:: The S.I.C.L.E. Cell ::

:: Sunday, August 24, 2003 ::

I met "Murf the Surf" today. For those of you too young to recognize that name, he participated in the biggest jewel heist in history. (In '75 Hollywood made a movie about this entitled "Murf the Surf".) Three years later, story has it, he took two Florida girls skiing and both of them ended up dead. He got two life sentences and inhabited a dark death row cell just down the hall from "Ol' Sparky". He goes to prisons now and tells the inmates about his sordid past and how Jesus Christ changed all that and gave him a future. It's interesting to note that 7 out of 10 ex-cons end up back in prison whereas less than 10% of those who become Christians and get hooked up with a church return to prison.

Anyway, the sermon today included a blurb about Paul Hill, the guy who shot an abortionist and his security guard here in Florida. Our pastor knew Paul Hill at one time, because Paul was a Presbyterian minister with the PCA. His crime was denounced, and those of you who got a glimpse of my quickly deleted post about the van trip from hell will understand that all of us who had been in the van were flabberghasted that this subject was on the menu.

The subject of Paul Hill has sparked a personal interest in graded absolutism, something I knew nothing about until I started arguing it in the van.

I digress...

Murf the Surf, known for his charisma, was a dynamic speaker and after church I had to meet him. I found myself inspired or encouraged by the message of hope he shares with other murderers on death row. I told him it touched me, and he immediately wanted me to join the prison ministry team.

When Murf went to prison his kids came up to his knee. When he got out they were over six feet tall. He has seen his 45-year-old son get married and takes an annual ski trip with him.

However, no matter how much any of us recovers from the trauma of abortion, we will never see our lost children marry, and we certainly won't get to take them skiing.

I wanted to tell Murf that I was already working in a women's prison, where every inmate is incarcerated in a SICLE cell for life with no chance of parole. Instead I smiled and went to lunch, thankful that today I can eat without exchanging a child's life for the ability.

:: ashli 9:00 PM # ::
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