On EWTN's Journey Home Program

It has been busy with the online Catholic Writing Conference (where I offered a workshop on Writing for Hire) and barbershop guest program; I'm still playing catch up, but imagine my joy when I learned that my conversation with JonMark Grodi taped last July would air on EWTN's Journey Home program on Monday, Feb. 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation. Matt Swaim said, "And it’s particularly poignant to me that because of some scheduling your episode got moved to the feast of the Presentation. I don’t plan these things intentionally! But how fascinating that your episode will be airing on the feast of Simeon letting Mary know that a sword would pierce her soul… given the power of the Pieta in your story, it’s hard for me to not make the connection!" God's timing is indeed perfect. Here it is: Journey Home - Vijaya Bodach - Former Methodist and Agnostic. 

A friend captured this on her TV (I was at barbershop practice) and it has been a joy to watch this again. I loved how beautifully JonMark is able to express the essence of what I was trying to say. He's a wonderful host, putting me at ease. I urge you all--speak or write the story of what God has done in your life. As Rick Warren says in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, "God wants to use you." With Lent just around the corner, perhaps you'd like to pick it up. I've given away multiple copies of this wonderful book. 

Our grandson was baptized on the Feast of St. Paul Miki and Companions (Japanese martyrs) in the baptismal gown that my mother had sewn for us. Given how much Christians are persecuted, I often wonder whether our children and their children will be called to make the ultimate sacrifice for the faith. We live and die in Christ. But will we have courage? I pray for it. 

The material is silk damask and it looks like it could be from the leftover material from my grandfather's priestly vestments. I was the last person in my family to be baptized in this garment until now. My sister brought it when she came to visit me when Dagny was two months old. Poor Max cried because he didn't fit into it. I draped it over him for a picture. I will keep it for a while--until Max and Laura's little one is baptized.

We were atheists then, so it was just a pretty garment to dress Dagny in. We didn't even pretend to baptize her--there's a story about St. Genesius, how he was converted while in a play mocking Christian baptism. The Holy Spirit came upon him and he refused to renounce even when threatened with death. He's the patron saint of actors, of people who work in theatre and movies. Anyway, I have to speak about another movie, Nefarious, that shows the value of baptism, of belonging to Christ. I wrote a review here: Vijaya Bodach: Strawberries and the Sacred Heart. Praise God for not letting us remain in sin, for giving us the grace to repent, to turn to Him. On this Feast of St. Valentine, may we remember to always be guided by Love and Truth Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Videos from Wedding

Family and friends took some videos... Enjoy!!!

 

Sound of Freedom

I can't say enough good things about this movie: Sound of Freedom. It is so well-done. At first, I was nervous about watching a film about child-sex-trafficking because what if it were too graphic and I couldn't unsee those disturbing images, so Michael went to see it by himself while I was visiting my parents in Chicago. I love this about him--he does everything in his power to protect me. Yesterday evening we went together to watch it. What a story! I urge you all to go see it because it is such a powerful story of courage and sacrifice. When God calls you to do something, you have to do it. In the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary--Jesus presented at the Temple--we pray for the virtue of obedience no matter what the cost, but how many of us do? I am ashamed to say that deep down I'm a coward. Fear has always been my nemesis. It's something I strive to fight but it doesn't come easily. The only proper fear should be fear of the Lord.

The story focuses on two Honduran children--a little girl and her littler brother--who are offered a photo-shoot for modeling. It's just a ruse but the father brings them. He's told to pick them up at 7 pm. You just want to tell this father, "No, No, Don't. Leave. Them." You can imagine his horror at discovering that there are no more children when he comes to collect them. 

Enter Tim Ballard, who works for the Dept. of Homeland Security catching pedophiles but when a colleague asks him how many kids he has returned home, he finds a new direction. He's a father himself. Months away from being vested in his pension, with his wife's encouragement, he quits his job at DHS to save the children.

Of course, the movie is dramatic given that these children's lives are in peril and so also Tim's and his team's who are helping them become free. I really loved what Tim says to one of the guys he's trying to recruit. Forget about the 50. How about just one? It's what Mother Teresa often said--you don't have to save all the children. Just one child. And spoiler: I'm happy to tell you that they rescued over 50 children.

