A Christmas Snow

Last summer I had the privilege of attending the Gideon Film Festival in North Carolina. The primary reason I attended was to see Muse Watson, the actor who plays Mike Franks on "NCIS". However, it turned out to be more than I bargained for. I found myself on the outside looking in on a group of people who were working to fulfill their dreams of making Christian films and telling stories from a Christian perspective. One of those stories was "A Christmas Snow."

"A Christmas Snow" is the story of a grinch-like woman whose father had left one Christmas Eve and spoiled every subsequent Christmas for her, until one snowy Christmas. This year, a blizzard and a houseful of unexpected guests give her a new appreciation for the holiday.

When I saw them movie at the festival, I was charmed by its simple, yet moving story. As time passed, I thought I was just pulled in by the thrill of the festival and of meeting Muse. I had a opportunity to see the movie again recently and was still moved. This is a fine story that puts one in the Christmas spirit, even in October. It has with that substance called Christmas Magic that sits just right with the viewer and reminds one that at Christmas anything is possible.

I highly recommend this movie. You can order a copy at Amazon.com.

Changes ahead

This blog has been languishing. The biggest reason would be my change of job and my corresponding decision to get out of the visible battle for life. Not to say I'm not still actively working toward that end. It's just more as a stage manager than a director--ultimately where I'd more like to be.

So, the blog goes back to it's original focus--me. What I'm doing, reading, watching, knitting, thinking. That may or may not be interesting for some but it's better than nothing and for me it is my life.

Purple Envelope Project

The Red Envelope Project was a huge success. Over 2 million pro-lifers made their voices heard.
It showed me how powerful this type of campaign could be, and gave me an idea to put our numbers to use.

This is Holy Week and we are celebrating the Resurrection. I think it is the perfect time to support those who are working to support life and saving children from abortion.

CareNet and Heartbeat Int. are wonderful organization that have Crisis Pregnancy Centers all over the country. I have no affiliation with them, but I have heard nothing but good things about both and the work that they do.
Here's a link to their sites: http://www.care-net.org/aboutus/ and http://www.heartbeatinternational.org/

Let's take advantage of our numbers and send PURPLE envelopes to Care Net or Heartbeat Int. If you can't find a purple envelope, use a WHITE envelope and write "Purple Envelope Project" on the back. Here's the twist. Instead of sending empty envelopes, PUT IN 1 DOLLAR.

Just think how much we can raise for CareNet and Heartbeat Int. if everyone who sent a red envelope to the White House sends them a purple envelope!

Write this message:
Thank you for all that you do to protect life. Life begins at conception. We appreciate the work you do that helps women choose life. God bless you and your work.


This, like the Red Envelope Project, is something that you can do with your family. Please send your envelope and dollar to one or both of these great organizations.

Here's the addresses:
Care Net
PO Box 758530
Topeka, KS 66675-8530

Heartbeat Int.
665 E. Dublin-Granville Road, Suite 440,
Columbus, OH 43229, USA
Please leave a comment in the comment section if you're planning on participating!

Secretary of State Clinton accepts Margaret Sanger Award

Hillary Clinton accepted Planned Parenthood's Margaret Sanger Award. Here's the transcript of her speech.

What Are Pregnancy Centers?

Last week I wrote that the pro-life movement needs to get the word out on the good that pregnancy centers do. First thing, we need to let people know what pro-life pregnancy centers are.

If you do a search online, you'll undoubtedly come across some articles on what's wrong with pregnancy centers. Generally, these articles are filled with at the best bias based on out-dated information and pro-abortion views, at the worst, outright lies. Rather than rebut the comments, let's just explore what pregnancy centers are and what they do.

1. Pro-life pregnancy centers are not Planned Parenthood.


• Planned Parenthood operates on the premise of "family planning," which translates doing what is necessary to keep from having a baby before you're ready--whether that means providing birth control, emergency contraception, or abortion.


• Pregnancy centers recognize that not all women want to make the choice for abortion and give women other life-affirming options. They operate on the premise that after you are pregnant, it is too late to consider birth control, and will not provide nor refer for abortions. What's more, pregnancy centers usually promote abstinence rather than birth control, responsibility rather than avoidance. The idea being the best way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections is by not engaging in the behavior that causes them.



2. While not all pregnancy centers are affiliated with national organizations, those that are, are required to agree to certain guidelines, such as Heartbeat International's Committment of Care. Belonging to a membership organization that pledges to uphold these standards is a requirement before calls are referred to a center through the Option Line website.



