Protect Babies and Women - Stand With Texas!

This is relevant, no matter where you are. What is happening in Texas could have a very real, positive prolife impact across the nation!

A few days ago, I wrote about  SB5, a far-reaching prolife bill before the Texas Senate. The gallant effort of the Texas prolife majority was beaten back, after a raunchy mob of abortion advocates screamed so loudly as to prevent conclusion of the vote and signing of the bill. Thank God that Texans are known for their larger than life tenacity and their conservative (read God-fearing) ways! True to form, Governor Perry (R) called a 2nd special session (beginning July 1) and the bill has been revived as HB2.

Details About the Bills

Today (6-28-2013) a Prolife Omnibus Bill, HB2, was filed by Rep. Jodie Laubenberg (R). This bill relates to the regulation of abortion procedures, providers, and late term abortions. It prohibits abortion - without exceptions - after 20 weeks, keeping in mind medical evidence that babies at this stage are capable of feeling pain. Further, it requires that abortion mills are held to the same standards as other facilities that perform surgical procedures. Due to the lack of regulation currently required, even legal abortion is detrimental to the lives of women because they are performed in poorly maintained facilities by unskilled employees. This portion of the bill should be supported by anyone who cares about women because it seeks to protect their health and safety. Further, the bill would require abortionists to have privilege at a nearby hospital - in the event that emergency medical treatment was warranted. Again, this should be attractive to anyone concerned with the health and medical safety of women.

What Happened to Require a Second Session?

Pro-abortion Sen. Wendy Davis (D) managed to stage a one-woman filibuster of the bill - by remaining on the Senate floor for a total of 11 hours, partly due to wearing a catheter (yuck). Her pink sneakers belied a heart hardened against both the pain of babies and the health of women in a rabid bid for 'choice' at all costs. A vehemently angry mob of pro-abortion supporters then caused such a disturbance that it was impossible to sign into law the winning vote for this legislation- although the votes for passage were there.  These extreme and hate-filled pro-abortion supporters seem willing to go to any lengths - by ignoring decorum and using bully tactics - to squash the will of the majority.

What Can We Do If We're Not in Texas?

As an 'honorary' Texan myself, I can share what I have done and continue to do:

• Pray - there is nothing nearly as powerful as prayer. Keep this important legislation on your mind and in your intentions.
• Share supportive prolife memes and information throughout all of your social media accounts. Tweet, share on Facebook, Google+ and more - all have audiences who will see your efforts. Don't forget to 'like' prolife posts from friendly pages and individuals as a means for this effort to go viral. Each 'like' and 'share' will exponentially grow the message to a larger audience.
• Talk to your friends and church members about this issue. Many people are simply unaware of the importance of what is happening in Texas. Be a shining light that illuminates the prolife precedent that Texas can create.
• Maintain your dignity. This is a hot-button issue and it's easy to be swept away with passion. Let's demonstrate that we are a people of love. We won't stoop to a mob mentality or the volatile methods of the opposition. Remember we have Truth on our side; we are fighting a holy battle for God's glory.

Some Helpful Suggestions to Get You Started

FACEBOOK: I have created memes here and here, for 'honorary' Texans like myself. Feel free to go to my Designs by Birgit fan page and share from there. Make it your profile picture, share it on pages you moderate, Tweet it, 'like' it and help share the message. I will continue to create memes and such, so be sure to check back. I would also be happy to consider any suggestions you might have.

TWITTER: The hashtags to use are - #Stand4Life , #ProTXWomen , #ProtectBoth , and #HB2 . Use them frequently and show your support. Let's get them trending!

BLOG: Do you have a blog? Are you willing to join us in sharing updates concerning this vital prolife legislation? Please consider giving the babies AND women a fair hearing through your posts. Don't let the unruly mob silence the will of the people - support for both! The fab Catholic Sistas blog has run many prolife posts and will continue. Support them and all other participants. If you want your blog listed as a supporter, provide the link to your prolife post in the comments section and I'll be happy to publicize it for you! Be sure to check back as the updates come in.

OK - go! Let's show the nation that we are still God-fearing, life-loving, citizens. And God bless Texas!

ProLIFE Blog Roll:

KERRI over at Journal of a Nobody shared her thoughts and some very good information in her post, For Pro-Choicers: What Does the Texas Bill REALLY Say. Check it out for details of the bill and some things that both sides of the debate can surely agree upon.

