Month: January 2020

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Parking Lot Kindness: Holy Moment

I ventured out to pick up a friend from work this morning. Upon arrival, I selected a parking space and started to back into it. Feeling unnecessary urgency, I didn’t give myself as much room as normal and I didn’t crank my wheel as quickly as normal. But it was close. As I eyed the bumper guarding the next space, I squinted. Too close for comfort. With a sigh, I pivoted my head.

The man in front of my vehicle was waving his arms and shaking his head. “No,” he mouthed as big as his mouth could mouth it. I smiled, nodded, and waved my thank-you. He smiled and nodded back, waving back and continuing on.

I appreciated the second opinion from a better vantage point, particularly because of how close of a call it was. Moreso, I appreciated that the decision I had already made was validated by a disinterested observer: with all the dead ends I’ve hit and all the unsolicited, contrarian, and unhelpful advice I’ve been given of late, I found the validation refreshing. Just every so often, I need a little reminder that I’m doing something right.

Plus, I had to smile because a stranger took the time to pause – in the middle of his exercise routine – to help me out. It took him all of maybe ten seconds to catch my attention, but that’s ten seconds many people would not have thought to give let alone paused after thinking of it to give. Many of us are so embroiled in our own lives that we can’t see the issues affecting others. Sometimes are better than others – it’s not an all-or-nothing question: we sometimes pounce on opportunities to serve others whereas other times we serve reluctantly, or decide against it, or default on any decision by missing the chance.

This post isn’t about saying yes more than you can handle. I’m learning more daily about how over-piling tasks on my to-do list weakens my ability to properly say yes to anything at all. (Sunday afternoon, for example, the only thing I could say yes to was sleep. I squeaked out a short drive, but I had to blast cold air in my face for safety reasons; it wasn’t comfortable. Not to mention the delay in some recent applications I’ve been working on…)

My question today is this: do we pause to lift up others in small ways? Do we hold the door for the person behind us, or open the gate for someone intent on exiting it who can’t spare a hand? Do we wave at cars traveling the wrong way down a one-way street? (Safety reminder: always look both ways when crossing the road!) Do we pause to say thank you to parents showing great patience with their children, or to children showing parents respect in public places?

Serving others – in small ways, in big ways, in quick ways, in slow ways, in any way consistent with God’s plan – brings us closer to God. It also brings us closer to our fellow human beings, whether or not they believe in Christ, because serving each other necessarily brings us together. Small holy moments are holy moments, and lifting others up qualifies.

Pause. What’s a holy moment?

A Holy Moment is a moment when you are being the person God created you to be, and you are doing what God is calling you to do in that moment.

Matthew Kelly, The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity
(also available on Amazon)

The man in the parking lot today gifted me one of his holy moments. When you held the door open for the person behind you: holy moment. When we pause to check on a friend: holy moment. When we help another de-stress: holy moment. When we volunteer, whether it be for an event or a specific chore: holy moment. When we wait patiently for pedestrians in the crosswalk: holy moment. When we smile warmly in passing at a stranger: holy moment. When we put spare change in a donation jar: holy moment.

Follow-up questions: would you do it again? When you last paused for a holy moment, how did you feel in that moment? (Notice that this is a when question, not an if question. We’ve all had holy moments!) Did your perspective shift on anything that day (perhaps via less stress about a decision or more hope in a situation)?

Are you allowing more holy moments to happen through you?

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MM: Happy MLK Day!

Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

– Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream speech (transcript)
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Daddy’s Li’l Girl

Let it never be said that I don’t need my Dad, no matter how old or (seemingly) independent I get.

I visited a friend this evening to help her pick out an interview outfit. There was laundry, there was an amazing dinner (with a delicious despite incredibly salty homemade au jus), there was trying on outfits, there was laughter, there were serious discussions, there were simply good times. We had a grand night. (I’ll be hurting tomorrow due to lack of sleep because I repeatedly lost track of the time, but tonight was fabulous.)

We were wrapping up the evening, and we made a run to my vehicle to drop off the non-selected interview-potential outfits. We toss everything in when I realize I don’t have my phone. No big deal – we’ll go inside and do a quick sweep. … It’s nowhere to be found.

