God Bless America?

I wrote the following for the Duluth News Tribune.  It appeared in the Sunday, February 20, 2011 Edition. 

 “God Bless America”!   How can He?  Since the Supreme Court made abortion at any stage of pregnancy a ‘woman’s right’, we have disposed of (murdered) over 50 million unborn babies.  Not “fetuses”; babies.  The same God who is the author of our freedom has “created us in His image” Genesis 1:27 and “formed us in the womb” Psalm 139:13.   Our country’s founders based our Declaration of Independence on this premise. 

By far, most abortions are done for ‘convenience, not for the health of the mother. 

President Obama has supported government funding of embryonic stem cell research which requires the sacrifice of a living human embryo.  Yet according to David A. Prentice, PH.D. of the Family Research Council, “despite over 12 years of promises, embryonic stem cells still have not helped a single patient”. To the contrary, adult stem cell research has proven success at saving lives and improving health on a daily basis. Cancers, spinal cord injury, heart damage, MS and many other diseases have been successfully treated with stem cells taken from adult donors and the patients themselves. 

Health Care Reform Act advocates have defended government supported ‘end of life counseling’ proposed by the law.  Yet, a sensitive reading of that portion of the law makes it clear that the intention of the law is to reduce health care expenditures by encouraging the elderly and other terminal cases to opt for the economical rather than the personal choice.  Indeed, to die in these cases rather than to continue expensive treatment would save us all money.  But would it be the moral thing to do?  That is an issue to be considered by the patient and family.  Involvement by government leverage would be entirely inappropriate. 

“God Bless America?”  Only when we repent of our ungodly attitude. 

Wise Old Owl

 

The Barred Owl stopped by for lunch the other day

A barred owl came by our bird feeder the other day to see if he could pick up a quick snack of chickadee or nuthatch.  His call says, "whoo cooks for youuuu?" To my knowledge, the owl eats his lunch uncooked.  

Annual Snowshoe Hike

Woodchuck and son enjoy a winter picnic

Every year for many years Dave has been hosting a snowshoe hike with his Dad.  They hike into the woods some distance and locate a suitable lunch spot.  There, they gather wood, lay a fire and cook a relaxing woodsy lunch.  Its a great day in the woods and time to philosophize, converse and observe the treasures of nature.   

Dave tends our cooking fire along the river

Deer Heiroglyphics

What does it say?

I found these odd markings on a patch of ice on the edge of the St. Croix River.  They were made by a "sure-footed" deer who was slippin and slidin on the ice.  Or was it an attempt by a highly evolved deer trying to communicate with us?  Another of the myriad mysteries to be contemplated in the north woods. 

Birdie Condo

A black spruce "developed" by a woodpecker"

The forest real estate developers aka woodpeckers chisel out large holes in bug infested trees in their quest for lunch.  Inadvertently, they provide homes for smaller birds such as chickadees and nut hatches. Our Creator, God, wastes nothing. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

Twizzle Stick

a vine wrapped around this young red maple

Vines, common further south, are unusual in our territory.  This one I was unable to identify in it's winter state sans leaves.  Perhaps a wild grape, it grew around a red maple sapling providing this twizzle appearance.