Abortion Rates are Steady

This article caught my eye on BBC:

"A rising proportion of abortions worldwide are putting women's health at risk, researchers say.

The World Health Organization study suggests global abortion rates are steady, at 28 per 1,000 women a year.

However, the proportion of the total carried out without trained clinical help rose from 44% in 1995 to 49% in 2008."

How many children is that worldwide?

I could have been apart of those statistics.

I particularly mean in the "aborted baby" column, but if not for the grace of God, perhaps I could have been one of those 28 out of 1,000 women globally who have chosen to have an abortion. Out of 7 billion people (how many are women?) -- that's a lot.

Interesting (can't remember the correct name,) "tag line," isn't it? A rising proportion of abortions worldwide are putting women's health at risk, researchers say.

But the point of their argument, "However, the proportion of the total carried out without trained clinical help rose from 44% in 1995 to 49% in 2008."

Meaning, if the number of abortions are rising globally, we must give them the opportunity to have better access to safer abortions.

(Why is the "however" used there? What message/tone does that imply? "Hooray for the rise in abortions, but so sad that almost half are being carried out without trained clinical help"?)

But is that the actual problem?

No.

Where is the real problem? -- the poison of sin, of course. But specifically?

Where are the men who have gotten these ladies (girls? -- particularly in the developing countries,) pregnant? Are they the ones (perhaps) forcibly taking these women to get an abortion? Are they pressuring them to get abortions, quickly and cheaply? Are the demands of society and their professions putting this pressure on them?

Where are the articles written on these issues? (I know they are out there.)

The article further explained that the percentage of abortions have declined in the States (western world??) and have risen in the developing countries (India in particular??).

This article is presented in an interesting angle.

They seem to be concerned for the lives of these women, but are they searching to find the root of the issue? Are they widely publicizing those articles? (Again, I know they are out there. I just find this to be an interesting angle. One way to promote abortions: pity the poor, developing countries who don't have access to clinically trained doctors.)

Go directly to the article on the BBC.

On the Bus

A few weeks ago I learned something about "me in China".

It came to me as I put my 2 Yuan (er kuai) in the bus' cash box, stumbled to the back, and tried to find a place to stand. I suddenly realized that I was trying to draw as little attention to my person as possible. It dawned on me that I have made it a habit to try to blend in to my surroundings and the people.

I am shamed to say that I have been zipping in and out of markets, trying to make as few mistakes and foolish moves as possible.

While this might make me feel more comfortable (in the moment), it profits me nothing. In doing this I have grown accustom to being a "non-observer". I have been so focused on trying to blend in and assimilate into the culture that I have forgotten to watch.

I was shocked. In normal life I am an observer of people. In my youth I practiced "people observation" in the manner of Sherlock Holmes and would try to deduce who people were and what they were doing from the clues on/of their person.

In the last couple months I have forgotten. My disdain of noticeably sticking out, particularly as a tourist and/or foreigner, has overcome my tendency to observe.

But, I must face it: I STICK OUT.

My eyes are round and my hair is titian. What can I do?!

I began to lecture myself while grasping onto the overhead hand rail, "Even if you learned the language, all the acceptable cultural practices, AND memorized the layout of all the markets and grocery stores, you would still stick out."

I am not Chinese. While it may be true that 'blending in' could save me some small pain and embarrassment, I have lost opportunities to learn and find out more --as an outsider-- about the Chinese culture.

And so, I repented.

As I continued my bus journey that morning, I saw more "China" than I have seen in a long time. I saw a bicycle repair man sitting alone and cold, arms wrapped around his body, waiting for his next customer to arrive. I saw the fuzziest steering wheel cover, (looked like the life of a small Shi Tzu had been sacrificed for the fashion of the car).

I saw a man stop to check his bike's flat tire (too bad he wasn't near the bike repair man,) and I watched as he got back on his bike in the Chinese manner (push yourself off with one foot on the peddle, then swing the other leg over, sit, and start propelling yourself forward.)

