"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."  --Thomas Jefferson

The following is a comment taken from "The Buzz" section of the Charlotte Observer (June 28th):

What's the difference between a dictator who can do whatever he pleases without opposition and a Democratic president with a Democratic Congress?

The answer?  The last 6 mos. proves there is no difference.

The Garden

You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Is. 58:11b)

We recently cleaned out our raised garden and replanted it. Even though it was a very small bed (only 8'x8'), believe me, it was a real chore. It had lain fallow for 10-12 years, which means that not only was it packed with grass and weeds, but the top few inches of the soil was also filled with seeds from those plants. So we dug out the top 8 inches of soil and had topsoil delivered to refill it. We knew that the dump truck load we were receiving would be more than we needed, so we asked our next door neighbors if they could use any, and they said they could use 1/4-1/3 of a load.

Unfortunately, the person who sold us the topsoil was very generous and brought an even larger load than we expected. He dumped the topsoil right in the middle of our bed and we had a 6' mountain right in the middle of our garden, spilling over on all sides of it. Since I needed to get part of our garden planted right away, Jim started shoveling soil off onto a tarp. Somewhere in the middle of his shoveling, he had a great idea: Add another 8'x8' section onto our current garden. If he bolted the new section right onto our old bed, he would only have to add 3 sides and it would be easier to then just shovel dirt into the new one.

Jim spent another weekend adding and filling the new section, but we still had almost 1/3 of the load of topsoil left sitting on a tarp. The neighbors who said they could use some hardly made a dent in that pile (I don't think they realized how large a load of topsoil really was). So, we became the "friendly neighborhood top soil distributor" for a week or so, and all our neighbors who could use a little topsoil stopped by to get some. And almost everything is planted -- in fact, I think I overestimated what I could plant in that still-small garden. 

Then, when I was in prayer recently one morning and our garden was the furthest thing from my mind at that moment, the Lord spoke to me that our garden was a good analogy for my spiritual life for the past 10-12 years:

• During the years when I was working 50-60 hrs. a week, still healing from a spiritually abusive church we had left, and dealing with serious problems in our family, I had allowed my spiritual walk to -- in a sense -- grow fallow. I was very, very weary physically, emotionally, and spiritually; and I was afraid to trust or become involved again. Like Peter in John 6:68-69, I clung to the fact that there is no where else to go besides Jesus and that He alone has the words of eternal life, but I withdrew from almost everything and just kind of hibernated while metaphorically licking my wounds. I didn't realize it, but "weed seeds" had begun to take root and to grow in my life.
• But the Lord didn't let my life continue to lie fallow. He knew that with some work, my life could be a fruitful garden. He began digging up the top weed-filled layer, then He brought in His fresh soil -- much more than I needed for the tiny little plot of my heart, and He dumped that soil until it overflowed. Then He expanded my heart and life to receive that overabundance of His blessing and presence, and still there was more than I could handle. So what should I do with it? Become our "friendly neighborhood distributor" of His mercy and love. 

First, I want to recommend gabrielpeter's post on "Rights that Destroy."  If I could, I'd duplicate his post here, but I don't want to infringe on his blog.  It's an excellent depiction of what is happening in our country right now to people who refuse to do something that would promote or support gay marriages/relationships because it is against their religious beliefs.  You will hear little, if anything, in the news about these situations, but it is happening with increasing frequency not just to religious groups but also to average people. 

http://gabrielpeter.xanga.com/702411410/rights-that-destroy/

Secondly, I was as disturbed as anyone about the murder of George Tiller, the abortionist who was famous mainly because he was one of three abortionists in the country who would provide abortions after the 21st week of pregnancy.  I was saddened because he was killed, but I was also saddened that his life had been taken by someone with strong anti-abortion views.  Why would that last part sadden me?  Because this will just give the government and pro-abortion folks more fodder to use in their suppression of those of us who are pro-life and stand against abortion.

Before I go any further, let me say that I do not believe that violence against abortionists is the answer, and like many others who are pro-life, I deplore Tiller's killing.  That said, I was reminded of something while thinking and praying about what has happened:

During World War II, those who tried to hide and free the Jews fell mainly into two camps:  1) They were active but took no part in violence, or 2) They felt that killing Germans or traitors was justified in their effort to save innocent lives.  (Note:  I'm only referring to the attempt to save Jews, not everyone's involvement in the resistance.)  Although they worked together in many ways, they often disagreed with each other's methods and beliefs and criticized one another, but those who fell into the 2nd camp felt they had no choice, since it was the government that was killing these people and there was no legal recourse.

The role God has ordained for governments is not only to provide order, stability and protection for its citizens, but also to protect the lives of the innocent and powerless.  When it is the government that is killing the innocent and powerless, there will always be those who in their desperate attempts to save the innocent will feel they are justified in the killing of those who are causing the deaths. 

That is the situation we find ourselves in when it comes to abortion.  If most pro-life people felt that killing abortionists was acceptable, our nation would have been embroiled in significantly more abortion-related violence ever since Roe vs. Wade.  But, while it should be obvious that most of us who are pro-life don't feel that violence against abortionists is right or acceptable, we also won't stand by and silently watch the violent, brutal, agonizing deaths of these innocent, unborn children.  And we have few options, since we can't liberate our vulnerable and helpless, unborn children or hide them behind the false back of a closet.  So the more the government restricts the voice of protest and freedoms of those who are against abortion, the more desperate some people will become. 

When speaking to Cain in Genesis 4:10, God said that the blood of Cain's brother Abel cried out to Him.  I can't begin to imagine what the blood of the many millions of aborted children crying out to God must sound like, but there is still hope for our nation.  In Jeremiah 7:5-7, we are told:

If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever.