Choose life

By Steve Dunford –

Ever since I was getting information about House Bill 40, I have been considering how precious life is.  I do not apologize by saying this, but life begins at conception.

I appreciate the stand Dave Severin, Terri Bryant, and Brandon Phelps took for life on the house floor in Illinois.  Mike Bost stands for life.  I posted Dave Severin’s comments earlier in the day.  Most of all, I appreciate him standing up unashamedly as a Christian.

This is not going to be about politics, but Southern Illinois is swinging Republican. Even,though a pro choice agenda has been in the Democratic platform for years, I can think of one State Senator, State Representative or Congressman that possibly was pro choice that represented us.  Thank you to these men that are too many to mention that have stood up for life.

I have always been pro-life.  Life beginning at conception came so real to me when my wife was pregnant with my son.  Even though we are apart, she is still my wife.  I just want to make that clear.

When my wife was five weeks pregnant, she nearly miscarried.  At five weeks you could hear Andrew’s heartbeat.  That was not a tissue, that was a baby.

She had a high risk pregnancy.  It was nearly a weekly trip to Carbondale ER.  She spent ten days in the hospital when she was five months pregnant.

Through her pregnancy, there were several ultrasounds taken.  At every stage you could see my sons life develop.  I remember seeing the little fingers and toes for the first time.  I remember a male nurse in the ER one night, did a Doppler to check his heartbeat.  He told us we were going to have a boy before the sonogram showed it.

Every time I would see the pictures and images on the monitor, I would think how could anyone have an abortion.  What would be a joyous occasion, knowing my son was doing OK, would turn to a few seconds of sadness.

I know I am a guy writing this.  If you are pro-chioce, I am just sharing my opinion on the matter.  I never understood the line that a woman has a right to choose what she does with her body.  There is a body and a soul inside of you that can not defend itself. In my opinion, the choice was made at conception.

The legality of partial birth abortion blows my mind.  Delivering a baby and mutilating it, is gruesome to say the least.  If a woman would give birth, and throw the baby in a dumpster, she would be up on murder charges.  I have wondered over the years what is the difference.

I will be honest I used to take the stand that abortion should be legal in the case of rape, incest, and the mother’s life was in danger.  I used to think, when we were together, I would run the hypothetical question through my mind what if my wife was raped? I used to think could I really  Looking back, I would have loved that child and raised him like my own son.  Life is life no matter the situation.

This opinion was affirmed by my preacher Lloyd Whittaker, who shares his testimony on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.

This was in the early 50’s two decades before Roe v. Wade became the law of the land.  Lloyd’s mother’s life was in danger.  There was a doctor that was debating performing and abortion.

There was a Catholic doctor that kept praying for her.  Lloyd was delivered at the old Union Hospital in West Frankfort.

It was nearly twenty years before I was born in that same hospital.  I don’t even know the doctor’s name, but I thank God that he had the faith that Lloyd and his mother would make it, if anything else just for me.

I have heard a lot of preachers during my time, and he is one of the best.  What if he did not have the opportunity to bless me, and the souls over the years he shared the Gospel with?

I know this is a controversial hot topic.  I hope that this will make you consider how precious life is.  This is why I believe life begins at conception and am pro-life.