Pro-life: Abortion is NOT an Option!

My old time school friend called yesterday and informed that she was somewhere out from the state, continuing her studies in medical field. We exchanged news and telling stories that currently happened to us lately when she informed me that she just had an abortion few weeks ago.

I am a pro-life person. Abortion, to me is very unacceptable no matter what the reasons were. However, I choose not to give my friend a piece of my mind as I am not really into the mood for anything, too much thinking of my own problems that I went through, thinking a lot about how Frank going to solve his problem and many other things that goes in and out from my mind.

She gave me her reasons why she decided to go for abortion:

1. The course that she attended didn’t allow her to get pregnant even though she’s married (she just got married with her boyfriend of 6 years few months ago, hence this pregnancy was an unplanned one.)

2. Following from reason no. 1, once she graduated she will resume back to her duties perhaps with a promotion and off course, a raise - a chance that she wanted to grad after so long.

3. Even if she was allowed to gave birth she wouldn’t want to let her husband’s family to raise her children as the husband was married before, divorced with a daughter which really got unto her nerves. She don’t want her own children ended up just like his kid.

Personally, I think it was unfair for the married students when such rules is emphasized. In my own point of view, it results to encourage abortion more. Call it what you want - unavoidable circumstances, unplanned/unwanted pregnancy, financially not stable…all those reasons…for me, a life is a life. No matter how many seconds, minutes, hours or days since the cells starts to multiply to grow in the womb, it wasn’t just a mass of cells or ‘piece of meat’ or ‘it’s just blood’…it’s life. It’s the beginning of life where we are created from. How sad.

However, much as I protest against it…abortions is still happening. People are still killing and dumping babies everywhere. Are we closing our eyes from all these happenings around us? We had a choice…but the poor babies don’t. We decide what’s going on with them. Do we have the right? Just because we ‘accidentally’ formed them, does it mean we can ‘delete’ them as we would delete our unwanted files from our computer?

Animals mates everywhere, anytime. But very seldom we heard them dumping their babies anywhere. Are humans more heartless and stupid from the animals then? I’ve seen chimps from National Geographic where one of the female chimps still carries her dead baby even after days. Are we going to admit that we are much more lowly then the chimps? So Darwin is right that we were descendants from the apes then?

Be a pro-life, people. Save another life, give it chance to live. Abortion is not an option. Remember who’s the One who has the right to give and take lives away.

“But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child - a direct killing of the innocent child - murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love, and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even his life to love us. So the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love - that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts. By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems. And by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion. ” - Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Stop the 'frenemies' in your life!

Four steps to uncover and defend against a ‘frenemy’ (an enemy disguised as a friend)

By Diana Kirschner, Ph.D. Special to Yahoo! Personals

In the “Sex and the City” movie, Miranda functions as a friend-turned-frenemy and helps derail her friend’s dream wedding. At a strategic point in the upcoming nuptials, she verbally puts down the idea of marriage to the commitment-phobic groom! In this one act, Miranda puts a nail in the coffin of her best friend’s dream. In case you haven’t seen the movie, I won’t reveal how things do turn out, but there are lessons learned from this scene.

First of all, finding love is a challenge; and unfortunately, friends and family members can sometimes make it even tougher. When people in your inner circle become negative, pessimistic, competitive, jealous, or don’t show you appreciation and/or encouragement, it inflames your own doubts and fears. If you’re in a new romantic relationship, these reactions can come on suddenly; they may be familiar and ingrained parts of lifetime relationships that are so subtle, you may not even be fully aware of them. In either case, unsupportive reactions toward your date and you can pull you both back into being hopeless about love. In extreme cases, they can sabotage a growing relationship, as Miranda did in the “Sex and the City” movie!

A friend who feeds you negativity isn’t a friend, but a frenemy. A frenemy may be chipping away your dating potential without you even being aware of it. Ask yourself, do any of these incidents sound familiar?

• A “best friend” takes an instant dislike to a date you really like
• A friend insists that all the “good ones” are taken
• A sister/brother reminds you of your past failures or the duds you’ve fallen for
• Dad criticizes any date you bring around
• Mom clucks about how men/women would find you more attractive if you only lost those 10 pounds
• Your two closest friends flake on the first dinner party you’re hosting with your date

These are typical behaviors of friends-turned-frenemies. Here are four steps to use to handle frenemies and protect your love life:

Step 1: Uncover frenemies

Who do you spend the most time with socially? Regarding the people close to you, answer the following questions:

• Are they single? Are they in a relationship? If so, do they generally describe it as loving or not?
• Do you feel good hanging around them? How do you feel right after being with them?
• Are they supportive of your self-esteem and attractiveness?
• What are their attitudes towards love or relationships in general?
• How do they react when you’re in a relationship?

Step 2: Stop your whining

Often you are unconsciously encouraging your frenemies to be negative by complaining to them about what is wrong with your love life. For three days, take a notebook and make a note of every time you complain to anyone. For the next three days complain to no one. Write about how this feels.

Step 3: Make a list of what you need from frenemies

For example, you may need your best friend to stop complaining about how awful men/women are. You may need your dad/mom to tell you what he/she really likes about your new date.

Step 4: Ask your frenemies to give you the support you need

Be straight and honest. Tell them you want to have a positive outlook about love and you need them to be positive too. Most will respond. With the few frenemies who resist and continue being negative, move to a more distant, yet polite, relationship with them. You have to protect yourself and your own hopeful outlook on love.

