All posts filed under: This Little Life

Finding Beauty in the Ashes

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I climb in, turn the ignition and drive out our street, our city, allowing these wheels to eat up the distance. My stomach is a piece of dough. Pushed, pulled, beaten, flipped, flattened. It is 4:10pm. I kissed them goodbye: one, two, three, at the front door. Then I climbed into the driver’s seat, alone, no chatter in the back seat, no husband fiddling with the aircon. Just me. It’s warm for October and my cotton singlet top and sunnies feel deliciously summery, the sun still massaging warmth into my pores. My striped red and white tote in the boot has a change of clothes, a pair of pyjamas, a book, my Bible and a box of muesli bars, because I don’t trust hospital food. The road yawns ahead of me, wide and quiet, undulating from bush to townships to crops until I reach the coast and all its blue hopefulness. You’re close now, it says. I’m grateful for the kilometres between us, the peaceful preparation this plane has granted, making malleable the mishmash of …

Why Wait Until 12 Weeks When You Can Share Now?

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Some of you will be aware that I’m now working part time for Emily’s Voice, an Australian media campaign that shares stories of real women and families in an effort to uphold the cause of the unborn – in a loving, compassionate and heartfelt way. It’s true that my writing for Emily’s Voice has given me less time and focus for my blog. So I thought I’d share with you one of the many stories I’ve been writing for this wonderful organisation. I encourage you to head over to the Emily’s Voice website too and check it out, see how you can be involved and make a big difference in little lives.   I NOTICED that glamorous mummy blogger Sophie Cachia announced her pregnancy early to friends, family and 121,000 Instagram followers recently. She penned some poignant thoughts in an article for popular media website Mamamia. “Societal norms prevent us from freely announcing pregnancy until after the 12-week mark,” she shared as she also revealed the fact she was 9 weeks pregnant. “I didn’t make the …

“I Want to Live the Kind of Life He Lived” (A Daughter To Her Dad)

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Loved ones come and loved ones go. It is a reality of life that there comes an end point. Whether they meet death fresh-faced with barely a day to their name or as a sage with decades of experience and wisdom, one point remains true: life is precious. Here, Christine bravely lays bare her grief in homage to her dad who died a few months back; a man whose 82 years were lived with the kind of dignity and faith that has left the sweet kiss of legacy on those who remain. Another This Little Life story… “The hymn beautifully expressed what had been on our hearts during the 12 weeks of our dearly loved father’s hospital stay. When peace like a river flows all through my life, When sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot you have taught me to say: It is well, it is well with my soul. It was evening as the family gathered one last time to farewell Pieter, our Dad and Opa. I got the call just after …

A Baby’s a Baby, all the Time!

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Babies.  They begin as a ‘zygote’, are dubbed an ’embryo’ at around two weeks before assuming the title of ‘fetus’ at 8 weeks.  If they die before 20 weeks it’s called a ‘miscarriage’ and thereafter, a ‘stillbirth’.  Technicalities.  Because a mother knows her baby to be life from go to whoa, and a baby’s death is painful whatever the doctors call it.  Anja’s son died in the womb at 17 weeks.  Here, she courageously shares his short story and the reality that “a baby’s a baby, all the time”, in her words.  A This Little Life story. (Please note, this story includes a photo of Anja’s son, born at 17 weeks) “In late October 2009 we were thrilled to discover that we were expecting a baby. We had experienced a previous early pregnancy miscarriage, but figured we were in the clear as, by the time I saw those two pink lines, we were already past the point of our previous loss. As excited ‘first time’ parents we announced our pregnancy creatively to our family, I …

