Hi John and Doves,
 
It's been a shocking weekend for everybody. The Japan catastrophe is still sinking in.
 
Phil - your post: - http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/march2011/phil312-1.htm
 
So true, my brother in Christ. We are so close. If we're to take proper note of the "birth pangs" analogy, the Japan earthquake was a MASSIVE contraction. Every female Dove will know what I'm talking about. When the baby is on the point of being born, the pain is pretty scary. You almost have to choose between sanity or follow the easy path of just going stark, staring mad. Which, every woman knows, is not really an option. You have to stay focused and attempt to get your body to obey your head. Likening these disasters to birth pangs means that there is a very real science to it all. His Kingdom is being birthed. And like all the other messy stuff of labour and birth, there are certain things that have to be done. First of all - this Japan birth pang was like the powerful "last few" pangs a woman gets before she gives birth. She can't withstand too many contractions of this magnitude so (thankfully) they are limited. Of course, every woman differs, but, in my experience (I have four gorgeous sons) I was subjected to about 4/5 of these major, hysteria inducing, contractions before giving birth. Correct me if I'm wrong fellow sisters, but I reckon the maximum amount of these violent contractions cannot go too much beyond this figure without a surgeon having to intervene. They place way too much pressure on the heart. Once the birth has occurred, the placenta has to be removed. I know that certain medical procedures differ, but the final stage of separation, is the cutting of the umbilical cord. My instinct is that this 'cutting of the umbilical cord' is symbolic of the Rapture. If this is a good theory, I must ask if a sister Dove, who is fully versed in the entire procedure, medically - and has given birth, herself (I believe that's important for true insight) can walk us through this properly. We have been given a big, fat hint about the end times with our beloved LORD Jesus likening the process to birth pangs. We need to study this properly - from a scientific and Christian perspective. I have a feeling that this holds the key.
 
YSIC
 
Fay