Anyone can make a mistake and can turn frenemy on you. But if this does happen, follow these steps, and you will find that you can turn things back around so that you have a truly supportive posse.

Confusion...

I still wonder why most people think that my relationship between Frank and I won't work out. In fact, because of these influences around me, I began to have doubts too. Isn't it just too early, too fast?

The whirlwind romance started since the day I stepped on Singapore ground to be able to see him, a proposal that took place which I never expected, yet...it seems like so real. If he was just playing around he won't say the magic line, doesn't he? I'm so confused now...

The second time I went to Singapore shortly after that, we discussed our marriage plans. It was all as if a fantasy, a dream...and now Frank is stuck there, unable to go anywhere because of his problem. I am here, still wondering where I would stand in his life. Talking is easy, it's not that hard to utter the words "I love you" but is it for real?

Call me being defensive but after years or emotional pain and heart breaks from past relationships before, I had a good reason why I still don't feel secure. But I still remember the night he woke up, went out and get me some food when I had gastric attack in the middle of the night. Or the day he would simply hold my hand, asking me to stay...or the moment where he would hug me tight and asked me to wait...is it all lies?

I wish it will come true, that he will keep his words to me, that he'll be back. He will come back for me and to fulfill his promises. I hope so...

Missing UMS Student Found... =(

Terror ride for UMS student

By RUBEN SARIO

KOTA KINABALU: A Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student was abducted, assaulted and raped in a 10-hour overnight terror ride from the city here to interior Tambunan.

The ordeal of the 21-year-old girl from Sibu, Sarawak sent shockwaves among Sabahans and particularly UMS students staying in nearby Kingfisher from where she was abducted at about 7pm on Tuesday.

The student had just been dropped off by friends near a supermarket when two men in a blue Kancil grabbed and bundled her into the vehicle.

One of her friends saw the incident and jotted down the licence plate number as the vehicle sped away. The police were notified and immediately an alert was issued to police in surrounding districts.

There were no signs of the Kancil until about 4am on Wednesday when a police mobile patrol vehicle spotted it some 100km away along the Tambunan-Keningau road.

A 16-mile chase ensued as the Kancil headed in the direction of Kota Kinabalu.

As the chase neared Kampung Rompon, police fired several shots at the rear tyres of the abductors’ vehicle, which overturned and plunged down a roadside slope.

Two men were seen fleeing the vehicle and one of the policemen spotted the terrified sobbing girl, with bruises on her face, huddled in the backseat of the car.

The police rescued her and rushed her to the nearest hospital in interior Keningau town about 60km away from Tambunan.

One of the two men suspected to have fled from the Kancil approached Kampung Rompon villagers for help at about 11am on Wednesday with bloodstains all over his body and a broken right arm.

While several villagers asked the man to wait, one of them ran to police who were still at the scene not far away to alert them to the injured man.

Police followed the villager back and promptly arrested the 23-year-old man from the northern Kota Belud district and mounted an immediate manhunt involving the police air wing and dog units.

The final suspect they are looking for is believed to be a 34-year-old man from Membakut district in the west coast of Sabah.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/16/nation/20080416181942&sec=nation

The Lent Season is here...

I was browsing for an inspirational Lent Season Quote to post to my shoutout and found this beautiful message written by Bishop Iker from Diocese of Ports Worth. I think it would be nice to share it all with you. Have a Blessed Lent Season.

For Reflection: Bishop Iker’s Lenten Message

This message by Bishop Iker, of the Diocese of Fort Worth is posted on the diocesan website. Good questions for examining our hearts and helping us repent and seek true reconciliation with and in and through Christ this Lent.

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http://www.fwepiscopal.org/bishop/bishop.html

A time for reconciliation

The purpose of Lent and the mission of the Church are one and the same: reconciliation. Lent is a season of reconciliation. The Church’s mission is a ministry of reconciliation. The appeal of Lent and the message of the Gospel are the same: “We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (II Cor. 5:20)

But, of course, there is a catch here, isn’t there? Unless we are reconciled to one another, we cannot be truly reconciled to God. Unless we are forgiving, we cannot be forgiven. Jesus taught us to pray “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” For most of us, this is a hard lesson to learn, and we are continually challenged to put it into practice.

One of the most striking prayers in the Prayer Book’s service for marriage is this one, offered for the newly married couple: “Make their life together a sign of Christ’s love to this sinful and broken world, that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair.” (BCP, page 429) That’s not a bad summary of the ministry of reconciliation that God has given to every one of us. We are to be reconcilers and healers in a world full of divisions, enmity and strife. We are to work for unity and harmony and peace in a world (and in a Church!) where there is so much estrangement, disharmony and brokenness.

Ultimately, our hope for reconciliation is in Jesus Christ alone, for He is the one who gives healing to brokenness and enables us to be forgiving when hurt and offended. Unity and peace among us are the works of the Holy Spirit, not something we accomplish. We are free to accept these gifts or to reject them. We are free to cooperate with Him or to work against Him. Reconciliation cannot be forced upon us; it can only be received as a gift.

Where does Lent find you this year? Alienated and at odds with others; full of strife and animosity; angry, resentful and hurt? Or working on reconciliation & moving towards forgiveness, healing and peace?

St. Paul’s words to the Church in Ephesus are as important for us today as when he first wrote them: “He is our peace … He has broken down the dividing walls of hostility … so making peace … that He might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.” (Ephesians 2:14-16)

May this Lent bring us true reconciliation, in our relationship with God and in our relationships with one another.

Faithfully in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker

Bishop of Fort Worth

source: http://lent.classicalanglican.net