CHECK out my original post over at the Catholic Sistas blog entitled, Midnight Vigil for Prolife Bill in Texas. In this post I outline what happened as the first Special Session came to a close and the vote was prevented by an unruly pro-abortion mob.

EMILY over at Dynamics of Davis also had a great perspective on the prolife battle waging in Texas. Check out her post, Why Wendy Davis is not my Hero - Telling the Truth.
Be sure to submit your blog posts in the comments section so that I can add you to the ProLife Blog Roll!

MARTINA posted this post, Word-FILLED Wednesday: They Chanted HAIL SATAN, on Catholic Sistas.

BEATRICE wrote about the highly inappropriate signs held by children of the pro-abortion crowd in Texas on her blog, 400 Words for Women, in a post entitled A Sign of the Times.

UPDATED post of 7 Shocking Abortion News Items.

EYE WITNESS account of Austin TX goings on from Martina.

More ProLIFE #Stand4Life Memes

Hey Scarlet, Don’t Play Games With Your Soul

You know those little games we tend to play in everyday life? Like when the van is running on fumes because we were tired and had already been to the grocery and the mall and t-ball and Mass and the drug store and we just couldn't bear to pull up to that pump? So we play the ‘can we make it home and back to the pump’ game and most of the time we make it. There are many similar ways that we sometimes often play games in life – at least that’s how I roll. Many of us have those Scarlet O’Hara moments when we resolve to take care of x, y, z – just as long as we can wait until tomorrow. But is playing these waiting games a good idea when it comes to our souls?

I made a little visit to Jesus today. Having taken a long list of intentions from friends and family, I settled in for some time before the Blessed Lord in the Eucharist. As providence would have it, I was the only one there and was blessed with total silence. No clicking Rosaries or rustling pages or squeaking kneelers, no fidgeting teens, and no whispering tots – just Jesus and me! What a treat it was – especially once I realized that I could pray the Rosary and speak those intentions out loud. It felt like such a blessing to have this conversation – not internally, but audibly. And so I communed with Our Lord and let the needs of all of my family and friends flow freely from my lips.

As I was heading home, still basking in the glow, I ruminated about the goings on in our country (and world) these days. Flagrant glee for the murder of innocent babies in the womb, rabid pontificating about deviant lifestyles, upheaval at the Vatican, a government and society quite literally gone mad – all of this is weighing down on the faithful. Questions resonate: But where shall we go? To Whom shall we turn? As the apostles realized, we too have a tangible option. We need not flee in fear nor hide our heads in the sand as if these atrocities don’t exist. Our Lord Jesus Christ is listening. He is biding His time – waiting for us to come to Him with our trepidations, failures, and hopes for a better tomorrow. For now, we have this option, but some day it will be too late. We mustn't toy with this reality.

How blessed are we to be Catholic! Everything we need is at our disposal. All we need to do is repent,

confess, adore, and receive. What a wonderful gift we have been given! The only caveat is that no one will (or can) do it for us. There will be no substitutions or pinch hitters. When tumult hits our world and our souls are in turmoil, all we have to do is make sure we're not running on fumes – doing the bare minimum. Let’s not allow our inner Scarlet O’Hara to put off for tomorrow what needs to be done today. Tomorrow may be too late and this isn't a game we can afford to lose. Let’s use the Sacraments. Jesus is waiting in the confessional to hear the repentance of our sins and offer forgiveness. He waits in the Eucharist for us to spend time with and to consume Him - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Face it; we need to fuel up our souls by worthily receiving the Eucharist often – not running on fumes. If we run on empty, the evils prowling the world seeking souls to ruin will have easy prey. Let’s fuel up our souls and make it all the way Home!

Midnight Vigil for Pro-Life Bill in Texas

UPDATE, UPDATE! June 28, 2013 - I've written another post giving details about the SECOND SESSION and the Prolife Omnibus bill here.
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At the time I am typing these words it's 1:20 here in W KY. Why am I still up because of something that has happened in Texas? If you know me at all, the answer should be obvious. I was keeping watch over SB5 of the TX Senate.

What's All the Hubbub in TX?

