Not Gone, Just Relocated

Someday that will be true in an eternal, spiritual sense, but for now the title of this post just means my blog has moved. My social media savvy son convinced me that wordpress would be a better platform for my blog to reach a larger audience. I am generally gullible, so I took his advice and moved. You can find my current posts at www.crowdedhermit.wordpress.com Please visit and follow me there, I would love the company! I am not proficient enough with computers and all things internetty to move the posts that are archived here, so hopefully this site will stay online long enough for me to learn more. And yes, I did just make up the word "internetty." The fact that I don't even know the correct terminology should tell you volumes about my technical skills... For now, I am simply writing random posts and poetry along the same lines as those found here. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them!

Thankful for the Living Word

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself,"The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him"< Lamentations 3:22

I thank God for all of the promises like this that he gives us through his word. I need the reminder in black and white that he will always love me and treat me with compassion. He wants me to know that I start each new day with a clean slate, a fresh start, no matter how badly I messed up the day before.

God is always faithful, even when I am not. His proven faithfulness is what makes it possible for me to trust him in this moment, and wait for him to show himself at the right time. This morning I am going to savor the words of these verses, let them sink deep into my soul and take root. I want God’s word to become a part of every fiber of my being, like the DNA that determines the growth of every cell in my body.

He is always present with me through the scriptures, never out of reach, always teaching, always encouraging. There are over 31,000 verses in the bible I read, giving me that many opportunities to hear God speaking to my heart. Every one of them is a gift from my Father in heaven, a love letter given to each one of us to meet us at our point of need.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your living Word.

Trying My Hand At Fiction

Now for something different... I'm writing a fictional story about social collapse and redemption in a future country lost in governmental social engineering policies. Sounds fun, doesn't it? I am not as paranoid or sold out to consiracy theories as this seems to indicate. It is a picture of a world I hope will never be, more nightmare than reality.

Anyway, here is the opening paragraph, so far. If it grabs you, let me know!

Ruth held the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were white, and it took every fiber of her being not to go over the speed limit. That would have only made things worse by triggering the automatic cameras linked into the city’s database. Today is not a good day for my car to be noticed, she reminded herself grimly. Silently willing herself not to hunch over the cracked and fading wheel or do anything else to attract the attention of curious onlookers, she kept her eyes focused on the busy road straight ahead. The main city artery was crowded with cars swerving to avoid the numerous potholes and cracks that bore silent witness to the decaying city infrastructure. She was surprised by how many cars were still on the road here, and wondered how many of them were driven by government workers.

Writing Out Loud

I did something new and different today, and am enjoying the accomplishment. My last post mentioned that I was working on a devotional book to be published as an e-book. Today I sent it on to the editor, and am excited to see what happens next.

Obviously I hope other people will read it. Why else would I put my writings out in the public realm? Even more, my prayer is that it will be a blessing to others, that God will use my written descriptions of lessons He has been teaching me to encourage others along the way.

Most of the entries deal with how God reveals himself in the midst of trials or in the face of our own weaknesses, because that is where He has most faithfully revealed himself to me. It takes courage for me to let others see how the Lord has been working on this messy lump of clay, but I believe it is worth the risk. My prayer is that readers will gain a greater sense of God's amazing light where darkness once prevailed.

In the meantime, there are a lot of innovative home school tools and other devotionals available at the website where my work will eventually be published. Please check out http://7sistershomeschool.com/ and see what my lovely friends have to offer!

Crayon Scribbles

The following is a part of my next project, a 30 day devotional for people with a chronic illness. I think most of it applies to all of us. Please let me know what you think!

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, Luke 4:18b

I’m not very good with crayons. As a small child, I colored outside the lines and was punished. I don’t know if I just missed the lines a little bit or colored all over the page, but I was punished and became very fearful. All creative expression felt dangerous.

God has gently pointed out that pattern in other areas of my life. I tend to look for the rules or lines in every situation. Where there are no clear guidelines, I’m a nervous wreck. This is no way to live. Jesus came to set me free from bondage, and He did. I only need to walk in faith through those prison doors. He wants me to feel the sweet fresh air and warmth of sun on my face, and doesn’t demand perfection from me to get there.

So often we live our lives in prisons of our own making, believing we cannot ever be free. We are so concerned with staying on the path we believe is our only choice that we never see that the walls have been torn down. We never even test the door to find out that Jesus has removed the locks that held us captive.

Sometimes our lives are sloppy, with marks all over the page where they don’t belong, but God’s love is not bound by our actions. He forgives us instead of condemning, He even accepts our pitiful crayon scribbles, knowing that we are actually becoming His masterpiece. Our creator doesn’t punish us every time we make a mistake. He is a loving Father who erases the sins of our past through the forgiveness given by grace at the cross.

Thank you, Lord, for freeing me from the bondage of sin.

Fall Viewed in a Frame

Its been too long since I posted here. I hope you enjoy the view from my window...

Acorns leaching brown on new cement

Leaves curled cold by frost’s first kiss

Bright mums rounded yellow

In clay planters by the door

All seen through the breach

Framed in rectangles of glass

Trace of grass lying fallow

Mustiness of leaves

Gentle scents that seep inside

Announcing shorter days

Damp and fog now spreading tendrils

Of warming mist across the ground

Morning in a world at dusk

The sun is glowing gold

First Love

I've been asked to give a little devotional, and decided to post part of it here since I haven't blogged much lately. I hope these words encourage you!

