Respect Life

God’s word says, “But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts, I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly” (Psalm 22:9-10).

"Since 1973, over 45 million legal abortions have been performed in the United States.” When the Constitution was signed, it read that the people would have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Our Nation was founded on Christian principles, “One Nation under God.”

God cares about life and he cares about the unborn. Yet, as I did my research on Wikipedia, the biggest reason that people (25.5%) gave for having an abortion is that they wanted to postpone childbearing. And the next biggest reason (21.3%) was that they couldn’t afford a baby.

Isn’t it sad that the baby, who is a human being, a living breathing life, had no choice? The word of God says, “Thou shalt not murder,” but unfortunately a baby in the womb has been reduced to something equivalent to a “blob of cells”“nothingness,” not a baby, with a beating heart.

There is no excuse for taking the life of another human being and God’s word says that he knew our name before we were even conceived. His word is clear. What choice will you make? Make the right one, won’t you? Abort means to “terminate before completion.” An innocent baby has the right to “complete” his life the way God intended it.

Don’t abort an innocent baby. Get a sonogram and see that the baby inside of you is a living, breathing, human being, blessed by God, before they were even conceived. And he is the giver and taker of life, there is no other like him. He brought us into the world and only he can take us out, by the stroke of his mighty hand.

If you are reading this and have had an abortion, you must know that God can forgive an act of abortion, but only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins.

If you repent and ask Him to forgive you through Jesus Christ, our intercessor, he will. And then you must turn from your sin and live for Jesus, who atoned for your sin when He died on the cross and said, “It is finished.” Say no to abortion. Don’t believe the lie. A baby is a life, even in the womb. Respect life, won’t you?

My Mom

In the year 1969 my sister Lynn grew ill
My mother took over not knowing her will
But my mother was so strong
As she watched over our angel without fear
God love my mother, as she never shed a tear
She worked in our home but was called away
To a hospital where Lynn and other children would stay
And those people how they cherished my mother
For the love she would share
And how she’d listen to all of their despair
Although many years have passed us by and we’ve lost a little one
My mother struggles on, her job still not done
For many will never forget the mom I adore and look up to
Who could ask for more?
She’s taught us the meaning of life at its best
To be thankful to God, letting him take care of the rest
She’s taught us to love because my mom knew best
When our lessons are learned we must go home to rest
How they loved my mother and would really try and understand
Because she simply cared and reached out her hand
She’s the most giving person I’ve ever known
And will always be remembered by those who once felt alone
She gave of herself all the love she had
And never complained, though she may have been sad
My mom’s the greatest, I love her very much
As do many others whose lives she so touched
And now I must close, but want you to know dear mom
How special you are to all of us, each and everyone.

Heartstrings, a collection of poems and stories (chapbook)
Copyright © 2002 by Library of Congress

My Dad, A Tribute

My dad was laid to rest at three
The time Jesus was on the tree
He'll lay next to my sister Lynn
She was an angel, never sinned

It was the year, nineteen hundred, seventy-two
When dad gave the ultimate sacrifice
One of his kidneys so that she might live

So it seems proper at this time
Their graves lie side by side
All is done, in God's time.

Dedicated to my father, Harold Roy Cloutier, Sr
4/4/25-10/19/09

Marriage, in the Beginning

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”
(Gen 1:1).
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground'" (Gen 1:26).
“So God created man in his own image in the image of God he created him male and female he created them”
(Gen 1:27).
“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it'”
(Gen 1:28).
“The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”
(Gen 2:7).
“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to alone, I will make a helper suitable for him'”
(Gen 2:18).
“So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh.” "Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man" (Gen 2:21-22).
"The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called "woman," for she was taken out of man'" (Gen 2:23).
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh”(Gen 2:24).
"The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame" (Gen 2:25).

The Real Diana

As we celebrate the life and death of Princess Diana in July and August, I wish to share this sentiment. I think of the legacy she left us as seen displayed in the lives of her sons, carrying on, so brave and strong, just like their mother taught them. That, in adversity, true fulfillment comes through serving others. And sometimes, sweet remembrances come from strangers, and are given to us as gifts to carry us through. It seems that this happened on the night of the tragic Paris car crash which took her life, when a complete stranger, a physician, was called to the scene. As seen in a television interview years later, this renowned physician, who was one of the last person's to be the princess, used the few moments he had to leave the world such a gift. I remember his words, as if he just spoke them, still resonating in my mind. Truly this man has wisdom. He said that as he cradled the princess in his arms, she had the most peaceful countenance. What a beautiful image to remember her by and I think of her faith and of angels and then I think of heaven. For those of us who observed her life from a distance, and never knew her on a personal level, she touched our hearts and her life was not in vain.
Heartstrings Two, Copyright © 2008 by Library of Congress

Dear Baby Richard

The day they took you away
from the only mother and father you knew
I wept deep down inside my soul for you
May my tears help make you whole again
For I'm a mother and cannot comprehend
Why your life with your adoptive parents has to come to an end
And why a man you don't even know, took you away
From the only home you've ever known to this day
Baby Richard please find comfort in knowing God will have the last say
When you join him and the angels on that glorious day.
(Written in 1995, after viewing a Documentary on Baby Richard, then, age 4)
Heartstrings, Copyright © 2002 by Library of Congress

Song of my life

Well, I grew up in Kittery,
Fishing town down by the sea,
Babysitter took me to Sunday School,
Where I learned about God's rules,

My teacher's wished I'd raise my hand,
Shy I was I didn't want to stand,
Daddy went off to Scotland town,
On a submarine and I was down,

Missed him so I cried at night,
Little girls need their daddies all right
Mom was there she had us four,
No help at home, that's for sure

I was the oldest girl of daughter's three
I had too much responsibility,
By eighth grade I could really spell,
Won a state contest, sure was swell,

In high school was asked to a dance,
Played softball and by chance,
Shy girl became a star athlete,
Hit a home run, I was fast on my feet

Loved to stand in English class
Recite poetry, prose, now that’s a fact
The day that graduation came
To my surprise they called my name

The shyest girl of eighteen years
Stood up proud holding back her tears
Then got in my car and moved away
To the Bible belt where people pray

Found my Jesus from my church pew
I am one of his chosen few
I serve the Lord most diligently
My heart’s passion’s to help set captives free

Got married had a baby girl
Dressed her up, and she did twirl
At age four she went to church pre-school
Where she learned about God’s rules

Then I became a single mom
Life was hard, not much fun
Did my best to raise her well
God knows my heart, I pray tell

Went to college got an English degree
Wrote an essay and they published me
The very best job that I ever had
Was being a mom, for that I am glad

I use my gift of poetry and prose
Write about things, as I try to help those
Who are oppressed, no fault of their own
I am God’s servant and he’s on his throne

So when my day is all done here
And he calls me home, I’ll not fear
Cause I loved serving him each day
I’ll bow my head one last time and pray
Heartstrings Two, Copyright © 2008 by Library of Congress