Interesting Column I found Today

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=264844

Sandy Rios - Guest Columnist

It was the annual "Summerfest" in a community about 60 miles west of Chicago. We were expecting rides and cotton candy, but were greeted instead by tractors and a pork chop dinner. The crowd was populated by just plain folks — old and young, enjoying the easy camaraderie of small town life. One family stood out. It was a mom and dad with a boy about eight I'll call "Johnny."

We had come to see a Chicago band, awkwardly positioned on a flatbed truck, who didn't disappoint. They delivered great Chicago-style blues and rock, but as great as they were, they were promptly upstaged by Johnny. As the band started, he bolted to the grassy area before the stage and began to dance deliciously. He didn't just have one "move," he had lots of them with finger strategically pointed, and attitude enough for the whole band. As the singer jumped off the stage, Johnny would follow, imitating him playing harmonica and clutching his cordless mic as he serenaded a select few. When he finished a set and took a bow, Johnny took his, too...deeply, like a shadow on the lawn. The crowd roared and I was especially delighted when he came to serenade me with his imaginary microphone. I wanted to grab and hug him, but he would have none of it.

I looked down the row to see his parents standing silently, not with wild cheering but with wonder, amazement and...pride. You see, Johnny has Down syndrome. It was a moment parents of special needs kids seldom get to enjoy.

It struck me in that moment that nearly 90 percent of babies born with Down syndrome are now aborted. Most Johnnys never get the chance to delight a crowd or bring deep, abiding joy to their parents — because they never get a chance to live.

It was a Down syndrome baby that nurse Jill Stanek cradled until death at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, denied of food or medical treatment. Another imperfect baby, unwanted by its parents, starved out of existence.

When legislation to prevent such callousness and neglect sprang to life as a result of Stanek's story, Barack Obama spoke out against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. He argued that it was unfair to the mothers to let these babies live — that it would turn back abortion rights (as though infanticide and abortion were in the same legal ballpark). He voted against the legislation and tried to persuade others in the Illinois legislature to follow his lead. On the issue of abortion, he later publicly declared that he wouldn't want his daughters "punished with a baby," should they find themselves pregnant and unmarried. With that perspective Obama would surely find a Down syndrome baby beyond punishment.

It's not the only time in human history when something like this has happened.

In attempt to breed the Aryan race, the Nazis began a systematic extermination of "useless eaters." Videos were produced to illustrate the horrors of the disabled and thousands were led to their death with the approval of the German citizenry. One notable exception was Dietrich Bohhoeffer, a pastor later hanged to death with a piano wire for opposing the Nazis. In the face of the Aryan tide he penned these words: "Not only do the weak need the strong, but the strong need the weak."

One has only to be the parent of a child like Johnny to grasp the truth of Bonhoeffer's words. The Johnnys of the world teach us to endure with perseverance, build character and allow for a love that wells up from a place too deep for words to describe.

Sarah Palin gets it. That's why she and husband Todd chose not to abort baby Trig in spite of his alleged imperfections. To some, he is a "useless eater." He will never win the snow machine race his father is famous for or be mayor or governor of anything, but Sarah and Todd know the value of his life in ways that can never be explained to a man like Barack Obama. A baby like Trig is a precious life. And the baby carried by his sister is not punishment.

In his book The Power of the Powerless, Christopher De Vinck tells the story of his severely disabled brother, Oliver. As Christopher grew older and began dating, he brought his girlfriend to the family farmhouse and eventually asked if she would like to meet Oliver. Since Oliver lived on the top floor and had to be fed and diapered by family members, the first girl said a polite "no." The next girl, however, said, "Yes!"...climbed the stairs, crawled up on the bed with Oliver and proceeded to patiently spoon feed him.

"Which girl would you have married?" asked De Vinck. The power of the powerless; the ability of the helpless or infirm to reveal not their infirmity, but the character of those around them.

We have two candidates, one for president and the other for vice president, with very different views on the value of life. What does their attitude toward the Johnnys of this world — or the tiny lives who have come inconveniently — tell us about them? And by the way, which girl would you have chosen?

Aunt Marge

A lot of you know my old maid Aunt Marge. If you do that will make this story all the more funny.

The phone rang at my parent's house this afternoon. Marge answered.

Marge: "Hello."

"Hey pretty girl, how are ya?"

