Imagination...

Imagination is our spice to life. We develop our ability to imagine as children, as we transport ourselves to fantasy worlds, become caped super-heroes with the aid of little more than a towel, where our dreams become our reality, at least for a short while... Imagination gives us the ability to dream, to hope beyond our circumstance...
Yet as we get older, worldlier, and some might say more cynical, what becomes of our imagination? For it is still there, but now we employ it in a far different manner. Now, thanks to our experiences, we find our imagination worries over life, over our situations, often creating conflict before any ever exists... Our imagination takes in those signals around us, those directional indicators life throws out, and plants them in the fertile soil of our imagination. We imagine multiple scenerios of what might happen, often settling on that worst case scenerio, when the reality is that the vast majority of times those worries are merely fears that never materialize... While it is true that sometimes those things we fret about happen they are the exception, not the rule.
When Jesus told us not to let our hearts be troubled, to not be afraid of life's trials and tribulations, he was talking about this very thing. Don't let your imagination run away with you- don't fret stuff. After all, the Father doesn't need to imagine what will happen to you, for He already knows. For if you are His child you rest safely in His hand, and His desire is community with you, just loving you. Not much to fret about there, huh?, if we have the faith to only believe...
Food for thought...

Personal Human Rights... In the beginning...

I've long been interested in the ongoing debate in Congress over abortion. Ever since Roe v. Wade our country has been divided on this issue. And, although there have been many exceptions on both sides through the years, traditionally Democrats have supported abortion rights and Planned Parenthood, while Republicans have fought against abortion and for the sanctity of life.

Recently a Planned Parenthood representitive, when questioned about the necessitity of treatment for an aborted fetus showing some signs of life, responded that the decision to provide treatment "should be left up to the woman, her family, and the physician." This response was troubling to me, for it made me wonder when are we bestowed our personal human rights? The debate has long raged over when "life" starts- is it when a child is born, or is it at conception? Is it somewhere throughout the process as the fetus develops? There are a myrid of opinions, but now a new scenerio is raised. If an abortion occurs, and the fetus shows signs  of life, is it not a living human being? Does it not have the same right to life, to treatment as you or me? When does it's rights begin, under the law?

Personally, I don't believe in abortion, for I value the sanctity of life. That said, how can anyone end the life of a living "fetus", or more correctly, now a child, a pre-born baby, and not consider it murder? Once a fetus emerges from the womb it ceases to be a fetus and is now a child, a living human being. If living, that child has inalienable rights that supercede "the woman, her family, and the physician". It is murder to end that child's life just because the mother chooses not to want it.

I wonder how readily that little life would be ended if the consequence was as severe as if someone ended your life or mine? When do our rights begin? If not at birth then when? When will we wake up as a nation and recognize there is more to this debate than "women's rights"? I believe that, except in the cases of rape or incest, the woman forfeits her rights, as does the man who fathers the child, to the best interests of that concieved child. The problem with our society today is not one of rights, it's one of responsibility. If a man and woman act responsibly then "rights" never come into play. But through their irresponsible actions they create a baby, then decide it's their "right" to abort it. Bulls**t. They lose their rights once they make a baby- now it's time to be responsible for that child they created.

I wonder, except for those exceptions previously mentioned, how many would opt for abortion if there were a penalty for the irresponsible actions that created the pregnancy? What if, to get an abotion  the irresponsible man and woman were sterilized as a penalty to aborting the life they created? (It takes two to make a baby, two should be penalized). I wonder how many would consider the alternative of carrying and delivering that baby, then allowing one of the many, many couples unable to have children to adopt? Certainly there would be less emotional damage via this route than abortion causes...
Food for thought...

Hitting & Running- (before they hit back!)

Remember the promises of Obamacare, that individuals and small businesses would have a choice of affordable healthcare plans through SHOP (Small business Healthcare Option Program), or better known as the "insurance exchanges" the states or Federal Government would establish in each state by 2014? Well, the plan is unveiled, and you have a choice of- count them- one plan! One plan, that's your choice, so take it. If you choose not to opt in and don't have insurance you get fined. Isn't this so much better than keeping your own doctors, your own plan? One plan...
On another front- I have to hand it to Obama on this whole gun control issue. Turns out he's the greatest gun salesman EVER! If you look at the number of people who have chosen to buy a gun since he became president and challenged our Second Amendment rights the numbers of new gun owners are staggering! Astronomical even! The NRA should do something to honor him...
The latest findings are in on global warming and the whole greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide... Turns out that the "natural variations in the earth's climate likely play a larger role in global warming than our carbon dioxide emmisions"- "Oops" to all those gloom-and-doomers out there (that means you Al Gore)...
One last shot- Obama announce yesterday that, in an act of solidarity with those affected by the sequester cuts, he is going to take a voluntary 5% pay cut (only of his Presidential salary, a small portion of his income!). As he's not only furlowed many government workers, he's also laid off many, perhaps a better act of solidarity, and a better end for our country, would be if he just laid himself and Biden off... Everyone would be better off in the long run!
Time to duck and run- hope this gives some food for thought...