On the Flipside

Today has proven to be a rather difficult day for me. For the last two weeks I have been attending my training at our local pregnancy help center to learn how to best help and encourage the women in this community. We have covered many topics, all of which I have found fascinating, and very helpful. Today was no exception, though on the very opposite end of the spectrum from where I typically "reside." 

It can't be any surprise to you that I LOVE babies! Love, love, love them. Love the miracle that each one is, love the mama's and how they were built to bring forth life. It is my passion and part of how I was created. 

Knowing this, it also can't be any surprise to you that I am pro-life. I have always believed that abortion is, in it's essence, destroying a life.  Life begins at conception. Every piece of what makes us unique is present at the moment that the two cells meet. EVERY PIECE! 

Today we covered abortion, and it was covered from a strictly medical position and very informative. 

This post is not to start a debate, it is to share with you how my heart was broken today. Abortion has always been a known "thing" to me, something that I knew of in a cerebral context, but watching how one is performed (through computer graphics) the steps involved and the huge risks involved for the mama utterly broke me. When I asked The Lord to break my heart for what breaks His, this was not what I expected. 

 I am not sitting here in judgment, nor in condemnation. It is a woman's choice, but I'm sad that the choice is typically given without any actual facts or details to the procedure, the risks or the lasting effects on the mama...physically and emotionally. And for me, I'm sad for those lives that could've been. 

"Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity"

-Hosanna by Hillsong United

http://youtu.be/NoM0AT8fBvs

A Baby Is On It's Way!

I just recently realized that I haven't posted in far too long! Since mid-August life has just sort of swept me away, and now I feel like I'm getting a foothold. 

The weekend of August 16&17th we headed to Windsor, California and had a great weekend while I completed my Childbirth Educator workshop through ICEA. It was an incredible time of learning and fellowship with some wonderful women. I am grateful to have had the experience. It was a TON of info, but I've been able to process through most of it! 

My next step in this whole process is to put together my curriculum for a 6 week course and TEACH it! This will be a free course for those who attend, as I am being evaluated on it for my certification...but how cool will it be to know they are my first EVER class? :) 

I'm fairly certain it'll be well worth the price. (Wink, wink.) 

And so, I can make this announcement: My Baby Is On It's Way!! 

This is my class baby, placenta and pelvis included...though I tend to see her/him as "a face only a mother could love." I'm sure it'll grow on me. Ha ha! 

In all seriousness though, this journey is well on it's way and I can't wait!