I saw a woman on the bus unraveling her yarn, a grandmother talking in an intelligent manner to her granddaughter (seems to be a rare find in China). I heard and saw a young man point in my direction, making it known to his traveling companion that a foreigner was on the bus.

I heard (though I did not understand,) the argument of an older man and an older woman. I heard the laughter from the other commuters responding to the argument. I smelled the thick, polluted air and saw the diversity of people and classes that is "China".

Though I may never be able to fit in, I can observe, create stories, and report.

And that is what I have determined to do, my friends. I don't want to return to the States empty handed. I want to come back alive and filled with stories of China, its different parts and its different people. I hope that I will succeed. At times it my be awkward and a bit painful, but it also has the possibility to bring great reward.

[Though I know many of "you" (implying that I do have more than one reader,) would prefer some of these to be told in pictures. I know. I am trying to work on improving my skills for your benefit.]

Conviction in my Competition

Oh...

...The flattening of my pride.

Hallelujah

The Lord is convicting my soul and refining me.
(Hence the blog's name change, "Sanctification of a Pilgrim". He is bringing it!!)

The Lord has been showing me (through various means and thoughts, one source: blog,) a couple particular things:

--"Do the next thing." (Elisabeth Elliot and my friend here, Rebekah Martin) --Be content with what He has given as your stewardship and don't look for the extraordinary. Your stewardship is before you; invest.

--I want to be "extraordinary" in order to be better than everyone else. I look in the teacher rooms around me and I compare my room decorations to theirs. (Mine lag behind.) I look at the lesson plans of my fellow teachers and compare. (I need some of their ideas.) I look at the calm lunch-eaters of the other classes around me. (Well, at least we are enjoying ourselves.)

There is nothing in my life where I don't try to compete to be the best. (Providentially, there is nothing in my life where I am the best. Someone else is always there to snatch it away. ...Stupid people.)

The Lord has shown me that my heart becomes bitter in these situations. I do not love others because I compete with them. (Not just in the teacher world.)

He has further shown me that I cannot judge my Master's servants.

Am I running my race to please others, or to please Him? Do I run for my glory? Apparently so. REPENT!!! Where is my treasure?!! Where is my heart?!!
...Wasted on myself...

How can I love and serve others when I am competing with them? (Can't.)
How can I died to myself when I want to be the best? (No can do.)

I am reading, The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges and he points out that in this process of pursuing holiness we must take responsibility for our sin. I have never seen this particular sin so glaringly in my face as I do now. (It's showing up absolutely every where. Praise the Lord for His conviction. May I not waste it.)

It would seem that the Lord continues to put me in the position of teacher because it is the best place for me to be refined; it's a great microscope to aid me in identifying my sin.

May I repent and press on for holiness.
Only through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Praise Him!

Be Ordinary

Oh!!! I hate even the idea.

But where does this desire to be out of the ordinary come from?

Is it biblically based? No.

I almost typed, "How can I be ordinary when Jesus was not?"

Excuse me?

Jesus was ordinary.
That's part of the greatness of His incarnation.

What made Him extra-ordinary was His identity and His obedience to the Father.

REPEATEDLY in my life I have asked this question, "What is being FULLY faithful?"

Praise the Lord for His kind and overwhelming grace!

I have been asking the wrong question because I have had the wrong perspective. It's not my self-made zeal and/or my FULLY faithful faithfulness He is interested in seeing. It's Him in and through us working out what He has worked in, (all the riches in the heavenly places) and us walking in the good works HE Himself has prepared since the foundation of the world.

ALL glory (!!) to Him!

Our (my) being "fully faithful" is only limited by God's faithfulness to us and His Name. ("all the riches in the heavenly places.")

THOUGH it IS dependent on our submission and obedience to Him. (Philippians 2) It will and does require pain and sacrifice, but the reward far outweighs the pain. (2nd Corinthians 5 and 1st Peter 1 and 3, in particular)

Therefore, let us focus all our sight, mind, and strength on our Heavenly home, forever with HIM!!!