You can read more about the movie, what's real, what's made up here Sound of Freedom vs. the True Story of Tim Ballard (historyvshollywood.com) and be assured that there will be no horrifying scenes of child-sex abuse. But you will see beautiful performances by all, the suspense palpable. You want so much for Tim to be able to pull this off; you know there are no second chances. It's a good study for writing about difficult subjects too.

I can't remember all the statistics, but child-sex-business is over a $150 billion dollar industry and we in these United States are the largest consumer. We have to end this demand that sexualizes children. Preserve and protect their innocence. That's what real men do--they protect the weaker members of society. 

The ending shot is the same as the opening--a little girl slapping a drum and singing, and although we are relieved she's at home again, we know she's not the same. Nor her little brother. Their innocence was stolen.

After I wrote this I came across a message from our Lord Jesus to a seer: Jennifer - The World Has Entered the Time of Warning – Countdown to the Kingdom

My child, I come to you now with great urgency, for the world has entered into the time of warning. I do not speak of the time of My visitation, rather this is a time of warning that will usher in the period when all of humanity will be brought to its knees to see their souls as I see them. My child, those who fail to recognize this time — when evil is seeking to elevate itself, yet is being simultaneously pierced by the light of truth—will find themselves like the foolish virgins. I tell My children with great urgency that it is time to repent. It is time to recognize the hour you are living in.

I am a God of repetition. Mankind must turn away from evil and defend the truth. Those who turn away in ignorance will be as those who failed to heed the warnings of Noah. I say to My people: defend and protect my little ones. As I have warned before, the blood of the innocent is upon the world because too many have failed to defend and protect them. Woe to those who seek to harm My children in their sinful lust. Woe to those who seek to manipulate My Creation, My plan. It is time, my children, to come to the fountain of My mercy. Those who fail to seek the ocean of My mercy will come to the harbor of My justice. Turn away turn away from darkness and seek the light, for I am Jesus and My mercy and justice will prevail.

We are told to not despise the words of prophets, but to test everything; hold fast to what is good... (1 Thess 5:20-21). Truly, now is the acceptable time. Repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15).

Strawberries and the Sacred Heart

June, the month of strawberries and rhubarb, is also the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I've written many times about it-- Vijaya Bodach: June is the Month of the Sacred Heart and Vijaya Bodach: Feast of Corpus Christi and Vijaya Bodach: Feast Days --because I'm still trying to fathom the depths of our Savior's love for us poor sinners. I think I'll never know because my own heart is so poor. And I'm about to exhibit my poverty. I'm finding it very difficult to love the sinner but hate the sin. In the past few years the culture is hell-bent on celebrating sin, especially the deadliest--pride. And the more you look at pride month, the more you see demon. Let us remember that it is pride that changed angels into demons. This server would not let me upload a picture showing it. Funny how that works. Not really. But here's something that's truly funny: Eccles is saved: It's WRATH Pride! (ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com) 

Speaking of demons, we saw Nefarious. Talk about truth bombs coming from a demon. Really well done; only two scenes were really difficult to watch but not at all gratuitous. It's really a conversation between the demon and the psychiatrist who's an atheist, more along the lines of My Dinner with Andre or Sunset Limited. What struck me was the progression of evil; the starting point is often parents not baptizing their children and well-meaning people inadvertently opening the door to the demonic by giving children toys like Ouija boards. Michael remembers getting one as a kid. They played only a few times but it didn't hold their interest. Thanks be to God. Still he was completely unprotected until his conversion, when he was baptized. I wish he would write his testimony. It would give parents much hope for their adult children who are far from the Lord, because truly, nothing is impossible for Him. Indeed, with God's grace, even middle-aged people can change, choose virtue over vice. Deo gratias! 

Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi; we had a beautiful High Mass followed by a procession and benediction. Deacon Ludlam gave an outstanding homily on both marriage and the Eucharist. Marriage is the closest analogy for what is occurring in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Our Lord instituted the Eucharist because He loves us so much, He wanted to give us Himself--His most Holy Body and Blood--in a real, physical, tangible way.

