He Goes Before Me and Behind Me - Thoughts on Consequences, Cancer, and Compassion

Yep, that's me at the Arrest Processing Center! It all started as a typical Monday at the sidewalks of the abortion center, made extra special by an angry person within an inch of my face threatening to "Beat my @@#$$#%%**&% to a bloody pulp" or something like that. I told her if she didn't step back and cool off, I would call the police. She told me to go ahead. So I did. I am team leader on Monday, and feel responsible for my team's safety. I hate to call the police when no one is (yet) pounded to a bloody pulp, but felt it was necessary to protect my team.

Then she went after fellow counselor, Chrissy and then after another, Flip, knocking the Bible out of his hand. (putting new meaning to "Assault of the earth." Get it? Just a little abortion center pun humor.) (If you don't get it, check out Matthew 5:13.)

Fortunately, the crazy lady was still flipped out when the police arrived, so they got to see her in action. Trusty fellow counselors Sarah and Anna videotaped it. They even caught her on tape mooning us (and I promise you that was NOT a pretty sight.)

The policemen were VERY nice to me, and told me I could bring their report to the magistrate and file charges. My team decided I should or we empower people like her. Here's the kicker -- she was a paid driver. Didn't even know the woman she had driven to the abortion center! The police were very kind to me, and agreed that since she threatened me, and was so aggressive, I was right to call them.

The photo below is of her in Flip's face. She was that close to me as well while screaming vile things...so angry her spit was spewing in my face. We only got videos of that interaction, and they are too vile to post here. We will certainly bring the video to court if the magistrate decides the case should go to court. 

I didn't want to file charges, being as I am facing a mastectomy in ten days, and will probably be in chemo when my court date arrives. However, I am the team leader, and there are young adults and sometimes kids with me on the sidewalk. I am responsible for them. I can't let this go unchallenged. I really was certain I was about to be pummeled.

However, before leaving to visit the magistrate, I talked with a woman in the parking lot who at first insisted she wasn't there for an abortion. When I told her that was all they do there, she seemed confused. She then told me she was waiting for her friend. I begged her to bring our literature to her friend, and spent some time talking about why abortion would be destructive to both the baby and her friend. She finally admitted she felt abortion was wrong, and in fact, had just found out she was pregnant. I was still not certain she was telling the truth, so offered her our free ultrasound. I also told her to offer it to her friend. She agreed, went in the center with my literature, and returned to me. She told me her friend said she would consider talking with us, AFTER her consultation with the abortion center.

Once on the RV, C told us she felt confident she could talk her friend out of the abortion, particularly armed with all the literature and advice and scripture we loaded her with. She insisted her friend was only gathering info and was not going to abort that day. (She had only called that morning so hadn't waited the required 72 hour period.)

C was very intelligent, and claimed to know Jesus, but didn't understand sin, repentance, or the truth of salvation by faith in His atoning sacrifice. We presented the Gospel, and she said she wanted to ask Jesus into her life then and there. She ended the time with us saying she was amazed by all we offered, how much sense it all made, and what a "productive day."

Four women chose life for their babies, and one chose Jesus. "A productive day" indeed.

I then went on to the magistrate's office. I got to tell the whole story and the magistrate told me I did the right thing. That doesn't mean she will rule to send the case to court, but she was very nice to me. She told me to repeat verbatim the threat the woman made. I told her I could not use that language. I did write it down for her, as best I could remember. She didn't get angry at my refusal to use the vile language. In fact, her very crisp demeanor seemed to soften.

I will know how she rules in a week, notified by mail.

How fun! We figure I will be a sympathetic "victim" if the case goes to court while I am in the midst of chemo. Maybe I could have an IV hooked up to me and Flip could wheel me in to court.

I wished I had asked the angry woman what had wounded her so deeply that she was so filled with rage. I thought about that during the night and prayed for her. She said her daddy was a preacher, and she had "heard enough of that sh--!" Something terrible must have happened to her. I feel sorry for her.

Meanwhile, on the happy side, my book Joe-The Horse Nobody Loved is free for one more day. It is #1 in horse books, and #55 overall in Amazon ebooks! This is pretty close to my best ranking ever so hoping it spurs sales of the sequels. If you don't have it, can't beat the price! Click HERE.

And final happy note, my artwork is still being slowly photographed and brought down from the attic for sale to all you lucky people. Here is one to peak your interest. If interested in buying, better contact me fast. The popular ones go quickly.

 

This one is called: You Go Before Me and Behind Me (pastel, 19x25). That's from Psalm 139. It is a fitting close to today's thoughts. Sometimes God is leading clearly, and we move exactly as He guides. Other times, He's behind us, knowing He has shown us the way, and if we turn off, He will find a way to encourage us in the right direction.

******************

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.