Marge: "Well, I'm fine, but, who is this? This is the Myers residence."

"Ooooohhhhhh (with a groaning sound) I've got the wrong number..."

Click.

I am SICK of hearing about this!!

And now, Clay Aiken, to no ones surprise, has outed himself. As if...

Last night, I was cruising around the net, and I found this:
http://www.sherwoodopendoor.org/specialmessages.html

If you will scroll down a ways, you will find a face that you are familiar with. None other than Kirk Talley. Now, we all know what we found out about Kirk back in 2004. Yes, it really has been that long.

But, I would say that most of us have held out hope that Kirk was on the straight and narrow, pardon the pun. Not so, I am sad to say.

Open Door Community Church is a homosexual congregation. They make no secret of that fact. What I find to be so disgusting is the names of some of those that have sang or spoken there:

Kirk
Joyce Martin - The Martins
Cynthia Clawson - CCM Artist, and sometime Gaither Artist
Kenny Bishop - Formerly of the Bishops
Tony Compolo
Jay Baker - Son of Jim and Tammy Fay
Lulu Roman - Hee Haw alum, and frequent Gaither video artist
And, the openly lesbian author of the song, "For those Tears I Died."

Now, what stinks about this is that Kirk has led most of us to believe that he is no longer involved in the "gay lifestyle." I had hope that that was true. I now very seriously doubt it.

Kirk shares to this congregation that he outed himself to his family in 1986. 22 years ago. When he was traveling with Roger and Debra as the Talley's.

Kirk also shares that his first concert after all of this news came out was at The Potter's House, another openly homosexual church. This does not lead one to believe that he has renounced the lifestyle as he has led us to believe.

Due to the circumstances of Kirks family not demanding that he leave the lifestyle, his sister has not spoken to the family since that year. How sad for everyone involved.

But, this begs the question: Did Roger and Debra know? And, if they did, why did they continue to sing with him?

My brother reminded me this afternoon that in or around 1986, the Talley's traveled for a while with out Kirk, citing some unknown "illness." Could it have been over this?

I know that that is merely speculation, but it does seem to be quite the coincidence.

Last night, I prayed for Kirk. God can deliver him. Kirk has to want to be delivered for this to happen.

Sadly, the "gay" agenda has infiltrated the church. Some are saying that their sin is no different than mine.

To that I say, "Mine ARE different. Mine are forgiven, and I am no longer living in them."

It is a sad day.

Shocked, I tell you, SHOCKED!!!!

And, no, I am not being sarcastic.

According to this article, http://www.washingtonblade.com/2008/9-12/arts/feature/13258.cfm , Ray Boltz has come out of the closet.

Yes, as in THAT Ray Boltz, and yes, as in THAT closet. After 33 years of marriage, he has left his wife and embraced the homosexual lifestyle. Even more strange, his former WIFE has become a gay advocate. Huh???

God help us!

Janae and Mark

Janae loves Mark Lowry. Monica says it has to have something to do with the fact that Janae identifies with him. I'll leave you to decide what that means. :)

This past Saturday night, Mark was in concert about 45 minutes from here. So, we got tickets, and Monica, Janae, Monica's sister Melissa, Todd, and I went to see Mark. It was worth the price of admissioin to see Janae react when Mark hit the stage.

A few observations:

1. Mark's voice was not at it's best. Towards the end of the program, he was straining just to hit some his "normal" notes. And, on his last song, "Mary, Did You Know?", his voice cracked, big time. He did not even attempt the high notes.

2. He is still very funny. Very.

3. Mark seems to be a pretty nice guy. After the concert was over, he sat down on a stool at the back of the venue, and signed autographs. We were 2nd or 3rd in line, when something out of the ordinary happened. Three people who were obviously mentally disabled spied Mark and made striaght for him. They cut in line on front of roughly 100 people.

I thought, "Hmm, wonder how Mark is going to handle this?"

He treated them like they were the President of the US. Really, he did. I was immpressed.

4. Mark has a wicked sense of humor, even with himself as the audience. As we were waiting in line, someone reached out and touched Mark from behind him. To no one in particular, and without looking at anyone, he said in a sing-song voice, "thank you for touching me!" I about fell apart. Hilarious.

So, Janae got her pic taken with Mark Lowry, but was too afraid of him to sit on his lap. Monica had to hold her.

All in all, a great night.