It's only in the last year that I began praying this beautiful prayer regularly. I first saw it in a Padre Pio prayer book; it was his favorite way to pray for all the people who asked him to pray for them. This is a wonderful novena to begin tonight and end of the Feast of the Sacred Heart next Friday. 

Pondering with Mary this Holy Saturday

Saturday is traditionally devoted to honoring our Lady. And I learned that it's because she alone kept the faith when all seemed lost--God is dead. Even though our Lord had prepared His Apostles and told them He would rise from the dead, it is such an incredulous thing, they didn't actually believe. There's a beautiful essay on this--perfect for pondering salvation history with our Mother Mary.

Easter Vigil is so powerful--I'm surprised that more people don't attend because you get to experience the darkness until the Paschal candle is lit and from it, the candles of the Altar servers, who share it with us in the pews, until candlelight spreads throughout the church. I love the Exultet and all the readings and psalms and the renewal of our baptismal promises and celebrating those who are received into the Church and who finally get to make their first Holy Communion. Christ Jesus is our Passover Lamb, whose Precious Body and Blood washes us clean of sin and guilt, restores lost innocence, brings us peace and heavenly joy. 

Behold, I make all things new! Rev. 21:5     

Twelve years ago, on our first anniversary of reception into the Church, Dagny and I were given the privilege of stripping the Altar after Maundy Thursday service. The Altar stone is Christ and I felt like one of the soldiers stripping our Lord. He'd been so horribly tortured during the scourging (Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ brought it to life in all its savage reality) that the garments adhered to His torn Flesh and in removing them roughly, some of His Skin came off. O Agony and Dying! O Love to sinners free! Jesus all grace supplying, O turn Thy Face on me...we sing in the Passion Chorale.  Until I read ART+FAITH by Makoto Fujimura, I hadn't considered that the only earthly thing Christ took with Him to the Cross was the aromatic nard that Mary of Bethany had so lovingly poured over Him. I have always loved this story that we read Monday of Holy Week and written a reflection on it a few years ago, but every year, it continues to help me grow in love.

Today is Pope Benedict XVI's 95th birthday! I love this man for his clear teaching. It so happens, that he was born and baptized on Holy Saturday. May God bless him and keep him and shine His Face upon him.   

I decided to try a bit of advertising in the Washington Review of Books, not that Ten Easter Eggs needs any help (it's sold over 100,000 copies) but my self-published titles do. Yes, I know--worldly aspirations. And so I pray: Lord Jesus, strip me of all things that do not belong to You. Make me love You above all things. Amen.

Pictures are from Max in DC; Palm Sunday at home; Dagny in Ave Maria. 

Reading, Writing, Watching

In my previous post, I wondered if there was a schedule of childhood vaccinations that lessened the risks of adverse effects from vaccination and indeed there is. The Vaccine-Friendly Plan by Paul Thomas, M.D. and Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D. is a fantastic resource. It's easy to read and understand and gives new parents the tools to discern what is right for their child. Because let's face it, our children are more sick now than ever before. In 1983, the CDC recommended 11 shots until the age of 16 whereas in 2015, they recommended at last 50 shots starting at birth, with most of them given before the child turns two years old.  

"To what extent is overvaccination contributing to the rise in chronic diseases and other health problems among America's children? To what extent is overvaccination a trigger for autism? Have we taken an unquestionably good practice (childhood vaccination) and turned it into something that is actually causing harm?"

The Vaccine-Friendly Plan is a comprehensive look at all the vaccines currently in use, their ingredients, as well as a schedule of vaccination that makes better sense for each child, rather than the current guidelines that follow a "one-size-fits-all." The authors recognize that "vaccines are preventative medicine. They do not cure an illness--they give a boost to an already healthy immune system so the body is less likely to succumb to illness in the future." Therefore it's "even more imperative that we have proof that the vaccines we are recommending are both necessary and safe." One thing is clear, the medical industry must start following its own mandate: First, do no harm. 