3. Pregnancy centers are generally privately funded. While some abstinence programs may have received federal funding, generally the services they provide their clients is free to the client and paid for through the center's supporters. Unlike abortion clinics, they do not make a profit through their services. Pregnancy centers provide free information and assistance to women in need.



4. Pregnancy centers are community organizations run by caring people committed to making their community a better place by helping those in need. Pregnancy center outreaches can include clothing, food, housing, job placement/training, and medical assistance. And because they are community organizations, they are in touch with programs and agencies in their area to assist women in need.

There is a battle being waged against pregnancy centers, trying to stop them from helping women facing an unplanned pregnancy. These arguments are often being made by businesses who might lose profits if their clients chose not to abort. But, they are often made by people who are genuinely concerned for women, but who have a vastly different philosophical approach to meeting their needs.

The need to protect pregnancy centers.

The time has come for life-affirming pregnancy centers and those involved in the pro-life movement to go on the offense, actively promoting the good that pregnancy centers do. A recent article in The Bulletin shows the renewal of threats--an outright campaign--against those who do the most good: Pregnancy Centers.

According to the Philadelphia newspaper, an e-mail was sent to college activists by the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Campus Program announcing a nationwide protest on April 13 against pregnancy care centers that provide free aid and abortion alternatives for women.

The sarcastic side of me wonders if they will stand outside of pregnancy centers with signs depicting babies and offers to kill them.

The realist in me knows that the so-called choice movement has been emboldened by the pro-abortion position of President Obama and the left-leaning Congress and is moving into action to stop pro-life pregnancy centers from giving information and services to women in need. After all, pregnancy centers, generally not-for-profit organizations funded by private donations, eat into the profit margin of abortion clinics.

The Bulletin quotes Virginia Cline of Heartbeat International, “Today, the abortion cartel is a multimillion dollar industry that encourages and promotes abortion for profit … Heartbeat pregnancy centers provide the crucial facts on fetal development and explain the physical and emotional risks of abortion that those selling abortion to women often leave out.”

In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing the good that pregnancy centers do and outlining some of the threats that pregnancy centers face. This is an important message that needs to spread like wildfire. Pregnancy centers are under attack and the pro-life movement must not let them fall.

Time to take care of ourselves.

In one of those convergent moments, an instant of clarity was revealed.

I was already annoyed about discriminatory language remaining in Section 803 of the the stimulus bill.

Section 803 prohibits funds for "modernization, renovation, or repair of [educational] facilities--(i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or (ii) in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission."

Congress refused, in spite of an amendment offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), to remove that stipulation. The vote failed 54-43. Congress voted to not allow funding to a facility that is used for any type of religious activity--even a school of Divinity. That leaves out schools at even Yale, Harvard, Duke, Wake Forest, any School of Divinity. Incredible!

I know that one of the purposes of stipulations such as this are to control what is taught at our schools. If schools want the government funds, they have to jump through government hoops. It's rare to find a school district, college or university that is willing to sacrifice its accreditation in order to follow the community's own values and curriculum goals. As a homeschool mom, I came to understand that it was necessary to sacrifice the accreditation from my sons' school district, and to sacrifice financially to pay for their education ourselves, in order for my sons to get the education we deemed necessary.

Both sons are now freshmen at a small private college in Texas. We were surprised to find out last fall that the school doesn't take Federal Financial Aid. We were surprised again to discover that the tuition tax deduction and the Hope and Lifetime tax credits are only available to schools who receive Federal Financial Aid.

At that moment I saw our situation for what it is. Like when we homeschooled, if we don't want to follow the mandates of government-sponsored education, we have to not accept government funding. In this case, if it means that we have to forgo the tax deduction for tuition in order to get the education that we want, then we have to step up and pay for it.

The government will never give us what we want on our terms. It's always on theirs. We need to have the courage and the confidence to step out of the system and take care of ourselves.

Thoughts on this week in Washington and What it Means for the Pro-life Movement

I've been mulling over this past week and the pro-life movement. Our new president, Barack Obama, was sworn in, and Obama's abortion agenda loomed overhead while thousands attended the March for Life. There was great concern that Obama might slap pro-lifers in the face with rescinding the Mexico City Policy on the anniversary of Roe V. Wade, however, he waited until take-out-the-trash Friday when it would be more difficult for the not-so-tech-savy Right to comment or report. No worries that the left-wing media will pick up that story and run with it. Besides, we knew that it would be one of his first acts in office, and we knew there was nothing we could do about it but lament--and pray.