Intermission: Between the Cancer Death of One Child and the Birth of a New Baby

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If you were to ask me, “Who is the most inspiring person in your life?”, chances are I would name Rebecca Fogarty.  She is a dear friend, one who has navigated extreme hardship with Godly wisdom, dignity and courage.  I want to be like her!  She’s also extremely eloquent, so I won’t rabbit on. These are her words, another This Little Life story that demonstrates the inherent value of life. (Rebecca first shared this story at the 2014 Flourish women’s event in Launceston) “Intermission. The break in the middle of the show that allows you to get something to eat, go to the loo or talk to the person next to you. Intermission is also the name we have given the last nine weeks. It has been a time without children…between children. While excruciatingly painful it has also been a valuable chance to rest, to talk and to think. What I am about to share is sad but it turns out okay so please trust me and come with me on this. My son Leo was …

Having an Abortion in Launceston is “Like Going to the Dentist”

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When it comes to facing an unwanted pregnancy in Australia, choice is apparently what women want. But is that what they get? When a vulnerable young woman books an appointment with her GP or walks into a youth support service – is she presented with the full gamut of options out there? Or is she given the option that the professional thinks is ‘most appropriate’ to her situation?  Recently I had the opportunity to ask these questions of a woman who had an abortion in Launceston when she was 19. While the laws have since changed, making abortion more accessible, her answers give an interesting snapshot of how our society handles abortion and the mental health repercussions. This Q & A makes up a part of Sandra’s story (not her real name). When did you have your abortion and how old were you? 2007; I was 19. How far along were you when you had the abortion? Nearly 11 weeks. Where did you go first when you realised you had an unwanted pregnancy? The Corner*. …

“Against Medical Advice I Chose Not To Abort.” This Mum’s Story Will Bring Hope – And Tears!

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Doctors are not gods.  I’ll say it again, doctors are not gods.  They get it wrong and all too often their prognosis allows no room for the extraordinary.  This was the barrier that would have prevented Chercara and Tim from raising a family of their own.  Chercara shares how faith and a deep-seated value of life raised hope in her heart, not for one miracle, but two.  A This Little Life story… “I have six children but can only hold two of them in my arms.  If I was to heed the advice of many of the doctors and nurses responsible for my antenatal care, I wouldn’t even have these, my two beautiful boys. Losing our first baby was not only one of the hardest things for me and hubby Tim to endure but it made me lose faith in the medical system. I met Tim when I was 18 – it was ‘love at first sight’.  Within a month we were dating, another month and he asked me to marry him and a month …

Reuben’s Little Life – So Short, So Sweet.

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What is the measure of a life?  I have watched a very dear friend travel a painful journey through the pregnancy, birth, life and death of her second son, Reuben.  Kristy and her husband Luke have an inexplicable peace around Reuben’s 34-week life within the womb and 55-minute life outside.  Here, for the first instalment of This Little Life, Kristy shares his story. “Reuben Edric Dadson decided to arrive at 1:55am on the 19th March 2013 after 34 weeks of life inside.  He was born naturally and quickly and the midwife lifted him straight up onto my chest.  The room filled with a warmth that I had only experienced one other time, at the birth of our first son less than two years before. Reuben lay peacefully, his sticky warm body quivering every so often.  He made a few little noises, but didn’t cry as most newborn babies do.  Luke, my husband, was lying next to me on the hospital bed, one arm around me, the other touching Reuben’s little face and body every so …

THIS LITTLE LIFE: Changing Culture, One Life-Affirming Story at a Time

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THIS LITTLE LIFE is a new opportunity on my blog to share your own story of how valuable, beautiful and significant life is, from the moment it takes up lodging in the womb to the last breath. Life has been defaced, devalued, dehumanised and it’s through real-life stories that we can change this culture.  Please consider sharing the complexities and revelations of your own journey.  There are no hard and fast rules regarding what stories I will publish.  Perhaps you could ask yourself: Does my story demonstrate the innate value of life?  Could it help others? I think we often underestimate just how powerful our stories are. Not so good at getting the words out of your head and into a cohesive read? That’s where I can help.  Please send me an email at inklingmedia01@gmail.com and we’ll find a way together. Keep an eye out for the first THIS LITTLE LIFE instalment in the next few days.  And don’t forget to share these powerful stories – I’ll post them on Facebook and Twitter as usual. Bless …