Alas, this has been sadly missing with the Covid vaccines. It's very rare for a child to die from Covid, yet our govt. agencies continue to push mask and vaccine mandates upon our children. The former VP of Pfizer, Dr. Michael Yeadon, says that a child is 50X more likely to die from the Covid vaccine than of Covid itself. Covid remains a problem for the elderly and those with comorbidities, so we should be focusing on keeping them safe, not making the rest of the people, including children take a vaccine that may or may not be useful. Here's a well-written piece on rethinking our strategy for managing Covid. 

It is the unreasonableness of the vaccine mandates that made me question our current protocols. It's up to the parents to do due diligence because we can no longer trust the CDC to evaluate what's best for our children. The Vaccine-Friendly Plan follows a chronological approach from before birth to adulthood, with emphasis on the child's well-being. I highly recommend it. I've already invested in my own copy and know I'll be lending it out. 

So, I'm a fan of Julia Cameron and her morning pages. They really work. I've been writing morning (sometimes they turn into afternoon or night pages, lol, but all writing is beneficial) off and on for several years now and it is amazing how much clarity one gets not just in writing but in life. Michael is nearing retirement so I got a copy of It's Never Too Late to Begin Again: Discovering Creativity and Meaning at Middle Age and Beyond, and we're both enjoying going through it. The one thing that resonates deeply for us is that human beings are naturally creative and we seek expression. Michael put aside many of his hobbies to focus on being a husband and father who provides and is present to us. What I've appreciated most is that he cultivated so many of the home arts in his spare time, from gardening to cooking. The newest interest is in all things fermented. He started with kombucha and beer, not the easiest things to manage, and onto pickling, and now yogurt, kefir, cheese. He's having fun. And we're often consulting Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz or On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee. It's so lovely sharing books and ideas. And what joy being a beginner again. We spend a lot of time together and I'm looking forward to when he can retire and spend more of his time doing ALL the things he loves. Perhaps he'll write a book too! As for me, I'm deep in revisions of my historical. This time it's do or die! I just received a wonderful conference critique with so many helpful suggestions that resonate, that I'm confident I can polish this until it shines.  

This past weekend we watched Show Me the Father in the movie theater. I've not been in quite some time and even surprised that it was available, wondering how they can even sustain being open. Our little art house theater has closed permanently :(  But the movie! Beautiful! It's about fatherhood and how important it is because it reflects the fatherhood of God. He's not distant, but near. We cry out Abba! Daddy. How many of us are lost because we do not have a father and don't know the Father's love? Even the best of fathers aren't perfect. The Kendrick brothers share not only their own story about their father, but also follow a couple more men and their struggles with an absent father and the blessing of other father figures in their lives. This movie touched me so deeply, to my core (couer?), I cried. I needed this very much, even as I bow my head to pray, Our Father...  Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. It's reminds me God so loved the world that He sent His only-begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Go see Show Me the Father. Know that you are loved. Covid be damned.

More May Celebrations

I love the end of May for its Feast Days--St. Joan of Arc and the Visitation and this year it was also Trinity Sunday. What a beautiful gift. I marvel at how beautifully we learn about salvation history, first that there is a God who is the creator of everything, seen and unseen; second, that Jesus is God, the only-begotten Son of God, who comes down from heaven to redeem us; and third, that their love itself is the Holy Spirit. I might not be stating this correctly and any analogy I might use will fail because He's an ineffable mystery. Theologians speak of the Holy Trinity with regard to their role: Father, Son, Holy Ghost; Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier; Lover, Beloved, Love. The relational aspect blows me away. Mary is daughter of the Father, mother of the Son, and spouse of the Holy Ghost. She is the only creature who is exalted even above the angels. She sings Magnificat (I love this simple psalm tone for singing) when Elizabeth, her elderly cousin blesses her, not once, but twice!  "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb...And blessed art thou hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord." I love this first chapter of Luke so much!     

I love Memorial Day Weekend too because our remembrance of our fallen dead is so very important, especially now, for the gift of freedom we enjoy. We watched a lovely movie, A Bear Named Winnie, about a little black bear that Lt. Harry Coleburn of the Canadian Veterinary Corps rescued while they were training to fight during WWI. The tension comes from the fact that the little bear is very attached to Lt. Harry and used to human companionship, yet they are preparing to go off to war, and there's just no place for a bear. A little boy, Christopher Robin, visits Winnie at the London Zoo, and his father, the playwright and poet A. A. Milne, begins writing his stories about Winnie the Pooh. I love how children bring out some of the best in adults.