I am happy to report, however, that Heartbeat International's Babies Go to Congress event was a hit. People responded well to the idea of taking moms and their babies saved from abortion by pregnancy centers to meet congress persons to show them that pregnancy centers are good for America. Heartbeat is encouraged enough to consider making this an annual event.

Also, Heartbeat's president, Peggy Hartshorn, was interviewed by several news outlets. Peggy has devoted her life to making abortion unthinkable. This interview on CBN is inspiring. Be sure to watch.

It is my belief that pregnancy centers are where the movement needs to be focusing. We need to promote their work as community organizations. We need to protect their work from abortion-lobby interference. And we need to get involved on that grass-roots community level. It is working in our communities where we might just do the most good.

Babies Go to Congress

“On this anniversary of Roe v. Wade, after 37 years of the dehumanizing choice to abort a child, Heartbeat is bringing to Capitol Hill children saved by the compassionate care of pregnancy centers,” said Heartbeat President Peggy Hartshorn, Ph.D. “Members of Congress need to hear from the women we serve. I am grateful they have such positive things to say about pregnancy center help. Children are America’s greatest natural resource, and our elected officials need to preserve the bond between mother and child. Our families and the future of our country are strengthened by the life-saving work of pregnancy centers.”

Heartbeat International, founded in 1971, is an interdenominational Christian association of nearly 1,100 pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, non-profit adoption agencies, and medical clinics in 48 states and 43 other countries. Heartbeat provides www.OptionLine.org (800-395-HELP) to connect women with the local pregnancy center for the help they need.

Blogs4Life

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 FRC-Blogs-for-Life-09

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thursday, January 22nd at 8:30 am, Family Research Council, located at 801 G Street, NW, will host Blogs for Life, the fourth annual conference of pro-life bloggers.

Blogs for Life is scheduled to take place the day of the 36th annual March for Life, during which hundreds of thousands of pro-life advocates gather in the nation's capitol to celebrate life and demand the reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

The conference will feature several prominent conservative voices including Senator Sam Brownback, Amanda Carpenter, Jill Stanek, Michael New, Ph.D., Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., Michael Illions, Chris Gacek, J.D. and Martha Shuping, M.D. all speaking with bloggers live from Family Research Council headquarters.


Blogs for Life is an excellent opportunity for individuals and organizations to network with pro-life bloggers and activists and to grow in their knowledge of how internet technology can be used to strategically promote life and transform ideas into action as we move toward a post-Roe America. The event will also webcast live on www.frc.org, providing an opportunity for pro-life bloggers and blog readers to participate in the March, even if they cannot travel to Washington, D.C.


Who: Senator Sam Brownback

Amanda Carpenter, Townhall.com

Jill Stanek, blogger and speaker, JillStanek.com

Michael New, Ph.D., University of Alabama

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., President and CEO of Americans United for Life

Michael Illions, co-executive director of GOPUSA

Chris Gacek, Senior Fellow, Family Research Council

Martha Shuping, M.D., Shuping & Associates


What: The third annual conference dedicated to advancing the pro-life message through blogging.


When: Thursday, January 22, 2009

8:30am - 11:30 am ET


Where: Family Research Council

801 G. Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

RSVP: online at www.blogs4life.com (click on Register)


SOURCE Family Research Council

Baby, it's cold outside.

Crikey! My thermometer this morning registered -19.

Biscuits and pizza crust

Last time I shared my recipe for biscuit mix. Right now, I don't want to have a big batch in the fridge, so I make biscuit dough when I need it. This will make a dozen drop biscuits or one pizza crust. Don't hesitate to halve the recipe if you don't want a dozen biscuits.

Biscuits

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbl shortening
• 2/3-3/4 cup milk or water

Sift together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening until the consistency of coarse corn meal. Add liquid, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball. Roll out on a floured board (or a piece of wax paper) until 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured biscuit cutter. Bake at 450 on an ungreased baking sheet for10-12 minutes. These can be dropped from a spoon instead to make drop biscuits or dumplings.

To use as pizza crust, lightly oil the outside of the dough ball. Press into pizza pan. Top with your pizza toppings and bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. Watch for the dough and cheese to brown.