The escalation is easy – my friend tries to call it. It’s when she holds her phone up to her ear and says to me, “It’s ringing,” that I realize that it isn’t: my phone automatically goes into Do Not Disturb (DND) mode each night. Okay…

Next stop is also fairly standard – I log into my Google account from her phone and tell my phone to ring. And I tried to. The problem with this method is that Google didn’t recognize her phone, and to verify my identity, I had to input a code it was sending to my phone which I didn’t have and was trying to use Google to locate. Ahhh!

I explain to my friend that DND mode means my phone won’t ring or notify me of any texts or other messages via sound or vibration; to know I’m receiving a message, I need to be looking at my phone. Unless… I shake my head. I set my phone to bypass DND mode for my parents: if either of them called from their cell phones, my phone would ring. … But that’d be kinda (or totally) rude to wake up my parents this late (after 10 pm) to ask them to call my lost phone. And they might not even answer because my friend’s phone was unknown to them.

I purse my lips, but they form a smile anyway. Dad wouldn’t mind…

My friend is surprised I know his phone number by heart. (Everything is programmed these days, she points out.) My father has had the same number for as long as I remember – probably since cell phones had become a common thing sometime in the ’90s. So, I called my Dad to ask him to help me find my phone and save the day.

One ring… Two rings… Three rings… Oh, no: I’ve never known him to wait this long to answer. Four rings… What if he’s not answering because he doesn’t recognize the number? Five rings…

“Hello?” A very confused and somewhat skeptical voice filters through the speaker.

“Dad?”

“Hello?” His tone changes as he recognizes me with the first syllable even though he clearly didn’t hear what I said.

“Dad, can you hear me?”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

I explain the situation to him, my friend watching my facial expressions as I talk to my Dad. Her face curls into an awkward smirk as though she discovered a secret of mine. I give her a look, but it only grows the expression. Am I acting funny? Doesn’t every princess love her father?

He’s happy to help (that’s my Dad!); we hang up and he immediately starts calling my phone. My friend and I search for several minutes longer to no avail; I give up hope for the night and text him a thank you for trying, but I was going to have to try again after getting some sleep. I hug my friend bye, we chat a minute longer, and then I go out to the car. I hop in, and just as I was about to turn the key, I hear it ring from the trunk.

He kept calling.

I quickly retrieved it and answered. “You finally found it,” he responds to my greeting.

I was so ecstatic that he kept trying to help me even after I’d given up. I felt guilty intruding on his sleep time, but he was perfectly happy to wake up to help his little girl. I am so blessed to have a father so good to me. (And this doesn’t even compare to the Suburban rollover incident!) I am so grateful for having such an amazing Dad.

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

– Luke 11:9-10

I sought, and I found! My Dad helped me to find my phone, and all I had to do was ask. What a reminder to ask our Heavenly Father for help as well!

If you then… know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

– Luke 11:13

Whom do you turn to when something goes awry? Is there anyone who can call your phone when it’s on do not disturb who will ring through? What are you grateful for today?

This post is a shout out to all the marvelous fathers. Thank you for loving your children fully and wholeheartedly. You are more important than you know, so thank you again for all that you do to help your children grow … and find their missing cell phones.

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Alpha Kickoff Tonight! Winter 2020 Starts Now!

We’re starting a new season of Alpha tonight in Concord, New Hampshire! Are you able to join us for free food and delightful discussions concerning the meaning of life? It’s a lot of fun, the food is consistently amazing, the people are awesome, and there’s no commitment. Consider this your invitation! Bring friends and family; all are welcome, and we look forward to meeting all of you. Here are the details:

Time: 6 pm
Date: Thursday, January 16th
No cost; no commitment

Location:
Christ the King Parish Activity Center
72 South Main Street
Concord, NH 03301

Have you ever been on an Alpha course?

Food at Lunch Alpha
This is what a luncheon Alpha place setting might look like; those brioche sliders were absolutely exquisite!

“What’s One A Them?” – Gram Seed

Alpha is a place to discuss the big questions about life. We meet, enjoy a delicious meal, get some information, and discuss the topic. It can be held just about anywhere – churches, bars, restaurants, and homes all serve as venues – so long as it’s safe and people can hear each other. Simple, right?

Yet it’s so much more than free food and good discussion. Alpha is a place where you are welcomed just the way you are and encouraged to grow and participate in the growth of those around you. Guests are invited to take the next step to become the person they want to be by investigating the core concepts of our humanity.