SB5 is a bill banning not only abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, but also ensuring that the procedure takes place in a surgical center. Further, the bill requires abortionists to have admitting privileges in a hospital within 30 miles of the center. The result of this bill becoming law would mean that all but 5 (37 out of 42) abortion mills in Texas would be shut down. This would be no small victory for Life! Could it be that, finally, a state in the Union would take this important step toward the end of the death of babies by demand? Let's hope and pray that it is so!

Oh the Drama!

This evening of legislative battle between good and evil was riveting. Although both the House and the Senate in Texas are Pro-Life Republican strongholds, the pro-abortion lobby has a vocal following. There were hundreds of visitors in the gallery and hallways, as well as outside, all chanting and shouting about their 'right to choose'. As Sen. Wendy Davis, a darling of the pro-abortion crowd, filibustered for nearly 13 hours, the leadership were able to cite her for breaking with filibuster rules. Still she persisted and as the time for the end of the filibuster approached the unruly crowd began to shout, clap, chant and cheer in an effort to prevent a vote. If the legislative body had been prevented from voting within the time constraints it would have killed the opportunity for passage of the bill during this session.

So What Happened?

I was glued to the Live Stream from the TX Senate floor as all chaos had broken out. The comments from the pro-abortion crowd were streaming in - sacrilege, obscenities and all. After a while it was obvious that the stream wasn't exactly live - there was a several minute delay. This made it even more difficult to discern what was happening in this crucial battle for Life. Confusion reigned as the weary cheerleader for abortion, Sen. Davis, held her ground for death. As the deadline approached the crowd seemed to gather steam as they realized that; if they could cheer for abortion loudly enough, they might just prevent a roll call vote from happening. Just in the nick of time and above the roar of the crowd, Senate leadership began the voting process. Time was running out! It took a painfully long time to untangle the differing reports. As I gathered information from Facebook, Twitter, and the AP I finally found the answer. The bill had carried! Pro-Life efforts had won the day!

What Now?

As the news unfolded and more and more reports of pro-life success appeared, it also became apparent that the pro-abortion crowd would not go gently into the night. Reports of protesters punching police, near riot conditions and the necessity of escorts for pro-lifers became commonplace. Let's see how/if the media reports about this.

This fight is far from over. The forces who fought so fervently for the right to rip a baby, limb from limb, from her mother's womb will not take this loss lightly. Their efforts will redouble and their tactics will become more and more desperate. Already there is talk of lawsuits.

Tonight I pray for the legislators in the great state of Texas and all over our nation...that they may take strength from this fiercely won battle. Prayers also go out for the babies - both those who will be saved if SB5 becomes law and those whose lives will still be lost. The women and men affected by abortion also need our prayers, as do our clergy. As pro-life citizens we are at the center of this battle. If we stand firmly in solidarity with our pre-born brethren, we stand to be a part of a godly victory. This issue is not for the faint of heart, but God willing, we will see the day where Life triumphs over death!
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A Heart-Wrenching Update

3:03 a.m. - It's with a heavy heart that I share the news that, just as I was putting this post to bed I received news that the Lt. Governor of Texas had reversed his ruling. The vote on SB5 came too late to count. Although it would have won passage, it will now be up to the legislature to call a second session to bring the bill back up for a vote. Please continue to pray for the legislators of Texas - that they successfully bring this important bill to passage. God bless Texas!

Further Thoughts and Action Item:

Now that the dust has settled and the nightmare has shown itself to be reality, a few searching questions remain:

• In the light of day, the timing of the vote comes to mind. Why did the legislative body wait until the last minute to attempt a vote? Surely the 15 or more minutes spent gaveling for order and simply standing, while looking up at the gallery, could have been better served by starting the vote.

• Since there are rules about everything that happens within the confines of the Senate, why were the protesters allowed to interrupt the procedures for such a lengthy period of time? As an observer of more than one legislative session, here in Kentucky, I can tell you that the gallery would have been firmly cleared had such a scene taken place here. I can remember being in a similar situation. We silently raised pieces of paper with a request to let pro-life bills be heard, as debate was going on. We were swiftly warned, from the floor, that the Kentucky State Police would be clearing the gallery if we didn’t put our signs out of sight. If a silent act of civil disobedience created such a warning, how much more relevant would it be if the gallery crowd was as obnoxious and obscene as the pro-abortion crowd last night?