Pizza sauce:
Pizza is a great follow up for having spaghetti. When you have leftover sauce, don't put it away with the spaghetti. Freeze it, or store it separately and use it for pizza sauce another night. You can top the pizza with leftover chicken or ham. But, if your spaghetti already had meat in it, you really can just add cheese and you're good to go.

Tomorrow--what to do with the leftover pasta.

Homemade Biscuit Mix

When Holly was here for Christmas, she asked about some of the recipes I used with Isaac was little. This one for Biscuit Mix I used for everything from biscuits to pizza crust. I also substituted it for anything on the back of the Bisquick box.

Homemade Biscuit Mix

• 8 cups flour
• 1 tbl salt
• 4 tbl baking powder
• 1 cup shortening--room temperature
  

Mix and sift flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture is like a coarse corn meal.

Store in a covered container in the fridge.

To make 6 biscuits:

• 1 cup biscuit mix
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk

Roll out and cut or drop onto cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. This also makes dumplings which you can drop into a boiling soup, or double the recipe and roll it out on a pizza pan for homemade pizza.

To make 6 pancakes:

• 1 cup biscuit mix
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1/2 cup milk

Mix well and pour onto hot griddle.

To make 6 waffles:

• 2 cups biscuit mix
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbl melted butter (or use vegetable oil)
• 1/12 cups milk
• 1 beaten egg
  

Beat liquids into biscuit mix. Pour into waffle iron.

Prolife PR

I recently read an article saying that the pro-life movement is changing directions with the election of Barack Obama. Supposedly, the movement is shifting to providing care rather than attempting to strike down Roe v. Wade. Obviously, the writers were unaware of the history of the pregnancy centers.

Since before Roe v. Wade, caring people in communities all over the country set up pregnancy help centers to reach women in "crisis pregnancies". These were people who knew that women need real options, not just the "right" to have an abortion. They needed help in making an adoption plan or in finding ways to be able to raise their child.

Today's pregnancy care centers often have medical staff, ultrasounds, fertility education, and abortion recovery programs. They don't get the coverage that protests or anti-abortion legislation gets, but they are on the front lines meeting the needs of women and families. Unlike Planned Parenthood, pregnancy help centers generally don't charge for their services and generally don't received funding from the government (although some abstinence programs do receive funds).

These centers are at risk of being shut down because those who support a woman's right to choose don't want women to have access to other options. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that pregnancy centers cut into their profit margin. Planned Parenthood makes money on contraception and on abortion. They don't want their clients going elsewhere for free care.

Another option, however, is that there is a fundamental difference in the philosophy of both sides of the abortion coin. Many on the pro-abortion side truly believe that a women is hindered by having a child, or even the risk of having a child. The Sexual Revolution grew out of Margaret Sanger's writings (among others) and the perceived need for women to be able to have the same cavalier attitude about sex that men have. We've reached that point. Women have affairs as frequently as men, they watch porn and emulate the actresses. No wonder motherhood, abstinence, and fidelity are seen as out of date.

Pregnancy centers have been around longer than Roe v. Wade, but they need to have better PR. They are in the forefront of the battle, but they are the last place receiving support. The battleground hasn't changed from the Congress to providing care for moms in need. That is the battleground. It's time that people noticed.

Countering Planned Parenthood's "Death" Certificates

You might have heard that Planned Parenthood of Indiana is offering gift certificates this Christmas for services, including abortions. Many people, even pro-choicers, are appalled. Well, here is the opportunity to counter that effort.

In response to these "death certificates," the Pro-Life Action League is encouraging its supporters to give to a non-profit service, Option Line, the life-saving 24/7 hotline (1-800-395-HELP) that connects callers to local resource centers that can help manage a crisis pregnancy or deal with the aftermath of abortion.

To encourage donations to Option Line and remember the birth of baby Jesus, PLAL will give away copies of the book, "What Mary and Joseph Knew About Parenting" to the first 100 donors who give $42 or more between now and December 25. Forty-two dollars is enough to keep Option Line open and taking calls for half an hour—helping at least 14 people in need or as many as 1,000 women if 100 people donate.

To make a tax-deductible gift of $42 or more go to the Option Line online donation form. Write "Mary and Joseph" in the comments section to receive your complimentary book. Or send your check made out to Option Line for $42 or more, with a note to request your book, to Heartbeat International, 665 E. Dublin Granville Rd., Ste 440, Columbus, Ohio 43229. Option Line is a joint venture of Heartbeat International and Care Net.