And dear St. Joan--she was but a child, a mere teenager, when she fought for France. What courage! We ask for her intercession as well as St. Michael the Archangel, and St. Jude, the patron saint of impossible causes, daily. And today, we especially pray for all who've died defending all that America stands for. Requiescat in pace.

Movies and More

My new look! It's been headache central over here so I'm no longer disappointed that I'm not in Calcutta at the moment. It's much easier to massage Biofreeze into my head without it getting into my eyes when the hair is short. Dagny gave me the haircut--she doesn't hesitate, lol. This is the shortest my hair has ever been. It reminded me of the Passion of Joan of Arc. It's the best version I've seen--pretty much follows the transcript of the trial. It's a silent film and shot in such a way, with closeups of the actress' expressive face and those of her interrogators. You can really feel St. Joan's fear and confusion with all these churchmen threatening her, berating her. Ah, but she's a saint and nobody even remembers the names of those high and learned church officials. It's been so great to watch these movies with Max. He's taking an online class on Film in History and he shares the lecture with us before watching so we're getting a free education. The first one was Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew. Wow! I loved the look of the movie and the young and manly Jesus! Interestingly, the young man who plays Jesus was an atheist and remained an atheist after this movie. Sometimes I wonder how it's possible because the Gospels are transformative, but then I remember that even Jesus couldn't get everybody to follow Him. Many followers lefts Him because they did not like the Truth. He said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I love what St. John says: the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. Indeed, no matter how dark the world gets, the Holy Spirit will illuminate Truth. Come Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth. Next on the list: Spartacus and Gladiator.        

That's my hair you see--2 inches of curls--that will line the nests of birds. We also have our first honey! Michael was removing the bars where the combs were going across and it was so honey-laden. Isn't the comb beautiful? A marvel of engineering when you consider how heavy the comb gets when it's filled with honey (or brood or pollen). I want to make a skin cream--mix the comb with coconut oil and lavender. Or a candle! So great to have bees! God's gift to make life sweet and beautiful. 

The Longest Lent--Easter Blessings

God is pouring so many blessings upon our family during this pandemic. Books are just one of them. A while back, I'd read in Publisher's Weekly about a new book, The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: a Tale of the Genius Ramanujan by Amy Alznauer, illustrated by Daniel Miyares. Holy smokes! I love his work. And after I took a peek with the Amazon Look Inside feature, I began to drool and knew I had to have it--the writing lyrical and luminous, the art capturing the beauty and pathos of this great mind. Then I read an interview over on Picture Book Builders and entered the giveaway and I WON!!!

The book arrived last week, along with a letter and a card made by Meltem Aktas. I love Byzantine art so what joy to know of Meltem and her work. I'll be sending links to our pastor at St. Clare of Assisi because we'll need art for our new church! I've read the book numerous times and shared it with the whole family. It is amazing how Amy has written about something complex so beautifully. It really does give you a glimpse into the mind of God. I felt the same way as a scientist--there is such beauty in numbers and patterns. I wept reading about the "thoughts of God on your tongue." How frustrating to not be able to share them with anybody! But thank God, Ramanujan wrote to Hardy and decades later Amy's father went to Cambridge and came across a box of paper including the Lost Notebook by Ramanujan. This book wouldn't exist otherwise and neither would I have gotten to know Amy. I've been perusing her gorgeous website with an invitation to Enter the Stories. I discovered that she was at the movie premiere of Ramanujan among other interesting bits... 

Amy has two more picture books coming out this year--The Strange Birds of Flannery O'Connor and Flying Paintings: the Zhou Brothers: a Story of Revolution and Art. Soooo exciting!!! You all know my own love of Flannery. I'm going to have to wait to get these books but in the meantime, I bought her memoir, Love and Salt: a Spiritual Friendship Shared in Letters. What a joy to read these private thoughts of two friends as they navigate marriage and motherhood and careers. They walk together, and together seek God. I loved this format because it is so raw and personal and honest and echoes so many of the thoughts I've shared with my sister and friends on my own spiritual journey. I'm in the middle of it and bawling. I'm also delighted by our similarities--the Ayn Rand phase, the Teresas, the preoccupation with death, the acedia, vainglory, and wonderment. This book is a treasure. I often think the most important writing I do is hidden--writing letters, writing prayers, writing hopes and dreams--and this book reminds me that it's good. To parody the last line of Charlotte's Web and Casablanca: It is not often that someone comes along who is a convert, a mathematician, and a good writer. I pray this is the start of a true and beautiful friendship. Deo gratias!

