Teen pregnancy isn’t the problem. It’s irresponsible, unwed, immoral sex, which often leads to pregnancy, that is the problem. Teen or otherwise.

Discuss:

Al Mohler: Teen Pregnancy, Hollywood Style

Responsibility Project: Gone Baby Gone

Vermont’s Baby Safe Haven Law

(US) National Center for Health Statistics: Pregnancy Rates Drop

Me at a holiday dinner at my grandparents' house

Five years ago today was the day that Levi was “supposed to be” born. I was pretty sad about it at the time.

It was also the day I turned 30, which I wasn’t sad about.

Five years ago today, I was pregnant with Acadia but didn’t know it yet.

Hidden blessings.

Sometimes things are like that, where you don’t particularly feel the goodness of God, or wonder if He is in control of things or not. You have to believe and trust despite what you feel at the moment, even when “the moment” is more like everyday reality.

If we have been justified by Christ, we can take comfort in knowing that these experiences are truly temporary, yet God is using them to make eternal changes toward Him in our hearts.

Even when we never see tangible blessings here in our pre-eternity lives.

I pretty much agree with what this guy has to say on the subject. The link there is to the first of a series of posts on the topic of why he’s a photographer. Bill Walsh is director of international outreach at Desiring God Ministries, and the view through his lens is inspiring (and I don’t use that word much).

The above photos were taken by Bill Walsh.

I like to look at good photos.  I don’t have a succinct answer for “what makes a good photo”, except to say it’s one that makes me want to get out my camera and shoot, all the while praising God for His amazing creation.  Here are some blogs I read that frequently have such photos as that:

• barebaby
• Blue Candy Photography
• The Pioneer Woman
• Lena Hyde Photography
• The Sweet Life - Sugar Photography
• Trust and Believe - Lisa’s blog

Spitzer says he believes that people should take responsibility for their conduct. What his actions show, however, is that people should take responsibility for their conduct if and when they get caught. Show me someone who takes responsibility for such actions before anyone finds out about them.

This made me cry. It’s a video highlighting a network of volunteers who offer to help families who have learned that their newborns will likely not survive birth. They’re photographers (including one of my favorite children’s photographers, Sugar Photography) who give their time and skills to give enduring tangibility to the memories these families are making with their beautiful children. The pictures provide evidence that these children existed and had lives that meant something. God, in His sovereign grace, makes no mistakes and is always good.

This also made me cry. The Born Alive Infants Protection Act. When President Bush signed it in August 2002, he said,

Today I sign the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. This important legislation ensures that every infant born alive — including an infant who survives an abortion procedure — is considered a person under federal law. This reform was passed with the overwhelming support of both political parties, and it is about to become the law of the land.

With this in effect, doctors are required to give medical care to a child who is “accidentally” born alive after a late-term abortion attempt. Why on earth does this even have to be discussed? In fact, although it was passed “with overwhelming support of both political parties,” Barack Obama did not support it. Logical, actually, if you set your philosophy on the flawed premise that we are all there is. So maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.

For another look at this issue, go here. This has Mr. Obama’s own words about why he did not support this legislation.

The value of life, no matter how short or how long, is a subject that is close to my heart. It’s one of the few things that can set me off (the others being depression and education). Can you tell?

The family of Eric Davis needs an extra helping of God’s grace and mercy. This father of eight died suddenly last week, leaving a huge gap that only God can fill. His church family at Central Valley Presbyterian Church in Ceres, CA will miss his fellowship. Please visit the family’s website and pray for this beautiful family of brothers and sisters in Christ. When one part of His body hurts, we all should feel it.

In honor of Reformation Day, go read this spoof at TomintheBox.

My friend Bonnie sends out this prayer request for her new little grandson:

Hey everyone, here is the news of the new grandbaby. His name is Brennon Timothy and he was born 10/13 at 1 am. He weighed 6.12 and is 19 3/4 inches tall. He was 24 days early. We want to thank God becaue he helped Brennon through some of the preemie issues he had such as low blood sugar and fluid on the lungs. However, Brennon is not yet out of the woods because he was also born with a form of spina bifida. He has a small dimple hole in his lower back and lots of bruising. His spine didn’t quite close all the way, he has a few half formed vertebrae, and is missing one rib. Monday morning Brennon will be ambulanced to [the] Hospital where they have an extensive and highly sophisticated Neonatal Center. He will undergo more tests and will get spine surgery next week. Please keep Brennon and our whole family in your prayers. We are believing for a miracle. I have to say that he is the best looking baby in the nursery. However, the poor little guy has an IV in his head and a feeding tube in his nose. I will try to update as soon as I am able.

Pray for Brennon’s health and for his family to cling to God now, as always.

How do you feel when you’ve heard of a set of parents whose baby has died?  I you’re like me, you get an achy, groaning kind of feeling in your chest for all the lost hopes and imaginings of what life with that child would have been like.  Should have been like, we think.

A prominent family in the reformed evangelical world (if that’s the proper terminology) has had such a loss this week.  Her name was Felicity Margaret Piper.  A friend has written a poem about her brief life and our reactions to it.  I think you should read it.

This part especially echoes my own feelings when I think of Levi and of Jonas, two little boys who left us in a similar way.

You did not come as we presumed—
a place upstairs at home was groomed.
Yet other plans our Sovereign had
and took you from the womb.

Life is never ill-conceived.
He willed through you to make us grieved;
and though our hearts now linger sad,
we know whom we’ve believed.

My heart goes out to the Piper family.

The kids and I read the story of King Solomon, the son of King David.  The kids’ Bible we read from said that God came to him in a dream and told him he could have anything he wanted.  At this point I asked Gannon and Acadia what they would wish for if God would give them anything they wanted.

 Gannon: I would ask for God to help me love Him more and more.

That was a typical read-the-Bible-and-pray, Sunday School kind of answer, given by our little member of the Future Pharisees club.  Then it was Acadia’s turn.  “What would you ask God for, Sweetie?”

Acadia:  Cereal!

Deep, spiritual thoughts are swirling around in their little heads.