If you come to the first night and like it, please come back, and consider bringing that person you thought might want to come but you didn’t want to suggest something and have it be a total bust. We want you to enjoy the Alpha community! If you come to the first night and think it isn’t a good fit for you right now, no worries; we’ll miss you, but we totally understand.

Is there more to life than this?
The big question for tonight: is there more to life than this?

Who’s Alpha For?

Everyone! If you have yet to go on an Alpha course, consider yourself invited. If you have gone on an Alpha course and want more, consider joining team. I love serving our guests and making sure they have a wonderful experience, and I learn so much by encouraging others to comment out loud.

Alpha is for anyone interested in exploring the meaning of life. It was specifically designed for people who aren’t active in a Christian faith life. This includes people who’ve never gone to church, people who have always gone to church but aren’t engaged, people who are hostile to the idea of God, people who are just searching for answers, and people who don’t identify any particular way.

Concerned about food restrictions? Reach out to us! We often offer vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, pepper-free, dairy-free options, and if there’s something that we can do to accommodate you, we’ll try our best. We provide awesome meals while taking into account guest needs.

If you’re unsure whether it’s for you, come tonight; if you decide it’s not for you, thank you for checking us out!

Chocolate Mousse - Dessert at Alpha
Dessert at Alpha might be homemade Italian ice served in a lemon skin or chocolate mousse with freshly grated chocolate shavings.

Why Bother?

I’m a fan of Alpha because it encourages us to ask and talk about the big questions of life. Every topic is a question to evoke deep discussions between guests. Part of this means that I get to hear so many perspectives about things that matter! Most of these subjects don’t come up in daily life, but they’re all so rewarding to learn about.

Alpha is a safe and casual environment to delve into topics that matter in the long term. It’s also an excellent venue for making new friends. I met one of my dearest friends at Alpha, and we likely never would have gotten to talking if it weren’t for the prompts the course provided. Alpha is a great opportunity to learn more about yourself as well as those around you, initiating discussions that often don’t occur organically and are much more profound than typical table talk.

Comment Out Loud at Alpha
Come hang out with us!

Interested But Not Local?

Alpha is an international program, and there’s an online tool to help anyone interested find a course nearby. Put in your location, how soon you’re looking to join, your preferred language, and age group (if you have a preference). There’s also a button to automatically fill in your location based on your GPS location.

Minor caution: if you click the “Find My Location” but then decide to manually fill in the address, the website may not track properly. If it glitches, indicated by filling in information but the map not updating, I recommend opening a new tab. (Refreshing the page in the same tab didn’t work for me, but bringing up a new tab did.)

Bon Voyage!

I hope you’ll join us, either locally or in our extended Alpha family, as we undertake this journey together. Welcome to Alpha!

What are your thoughts about Alpha? Are there any questions I can answer for you about the program? What have your experiences been? How can we help you decide to check us out? How can we be more inviting? What are your burning thoughts and questions about life?

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Supporting the Cause

I was out tonight helping prepare the church hall for a fundraiser on Saturday. The theme: Italian dinner night. The task: decorate. Sub-tasks: de-decorate from Christmas events, remove some standard images to make room for murals, drape tables, have tape handy, fetch components of table decor, set up the bulletin board, and random tasks as they appeared.

I’m not really one for decorating (organizing – specifically, maximizing space – is more my style, so my eyes lit up when they said something wouldn’t fit in the freezer), but I’m eager to help with whatever tasks I can do well. This includes following instructions and taking directions. This does not include masterminding decorations. I like my decor! However, I’ve discovered that my aesthetic style is quite… unique.

Isn’t that envelope adorable?!

(Aside: Next to the article featuring swimming pigs, I have clippings of tiny pictures of pretty homes from one of those magazines advertising homes for sale, a thank-you note from a friend, and a reminder to do what I must to grow into the person I want to be. I’ve been told pictures of myself is the proper way to decorate my room. This is incredibly strange: I already know what I look like, and in case I forget, I have a mirror; why do I need images of me?)

Thankfully, I wasn’t tasked with figuring out how to set up the hall, just with mimicking how it was set up last year. Whew! I can do that. Remove glittery ribbon until I look like a pixie? Sure thing. Hang that assortment up there like in the picture? Done. Tape this up here? You got it.

Why would I volunteer to do something I’m not very good at? Three reasons: (1) I support the cause, (2) they needed plebians like me to run around doing the things, and (3) I can leverage what I am good at to the advantage of the group. Let’s visit these from the bottom-up.

