Unplanned — Movie Review

This film has all the elements you would hope to find in a good drama:  romance, marriage and sex (not necessarily in the correct order);  birth, death, friendship (true and false), and betrayal.  There is even a court case!  The main character experiences love, fear, grief, joy, shame and anger. She is ambitious and idealistic.  There is repentance and forgiveness. There is an “AHA” moment when our heroine realizes that her altruistic desire to champion women has been used for an evil purpose (isn’t this what sin is often about?)  There is a piece of very good advice:  Don’t do anything you don’t want to your mother to know about!  There are scenes that are gripping and painful to watch. Faith undergirds it all.

Surprisingly enough, this is not based on a novel, but the true life experiences of Abby Johnson, once the director and prized employee of Planned Parenthood, now a pro-life activist.  If you’ve read the book Unplanned by Abby Johnson–Book Review, you’ll find that the movie follows it fairly closely.  Of course, it is not possible for a movie to completely explain the spiritual wrestling and progression that you will find in the book.  I would recommend both, but view the movie first, if possible.  Then you can dive into further detail with the book.

Both movie and book portray honestly this young woman’s struggle with resolving a weighty spiritual issue.  VERDICT:  5 STARS.  Don’t miss out on this one.  I was able to get it from the public library system.  If yours doesn’t have it, why no recommend it be purchased?  I’m sure many viewers would be influenced positively by Abby’s experience.

The Complicated Heart by Sarah Mae–Book Review

“It’s complicated.”  How often have you said this, or heard it said about a relationship?  Sarah Mae leads us through the story of her complicated relationship with an alcoholic mother.  Sarah (with God’s help) learns to set boundaries, grieve, lower her expectations and eventually understand and forgive the mother who often hurt her.  In the end, she understands that her mother was also a child who was broken by bad relationships with others in her life.  Interspersed with Sarah’s perspective are letters and journal entries written by her mom.

A useful addendum includes a number of resources with those dealing with similar issues:

• What Do I Do Now?
• For When You Think It’s All Impossible
• Six Ways to Forgive
• How To Work through Your Core Lies

This book will be helpful to anyone struggling with issues of alcoholism, forgiveness, abortion and dysfunctional family relationships.

VERDICT:  5 stars.  This book was not only an interesting read, it offers concrete suggestions and help for others in difficult relationships

If you would like to purchase this book or learn more follow the link below:

The Complicated Heart

The Lutheran Ladies received a free copy of this book in return for an honest and fair review – Disclaimer pursuant to FTC 16 CFR Part 255

The Abortion Divide — Film Review

Thirty-six years ago, on the first season of Frontline, a documentary film was aired which examined both sides of the abortion issue, focusing on The Reproductive Health and Counseling Center (an abortion clinic) in Chester, Pennsylvania.  This year, a second film has been made, revisiting the issue in the same location.

The clinic has now merged with another group and is called The Philadelphia Women’s Center.  There have been changes:  abortion centers in Pennsylvania are now required to comply with the same regulations as other surgery centers — this has increased expenses and resulted in a decline in the number of facilities.  Abortion providers are also now required to read a script which outlines options to abortion as well as possible complications from the procedure to all patients 24 hours before having the abortion done.  There are now bullet proof glass windows separating the employees from those entering, due to an increase in threats against the clinic.

The abortion divide has not lessened.  Volunteers still stand outside the clinic, trying to dissuade women from the decision to abort.  Crisis pregnancy centers and maternity homes to assist homeless pregnant women have increased in the decades since the first film was made.

The makers of this film have presented both sides of the issue, but there is a subtle bias in favor of abortion.  Mention is made of the fact that many of the protestors are older men, along with a pro-choice supporter asking , “what right do they have to tell young women what they should do?”  and labeling it “pure hypocrisy.”  The new requirement that the clinics meet the standards of other surgery clinics has “made it harder for women to obtain health services.”  Mother’s homes which offer shelter to homeless pregnancy women “lack the resources to follow residents after they leave” and so their effect cannot be assessed.  Near the end, viewers are told that pro-life forces are “unmoved” by any arguments, and more dedicated than ever.

What could not be hidden was the guilt and sadness that almost every woman interviewed felt at the prospect of aborting her baby.  This is rarely an easier decision.  Those on the pro-choice side say “life is complicated and women deserve to have control of their lives.”  Those on the pro-life side would maintain “life is complicated, and we must help people make wise decisions about life and death matters.”

Even More Stinkin’ Thinkin’

Today my husband and I watched the movie, “Gosnell:  The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer.”  I borrowed this DVD from our local library and didn’t know much about the case… not surprising because there have been few reviews and very little media attention.  Why?  Well, Gosnell was an abortion doctor, and evidently, nobody likes to criticize abortionists.

The thing is, Doctor Gosnell did not just perform abortions, he performed them in a dirty clinic that had not been inspected for 17 years, despite complaints.  Why?  Well, nobody wants to shut down abortion clinics because that would interfere with the reproductive rights of women.  He was convicted of causing the death of one patient, and of “snipping” the spinal cords, and thereby killing a number of infants who had been born alive.  There were probably many more victims.