• I also wonder about the Lt. Governor’s reversal of his ruling. Will there be a second special session as promised? What will it hold and what outcome can we expect?

As we wait for the answers to these questions and for the outcome of the expected regrouping, we are once again reminded of our complete dependence on the Lord Our God. Without him, evil would triumph and our human efforts would be for naught. Now is the time to ramp up our prayers, asking Him to shore up the resolve and heighten the consciences of those who have matters of life and death in their hands – in Texas and across the globe.

UPDATE, UPDATE! I've written another post giving details about the SECOND SESSION and the Prolife Omnibus bill here.

**TEXAS FRIENDS: IN RESPONSE TO SB5 AND CALLING FOR A SECOND SESSION**

Call Perry’s office (as often as you like) and say you support SB5 and want a 2nd session.

512-463-1782

He is tallying the calls.

A Trip to the Farm - At Home

We're not even quite into Summer yet, but it's already started...

"I'm bored! May we go outside?"

"I'm hot! May we go inside?"

"I'm bored"

Whether you home educate or your children are home for summer vacation, there will be challenges to keeping your (and their) sanity. Here's an idea for when hot weather hits and you think that you will completely melt if you participate in one more outdoor activity.

Think outside the box (or house) for some anti-boredom, melt-down relief. What kid doesn't like going on a field trip and picnic? Using the toys that have long ago become 'business as usual', create an outdoor environment - inside. Here's what we did:

Different Kids Like Different Things

So Rachel is a fan of My Little Pony and Simon can't get enough John Deere tractor play, so I combined the two. Covering the coffee table with a green throw, I created a 'pasture' for the ponies. I added a pony castle and Little People barn (yes, that's how we roll) and viola!, Rachel had an imaginary kingdom. Next I shoved an ottoman flush to the 'pasture' and added a doormat to represent 'hay'. Now both kids were playing out the own favorite scenarios, yet they were collaborating. Since Rachel's ponies kept getting into Simon's 'hay', a fence was built and with that bit of assistance, their imaginations did the rest.

But It's Lunchtime

OK, so we're playing in tandem kingdoms and the bellies start to rumble. What to do? Extending the outdoor, farm theme I simply created a picnic right next to the play area. Tablecloth, plastic tray and glasses provided the effect. Since I had cut some flowers from the garden a few days ago, these were employed to give a bit of 'nature' to the scene. Peanut butter sandwiches, apple slices, and mini Vanilla Wafers were the picnic fare. With a cool glass of lemonade, they were all set.

                                   Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are 
                                   about to receive;  from Thy bounty through Christ 
                                   our Lord. Amen!

                                     

But It's Nap Time

For 'resting' time (we're too big for naps now), I created an 'outdoor' theater. One on the couch, the other on the love seat - each with a pillow, favorite snuggle creature (one pink, one blue Glow Bug) and a blanket thrown over the back and draped, tent-style, over little legs created a soothing environment for resting and perhaps - an accidental nap with sleep and all (hey, I can dream!). Meanwhile, I'm here at the computer sharing our day with orders to the farm crew that resting time becomes golden with a little bit of silence. 

This type of entertainment doesn't have to be elaborate and create a terrible mess - needing endless clean up and creating horrific clutter. I simply employ our 'one toy' rule. Each child is allowed one 'set' of toys at a time. They know where they go and how to put them away. Lunch is on a tray for easy transport back to the kitchen. Yet with a bit of a kick start to their imaginations, old playthings become brand new.

Ah, nothing like a little fresh air and farm livin' - even if you find it in your own livin' room! 

When a Pro-Life Victory Doesn’t Mean You’re Winning

A major story hit the pro-life circuit today. The “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” (H.R. 1797), passed the House of Representatives. It imposes a 20-week gestational age limitation on abortion at the point of development purported to be when babies are capable of feeling pain. At the surface this vote appears to be a victory for the pro-life community, but let’s take a closer look to make sure.

At 20 weeks all babies feel pain, yet this legislation has excepted babies conceived in rape and incest as well as including a 'life of the mother' clause. This type of incremental thinking may not be the way to go...

See more at: When a Pro-Life Victory Doesn’t Mean You’re Winning on Catholic Stand.

NOTE: this post first appeared on the Catholic Stand blog website.

Catholic and Pro-Life in Pictures

To be Catholic is to be Pro-Life. The two are inextricably linked. Since God the Father, our Creator bestowed Life upon us, no human can justly take it away.

