Transformers are Pro-Life!!

Yes! Really really!
What's the Transformers motto? "More than meets the eye"

Final quote of the new Transformers movie gave me goosebumps, and tears...

With the Allspark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. But fate has yielded its own reward: a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting...protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there's more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars: We are here. We are waiting. ~ Optimus Prime

Children in the womb are "more than meets the eye." You cannot see them. Many times, a pregnant woman's body (like mine) doesn't even show signs of life until 6 months' gestation or later. But there is a beautiful, precious "little one" (meaning of fetus) inside.

By 12 weeks' gestation, the beautiful little one inside has a brain and a heart. With a distinguished heartbeat, this early, this beautiful child will come to term (99% sure).

Will we be Transformers? Will we stand up and protect human life? At what cost? Our own lives?

Optimus Prime: At the end of this day, one shall stand... one shall fall!

Megatron: You still fight for the weak! That is why you lose!

Pregnant? Need help? It's confidential. It doesn't matter who you are. We are non-judgmental and we do not force decisions or pressure you. We provide the honest options without alterior motives because we do not benefit as a medical practice, doctor, or healthcare provider. We will listen.

Are you hurting? Post-abortion healing. You are not alone. We offer confidential, supportive, non-judgmental, healing resources.

More Fantastic Transformers Pro-Life Quotes:

Mikaela Banes: What would you do to sacrifice anything in your perfect little life?

Optimus Prime: Sam, you risked your life to protect the Cube?
Sam Witwicky: No sacrifice, no victory.

Purple House Owner Tells Renee de Burgh her story

Remember the purple house blog?
Well, the owner of the purple house stumbled on my blog post. Her story brings tears to my eyes, and inspiration to write another children's book based on her story! This blog post ends with an apology to the owner. I need to clarify my original blog and its intentions. And I want to honor the owner of the purple house.

Hello Renee:

I am the woman in the picture who lives in the purple house. We lived in this house for 13 years before we decided to paint it purple. At this point we've been long time members of the community. We have volunteered in many aspects of our community. My husband was a Cub Scout leader, he helped rebuild the local playground, I have volunteered at the schools and have always helped my many friends in the community when they were in need. When I was diagnosed with cancer 2 years ago, my friends and neighbors in this little town were my lifeline. Some love the purple, some don't... it's just a color and we still have free speech in this country. I watch over my elderly neighbors. People frequently stop to talk to me when I'm out in the garden, asking for directions or saying how much joy my house and garden gives them. For you to insinuate they we are not good and upstanding members of our community is incorrect and insulting. Something tells me you might judge a person by the color of his/her skin versus what is inside. If you read the article, my neighbors (now 88) are fine with it and very fond of me. They worried about me with my cancer and I worry about them because they are 88 and talk to them on their porch all summer. I checked with the Town before I painted the house. I have attended many Town Council meetings on other matters. It is a sad day when the color purple makes people judge you. I have taught my children to be free to express themselves, and to be good neighbors and members of this community in which I have loved for 16 years. I didn't realize when we painted the house I'd be teaching them courage to stand up to the insults and ridicule of others. That has been a bonus. ~Amy Olson

Amy, I have to say, I love your purple house. It brings me joy. I am sorry that my blog post came across as an insult. Please forgive me. Also, please forgive me if you felt at all exploited or judged. When I first saw your house, I just smiled and wanted to meet the owner and discover the beautiful family that lived there.
The person who was in the car with me, a real estate agent, shared those thoughts, and honestly, though I should have said so on my blog (I normally prefer to allow people to respond), I thought it was an appalling judgment as well. Having grown up in a happy, bright yellow house, color just inspires creativity.

I think it's sick that potential owners of a house will judge the neighborhood by the color of (fill in blank). I think it's sad that people are scared away by bold self-expression or being "different" or non-conformist. Our morally relative, don't-make-waves society praises lukewarm blandness. I hope we each challenge ourselves to rise above that; we are individuals, and our country allows it (in itself beautiful), and yet something in our culture wants to supress that.

What a happy thing that your neighbors enjoy your house an its color. Isn't it a beautiful thing when a community builds relationships, works on them over the years, and finds unity and support through shared concerns and shared challenges?

Christmas in July

Sears puts out Christmas gear

Yah, I know. I thought it was stupid too...

But while we're at it, I'm collecting pre-orders for two Christmas books: email renee@reneedeburgh.com

The books will be $9 each. I'm editing and formatting and self-publishing the books through my daughter's company.

St. Nick of the 21st Century

based on a true-life story, this story recounts the history of how the Christian Santa at Merrifield Garden Center in Fairfax, VA became Santa, and the 5 gifts St. Nick gave to him in a vision at the age of 14, while an orphan: Grace, Wisdom, Desire, Strength, and Opportunity

Santa's Notebook

a collection of endearing poems and short stories written by the Christian Santa at Merrifield Garden Center

Now Tweeting

Tweet, Tweet, Tweetily Deetily Deet!
Rockin' Robin
Based on Iran and DC's Metro tragedy, I find it difficult to refrain from Twitter.