For me, the most revealing moments of the film were when an doctor who performs legal abortions described the procedure. She explained that at her clinic, no abortions were performed after the legal cut off of 24 weeks, and no infant had ever been born alive and killed.  Why?  Well because in the procedures she performed, babies (or fetuses if you prefer) are injected with a drug that stops their hearts while they are still in the uterus.  The doctor waits to make sure the heart is no longer beating and then removes them.  This is not murder because the child is already dead when it is delivered.  Does it make sense to say this trial was not about abortion?  Clearly it was, at least if “you have ears to hear.”

Is it just me or is all of  this just another example of stinkin’ thinkin’?  It is somehow okay to ignore medical malpractice because it might cast abortionists in a bad light?  How is this protecting women?  It is somehow okay to administer a lethal injection to a child while still in the womb, but becomes a crime to kill it after it breathes air for the first time?  Where is the logic in this?

The jury agreed that Gosnell was a murderer.  I wonder if any who started as “pro-choice” changed their opinions in the course of the trial.  I wonder if many people will watch this movie and be brought face to face with the “stinkin’ thinkin'” of our society.  At the end, the policeman who first brought the charges asked an investigative blogger why she had helped him and the D.A..  She answered something to this effect, “I was after the truth, and it’s still the truth even if I don’t like it.”

“What is truth?” retorted Pilate, John 18:38

It seems that this is still a good question.

Stinkin’ Thinkin’

It seems to me that there is a lot of what a friend of mine once called stinkin’ thinkin’ going around these days.  We humans are unfortunately prone to believe what we want to believe whether it’s logical or not.  A young lady I once worked with refused to read a book I suggested  because the scientist who authored it did not accept the theory of evolution.  She said she believed in evolution, and didn’t want to read anything that was contrary to her belief.  Well, okay!  Nothing like closing your mind to other opinions.  I think this kind of reasoning is what’s behind so much of the anger and hate among people today.  We’ve decided that not only are the people we disagree with wrong, they’re BAD.  Only a BAD person would disagree with certain things.  There is no need to consider other opinions because the one we hold is right and all others are bad. The fact of the matter is we’re all BAD and the correct name for that is SINFUL.  But that’s another thing we don’t like to mention these days.  We prefer to say we just make mistakes.

If you’re wondering what got me on this rant — and I admit, it is something of a rant– here it is.  My daughter, who recently had a baby, has been telling me about some of the “dos and don’ts” of pregnancy and young motherhood.  She says, no pregnant lady these days would dare to be seen in public with a cigarette or a glass of wine;  she would be surely censured for not caring about her unborn child.  People she doesn’t know well have come to her and said, “You’d better be breastfeeding!  It’s what’s best for the baby!”  A clerk in the baby store told her, “Don’t use a crib that’s been passed on to you — those things are dangerous and have been recalled!”  Now some or most of things are correct, however here’s my question …. why does a nation that allows abortion practically up until the moment of birth care so much?  If you can abort your child, why does it matter if you smoke, drink, bottle feed or use unsafe equipment?  Isn’t that also the mother’s choice?  Why is an unborn child, or a newborn for that matter, worthy to be protected so vigorously if you want it, and destroyed if you don’t?  What kind of illogical stinkin’ thinkin’ is this?  If anybody can explain it to me, please do.

I don’t think people who are pro-abortion are bad, but I think they’re misguided. They’ve been convinced that in order to be “politically correct” they should be okay with abortion. After all, women deserve to have “control of their own bodies.”  I think they’ve closed their mind and denied a reality they don’t want to look at. I know that many women have abortions because it is the easiest thing to do;  they may be afraid, alone or desperate and abortion fixes the immediate problem.  I sympathize with their plight; but we need to help  them to make a good choice instead of encouraging them to opt for an easy way out. We all need to examine our opinions carefully instead of blindly accepting the dictates of our culture. Rant over.  Get rid of that stinkin’ thinkin’.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

 

All Life is Precious

Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday and many people have spent the whole week in Washington, D.C. rallying for the right to life.

Personally, I don’t think that Roe vs. Wade will ever be overturned, that is just my opinion. But, I think that we, as a people, need to express our thoughts on life and make them known to those around us.  We need to let others know about how God created this earth and the people on it and as part of God’s creation, All Life is Precious.

It’s not just abortion.  There are issues with child and elder abuse, and assisted suicide.  None of these issues are new.  Abuse of all kinds have existed for years and years.  The sin in this world has tried to tear us apart in so many different ways.

Our thoughts must center on the belief that God is sovereign and that he has a plan.   Every life matters to him.  He knows each of us and what we are capable of  doing during our time on earth.

Each of us is called to live our lives with love and acceptance of all people.  Each person, each child has a life that God has called them to.  We can hate the sin that is prevalent in everyone’s life, but we must look beyond that to love all that God has created.  Anger and hate has no place in this discussion, just determination to show how God loves all of us and has created us to be who we are.