Retreat...and Write

We've had a wonderful Christmas holiday with our family and friends and I had a birthday celebration. We went to see what I think is one of the best movies in recent history: A Hidden Life. It's about a young Austrian farmer who refuses to make an oath to Hitler and who suffers and is condemned to death. His family suffers as well. It makes me question whether I would have such courage. It is beautifully filmed and really allows one to experience the feelings of this man and his wife as they consider what it means to have free will, what it means to do the right thing, even when it cannot change the course of history. If there's only one movie you watch this year, make it A Hidden Life (reviewed in the link).

So thankful to God for all the blessings, the trials, this writing life. What a delight to receive complimentary copies of Shalom Tidings that featured a little review of Bound as well as my article on the parable of the Sower and cultivating the soil of our hearts. It is what I must continue to do. And as it turns out, the Saint Generator picked St. Patrick--he's a reminder to live my baptismal promises. The inspirational word was Beauty! Ah, time to retreat into my imagination and write more beautiful stories. How is the New Year shaping up for you?

 

My First National Right to Life Convention

Wow!!! It was amazing and I feel so blessed that the National Right to Life convention came to Charleston, that Michael and I could attend and learn to fight the good fight from seasoned veterans, some who've been at this for nearly 50 years. There were so many practical suggestions on speaking the truth in love, being salt and light, being a voice for those who have none, and so many personal stories. What is clear is that abortion is going to take center stage in the 2020 election. Already some states are passing laws to restrict abortion. Only 13% of Americans want unrestricted abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, yet many states, like VA, OH, and others are following a NY-style abortion proposal. The time has come to return the legal protection babies in the womb enjoyed before Roe v Wade.   There were many young people there as well--our future! The first right is the right to life, without which all other rights--for education, for health, for religious freedom--are moot. Here are some of the highlights.

The convention opened with Viable, a one-act play written by John Hoover. In this story, Judy meets her own daughter whom she aborted 30 years ago. We see and hear the unintended consequences of Judy's secret abortion--the sorrow, the rage, the despair (Judy's performance was electric!)--all because she believed the lies that were fed to her. But there is healing in Christ and Judy, restored, is able to take the message of His love to her husband and her second daughter, living, who is pregnant and considering an abortion. Watching this play made me realize how much I want Bound to be a movie, so that it can reach more people. I'd best start small, like writing a short play. The link for Viable has all the information if you want to bring it to your school or church. Please spread the word. It is beautiful.  

Michael and I both like numbers and data, but there was so much, we decided to get the book. One of the authors is  a physicist who's been collecting abortion data in his spare time for the past few decades and archiving his findings here. What a labor of love, of remembering. Abortion Worldwide Report: 1 Century, 100 Nations, 1 Billion Babies is a book for people who are interested in some hard data, in history and ethics, and in the nature of law and its purpose in protecting human life. From 1803-1919, every nation with a known policy prohibited abortion (see the map that's mostly blue). A hundred years later, abortion is legal almost everywhere (see colorful map below) leading to the deaths of a billion babies. It's clear we need to stop the slaughter of the innocents.   

 

Dagny was stunned when I told her about abortion survivors. She asked, "Is it even possible?" and the answer is yes. Melissa Ohden is one remarkable survivor who was born alive after her mother had a saline abortion. Her birth records indicate that she had an Apgar score of 6, not bad for a baby floating in a toxic saline solution for five days. After five minutes, though her score plummeted to a 2. She was nearly dead. She might've perished had not a nurse taken care of resuscitating her. She is an advocate for babies in the womb and for those born alive and in danger of neglect. Her story is so inspiring as is the testimony of others, like Gianna Jessen, who've survived. Many have been adopted into loving homes. I loved what Joleigh Little had to say about "unwanted children." That they simply haven't found their family yet. Adoption is a wonderful alternative to abortion. Many couples are on waiting lists for babies. But if you are being called to adopt, don't forget the older children and those with special needs. They often languish. One of Michael's colleagues went through the foster care system; she's made it her life's work to adopt several of the "hard-to-adopt" children. God bless her.    