It's very easy to find the documentation needed to 'prove' the unfailing respect for Life that is held by the Catholic Church. Many Popes have spoken out clearly and firmly on the subject. To proclaim otherwise is to dispute the obvious and therefore willingly oppose consistent Church teaching.

Not even 'exceptions' like life of the mother, justify the killing of a pre-born baby. What the secular world will not emphasize is that there is rarely a situation where abortion solves a mother's health problem. Most of the time, as with the breast cancer diagnosis my daughter faced, keeping the pregnancy (baby) actually increases the chance of the survival of the mother. She underwent chemotherapy at 20 weeks pregnant. As a result, both mother and daughter suffer no ill effects - the cancer has been in remission for over 4 years and counting!




 


As Catholics, we are tasked with standing up for these littlest of our brethren. God's gift of Life belongs to them as much as it belongs to anyone. So far at least 55 Million babies have been 'legally' killed by abortion. We need to become a part of the solution by fostering a Culture of Life.







This obligation extends from the beginning - fertilization - all the way to natural death. All humans are children of God and only He has the right to call them Home.

In reality, we are each our brothers' keeper!

What we must remember is that EVERY life is a perfect gift from God. 

United with God by our combined
prayers and work, we CAN...

NOTE: all of the memes above - and more - are available FREE for sharing, on my Facebook fan page.

The Aborted Generations - Faceless Group or Beloved Individuals?

Recently I revisited my pro-life testimony which was originally shared here. Not that something this huge - so early in life -can ever really leave your consciousness. When you conceive a baby in rape at the tender age of 14, the repercussions follow you no matter where you are. That I was born to some pretty spectacular parents is evident. After hearing my story, people often remark how amazing and strong I am/was. What they don't realize is that I deserve none of the credit - my parents walked the walk of their Catholic faith when the situation presented itself. I was simply lucky enough to be their daughter. Without their support and help, neither of us would be where we are today - and neither would our families. What I can take responsibility for is how I deal with my experience and how I use it for the greater good.

My husband and I recently went to a baseball game. My brother (son) was coaching the team to which his sons belong. It's amazing to see a Dad of his caliber - in tune with both their physical and spiritual needs. He feeds their little boy desires - like baseball, camping, biking and such - but he also makes sure that they are spiritually fed. How can it be, that someone who could have wound up as a cast off through abortion in another family, can have such an impact on the world? As a member of the Men's Club of his parish, baseball coach, and scout leader - he's the epitome of what a father should be. Yet, with just a turn of fate, he could not be here at all...his sons would not exist.

Thinking in this way personalizes the picture of abortion for me. Those millions of faceless babies - represented by crosses, memes, or other pro-life tactics - could have been, should have been just as amazing. Could have, should have had the opportunities of equally fulfilling lives. They were each unique gifts from God - formed in His likeness and destined for greatness by their Creator. Yet the foolish and sinful choices of humanity erased them from this world - as if they never existed. What a crying shame for us all!

So what can we do, when we are faced with the enormous impact of  abortion? What about those millions of lives that have been cast off, never to dwell on this earth. Although there are many great pro-life efforts out there - each with their own impact and audience - I think that it's important to think of these little people as individuals instead of as a group. They had unique features and talents. Their lives would have encompassed a myriad of gifts to the world - mother, father, priest, artist, scientist or just a plain 'nobody' who was mostly important to himself and his Maker. It doesn't really matter if we would have liked them or not; if they were the 'right' color, race or creed, if they were beautiful or talented or if they were deemed important in any other of our flawed human terms. They were important in that they had life, they had likes and dislikes, physical characteristics, and needs. These little people would have grown up to be big people. People with jobs and relationships and gifts to share. They would have prayed for others and cared for others - yet they were denied even the most simple of chances.

So the next time you need some encouragement to act out your pro-life inclinations, think of these millions as individuals. Imagine their lives, their stature, and their personhood. When we begin to put a face on the faceless masses, when we see each face instead of the entire crowd - perhaps that's when they will matter enough to demand our very best. Maybe then we will give our all and feel that final push that throws off the awkwardness, shyness, or lack of resolve. How wonderful if we would all give these little people a face, so that we would have the courage to act fearlessly on their behalf!