Life Ends and Begins

Thoughts on Heath Ledger's Passing

I was saddened to hear of the passing of actor Heath Ledger. Although I never saw "Brokeback Mountain" and don't plan to, I recognized that he was a very talented actor. One look at this trailer from the upcoming Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," illustrates that fact vividly.

At this writing, the results of an autopsy on the actor are inconclusive, and his family is maintaining that the death was an accident.

Whatever the cause of his death, it saddened me to read that Ledger had been unhappy for some time and may have had substance abuse problems.

I had to note that he was not much older than my oldest son. Really, a young man. And now his two-year-old daughter, Matilda, is without a father.

Every time I read a story like this, the words to this song come to my mind (click on the song's title to hear the entire song):



Thoughts on the 35th anniversary of Roe V Wade:



My grandson, Payton, in his mother's womb over a year ago

I can't believe I let January 22nd go by without blogging about this! I think it's the first time since I began this blog that I didn't mention it.

So, belatedly, I am talking about it. I am unashamedly pro-life. I do like a quote from Bryan Kemper, president of Stand True Ministries--he says his organization "seeks to be lovingly pro-life rather than angrily anti-abortion." I wholeheartly concur with that approach.

According to this article, pro-lifers are getting younger and younger. Kemper says they see themselves as survivors of abortion, because many of them have siblings that were aborted.

I just received an e-mail from my sister-in-law in California that one of my nieces will have her labor induced tomorrow. My prayers will be with Tabitha, and I rejoice that a new life is coming into the world...one that will be welcomed with open and loving arms.

I realize that all babies don't have that privilege. But I do know that there are thousands of couples who would give anything for one of those lives that are thrown away. May God bless the women who choose to carry their baby to term, despite the sacrifice, so that loving parents will have the joy of raising that child.