One Good Thing

A Scary Process

Open Letter to the Assemblies of God leadership

George Tiller is dead!

I came home from church to find the headline on the Internet that Dr. George Tiller (who came to national attention over a decade ago for being one of the few doctors who would perform late-term abortions.), has been shot and killed in his church in Witcheta, KA, this morning.

Dr. Tiller made the news when someone tried to kill him a decade ago.  That is when many of us in the pro-life movement found out that there really were doctors speciallizing in the late term abortion procedure.  He was one of them.  Someone succeeded today.  I also found out that "SwearNoAllegence" had already Bloged about it.

The verse that comes to my mind is the one about being once warned and hardening the heart, that person will die without any hope.  I regret that someone took it that far:  better to break his hands, or his leg, or something non-lethal that would get his attention, and maybe he would repent and change his ways.  But it is too late, and that person will have to pay the penalty for murder.  How sad.

Divorce 2

I had a number of responses to yesterday's Blog from friends on Facebook.  I think the feedback is essential to carrying on a dialogue that leads to changes and understanding, so that there is not judging.

I purposely left names out.  It is not my duty, task, responsibility to judge, or to tell anyone what to do.  It is my duty though to encourage a Biblical response to the reasons for divorce.  Some times it cannot be avoided.  One of my friends pinned the blame on her husband.  I know in the case of one of my brothers, he was probably the one most at fault, and also my sister.  Yet, usually there is blame on the shoulders of both parties, and we need to admit our own fault, and repent, if we hope to find a restoration of our own self-worth, and perhaps the marriage.  If we choose an easy out, we find it is not so easy.  There will always be the doubts, in our mind and in the mind of others.  I have a friend I am furious with right now.  He left his wife and kids!  Good night!  No matter how bad situations are, they can always get worse, or better.  We have to choose whether to build or destroy.  But, if we destroy without trying to see if the marriage can be salvaged, we will never know if it could have been.

One of my friends specifically asked regarding the abuse issue.  Neither man nor woman facing an abusive, dangerous situation, should stay in the same home.  Whether to pursue divorce:  that is a personal choice.  If you want to be sure you tried, you won't divorce quickly.

Understand, please, that if you are in the middle of this tragic outcome of your marriage, no one should be judging you, any more than you do yourself.  Only, try to make sure you have tried, and then sought advice from someone who has come through it, before you pull the plug.