Although abortion is the biggest killer, there were sessions on euthanasia as well. It was heartbreaking to hear of veterans and people suffering from cancer and other chronic ailments denied treatment but offered pills to commit suicide. This is a direct result of the abortion culture. Once killing is accepted as an answer to human suffering, then there's no stopping. And the medical industry can kill people without judicial review. The NRTL recommend you prepare a Will to Live.

There was so much more, but let me end with a story about Ashley Bratcher, the actress who plays Abby Johnson in Unplanned. Ashley had never heard of Abby but someone on social media told Ashley to audition for the part and only after that someone followed up with her, did she audition. We know Ashley got the part :) She was moved by the full script and read everything she could about Abby. Only Ashley's husband, son, and sister knew why she'd flown out to OK (for filming). So when her mother called, Abby told her what the movie was about and wanted to make sure her mom knew she wasn't judging her for having an abortion in high school. "There is hope and redemption," she said. Her mom wept. And then confessed that at 19, she went to a clinic to get an abortion, but she walked out. "I chose you." Talk about a Jeremiah moment. I love how wonderfully creative God is in writing our stories!!! God bless you all.  

 

Unplanned

I read the book UNPLANNED many years ago and was struck by Abby Johnson's courageous journey as a Planned Parenthood director to the pro-life cause. So many of us, myself included, have believed in a lie, based our lives upon it, but Abby shows that you can turn away from a life you do not want and into a new one. I wanted everybody to read it and did a mini-review here. Now that it's a movie, I hope everybody who is 13 years old and up can see the truth about abortion. It does have a couple of very graphic scenes, but they are not gratuitous. They are absolutely necessary to show the violence of the act, not just against the baby but also against the mother. The ultrasound is computer generated--and not a real abortion.

I didn't know what abortion was until I came to this country and took a mandatory class on Health as a freshman in the public high school. Never mind that I didn't actually know how the baby got to be there in the first place. But my first reaction was horror. Yet, fast forward four years, and by age 18, I had breathed enough feminist and me-myself-I air and was blithely proclaiming that abortion is a woman's right, the baby being a parasite since it takes all its sustenance from the mother. But by my mid-20s I reversed my position because now I had family and friends who'd gone through abortions and I saw their suffering, and my own part in the destruction of their babies. See, I did not want any responsibility for the babies, so I'd say, "I'll support whatever choice you make." Like Abby Johnson, I looked at myself and wondered how I ever became so hard-hearted.


The movie is well-made, true to its characters, and situations. Although it's Abby's story, we get a good glimpse of how a girl raised in a Christian home can make choices that are unchristian. Away from home, she's subject to all the temptations young people face. Her parents are amazing, and a great example to all how to show love even when you disagree with your child. The women working at PP were also well-defined. All of them cared about the women. Except maybe Cheryl, the boss, who made it very clear that what mattered was the bottom line. I also liked seeing the friendship that developed between Marilisa and Abby across the fence. It's what allowed Abby to leave PP. I don't cry much at movies, but by the end I was bawling, thinking of the babies who'd be grown up by now. It definitely packs an emotional wallop. But remember God's mercy.

I could write so much more, but many others have reviewed UNPLANNED and one of the best reviews with extra interviews is by Donald McClarey. The story of the actress who plays Abby is amazing! So read the review, watch the embedded videos. And go see the movie. Bring your friends. This is so timely with so many states trying to pass laws to protect the right to have an abortion for any reason. I think this movie can change hearts and minds. Nobody will be able to say, "I didn't know." Now I have to figure out how to get BOUND made into a movie. I suppose I need to learn how to write a screenplay :) I think writers must have a certain audacity to even begin writing a book that they believe will make a difference. So, go be audacious! Write!!! Because it matters.