Sometimes you read something that is really fascinating but that also raises some questions. 
          Late last year a Texas doctor, Dr. Darrell Cass, inform his patient, Margaret Boemer, that her unborn child had a tumor that, left unchecked, would eventually block the blood flow to and from the baby's heart and the baby would die. There weren't many options. Let the baby die or do surgery. Doing surgery on an unborn child has been done many times, but this would have to be different. This surgery, because of the nature of it and location of the tumor, would have to be done outside of the womb. Then, the child would have to be put back into the womb so the mother could carry her to term and give the baby all the time needed to heal. Margaret and her husband agreed to have the surgery, despite the danger to Margaret. The baby was what mattered.
          At twenty three weeks the surgery was performed. It took five hours, but only about 20 minutes on the baby. The process of opening Margaret's womb, extracting the baby and then putting her back and sealing the womb back up was the painstaking part. What followed then was twelve weeks of bed rest for Margaret and then, baby LynLee was born. Almost five months have passed and all is well. In an interview later, Margaret said, "We love that LynLee's story of Life is being shared! Giving hope to others and giving testimony to God's hand on her life! LynLee is truly a miracle and blessing from the Lord!" Just an incredible story.
          But, it does pose an interesting question. Many, many people today, maybe even the majority of people in this country, believe that life begins at birth. Until the child is born it is just tissue mass. Not really alive except as part of the woman. LynLee was born twice. Now, obviously, these were parents willing to do anything to save the baby's life, including risk to the mother. They loved LynLee. But let's suppose something. Let's suppose Dad goes to Mom during that twelve weeks of bed rest and says, "You know, honey. I have just looked at the pictures while the fetus was out of you and that thing has your aunt Bessie's nose. I don't think it would be fair to the fetus to have to go through life with that nose." (I know that some people would say that terminating a pregnancy is only done in cases of of possible death to the mother or other extreme situations, but those people are wrong. Termination can be done at any time and for any reason.) "Oh," Mom replies. "You are so right. Let's abort and save the fetus the grief!" So, they go to their local, friendly abortion clinic and have the ugly lump of tissue removed. However, LynLee has already been born. She is just in a natural incubator. Is the one who performs the abortion guilty of murder in the eyes of the law? Is Mom and Dad complicit in the murder? How would the law handle this situation?
          The obvious defense would be that during the surgery that saved LynLee's life, the umbilical cord was not cut. (That is my assumption only. I could find no reference. My assumption is based on the fact that where the tumor was, attached to the tail bone, it would be unnecessary to cut the cord.) If uncut, the child would still be attached to the mother and would therefore still be a part of the mother. So, still just tissue. But, there have been cases where an expectant mother has been killed, either by accident on purpose, and the person responsible has been brought up on charges as being responsible for two deaths, mother and unborn child. How is that even legally possible? But staying with this case, if life begins at birth, then what is birth? LynLee was out of her mother! She likely squirmed and complained. Was she not born? Yet, we know that if her parents decided to abort, it would have been legal. LynLee can always be grateful to modern medicine for her life, but she should always be grateful for parents who loved her unconditionally without even seeing her.
          When I worked at the funeral home we took in the body of a baby that had been born, lived a few minutes and then died. I didn't know the child or the parents, but grief just overwhelmed me. Taking the child up in my arms, I sat down in an office chair in the office just off our prep room and I just rocked that little girl for twenty minutes, tears running down my face. You see, I believe that it is in each of us to hold life as sacred. I also believe that it is each of us to marvel at the creation of life while it is in the womb. To me, that little girl was still sacred, even in death. But, sadly, I also believe that humanity wants to have everything both ways. We want to have life, but we also want to end life when it is inconvenient. When it hampers our lifestyle or when it will put burdens on our lives. Life has become precious, but only in certain circumstances. I believe that when a child is conceived it is already in God's hands and is loved by the Father. When that child's life is terminated he/she has been snatched from God's hand. I don't see God being pleased.
          I would really like to shake the hands of the medical team that pulled off that surgery. I would really like to hold LynLee. But mostly, I would love to embrace that Mom and Dad and tell them how great and mighty they are.
          Blessings.