Healthy Baby!! Yay!! Thank you, First Responders!

The doctors didn't promise anything. Mrs. Goodling had a heart attack while she was around 3 months pregnant. Thankfully, they were at a church watching "Fireproof" and a retired doctor, an electrician, an off-duty police officer, and a firefighter performed CPR and provided instant care. It not only saved her life; it saved the life of her baby.

Well, little baby Goodling was born today, healthy, happy and strong. The only side effect was a lower-than-normal birthweight, but certainly nothing to cause concern in any way.

Thank you to anyone who is a first-responder, who responds when not on-duty, and anyone who knows CPR and jumps in to provide life-saving help.

P.S. Learn CPR! Save a life when every moment counts. I myself am convicted that I need to renew my CPR Certification.

Finally! People (magazines) Admit Actions Have Consequences!

Finally, a prominent secular magazine highlights real life.
When I saw People Magazine's most recent cover of Bristol Palin, donning cap & gown, snuggling cheek-to-cheek with her little one, I grinned from ear to ear.

There is a woman on the front cover!
A teen mother who "beat the odds."
She is a mother. She has graduated high school. She looks beautiful, happy, and smart. Her child looks beautiful, happy, and healthy.
And, she has maturely reflected on the consequences of past actions.
"If girls realized the consequences of sex, nobody would be having sex. Trust me. Nobody." ~Bristol Palin
I would've been peachy with just the picture of shimmering graduate Bristol and her baby.
Then ::gasp:: People Magazine admits ::gasp:: choosing to have sex has permanent, serious consequences - a baby! Whether or not Bristol and her partner were using any pregnancy chance-lessening measures, the correlation is smeared all over the People Magazine's million-dollar cover. Sex = possibility of procreation.
If you choose to be sexually active (actions you choose), then you are choosing to accept the possible consequences of a baby (the natural consequence of sexual actions).
I don't care what form or combination of birth control, contraceptive or superstitious practices people use while having sex. Unless one of the partners is guaranteed biologically or chemically or physically sterile, sex has a potential natural consequence - procreation (no matter how unlikely that potential).
Apparently in America, humans require a certain maturity level (arbitrarily 21) in order to be deemed responsible enough to control their enjoyment of alcohol. (Even though it's a Constitutional freedom at 18). Bristol Palin's words may suggest that the action of sex requires responsibility and maturity. I want to add that it's not solely the responsibility of girls. Boys need to assume that understanding of responsibility equally. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone who had sex had to sign a contract (every time) that the risks involved were understood by both parties?

Another snackwrap for thought: "Reproductive rights" is sort of redundant; reproduction is a natural human right. We are built to reproduce. Humans are meant to produce progeny for survival of the species. Actions have consequences. That's a universal concept.

Which Came First? The Wheel or the Lock?

According to Chambers' Encyclopedia,
there is evidence that humans used locks as early as 4000bc and wheels as early as 3500bc
Of course archeological discoveries consistently alter our understanding of primordial ancestry.
But doesn't this make perfect sense, logically speaking? These ramifications reveal universal truths of the human experience.

Humans needed to keep their valuables (including themselves) safe from harm before they wanted to improve ways to transport them.

Human safety and livelihood is more important than technology, than science, than development.

My conclusion: Life and its protection is inherently more important than progress.
My question: Is self-preservation more important than the security of future generations?
Conclusion: There is a natural hierarchy of universal human morality and ethics and justice.

Happy Thawt!

Sunshine, Lollypops and Rainbows!
I finally found the song that Mark kept singing the first two words to!

Students Helping Babies in Need

Inspirational!
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=289447
This is the type of effort that seems to assert to mothers of newborns that life as a new mother is difficult and that there are many who want to help - even peers of young mothers.

Mary Ann Glendon is my heroine!!

Wow. What a woman of guts!

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame's Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. ...
Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. ... [Translation: I had prepared to say quite a few good things about NDU, but this news just contradicted all of them.]
First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. [Translation: I'm not blinded by prestige.] This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops' express request of 2004 that Catholic insitutions "should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" and that such persons "should not be given awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution's freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it. ...
[NDU statements] implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event... [Translation: Using me as evidence that it's okay to make exceptions for persons in positions of prestige is not okay, and I won't be made complicit in this decision.] [Commencement] is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle for engagment... to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church's position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice. [Translation: Bad idea, Pres. Jenkins]

Took the words right out of my heart. Wow. This made me cry. When reading this letter, I can actually feel her sentiments of hurt and sadness over the entire fiasco. Are Catholics really going to stand behind the principles they are called to observe? Oh wait, we are living in an age where authority is free to teach until it's purple in the face, and the flock is free to ignore it.

After reading this letter, it seems possible that Jenkins won't be ND's President next year.