My Dad was a terror in restaurants. I was always sure that we were going to get beat up. Someone would light up a cigarette and he would start
coughing and waving his hand and talking very loudly about inconsiderate people while Mom and I would wither in our booth.
Smoking in public was a big thing. When we used to decorate the hall for a dance down at Slovene Center on of the first decorations you put out were the colorful tin ashtrays on the tables. Halfway through the night there would be a romantic (albeit stinky) fog in the room. When you went outside at the end of the night your eyes would sting and your clothes stink so many people smoked.
So strong was smoking in our nation and so strong was the smoking lobby that it would never have been in my wildest dreams that we would have the strong anti-smoking movements that we have today. It seemed to be nigh near impossible. Yet here we are. And an even bigger shocker was traveling to Mexico and finding they are following suit. Smoking may not be dead, but after years of smoking their lungs no longer seem to be processing as much oxygen.
In a similar vein we seem to be experiencing somewhat a change in public and political winds concerning abortion. A new crop of American are coming up and swelling the ranks of the beleaguered soldiers who have been fighting this battle for the dignity of life during the darkest hours. It is not the dramatic turn around that we witnessed with smoking, but compared to how entrenched and wealthy the pro-abortion movement is, it is amazing that we are seeing what we are seeing.
Can it go further? Here is where we see the power of prayer. Is the wedge in the door strong enough to turn things around? Strengthen it with your invocation to God. It does not have to be a lengthy prayer (though if you can – great!) A quick prayer when reading the paper, hearing a story on the radio, reading it on your computer news or right now is a step in the right direction. “God, we see a crack in the door. Send help!”
coughing and waving his hand and talking very loudly about inconsiderate people while Mom and I would wither in our booth.Smoking in public was a big thing. When we used to decorate the hall for a dance down at Slovene Center on of the first decorations you put out were the colorful tin ashtrays on the tables. Halfway through the night there would be a romantic (albeit stinky) fog in the room. When you went outside at the end of the night your eyes would sting and your clothes stink so many people smoked.
So strong was smoking in our nation and so strong was the smoking lobby that it would never have been in my wildest dreams that we would have the strong anti-smoking movements that we have today. It seemed to be nigh near impossible. Yet here we are. And an even bigger shocker was traveling to Mexico and finding they are following suit. Smoking may not be dead, but after years of smoking their lungs no longer seem to be processing as much oxygen.
In a similar vein we seem to be experiencing somewhat a change in public and political winds concerning abortion. A new crop of American are coming up and swelling the ranks of the beleaguered soldiers who have been fighting this battle for the dignity of life during the darkest hours. It is not the dramatic turn around that we witnessed with smoking, but compared to how entrenched and wealthy the pro-abortion movement is, it is amazing that we are seeing what we are seeing.
Can it go further? Here is where we see the power of prayer. Is the wedge in the door strong enough to turn things around? Strengthen it with your invocation to God. It does not have to be a lengthy prayer (though if you can – great!) A quick prayer when reading the paper, hearing a story on the radio, reading it on your computer news or right now is a step in the right direction. “God, we see a crack in the door. Send help!”
1 comment:
Yes. Father -- prayer. We have no power without it.
Also, you gave us an excellent thought. Perhaps we need to emphasize more strongly that "abortion hurts women."
silentnomoreawareness.org and abortionchangesyou.com provide plenty of evidence.
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