NRL News
Page 3
Fall 2011
Volume 38
Issue 8

Reflections

By Carol Tobias

I wonder if God knew that Americans would use the birth of His son as the centerpiece of a long holiday season, celebrating three of the country’s biggest days-- Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s-- as one big holiday. I wonder if He knew how much we would look forward to the end of a year, putting the past aside and looking forward to a new year. Yeah. I think He knew.

Our holiday season began with Thanksgiving, recognized as a national holiday almost 150 years ago. Unfortunately, some view the day only as an opportunity to eat a lot of food and watch a lot of football. For many, though, it is a day to pause and give thanks to God for the many blessings He has given us. What am I thankful for? My faith, my husband, my family, my friends, and YOU.

I am thankful for the thousands of selfless volunteers in the pro-life movement who give of their time, their talents, and their money to help others they will never meet.

The late Bob Casey, former governor of Pennsylvania, once stated, “In the long term, our cultural unease with abortion, this refusal to drop the subject, is our most hopeful sign of health. Other countries, sadly, have more or less learned to live with it; they don‘t see it as anything to get worked up about. But not here. This thing-- this horrible thing, so contrary to our ideals, our inclusiveness, our kindness, our love for one another-- has been grafted onto American society. But it is not a functioning organ,… it won’t take, it won’t heal. The body rejects it.”

YOU are the reason this country refuses to “drop the subject.” And I am thankful for everything you do.

I am thankful for those who serve as chapter presidents and officers, and those who serve on state right-to-life boards or work for state affiliates; for those who attend meetings, and make plans, and organize pro-life efforts. Much work is done because caring people take time to make sure it gets done.

I am thankful for the intelligent, talented, and dedicated people who make up the staff and Board of National Right to Life.

I am thankful for those who work with pregnancy resource centers, helping women who are facing the most difficult decision they may ever make. I am thankful for all the moms who chose life, whether they are raising their child or placed that child into the loving arms of a couple better able to care for him or her.

I am thankful for members of Congress who work and vote for pro-life legislation. I am thankful for state legislators and all elected officials who work and vote for pro-life legislation in their states.

There is SO much to be thankful for. I am especially thankful that God sent His son into the world to save us. There are some in the pro-life movement who base their opposition to abortion and euthanasia on human rights and civil rights principles-- human beings should be protected. But most of us are in this battle because we believe, as our nation’s founding fathers did, that life is an unalienable right from God, our creator.

What better time to focus on that belief as we celebrate the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to God for all He has done for us, to Christmas, when the King of kings came to earth as a baby to offer salvation to all who believe.

I’m sure you are familiar with the Christmas story and its wonderful example for the pro-life movement. Mary, a young single girl, becomes pregnant. Even after a visit from an angel, she was probably a bit frightened. What would happen to her? Punishment for someone in her situation was to be stoned to death. I’m sure she was relieved to find out that her “boyfriend,” who knows the baby isn’t his, decides to marry her anyway. This couple moved forward with the faith that God would take care of them. I wonder if they knew that the prophet Isaiah was referring to her when, 700 years earlier, he wrote, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

This story can comfort us and encourage us. God knew the dangers unborn children would face in this current world. He knew that young girls would be placed in difficult situations. He knew that people would come forward to protect His little ones. We know that He is with us in this battle. We thank Him for His guidance and counsel as we move forward.

As we come to an end of the holiday season and look ahead to a new year, many of us make resolutions to do something differently or to do something new, usually in an effort to better ourselves. We do not forget the millions of unborn children who have lost their lives to abortion or the vulnerable persons whose lives ended prematurely because of euthanasia, assisted suicide, and rationing. I’d like to offer a few ideas for resolutions that will help to make the pro-life movement even better as well.

1. Find (more) time to help the local right-to-life chapter with a project.

2. Place bulletin inserts in church publications or place pro-life brochures in display racks.

3. Attend the National Right to Life convention in June or help someone else to go.

4. Speak up at work or church in defense of innocent human life, or anytime life issues are being discussed.

5. When an email from NRLC comes, asking you to contact your members of Congress regarding an upcoming vote, make that contact then pass the information along to others.

6. Sign up receive NRL News Today as a daily email, keeping informed on what’s happening and circulating that information to family and friends.

7. Resolve to work extremely hard to elect pro-life candidates.

These are just a few suggestions. I’m sure you can think of many other ways you can make even more of a difference in 2012.

Thank you for all you do to protect the voiceless. May you be blessed with His peace, His joy, and His love.