US woman gives birth to two sets of identical twins – “A Texas mother has beaten one-in-70-million odds by giving birth to two sets of identical twin boys.”
New, Young Faces of the Pro-Life Movement by David N. Bass
Nine people you should know about who were adopted by Kristi Burton Brown
Heartbeat Movement Picks Up Steam by Elizabeth Crnkovich
Smart phones and “Truth Booths” combine to show the humanity of unborn children by Dave Andrusko
Pro-abortionists lobby for evil, but God may use this for good by Marvin Olasky
Video: Evidence of Medical Experts is that Abortion is NOT a treatment for suicide – There seems to be no end to the search for reasons to kill a baby.
Video: Star Trek-style holodeck becomes reality as scientists invent 3D vitual reality system – “Scientists in the United States have turned science fiction into reality with a wrap-around virtual reality screen where researchers can visualise their data in three dimensions.” – There is 4D ultrasound. I wonder if this technology could be used to explore fetal development?
Raped, impregnated 13-year-old keeps baby from Jill Stanek
Why Lutherans Who Support “Abortion Rights” and Condone the Practice of Abortion Should Refrain from Holy Communion by Rev. Paul McCain
Angry Boldness and Gentle Boldness — Learning the Difference – A great quote from John Chrysostom.
The Calvary is Not Coming by Marvin Olasky – A very interesting interview with Kay Cole James. The same thoughts could be shared with how many in the GOP feel about conservative Christians and those who are pro-life.
Sex in Young Adult fiction – a rising trend? – “With the publication of one of the UK’s first ‘Steamy’ novels imminent, Alice Vincent reports on the rise of sex in Young Adult fiction and the readers who can’t get enough.”
“Christ Our Mother” – “A Church That Embraces a False Understanding of Human Sexuality Inevitably Embraces a False View of God.”
How to Witness to a Close-Minded Person by Ray Comfort – What do you think of his approach?
God Helps Those Who Help Themselves? by Rev. Dr. Noel Due – An excellent sermon from Dr. Due about a phrase that is not in the Bible, although many think it is!
Steadfast and Faithful by Rev. Ken Klaus – Pastor Klaus comments on a recent article about life in the NFL.
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Here is some good news from our friends at Iowa Right to Life:
February 20, 2012–Des Moines, Iowa–Planned Parenthood of the Heartland just announced that they will be closing TWO MORE Iowa locations. Spencer and Fort Madison will see the Iowa abortion giant leave their towns on March 15, 2013.
Last March, Planned Parenthood closed their abortion clinics in Storm Lake and Knoxville. Then, mere months later in July 2012, they closed their abortion clinics in Newton and the Family Practice Center on Army Post Road in Des Moines. That is SIX Iowa closings in a single year’s time!
In March 2012, we predicted that more Planned Parenthood abortion clinics would likely close. (See page 4 of the IRTL News here.)
In her recent message announcing the closures, Jill June CEO stated, “Planned Parenthood of the Heartland delivers high-quality health care services with very limited public funding…” Very limited public funding?
“Planned Parenthood of the Heartland collected $2.6 million in government grants paid for by our tax dollars in their fiscal year ending in June 2012. (That number DOES NOT include their Medicaid income – which, last time they reported it, in Fiscal Year June 2008, was $4.7 million.)
They also had another $6.9 million in public support in Fiscal Year 2012,” noted Jenifer Bowen, Executive Director of Iowa Right to Life.
Additionally, Ms. June stated that, “With the Affordable Care Act (ACA) transforming the health care industry, it’s imperative that we continue to develop operating models that will best position Planned Parenthood as a provider the people in our communities rely on.” Further, she said, “Sacrifices must be made in order to invest our resources where we can make the biggest difference.”
Sacrifices? In the fiscal year ending in December 2010, Jill June’s annual salary had burgeoned to $265,389. (This was a 45% increase over the previous two years.) Is this Ms. June’s idea of sacrificing?
“It would be ironic if Planned Parenthood fought so hard for Obamacare and the publicly funded birth control mandate and had to lay off or cut the hours of their own staff to keep from paying the additional benefits required by Obamacare,” stated Bowen.
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Here are a couple excellent devotion from Pastor Mark Jeske at Time of Grace:
Find a Christian Community
I have a few friends who homeschool their children. The vast majority of their fellow citizens, however, joyfully take advantage of the best schools that they can find, and my wife and I are among them.
It may be possible for two dedicated parents to homeschool their children in the Christian faith. In fact, raising your children in the training and instruction of the Lord is not optional. But for most families, seeking out a Christian nurturing community is essential.
There is an extensive array of Christian elementary schools and Sunday schools available to you. They are fabulous gifts of God to parents who welcome help in transmitting the faith and in modeling Christian behaviors. Mary and Joseph brought their 12-year-old son to the temple in Jerusalem, not only to offer sacrifices but also to learn from the great teachers there. The young man apparently appreciated the instruction even more than they did-his parents left long before he was ready to leave. “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46).
A congregation also provides parents with a friend network that can share child-raising wisdom and chores. Churches have worship and study materials for your home. And while it is good for Christian children to learn how to function in the “real world,” it is important that they also have peers who love Jesus.
Teach Them Respect
Want to see someone’s blood boil? Ask a veteran teacher about the increasing levels of student violence, specifically assaults on teachers. Our American obsessions with freedom and the right to personal expression, coupled with weakening family structure, are eroding people’s trust and respect for institutions like government and schools. Angry, violent children are the result.
Satan laughs. What he knows, and not enough parents realize, is that there is a beast inside each of us that wants to be let loose, that wants to be wild. One of the greatest tasks that our society rightly expects from parents is that they teach their children self-control, that they learn to restrain their inner beasts.
Showing respect is learned behavior. It needs to be taught and modeled. It was needed as badly two thousand years ago as it is today. Jesus is our hero–though persecuted by both the religious establishment and Roman government, he always showed respect to both. Peter wrote, “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17). Our children need to know that you don’t build your own self-esteem by tearing down others. They need to believe that you don’t grow any more liberated by trying to destroy the authority around you.
And you’re just the one to teach them.
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Russian Adoption News
Adopted toddler’s alleged death-by-abuse in Texas inflames Russia by Fred Weir – “A Kremlin ombudsman says that Russian 3-year-old Maxim Kuzmin was killed by his adoptive Texan mother last month. The accusation has stoked a new firestorm in Russia over US adoptions.”
Latest Orphan Death Sparks Official Furor by Jonathan Earle
U.S. to Assist in Probe of Adopted Russian Boy’s Death by Natalya Krainova
From the Russian Orphan Lighthouse Project (2/20/13):
“Polina, age 5 and paralyzed from the waist down due to spina bifida, arrived home in Arkansas February 2. Due to the January 1 adoption ban, the Russian government initially refused to allow her adoptive family to take her home, but eventually relented. Her mom filmed a video for Russian TV about a day in her new life to show how she is doing at home. Though it is painful to contemplate what her life might have been like had she been left behind in Russia, this story really is a joyous celebration of what a difference a family can make in the life of an orphan. Welcome home, Polina!:
Video: Polina Skaggs at home in America
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Gas price increase – an editorial cartoon from Gary Varvel that pretty much covers it.
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Remembering Richard Briers – This has nothing to do with life issues, but Mr. Briers show, The Good Life (Good Neighbors in the USA), has long been a favorite of mine.