Author: Heather Holbrook

I found out that I have Autism upon having a son with the same disorder. Ironically, I was voted, "Most Likely to Succeed," by my high school classmates. But had I been born now, instead of 50+ years ago, I would have been considered a different sort of special. This site was started to encourage other Autistics and the people who love them .

What’s in a name?

Currently, I work at a tutoring center with a lot of children who do not have the same cultural or religious background as me. They come in and generally work hard.

But you can see in their eyes that they don’t really trust you. Some are sure you are better than them – not true! Many are sure they are better than you – that actually may be true! OK, not really, as we are all equal in God’s eyes.

The best way I have found to get through to the toughest ones, or at least gain the smallest amount of credibility to then build on, is to learn how to say their names as close as possible to the way they say them.

The joyful surprise that comes over their face when you put in a good effort is priceless!

I suppose that is why God makes such a big deal about names in the Bible.

Your life has consequence

One of my neighbors passed away several years ago.

During her time next door to me, she was an amazing gardener, up until her last few years when, first dementia, then an old body started stealing her gift.

Now I think of her often, but, unfortunately, it isn’t her carefully curated perennials that are brought to mind. It is the thistles that started turning her slice of heaven into a bit of the underworld and are now trying to do the same to my, much less Eden-like space.

I’m not angry with her as I try for what seems like the millionth time to beat the thorny plants back. She was no longer capable of pulling them herself or she most definitely would’ve.

It does make me think of how what we, as individuals do and don’t do in life has an impact on those around us, often continuing after we have taken leave of this beautiful and difficult planet.

So don’t get tricked into thinking that what you do is your business and no one else will be affected.

It is your business, but know that you are very important. Your life has consequence.

My Favorite Economic System

I’m sure some of you thought I was crazy when I posted last week that I think capitalism, socialism and communism are all fine economic systems, depending upon the moral fabric of the people engaged in them.

Some of you think capitalism is the only way. Others think it is the ruin of the world. Most of us consider communism to be untenable, while a few believe that it is the only way to fairness for everyone. Socialism, somewhere in the middle of the two, also has proponents and adversaries.

My favorite economic system is what I would call, compassionate capitalism. Here’s where I get it from. The Bible says that people need to work to eat and that workers should be paid fair wages. The Bible says that each family must work to provide for itself, but that farmers should not harvest all of their fields, but leave some food behind for those less fortunate.

The Bible asks people to give a tenth of what they make to the church, who then is to distribute some of that to those who are truly in need. The Bible says to set up a roll for those who are in need, but only those who are truly unable to work are allowed on the list.

The New Testament Christians lived somewhat communistically, having everything in common. But it was done as one wished, not required.

The Bible repeatedly decries laziness, but also continually admonishes those who have to share with those who are poor.

A recent example in my life is this. I work about 24 hours a week, and decided to use some of that money to go to a conference several weeks ago. Unfortunately, that conference ended up being canceled due to severe weather. I did cancel my airline tickets in hopes of using them another day. However, I told the hotel, the person I was renting my car from, and the conference host organization that they could keep the money that I had already paid them, as I knew that they were suffering greatly because of the destruction the weather wrought.

That is compassionate capitalism. I work hard and get paid fair wages (sometimes a little on the low side, but that is because my husband makes plenty of money to keep our family afloat, so I can afford to get paid a little less as a way to bless those I am working for). I then spend my money to support others who are working hard. And when tragedy strikes, I am able to bless them with money that I had already planned to spend, even though I will no longer reap the benefit, sort of like the farmer who leaves behind some of the harvest for those less fortunate. I also do donate to organizations who help people during natural and human-made catastrophes.

Let us truly love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We love ourselves plenty most of the time.

If we work and spend as a way of loving others, the perfect economic system will naturally form.

Capitalism? Socialism? Communism?

My husband and I just went to an excellent play at the Guthrie called, “The Lehman Trilogy.” It is about the Lehman brothers who came to the United States as immigrants from Poland in the early 20th century. They came with nothing and started a little fabric store in Alabama, working hard just like most American immigrants then and now.

After five years, they finally broke even. Then they started expanding their business into other things besides fabric. They became cotton brokers, and eventually bankers. The family business got sucked up into the American Dream and eventually lost it all in 2008.

The director of the play wrote in the Playbill how this family is an example of how capitalism is bad.

But is capitalism bad?

Capitalism, Communism, Socialism. I believe that none of those economic systems are good or bad on their own. If good people use those systems, then they can be good and helpful to all around. If bad people use those systems, then they will cause destruction for many and benefit for only a few, who lose their souls in the process.

The Bible is very clear that only God is good. So, any person not allowing God’s goodness to determine their decisions, will make bad choices using whichever economic system is in place. And any person allowing God’s goodness to direct them, will make choices that benefit others, no matter the economic system.

It’s not the economic system that matters, it is what is in the hearts of those who are bringing life to that system that matters.

Are you thinking more highly of others than yourself as Jesus asks? Then you will bring life to others in any system.

When does a woman’s full bodily autonomy start?

The number one reason many women that I know are pro-choice is that they want women to have full bodily autonomy, like men.

What is bodily autonomy? Bodily autonomy is defined as the right to make decisions about your own body, life, and future, without coercion or violence. It includes deciding whether or not to have sex, use contraception, or go to the doctor. Bodily autonomy has long been recognized as a fundamental human right.

MSI Reproductive Choices

So when does that full bodily autonomy start?

If her mother is pro-life, then a woman’s full bodily autonomy starts at the moment of conception. From that moment on, she will have the right to life without coercion or violence. Of course, she will not be able to make all of her own decisions at first as she can’t talk, walk, or even move beyond the confines of the womb. However, no one is allowed to take her life, and, as she is able, she will be allowed to make more and more of her own decisions about her life.

If her mother is pro-choice, then a woman doesn’t get full bodily autonomy until she is fully out of her mother’s body and is breathing on her own. Up until that moment, she may be subjected to the violent taking of her life.

As a side note, this also means that men don’t have full bodily autonomy until they are fully born and breathing on their own. So the argument that women need to have access to abortions so that they can have full bodily autonomy like men becomes an illogical statement. Abortion takes full bodily autonomy away from men.

Because of the way that humans come into being, requiring both a male and a female body, then leaving the female body to shoulder the brunt of the process, this is a tricky situation.

This is the reason that the Bible tells men that they are to be the protectors of women, treating all as their mother or sister and loving their wives, not being violent or coercive with them.

Women should not be forced to choose between bodily autonomy and killing preborn women and men.

Men, start teaching other men how women should be treated. This would make abortion a non-issue.

I realize that there will always be men who use women and women who don’t control themselves. So what do we do in this reality?

Women must not violently take the life of preborn people. That is not good for the preborn people, obviously, and it is not good for the psyche of the woman, either. Women must be supported through pregnancy and given support to adopt out or keep their children.

Laws and agencies need to be put into place to make life harder for men who use women as playthings. Children want to know who their fathers are, to be loved and supported by them. We, as a society, need to do a better job of making sure that happens as much as possible.

Pastors, priests, teachers, anyone regularly speaking into the lives of young people need to teach chastity, self-control, respect of others and responsibility for actions taken, including the raising of a child.

God is the giver of life. We must not play god by taking it away.