Columbus' Biggest Baby Shower

Columbus’ Biggest Baby Shower
Join 104.9 The River for Columbus’ Biggest Baby Shower on Saturday, April 19 from 10am to 1pm at Lindsay Acura located on Scarborough Blvd. just off of I-70 and Brice Road. Theywill be collecting gently used baby items and maternity clothes that will help benefit Pregnancy Decision Health Centers and Maternity Resources and kids will have the oppportunity to meet the characters from Veggie Tales. Click Here for a complete list of baby items that will be accepted.

This is the event where we're donating our knitted and crocheted baby items. I'm absolutely enamored by all things yarn, especially things with faces and things for babies. If I could, I'd spend all my time making things to give away, but alas, I have a paying job.

The KnitWits met last night. We had two new crocheters and one person switched to knitting for the first time. We have a bag full of hats to donate to PDHC. I started making booties to go with them. We're setting up a baby shower in the church to gather more donations. Hopefully, we'll have a nice stache to pass on to moms in need.

I have a little enforced yarn time on my hands this week. My youngest son and I are racing through season 3 of Battlestar Galactica before season 4 starts on Friday. To keep me from dozing, I'm knitting or crocheting. Last night my hands were busy with the amigurumi octopus from Lion Brand Yarn's website. I'll also have time on my hands tomorrow while I wait for the birth of my first granddaughter, Lydia Joy.

Focusing on Babies

Seems like it's been forever since I blogged. It has been too long and changes are afoot.

I've been enjoying time off of theatre and the coming births of Lydia and Rebekah, my granddaughters. It's gotten me knitting and crocheting and once again enjoying making baby things. So, along with making things for the girls, I've been making things to donate to Pregnancy Decision Health Center in Columbus, OH. I've even started a little group of KnitWits (AKA Happy Hookers) to make baby things to donate.

This idea not only comes from my burning desire to play with yarn, but from comments that "choicers" throw out that pro-lifers don't do anything to support the mother who chooses to keep their child. I know that's not true, but I decided to put my talent where my mouth is and help with material aid.

Our first drop will be April 19th at Columbus's Largest Baby Shower, sponsored by 104.9 The River. Our church is even holding a baby shower for PDHC to increase the donations. Just our way of helping. Pictures of the stash to follow.

Vanity Theatre

Community theatre is a strange animal. The mission is usually something about inviting the community to participate in theatre, whether as an actor, tech person, or audience member. For people who were part of theatre in high school and did nothing more with it, it sounds like fun. Sometimes it is. Sometimes you find yourself embroiled in what I call "Vanity Theatre."

Sounds almost redundant, doesn't it? Don't you have to be a little bit vain to be involved in theatre anyway? Maybe, but that's not the point. What I mean when I say "vanity theatre" is a theatre company started by one or more people who are disgruntled with the theatre company they were working for and who decide to start their own company. It's pretty common, at least in my neck of the woods. I can list off about five theatre companies who have branched off of just one in my area.

Sometimes it's really not a problem. The new company quickly gets past the hurt feelings, establishes its own identity and moves on. That's healthy growth. Other times, the connection is as clear as the plagiarized bylaws handed out to new board members. Spend enough time there and you'll know the real reason why the company was started. By the end of tech week, the entire cast and crew of the last show I directed knew the reason the company president left his previous company.

Here's my advice: If you find yourself at a vanity company to work on a show and you find that the founders haven't moved on from their past hurts, finish up the show and walk calmly to the nearest exit. If you are one of those founders, move on. Let it go. Community theatre has enough drama on its own.

The Lost Tomb of the Wilsons

As a child my father took us on regular trips to the family plot at the cemetery. On the right side of the plot lay my grandfather. Next to him lay his parents, George and Maggie Wilson. On the right, across from George and Maggie lay Francis Wilson and Ellen Boyer. All the stones identical, except Ellen Boyer's, which could make one question her relationship. One would assume, since this is a family plot, that there lay three generations of Wilsons. But without evidence, one would only be speculating.

That's what the Discovery Channel's program, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" turns out to be: speculation. A tomb was discovered in Jerusalem in 1980 with 10 ossuaries, or small caskets for bones. Some of the ossuaries were labeled with the names of Jesus bar Joseph, Maria, Mariemene, Judah, Jose, and Matthew. Twenty some years later, filmakers Simcha Jacobovici and Titanic director James Cameron decided to "investigate." In the Ted Coppel interview following the program, Jacobovici admitted that the purpose of the documentary was to get scholars all in the same tent to investigate. Investigating evidentally wasn't his job.

