy's List of Life Stuff:"
1. Eat food.
2. Drink water
3. Drink less Diet Coke
4. Sing loudly in your car with every chance you get, but never subject others to that torture
5. Wear your ugly green shorts around the house, but no where else
6. Enjoy the summer
7. Be proud of the fact that you still (and always will) LOVE N'Sync
8. Change your mind about what you like (I used to not like onions, and now I do. I used to not like riding a bike, and now I do. I used to like mayonnaise, and now I don't).
9. Realize that #7 on this list possibly contradicts #8, and be ok with that
10. Keep quoting movies, even if some people think it's weird or annoying
11. Stand up for good grammar, even if some people think it's weird or annoying
12. Remember that sarcasm sometimes hurts people's feelings, and that you're better than that (this is not a sarcastic way of approving sarcasm either. I was being real)
13. Don't ever say, "a whole nother"
14. Keep watching children's movies. They're good for your soul
15. Remember that you do love kids, even though they kind of scare you and you haven't spent much time around kids (younger than junior high aged kids, that is)
16. Don't drive where you can walk
17. Ignore #16 if it's cold. Like, really, really, cold. Or windy. Rain, you can handle, but not the cold.
18. Give actual compliments. People crave positivity. It's amazing what genuine, real, actual kind words can do to a person's heart
19. T-Rex is awesome. Don't forget it, even though you have re-occurring T-Rex nightmares!
20. Sleep appropriate amounts (not too little, but not too much, either)
21. Stop being annoyed so much
22. Go back to the places where bad memories were made. Re-listen to songs that remind you of bad things. Create new memories associated with those things, so they aren't ruined forever (remember, nothing is ever ruined forever)
23. Some people aren't like you, and that's ok. If they tell you that you should only cry one or two tears and then move on, smile, thank them for their advice, and then cry as many dang tears as you need to! But don't tell them that. It's not worth the fight.
24. Some people aren't like you, and that's ok (it's worth putting in here twice)
25. You will probably always worry about what people think of you. You want to be liked. You want to be loved. You want to be accepted. You want them to think well of you because they are important to you. Because you care about them. Because they mean something to you. When you think that someone thinks poorly of you, try to stay calm about it. Be rational. Maybe they don't like you. And maybe it's because of a real flaw in you. You aren't perfect. You can work on your flaws. Maybe they do like you but the crazy version of yourself is rearing. You can stop being crazy. But, as hard as it may be for you, don't let them change the good in you. If you can't stop that, than that person doesn't deserve to be in your life. It'll hurt. It'll be lonely. It'll be sad. Because you care about people. And you care about their opinions. And, despite what may appear to some, it's not easy for you to just kick a person out of your life. But don't let them change the good in you. Don't let them take away your self-esteem. Don't let them make you angry (and therefore, take away your trust, your forgiveness, your patience). Don't let them take away the good in you. And there is good in you.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Being Single Isn't Easy
I love the line in the movie "The Princess Bride," when the Man in Black says, "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." Well that's how I feel when people write blogs or act as if being single is so great, and that it's not difficult at all. I always want to ask them, "What are you selling?"
Maybe it is easy for them. Maybe it is fun for them. But let me tell you what my experience of the single life is: it's difficult. It's lonely. It's scary.
Now I'm not saying that the married life IS easy. I can't comment on that because I have no experience being married. I can tell you, though, what I've heard, and it's that being married is also difficult. And lonely. And scary.
So where does that leave us? Well, quite plainly, it leaves us with the knowledge that life is just generally difficult. And lonely. And scary. But that doesn't mean that it's bad.
Yes, it's true...I don't want to be single. I would love to be in a romantic relationship, be swept off my feet and ride off in the sunset on a horse with the one I love. Ok, maybe not that last part; that sounds a bit too cheesy for my taste (again, not that it's bad, just not my taste). But in fact, I do want to be in a relationship.
But if being single is difficult for you, it's ok. And just because some people find it easy, fun and exciting, doesn't mean that it has to be that way for everyone. We are all different, and so we all experience singleness differently. If you are single and long to be in a relationship, than I encourage you to pray about those feelings. All challenging things in our lives can give glory to God. I promise you that if you use those feelings to bring Him glory, that it will change you. No, being single might not feel any better. But at least it will have purpose.
Please don't let anyone make you feel bad for feeling bad about being single. Hiding, suppressing or ignoring our feelings isn't what gives glory to God. It's ok to feel what you feel. It's not ok to let those feelings control you. To wallow in them. The sit in them. To act out because of them. All kinds of Saints have experienced sadness and loneliness and anger, and given that to God to give Him glory. Think about Saint Therese of Lisieux who "smiles through her tears." That doesn't mean she doesn't feel the sadness. She does, though, smile through it.
Through all of the things in your life, happy things, sad things, frustrating things, scary things, lonely things and lovely things, one goal should you keep: use it to give glory to God, and all will be well.
Maybe it is easy for them. Maybe it is fun for them. But let me tell you what my experience of the single life is: it's difficult. It's lonely. It's scary.
Now I'm not saying that the married life IS easy. I can't comment on that because I have no experience being married. I can tell you, though, what I've heard, and it's that being married is also difficult. And lonely. And scary.
So where does that leave us? Well, quite plainly, it leaves us with the knowledge that life is just generally difficult. And lonely. And scary. But that doesn't mean that it's bad.
Yes, it's true...I don't want to be single. I would love to be in a romantic relationship, be swept off my feet and ride off in the sunset on a horse with the one I love. Ok, maybe not that last part; that sounds a bit too cheesy for my taste (again, not that it's bad, just not my taste). But in fact, I do want to be in a relationship.
But if being single is difficult for you, it's ok. And just because some people find it easy, fun and exciting, doesn't mean that it has to be that way for everyone. We are all different, and so we all experience singleness differently. If you are single and long to be in a relationship, than I encourage you to pray about those feelings. All challenging things in our lives can give glory to God. I promise you that if you use those feelings to bring Him glory, that it will change you. No, being single might not feel any better. But at least it will have purpose.
Please don't let anyone make you feel bad for feeling bad about being single. Hiding, suppressing or ignoring our feelings isn't what gives glory to God. It's ok to feel what you feel. It's not ok to let those feelings control you. To wallow in them. The sit in them. To act out because of them. All kinds of Saints have experienced sadness and loneliness and anger, and given that to God to give Him glory. Think about Saint Therese of Lisieux who "smiles through her tears." That doesn't mean she doesn't feel the sadness. She does, though, smile through it.
Through all of the things in your life, happy things, sad things, frustrating things, scary things, lonely things and lovely things, one goal should you keep: use it to give glory to God, and all will be well.
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