Sunday, July 26, 2009

What Country Am I In???

It is so sad to me that our government is trying to tax us more, spread our money around to those who refuse to work, and continually try to take away our freedoms!

What is wrong with us - do we sit in apathy, or perhaps hopelessness?
The TEA parties that began this year seem like a good start for getting the people involved, but is it enough?

According to Wikipedia, healthcare reform is a phrase that is commonly used for discussing health policy changes. Wikipedia gives a general overview of various countries and how their health care is managed. All of us should take a look at how health care actually operates in other countries and educate ourselves. Our country was founded on freedom, that includes our freedom of choice regarding healthcare. I want to choose my doctor, discuss my options with my healthcare team, and then choose my treatment plan. I do not believe that the current healthcare reform will allow me to keep those freedoms of choice for myself and my family.

Sadly, one scenario that has caused some of the ruckus is that we Christians are not doing a good enough job of taking care of our widows and orphans. But the present administration has already said that Medicare and Medicaid are too expensive. We must become a neighborhood of caring again, and reach out to those who are in need. The complaints of those who have been neglected or suffered wrong in our institutional health care cannot be ignored, but you cannot fix those problems with the new healthcare plan that Obama has created. And -- You cannot legislate caring.

There is a good article here about the very recent attempt at my homestate to offer healthcare to all at no cost to those who needed medical assistance - sadly, this TennCare plan did not work and cost the state so much money, it got into a terribly bad financial situation. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/07/22/tenncare_lessons_for_modern_health_care_reform_97570.html

In any case, I am passing along the following website link so you can read some of the new healthcare "reforms" that our president is supporting. Nevermind any personal commentary, just take a look at some of the specifics and make your own intelligent decision. I know we can.

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2009/07/whats-in-healthacre-bill.html

Monday, July 20, 2009

Yes, There is a Cost

Take a walk down the path of life and along the way you will find many surprises. The cost of living is high; it is not for the weak or the faint at heart. Living requires courage; it will take all the tenacity that you can muster.

The high road is never the easy road; it will grind you down to the bone and reveal the weakness on the inside. You will be given the opportunity to take advantage of each obstacle that comes in your way. A person without a vision will never take the high road, there are too many punishing storms that drown the weak and break the undetermined soul.

There cannot be a testimony without a test and no advancement without resistance.

Living must be intentional; failing to plan is planning to fail. Success does not knock on anyone’s door. To measure your success in life you have to take a look at your potential and then go beyond that. We are not called to what we can do; we are measured against the standard of Heaven. If you are living in what you can manage, then you are settling for what YOU can produce and that is way below Heavens standard. Try taking a step beyond what you are capable of and place your foot in the steps of Jesus.

... So you don’t think you have what it takes? You are right; because this road of life requires supernatural help. Our battles are not against flesh and blood, not against other human beings or our own bad decisions. We are at war against a force that is unseen to the human eye. Your discernment will be honed and your courage will be tested. Control is mostly a myth; sometimes you can control yourself but you cannot control the circumstances of life, you can only decide what your response will be to these events. A response should be pre-meditated. As Ed said last night, if you eat only once a week at church, you will be anemic and weak, unable to fight the enemy or feed yourself. The more you eat, the stronger you will be - and follow the pattern of the wilderness children by gathering and eating before the sunrise, before your day begins.

Yes - The cost of living is high. Our lives are shaped by the heavy storms that adversity brings; and we should prepare ourselves ahead of time. Life is worth living and it is worth living right. Count the cost before you start; look at your life with the end in mind. We are all going to die someday, but we will not all live. What will your choices be?