Life

I have been thinking a lot about life lately - specifically the beginnings of life.  I have been reading the book "Unplanned" by Abby Johnson.  Is is the story of a girl who was the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic and how God really opened her eyes to what abortion really is - murder.   I'm not quite done with it yet, but it is a great book - very honest.

I also watched this video this morning:

It's a bit long and it is does have several graphic pictures, but watch it when you have time.

I am much more emotionally attached to this issue now that Amaia is in our life.  If you don't know me well - I love to do my research!  Thus, while I was pregnant I always wanted to know what stage of development my baby was in and what new thing was going on with her each week.  I got all of the emails telling me the fruit that my baby was comparable in size to each week and when she was developing her fingernails and eyelashes, etc.  She had a heartbeat even before I knew I was pregnant and at 20 weeks I was barely showing, but almost every part of her tiny body was already formed.  I say all of this because it is hard for me to understand how anyone could think that this isn't life.  I wonder if people don't really think through what abortion actually is or if they just don't know the information.  In the book I am reading she talks about actually witnessing an abortion for the first time.  The baby was on an ultrasound so the doctor could see what he was doing more accurately.  She talked about watching the baby twisting and struggling to get away and then of course, losing that battle.  How can we think that isn't life?

This morning at our mom's group at church we talked about this verse: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers"  I John 3:16.  We talked about how our tendency is to see such value in laying our lives down for other adults, but when it comes to children, we can easily view them as not as important.  We can easily feel like our time would be much better spent on something else.  Ugh.  I have to admit I have felt that way at times too.  It was such a good reminder this morning - that spending my life on this sweet little girl is a mundane task at times, but actually I'm not sure that there is any more important thing I could be spending my time on.

My thoughts are a bit scattered, but I'm just so thankful that the Lord created this little girl and allows me to be her momma.  My desire to protect her, teach her, and provide a safe and loving environment for her to grow up in is quickly becoming the strongest desire of my heart. I still am so amazed that I get to participate in life.  I don't know how to communicate that in words, but I think it is amazing that I get to have anything to do with that.  I am sure that I don't deserve the privilege.  God created this perfectly unique, beautiful child and he allows me to raise her. 

On a lighter note: I inadvertently bought Amaia and I matching shirts :)