It turned out quite well. Come check it out in person over dinner on Saturday!

(3) Leveraging My Strengths in a Field of Weakness

Figuring out a master plan for prettifying a room is definitely not my forte. So much so that the only suggestion I made for this event’s decor was listened to, nodded at solemnly, then quickly (though kindly) rejected out of hand. Why? Because I was over-thinking it and providing a logical perspective on an aesthetic inquiry. The considerations I made were irrelevant.

However, I’m excellent at following instructions. When tasks are assigned to me, I do them and do them well. I’m also good at anticipating needs: when I’m waiting on the next assignment, I find miniature quests to complete that benefit others in the duties they are working on.

I’m also good at optimizing efforts. For example, two of us were removing ribbon from the columns. My partner held out a pair of scissors to me, offering to let me trim a wire holding the ribbon in place near the ceiling. She’s about a foot shorter than I am. Accepting the tool, I thanked her and told her I would go around chopping off all of them and double-back to help with the coiling. She was great at coiling, and I could reach the top of the columns without a ladder. Win-win.

(2) Acting the Pleb

One of the volunteers mentioned that there were too many leaders and not enough followers in our group tonight. There seemed to be a hint of frustration in the comment which was quickly followed with an encouraging remark about helping with other events because the other events aren’t nearly as bad. I absolutely understood the was irritation, but I didn’t share it.

Sometimes, I’m good at playing the plebian. I’m especially good at being a follower when I know the leader role doesn’t suit my strengths. (In case you missed the section above, coordinating decorations for an event fits into the not-my-forte category.) One of the other volunteers even mentioned that I was quite the busy bee because I was seeking out projects to complete. I like to do stuff: give me a task, please, so I can be productive.

Just such a thing happened with the bulletin board. I was assigned the bulletin board – which someone later described as the most difficult of the decorating duties. Another volunteer came over to see what I was doing, and together, we had it set up to exacting standards (which were detailed after we thought we were finished) quite quickly. Someone working on another task actually did a double-take because we finished such an obnoxious task so swiftly yet so well. All we did was strategize how to get to the end goal, then pressed onward until the job was complete.

Benvenuto! (Welcome!)

(1) Support the Cause

Certain causes speak to us. This fundraiser is to support a crisis pregnancy center in town, a place where women can go if they are pregnant and need help. Maybe they don’t know what to do, maybe they’re scared, maybe they don’t have the resources to support a child, maybe all of the above. Crisis pregnancy centers care for and support women when they are potentially terrified of the past, present, and future. They save lives – and I’m not just talking about pre-born babies. These centers provide assistance to desperate people who don’t know where else to turn.

Why is this so near to my heart? Because women deserve better than abortion. This isn’t a statement we can throw out into the ether and be done with it: we need to support these women mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially. It takes a village to raise a child. We need to be that village – walls, ceilings, and support beams – for the mothers who can’t turn anywhere else. We should be that village for all mothers, but let’s start with the ones who will accept our outreach.

Our society throws anything with a mild scuff away, or looks at it as though it’s trash – even human life. If we want to change this, we need to show society that we care for human life – in all of its forms – not simply in words, but in actions. Our actions – prayer, providing financial support, giving time to help with chores or babysitting, volunteering for events that benefit these causes – show who we are and what we want society to be.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

– Wall art, t-shirts, leather journals, paperback journals, and bumper stickers
(often mis-attributed to Mahatma Gandhi)

I’ve been promoting this event because I strongly believe in supporting mothers through what may very well be the scariest situation they have ever faced. I pressed my parish (nearby) to put up the flyers for the event, I’ve repeatedly mentioned it to friends and new faces alike, and I’m still inviting anyone who will hear me out. We should be supportive of our neighbors regardless of circumstance, but it is imperative that we grant them our assistance when they need it. Our commiunities need us to stand strong with mothers and their children.

If you’re in the Manchester, NH area on Saturday evening, please consider stopping by to support this awesome cause. Spaghetti with meatballs, salad, garlic bread, desserts, and various beverages will be served; there will be raffles, and awesome Italian music, and door prizes. It’s going to be a bunch of fun; come support a great cause and let us do the dishes!

  • When: 5 pm ’til food runs out
  • Where: Saint Joseph Cathedral’s Bishop Bradley Hall, Manchester, NH
  • Price: $8/adult and $4/child with a $25/family max
Rumor has it beer and wine will also be served.

