Have you taken time to marvel lately?

Have you taken time to experience any “a-ha” moments lately? Sometimes as we “get used to life,” we can overlook the wonders around us. I like to be reminded of fascinating facts, and November’s a good month to remember to be grateful.

One of the best reminders to notice wonder and life around us comes back to us if we take a walk with a young child. Typically, adults pick a destination or allot a certain amount of time for our “wonder-less” walk. Let a little one set the pace if you want to experience fascination again.

Weeds become objects of intrigue to eyes and fingers and ears just beginning to notice them. A twig, a peddle, a bug, a cloud, crunchy brown leaves, tree bark, or a dog’s bark, dirt, the chirping of birds, or their silent soaring, each of these, and more, fascinate children if they’re allowed to experience them.

Consider how little ones can teach us.

Through modern technology, we discover our “old ticker” has been working since we were less than the size of a bean, about six weeks after conception. Vocal chords began forming then, too. Imagine how tiny our hands and feet were then.

We can’t believe joints wear out; they were forming before most mothers were sure they were pregnant. By 13 weeks we had our own fingerprints.

Those silly faces your friend makes, well, he/she’s been squinting and frowning and grimacing since 14 weeks after conception, about the time we became sensitive to light. By 16 weeks, our hearts pumped 25 quarts of blood a day. Soon our ears adjusted to the family dog’s barking so we’d not fuss about it later.

At birth, with 70 reflexes working, as Psalm 139 says, it’s easy to marvel, “We are wonderfully made, knit together in our mother’s wombs.”

Dr. Bernard Nathanson co-founded NARAL (National Association for Repeal of Abortion Laws) in 1969, and has been responsible for about 75,000 abortions. He’s seen NARAL undergo changes, not in mission but in presentation, trying to distance the organization from the objectionable ‘A’ word. He remembers the group laughed as they tried to come up with better ways to present their public side.

After giving false statistics to justify the “need” for “safe” abortions, Roe v. Wade passed and NARAL became National Abortion Rights Action League. But the ‘A’ word made people squeamish, so it became “National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League,” ignoring the extra ‘R’. Eventually it’s stopped explaining initials and is NARAL: Pro-Choice America.

For NARAL, pro-lifers are “anti-choice.”

Dr. Nathanson changed, too. After an ultrasound let him witness a pre-born child trying to resist the abortionist’s suction tube invading its sanctuary and saw its tiny mouth open to scream, Nathanson became pro-life. He matter-of-factly narrates the abortion procedure film, “The Silent Scream” which incidentally, caused crew members to become protective of preborn life, too.

Norma McCorvey, the “Roe” whose case opened the door for abortions in 1973, had her baby and is strongly pro-life now.

More recently Abby Johnson of Planned Parenthood in Byron, Texas, witnessed an abortion and left the clinic to join those praying against abortion outside the clinic. She’s pro-life now.

Truth changes minds.

NARAL urges support for Obama’s appointees, David Hamilton and Professor Dawn Johnsen for judge and assistant attorney general.

Hamilton and Johnsen haven’t yet realized life is a wonder worthy of protection.

Marge Warder is a general assignment reporter. E-mail her at news@redoakexpress.com.