Of course, for many Christians, finding the body of Christ is an impossibility. The Doctrine of the Resurrection precludes finding Christ's body on earth since He took it with him when he rose from the dead. Therefore, many Christians--myself included--find the beginning premise that the body of Christ could be found as impossible.

Another problem with Jacobovici's hypothesis is that he identifies Mariemene as the woman we know as Mary Magdalene. He uses as documentation The Gospel of Phillip, a 4th century text that recounts the story of Mary Magdalene from the point of view of her brother, Phillip. Phillip is one of the "sources" for the myth surrounding Dan Brown's book, The DaVinci Code. In The Gospel of Phillip, Mary Magdalene was called Mariemene. The problem with this source is The Gospel of Phillip is not part of the recognized canon of scripture. It was written centuries after the rest of the gospels and is not considered a trustworthy account. Other than the similarity of the name, there is no reason to connect these two women.

However, if Mariemene is Mary Magdalene, then the other Mary must certainly be Mary, the mother of Jesus. Jesus had a brother named Jose, so certainly the names are lining up. Jacobovici believes this is looking like it is the tomb of Jesus. Except, who are Matthew and Judah? Jesus had a brother named Judas, but no brother named Matthew. Jacobovici finds it's easiest to remove Matthew from the picture (after telling us that Mary, the mother of Jesus, had Matthews in her family tree), and identifying Judah as the son of Jesus and Marimene. But this is all speculation. While he does do DNA testing between Jesus and Mariemene, he does no further testing. Jacobovici doesn't even bother to mention the other three unmarked ossuaries in the tomb. He does try to connect an ossuary that turned up with the inscription "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus". This ossuary might be the missing 10th ossuary that was cataloged at the site in 1980, but never placed in the Israel Antiquities Authority archives. Except that ossuary was listed as having no inscription. The found ossuary is currently held up in litigation and cannot be examined, but that doesn't stop Jacobovici from using it as "evidence".

Evidence is the one thing that Jacobovici's documentary is lacking. His work is speculation. Without evidence, even genealogical information is suspect. When I ordered death certificates for the people in my family plot, I uncovered facts. My grandfather and his parents, George and Maggie, lay to the right, but on the left side of the plot lay Maggie's parents, Francis and Ellen Boyer Wilson. George's parents were buried several counties away. Because they were in the same plot, I assumed they were the same family. I was wrong. I found I had two Wilson families who had intermarried. This was my first lesson in making sure that I have evidence, not assumptions in historical research.

Jacobovici's "research" wouldn't hold up in genealogical circles. He has theories and no real way to prove them. Yet, he hopes that scholars will research these artifacts to uncover his version of the truth. So far, the scholars weighing in don't seem to be interested in the project.

To read about the problems with the statistical evidence read: Special Report: Has James Cameron Found Jesus's Tomb or Is It Just a Statistical Error?

Time and Chance

This was a big week for Life in the news. First, both sides of the abortion issue got the cover of Time Magazine. The article nicely features Asheville Pregnancy Support Services in Asheville, NC, and also mentions both Heartbeat International and OptionLine.

Having said that, I do have some concerns that the idea of both sides of the debate coming together is really a push toward Hillary Clinton's "safe, legal, and rare", where both sides find the common ground of focusing on the woman, decrease the number of abortions, yet keep abortion legal. The side for Life will have to do some serious thinking over the next couple of years as those who Peggy Hartshorn, President of Heartbeat International, calls "the mushy middle" most likely settles for fewer abortions, not an end to the practice. Will we settle or stay the course?

The next big story deals with little Amillia Taylor, the youngest known live birth. Even Charles Gibson of ABC News admits that Amillia's birth "may have an effect on the debate over abortion, and it may change the way people think about life." According to an article by LifeNews, Gibson teased the evening's top story, “A tiny miracle that raises big questions in the debate over abortion."

Amillia was born at 21 weeks, 6 days. Since the standard of care is not to try to save a child under 23 weeks, Amillia's mother lied about Amillia's age. Life News, quoting the ABC News story says, "Bio-ethicists we spoke with today argue that Amillia is a miracle baby, and that it's unwise to change public policy based on miracles." However, since it is policy NOT to save a child at fewer than 23 weeks, how do we know that Amillia really is a miracle baby? Perhaps the miracle is not that modern science can save a baby that is younger than 23 weeks. Perhaps the miracle is that a baby younger than 23 weeks got the chance to live.