What’s Your Cause?

We all have at least one thing we’re eager to support. Maybe you’re an advocate for tipping hotel staff, or maybe you’re more into protecting free speech rights. Whatever it may be, more power to you. What is your thing? Do you have more than one? How did you discover what your thing was? How do you support your cause?

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One Paragraph Challenge

200-300 Words, One Paragraph – Guess the Topic

Three steps, two steps, one step, spin-and-plop. She sighs as she halfheartedly surveys the snow-crusted park sitting on the bench tucked away in the farthest corner from the most frequented areas. It really makes no difference on a day like today; regardless of the clear skies, the biting cold keeps the prudent indoors. Her eyes glaze over as she paws at her fuzzy gloves, considering taking the abrasive things off despite the low temperature. Lips pursing, her gloves suddenly scratch her face, rubbing around her eyes as she tries to force herself to breathe deeply and calmly; the harder she tries, the heavier the weight of each inhale. With her head pulsing, she doesn’t notice the newcomer who gently sits next to her until his hand rubs her shoulder. As his hand slides behind her neck to her other arm, her head falls to his shoulder. He nods, deliberately slowing his respiration, exhaling conspicuously. Almost reluctantly, her breathing paces with his, and her hands fall softly to her lap; he grins, leaning his head against hers and rubbing her upper arm. Again breathing normally, he sits back against the bench, guiding her back with him, silently reminding her to lean on him, silently reminding her she isn’t alone. Wordlessly, they weather the storm passing through this clear winter day the same as any other – together.

What Was That About?

I’m applying for a position that tasked me with writing one paragraph on a certain topic (see if you can guess what it is). The challenge to me is that it’s both only one paragraph and 200-300 words. That, dear reader, is an exceptionally long paragraph in my book. Doable, but way more words than I generally put in a paragraph. (This paragraph, for example is seventy-one words, including this sentence.)

The “challenge” paragraph, in comparison, is 226 words. I tend to write paragraphs under 100 words; shortly after hitting the 100th word, I feel prompted for another indentation. I can write more, for certain, but it seems strange to have such long paragraphs. It seems stranger, still, to cover an entire topic in 200-300 words.

Anyway, I’m posting it here basically because I can, I haven’t posted today yet, and I refuse to break the chain of posts. Additionally, this is way better than anything I can squeeze out in the next few hours; my brain is starting to fuzz over. (It’s also way more kosher to post this than the drafts of thank-you cards I spent the rest of my day on.)

Thoughts?

I’m interested to know what you think of my descriptive take on the topic. I popped the prompt word into a search engine looking for other essays and they were all scholastic-language type stuff. (The shorter ones read as book reports from grade schoolers.) I didn’t feel called to write a book report-style piece. Moreover, the opportunity is for a “creative” role; I’m hopeful that this take will stand out in a good way for being consistent with the position.

Finally, this is also how I think: I was given a one-word prompt. It’s a word that is so close to the heart (probably to many people) that I was tempted to go philosophical on it. I tried; it wasn’t working for me, so I changed tactics. I would much rather describe the scene the word made me picture than philosophize about it. (Hah, that is a word – and it totally fits.)

I hope the hiring team likes it – I really, really do. At the same time, if they’re looking for someone to philosophize… well, it probably isn’t meant to be. As sad as that would make me (I am absolutely stoked about this chance), I’m also learning more and more to trust God: He has a plan, and it’s way better than anything I could come up with myself.

Here’s to hope! Cheers!

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Pro-Women = Pro Life

Today, the March for Life 2020 kicked off in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tomorrow morning, Concord, NH will join at least five other cities (Chicago, IL; Casa Grande, AZ; Elkhart, IN; and Columbia, SC) in hosting local marches standing up for life.

What is the March for Life? Should I care?

Everyone should have an educated view about matters of life and death. The March for Life is quite literally about matters of life and death: who our society determines has a right to live, and who doesn’t.

Morbid, and important.

Have you evaluated the evidence and formed an opinion yet? I clearly have one, and I encourage you to independently research the data so you find whatever facts you need to reach a decision. Over the past decade or so, I formed an opinion, researched the topic, begrudgingly moved to the fence, researched further, and finally found myself standing firmly in the camp opposite where I started. Learn! The more you know, the more sound your decision will be!

What Topics Does the Pro-Life Movement Cover?