What wondrous fruit could He grow from us then? How can we bring glory to His name as the ones in whom He has chosen to delight? How can we, as part of our salvation, be continuously pursuing holiness?

(Wait on Him and see.)

The Prize!!!

As I look into the faces shown on my computer screen I suddenly realize with a greater conviction than ever before that these are the particular ones the Lord has given to me now, presently, for today.

At His right hand is pleasure forevermore. In His presence is fullness of joy. I have His Holy Spirit. I am in His presence. His fullness of joy and His pleasure is mine, now. Will I walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh?

Pleasures FOR EVER more.

How stupid and eternal-less I have been.

David was oppressed. David entrusted himself to God. He did not cry out for other people to save Him. He called out and put His trust in God.

The poor, the lost, the hungry, the enslaved are all God’s responsibility to save and to justify.

It is not mine. It is not the white Westerner’s responsibility. Though we may hold responsibility in their poverty, we do not need guilt to compel us to go out to change their situations.

Rather, we should be compelled to go out and love and serve the poor because we are Christ’s ambassadors and how will they believe unless they hear? And if we are telling them about the Savior who so loved them that He died for them, how can we say, “’Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but […] do not give them the things which are needed for the body”? (James 2:16)

After all, what is pure and undefiled religion, but “to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world”? (James 1:27)

This is what should compel us. We must recognize our identity in Jesus – the One we represent. We must know Him and His love and then be compelled by Him to go out and walk in the good works that He has prepared beforehand. We must be zealous in these good works. We must be serious in prayer and always watchful. We must be redeeming the time. We must be active and alive in our communities. We must be committed to godly families and strong doctrine. We must be exhorting and encouraging each other with the words that Jesus is coming back and with Him comes His reward and punishment.

The prize is not to end social injustice throughout the world. Our purpose is not to bring global peace. That is finished in Him. We are here because all His delight is in us. His delight is in us because He has chosen to use us (His Church) to summarize His wisdom. (!!)

Our blameless presentation is the prize. Our eternal inheritance is what we must strain for.

If this happens, there will be no poor in our neighborhoods. Then we would care for those we see "while we are going" because our worldly eyes would have been exchanged for His eternal eyes. Changed by Him, we would “regard no one according to the flesh,” but depend on the Father of Good Gifts to guide us and meet all our needs.

Do not lose sight of the prize for which we live! Do not forget He who is the One we have been chosen to serve. The One who shines brighter than the sun. The One whose eyes are like burning flames of fire. The One whose name is Faithful and True, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last; the only One who is worthy to open the seals of the scroll.

Praise Him, today. Delight in His holiness and omnipotence, today. Know His love and the delight He has chosen to place on His Church, today. Love Him, now.

Though we are faithless, He is faithful and will present us faultless.

"To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and forever. Amen."

To the One whose voice is like the sound of mighty, rushing waters.

GLORY!!!

Timely Discovery of an Unpublished Post

In July I wrote:

"I am a bit nervous for this blog.
In my posts already published there's a different tone.
The key element of my writing is missing...and I can't incorporate it as I have before.
The One I love cannot be mentioned as I would like to speak of Him.

The life is out of my writing.
The air has been removed from my balloon.
My ice cream has fallen off the cone. (haha)

But seriously...

Know that I will do my BEST to use descriptive language similar to my former manner, but if I can't write directly about HIM, what will I write about that has any good purpose? With what will I infuse my writing?

We shall see.

May the artist work as he chooses."

HAHAHAHA!!!

Since being in China I have discovered that I can still write about Him and not get kicked out (yet). And so, I will...and all the more.

I don't like writing about the day-to-day stuff in China because...you don't want to READ about that. You want to see pictures. (I post them on Facebook.)

I can't not write about what the Lord is teaching me and showing me. (Double negative used for emphasis.)

Maybe it won't change how many people read, but it changes my perspective and delight in writing.

Not that I have written about China much, but now I am publicly saying: my mindset has officially changed. I am returning to my old ways.

Thank you.
(Please read my "Blog Changes" page for added words.)