But last night I thought about those who use abortion as a money-making scheme. My only solace regarding these people is that God will have vengeance.  Sounds harsh, I know, but I believe it is righteous anger.   The most common passage of scripture I hear regarding vengeance is Romans 12 – “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (verses 17-21).  This passage solidifies the fact that we, as Christ-followers, are NOT to take vengeance on abortion clinics and those involved.  We are to be peaceable and let God take vengeance.  Our only weapon is prayer.

I have peace remembering this Romans passage.  This morning, though, I read another passage that sets my mind at ease.  Before Moses’ death, he spoke to the Levites, knowing they would live corruptly even following his death (I recommend you go back and read the whole passage) -

“For I proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!  The Rock!  His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. They have acted corruptly toward Him, they are not His children, because of their defect; but are a perverse and crooked generation.  Do you thus repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people?  Is not He your Father who has bought you?  He has made you and established you… But Israel grew fat and kicked – you are grown fat, thick, and sleek – then he forsook God who made him, and scorned the Rock of his salvation.  They made Him jealous with strange gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger… You neglected the Rock who begot you, and forgot the God who gave you birth… Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness.  They have made me jealous with what is not God; they have provoked Me to anger with their idols… Vengeance is mine, and retribution, in due time their foot will slip; for the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things are hastening upon them.’ For the LORD will vindicate His people, and will have compassion on His servants… ‘See now that I, I am He, and there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life.  I have wounded, and it is I who heal; And there is no one who can deliver from My hand’” (Deut. 32).

Now, do not put words in my mouth.  I am not of the belief that the United States is a present-day chosen nation and God will soon have retribution on us.  Israel is God’s chosen nation.  There is no word from God that we are a chosen nation – we have never been and we are not now.  I am looking at this passage simply to remind myself that God has vengeance on those who do evil.  He is the one who gives and takes away.  If someone chooses to end a life that God has created (in any manner), He will have the last word and retribution WILL be paid.

Our Lord is the giver of life.  Shame and vengeance on those who take it away… all in due time.

The first photo below is of our high school choir in 9th grade.  Connie & I are front & center! She is fifth from the left on the front row, and I am fifth from the right. The following photos are of Noah & Stone from our 48 hour extravaganza…

CHS 9th Grade Choir

Noah, please share your pinwheel.

I'll show you what I'll share!

That's not very nice, Noah!

Whole Foods 365 Brand, Plain Breadcrumbs – Ingredients: Unbleached wheat flour, salt, dried yeast.

Progresso Brand, Plain Breadcrumbs – Ingredients: Bread Crumbs (Enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil [soybean and/or cottonseed and/or corn and/or canola], water, salt. Contains 2% or less of: yeast, honey, molasses, sugar, wheat gluten, whey, soy flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, corn flour, oat bran, corn meal, rice flour, potato flour, butter, dough conditioners [mono- and diglycerides, sodium and/or calcium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin, calcium carbonate], yeast nutrients [ammonium sulfate, calcium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate], vinegar, nonfat milk, buttermilk, lactic acid, calcium propionate and potassium sorbate [preservatives], sesame seeds), oat flour, sunflower seeds, egg.

Does that list scare you like it does me?!  We have a friend who is a nutritionist, and he says ‘Don’t eat anything that lists ingredients you can’t pronounce!’  I think there were about 50 of those on this can! SHEESH!

This is probably a boring post to most people, but I am really wanting to feed the best to my family.  Sorry, Progresso, you don’t make the cut.

It’s almost comical how sad I am, considering I wanted to quit after the first week of nursing. I’m proud that I stuck through it and glad that he had eight months worth of breast milk.  My little newborn is so big now…  on to bigger & better things, like bottles and sippy cups.

Noah’s a big boy now.

I completely understand that some people are in a marriage that is so dysfunctional, that they truly will be happier apart.  I get that.  I also believe that many people may later realize they weren’t as happy as they thought they would be, once all is said and done.

As we drove home, I thought a lot about the show.  I tried to think of all of my closest friends’ families to find ONE that did not include a divorce somewhere down the line.  I couldn’t think of one.  I thought about my family and, though there aren’t many divorces, I could still think of three pretty easily.

I think divorce ravages families.  I think sometimes there are moments when it helps but, all in all, it ravages.  I’m stunned at how prevalent it is.  I’m stunned at how much light this show took with such a heavy subject.  I wonder if the couple had kids; it was never mentioned.

After my ‘downer moment’ thinking about divorce, I turned my thoughts toward Jason. The good in all of this is that it made me truly realize the extent to which I should be grateful for him.  I thought about how hard it must be to be a husband, dad, leader of the family.  Three words came to mind: Pressure.  Patience.  Sacrifice. All of which I think Jason battles on a daily basis.  He is so faithful and so committed. I posted on my facebook today that ‘I think that, when all is done, Dads who have loved their families and stayed committed must have an amazing reward.’

Thank you, honey.  And thank you to all the husbands and dads who will finish strong. It will not go unnoticed.