The pro-life movement is a counter to the culture of death; if something aims to take, restrict, or limit life, the pro-life movement runs counter to it. The March for Life stands for all issues of life. There are four main topics of the pro-life movement.

Abortion

The focus is often on the abortion segment of the mission: saving pre-born babies. Saving these babies is critical: there are zero rights prior to that of existence. Notably, women are denied all rights at a higher rate than men, even when still in the womb: girls are more likely to be aborted than boys across all cultural boundaries. Let’s not forget about the role of race, either: a black woman is more than twice as likely (about 2.7x as likely) to abort a child than a white woman.

“The Negro cannot win as long as he is willing to sacrifice the lives of his children for comfort and safety.” How can the “Dream” survive if we murder the children? Every aborted baby is like a slave in the womb of his or her mother.

– Dr. Alveda C. King,
(the first part quoting her uncle Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

This is a hot topic, but it isn’t the only topic.

Elder Abuse

Just as horrific – if not more so because it is less controversial – is the murdering of the elderly by nursing homes. Intentional neglect in nursing homes leads to the premature deaths of thousands every year. Some people believe that people who are unable to care for themselves have a duty to die. And this topic isn’t even referencing those considering euthanasia: this topic is squarely that someone who is supposed to be taking care of someone else doesn’t, instead neglecting them to the point of death, generally by malnutrition or dehydration. People are starving to death because someone else thinks they have a duty to die.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia – he painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. The practice is illegal in most countries.

– Oxford dictionary

I didn’t ask Oxford for its opinion; Oxford pointed out that it’s illegal in most countries of its own accord. Hey, look, red flag that you’re probably doing something wrong: the dictionary recognizes it’s so barbaric that they note the general illegality in the definition of the word itself.

Euthanasia at least gives the one dying a say in the matter – at least theoretically. This is probably why Americans favor its legality, because it appears to be about the freedom to choose to no longer live. However, this practice takes advantage of people in their weakest states, and in many cases takes advantage of people who lack legal capacity. (“Legal capacity” is the ability to make a binding decision. For example, if someone is experiencing severe dementia, that person is not capable of making decisions and thus lacks legal capacity.)

Capital Punishment

Then there’s the death penalty issue. Capital punishment is the murder of a criminal convicted of certain crimes. It isn’t always used when available; sometimes the guilty party instead receives a life sentence to prison without the opportunity for parole. In 2019, there were 22 people executed in the United States, and statistically one of them was innocent of the crime he was convicted of.

Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Woman

That’s the theme for this year’s national March for Life: Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Woman. Looking at the data, this is incredibly true. From abortion to early termination of life, women are the most likely targets of the culture of death.

Abortion

The people most hurt by abortion is the women who endure them. However, while the mothers are likely to experience emotional side effects, the fathers also experience loss including the same PTSD, depression, and various disorders that the mothers face.

A reminder and plea to all pro-lifers: any woman considering abortion is suffering. She is likely feeling cornered, abandoned, maligned, scared, and worried. She faces despair. We are called to be hope to the hopeless. Know that she needs help, and we are called to act as God’s hands and feet in providing the help she needs, providing the love she needs. Remember always to love her through her fear.

Elder Abuse and Euthanasia

How does elder abuse and euthanasia disproportionately kill women?

Women have longer life spans than men, and generally speaking, the older one gets, the more likely that person is to experience disability, debilitating disease, and/or terminal illness. Some jurisdictions require just such a pre-requisite before permitting the use of euthanasia, rendering women enabled to commit suicide when they are at their weakest and loneliest states.

Building into this loneliness, the older a person gets, the more likely that person is to suffer from neglect. Husbands die before wives, leaving women to the care of the other people in her life. Children and grandchildren often build lives away from them, leaving them to the care of nursing home staff.

Summary

I strongly encourage everyone to investigate these issues. They are literally questions of life and death, and as such they are absolutely worth our time and energy. I am proudly pro-life. The people who are enduring hardships – whether in crisis pregnancies or being abused in nursing homes – should be treated with the love, care, compassion, and respect that we are called to show to all humans. I hope to see you on the March!

First they came for the forgotten,
And I did not speak out
Because I was not forgotten.

Then they came for the elderly,
And I did not speak out
Because I was not elderly.

Then they came for the unborn,
And I did not speak out
Because I was already born.

Then they came for me,
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.

– Consequent Ideas adaptation of a poem by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller