40 Days for Life 2011: Week 5

November 4, 2011 8:22PM

As I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet just now, I could slowly feel the cold slowly taking the feeling away from my toes and fingers. It got cold--really cold!

But, I can't complain. I'm at an abortion clinic. Powerful vacuums can be used to take away the body of a fetus. :-(

I actually missed my assigned hour this week so I'm making it up now. This 40 Days for Life campaign is wrapping up this weekend. But like I said, I don't know what miracles occurred as a result of us being here 24/7 for the past 40 days. (maybe I should check the website...)

It's kind of fitting that I finished Unplanned the other day. Wow, what a great account from both sides of the "fence" between pro-life and pro-choice. I loved reading about Abby's encounters with the men and women involved with the 40 Days for Life, and it rather inspires me to adopt their approach as described by Abby. Granted, every time I'm here at this location during the week, every one in the clinic has already gone home. Can't put myself into a situation of opportunities--but that's ok. I'm here to pray. And reflectively blog about it.

Earlier today I was thinking about sexual accountability. Does a contraceptive and/or abortive mentality foster an attitude that is truly selfless seeking what is truly best for all involved? Yeah sex feels good and it is meant to. Yeah we have sexual desires because they're inherent to us as male and female. But does that mean we can just go around enjoying ourselves and try justifying our pleasures without consequences by promoting contraception and abortion? I don't think so. It's too careless. New life is at stake!

I look at this way: why do people abort their kids? Because the baby, whether considered as such or not, is unwanted. Or maybe contraceptives failed. Why do people use contraceptives? To have sex without pregnancy.  So why are people wanting to have sex without initiating pregnancy?  Multitude of reasons, but most seem questionably selfish to me.  Now why are people having sex? Is it because it feels good? Does it make people "happy"? To show one's "love" for their partner? Legit reasons, but to me it's only worth it with the person you're meant to be with forever. But wait, why is there sex anyway? Because humans are male and female, and the entire continuity of our dominion on earth resides in creating future generations. A man's body doesn't make sense by itself. A woman's body doesn't make sense by itself. Our respective anatomies suggest that they go together. And yes, the world would be quick to agree with that statement. But then we're back to why is there sex?

There is a greater purpose to sex. I think we all get too caught up in the icing of sexuality without really digging deeper into the cake that is its greater purpose.  But that's worth another blog post.

Lust makes the whole sexual act that of a selfish one. And I will eternally say that lust is not of true love--it is authentic love's counterfeit.

But this post is about 40 Days for Life. The consequences of sexual actions bring people here to this clinic (mostly, anyway, and supposedly other health services are offered here as well). And so there is a fence. A fence that separates those who are pro-life and pro-choice.

Praying.  That's all I can actively do here.  That is the purpose of 40 Days for Life.  Unceasing peaceful prayer for 40 days and 40 nights...for the beauty and gift of life.  Not here to judge or intimidate clients. 

Anyway, I still really recommend the book, Unplanned by Abby Johnson, to every one--whether they're pro-life or pro-choice. We have more in common than we'd like to admit.