You were not a mistake and neither is any child that is conceived.  All of God’s children need to be brought up with love, although I know that in this world that may not be possible.  Sickness and pain permeates our existence, but God is in control and we should never try to take that control away from Him.  Instead, we should look to the Sovereign God for direction and help.

Sin Has Consequences

“What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?….For the wages of sin is death…”Romans 6:21-23

As you can see, I’m still pondering January’s theme. Beth Ann’s post about abortion made me think of this verse.  Not just because abortion kills babies, but also because as Beth Ann said, a piece of her died also.  When we disobey God, we harm others, and we also harm ourselves.  Sin may look pretty, or easy, or feel good for the moment, but it has consequences that are not good for anyone. We’ve all experienced this.

Guess what else I notice in this verse.  We earn the consequences of our sin.  It is the wage we receive for the things we do. It’s not foisted upon us; it doesn’t just happen–we work at it!  In case you have any thought like, “I haven’t done anything too awful, so this doesn’t apply to me” listen to this:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Not some of us, or most of us, but ALL of us are sinners.

Fortunately, I haven’t given you the full story.  Here’s how Romans 6:23 ends:

“…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And Romans 3:23:

“…and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

God gave us a way out of our sin.  We don’t earn this;  it is a free gift.  We don’t choose our salvation, but we can choose how we live in view of it.

“…I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”  Deuteronomy 30:19

Choose obedience.  Choose life.

 

 

 

What About the Women?

In all of the rhetoric that comes out of things like the Women’s March and even the March for Life I never hear of anyone speaking about what happens to the women in the life or death situation called abortion.  This is a very personal and very emotional choice that happens to hundreds of women every day.

I wonder if anyone ever thinks about what happens to the women who decide to have an abortion?  Does anyone recognize the pain and the hurt that these women experience?  I don’t think that all these women walk out of the clinics thinking ‘I feel better now that it’s taken care of’.  I think most are crushed, shamed and emotionally devastated.

You see, I was one of those women, back in the ’70s, who walked out of a clinic.  The situation was bad; I was not married and had gotten myself tangled in a sexual situation that I found I couldn’t get out of.  Sexual addiction is a topic for another time, but that’s where I was.  When I got pregnant I went to the baby’s father and he just wanted me to “take care of it”.  Abortion hadn’t even crossed my mind until then.  I had to get the money together and with every ounce of courage I had, I walked into that clinic and had an abortion.  The amount of emotional pain I experienced can’t be explained.

The story doesn’t quite end there.  I couldn’t get out of this sexual situation.  It was an actual addiction; I hated and loved it at the same time.  So later when I thought I was pregnant again I couldn’t handle even thinking about it.  It was one of those stupid things that people do; if I don’t think it’s true, it isn’t true.  When I started bleeding I was relieved.  Then I didn’t stop bleeding.  I finally went to the doctor, who put me in the hospital thinking I was having a miscarriage.  This time my parents needed to be informed  and the shame was compounded.  I overheard the doctor talking to my mother that the baby was “viable” and the bleeding was from a severe infection.  He had decided to go ahead with the “D&C” (abortion) because of the situation.

I was so emotionally devastated that I couldn’t talk about what had happened, not with my parents, my pastor or my friends.  I ended up bottling it up inside me.  I would cry at night when no one was around.  Everyone around me thought I was doing alright but I was a mess inside.

One night while I was crying, I heard an audible voice (only to me, I’m sure) that said “you killed my children!”.  Of course I knew this.  I knew who was speaking to me.  I was raised in the church.  I knew the sixth commandment.  I ended up confessing it all to the Lord and afterwards I felt His love and His peace.  Yes, I’m forgiven and I know this with a peace that I don’t understand.  The emotional pain and grief that I feel now is like a person would feel when a child dies.  I mourn the loss of my children.

What about the women?  In all the talk  I don’t hear anyone address the issue of the women.  The emotional and mental stress of having an abortion is overwhelming.  These women need love and acceptance.   We must be sure that women who have made this choice in their lives get to hear that they can be forgiven.  When we are speaking against abortion, we need to be mindful of those who have walked that road.  These women do not need to be judged by others. The anger and hate that I have seen do nothing but compound the shame and pain that this procedure causes.  I know, because I have felt it.  For this reason I don’t talk about abortion very much.  This isn’t an abstract idea for me.  It’s very personal.

We need to be aware of the emotional and spiritual consequences of abortion.  It’s not just killing a baby.  It kills a bit of the mother as well. We need to hold out our hands to the women who, for whatever reason, have suffered this emotional pain in silence.  We need to reach them and let them know that the Lord loves them, even if they think that He couldn’t.  They need to see that they don’t need to carry the burden of guilt and shame.  Yes, the pain remains.  But for me it’s a reminder of our Lord’s forgiveness.  I carry those children in my heart and I hope to see them in heaven one day.