Nothing else matters if we don’t have love. But where does it start?

1John 4:19 "We love because he first loved us" We love because God first loved us. We can only give away what we have, and he has given us his boundless, powerful, tender and eternal love. Sit with that for a moment. Drink deeply from that well, because nothing else compares. Start your day by realizing you are surrounded by the amazing love of your Father in heaven. The only response to that love is to love God in return. And when we are overflowing with the love of God, we can’t help but share it with those around us.

In Revelation chapter 2, Christ addresses the church at Ephesus first. That is no accident, and his message to them is clear. Yes, they are working really hard doing what we might call “Kingdom work”, but he tells them they’ve missed the most important thing, their love for God.

"I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."

Do you remember what it was like when you first asked Christ into your heart? When was the last time you were overcome with joy at realizing how deeply and tenderly you are loved? That is a priceless gift we have been given, and the world desperately needs us to share that love.

Why Write, Take 2

I'm entering a contest at a website for aspiring writers, http://youareawriter.com/contest/ moderated by Jeff Goins, whose own website http://goinswriter.com/ often motivates me. The following is an attempt to explain/expose my inner writer...

I've always wanted to write a book, which makes me just as unique as millions of other people who thought the same thing. Of course, I made lots of excuses for why I couldn't do it today, or this month, or this year. That is what millions of other potential writers have also probably said, so nothing else that follows will be unique either.

For whatever reason, it has recently occurred to me that I'm running out of time to make this dream into a reality. Maybe I just matured enough to realize it wasn't going to fall into my lap without some consistent effort, or maybe I'm finally growing up. I know one big thing that has changed is that I find my own story much less interesting than it once appeared, and so the desire to write about my own life has faded. (Are those sighs of relief I hear?) I enjoy writing poetry, but can't really see myself publishing most of it. Besides, if I ever did publish my own story or most of my poems, it would have to be done under a pen name to protect my privacy, and where's the fun in that?

There are ideas I think are important, and a gripping story is an effective way to communicate ideas. I have a story concept that I'm enjoying writing and that I hope someday others will enjoy reading. Sounds simple enough, right? Write something people want to read, and somehow the magic fairies will turn it into a book on the shelf at the local bookseller. What do you mean that's not how it works???

Now my mind is churning with concepts such as 'building your platform to get published', and 'utilize search engine optimization' and 'draft a powerful proposal', and 'self publish for success', and 'e-books or printing on demand', and.... excuse me while my brain explodes.

All I want to do is write, right? The process of stringing words together is intimidating enough for me, let alone all of the other tasks involved in getting a book into print. Lord, please help me focus on you first, and trust that all the rest will come together in your time!

When a Man of God Compromises...

... the Word of God is shamed. I'm sitting here in tears over something I just saw on TV, grieving over what has become of our Christian leaders in this once great nation.

What I heard was a pastor saying he changed his mind about a biblical issue because he "heard from my base." He didn't hear from God, because God's Word on the issue is clear. There is behavior that is sinful, and sin should not be celebrated or "tolerated." It doesn't even matter what the issue was, though you can probably guess, given the recent headlines. Yesterday this pastor spoke out and he said he could no longer support President Obama and would not vote for him because the president has come out strongly and publicly supporting something that the Bible clearly condemns.

One day later, this supposed shepherd of God's people told the world that the opinions of men matter more to him than what God has said in the bible. He is Rev. Emmett Burns, PhD, pastor of The Rising Sun Baptist Church in Baltimore, and I feel sorry for the members of his congregation. Apparently Rev. Burns got a lot of calls today from his "base", and when he saw that standing on principle might be costly, he chose to deny what he knew in his heart to be true. It would have been better for all of them had Rev. Burns kept his opinions to himself in the first place, since he apparently didn't have the courage of his convictions or trust God to honor his faithfulness. Instead, a man of God has been revealed as just another guy who cares more about what people think of him than doing the right thing and standing on biblical truth. Great lesson to teach the flock that God put in your care, sir.

I'm sure that he got hammered today for speaking out. 97% of the black community is in lockstep support of President Obama. But gay rights are NOT the same as the rights regardless of color fought for by the civil rights movement. The level of melanin in your skin, or your ethnic background, is not something you choose or can change, anymore than you do your height or hair color [ok, many women do choose the latter]. All of us DO choose our behavior, and one day we will ALL be held accountable for that.

I wish that Rev. Burns had met Rev. C.L. Bryant, because he might have been able to encourage the older man that the fight was worth it. Pastor Bryant was raked over the coals for standing on principle, and is still proclaiming the truth fearlessly every day, despite receiving the same kind of attacks leveled at Rev. Burns. The difference is that Pastor Bryant chose to put his trust in God, not in the opinions of men. When I met him, he told me that the two issues he believed most of the Christian community could agree on were abortion and gay marriage. Sadly, he was proved wrong today.

Most of us will never be placed in the same position as Rev. Burns. But if I ever am, I pray that I will value God's opinion of me more than the world's.

Think On These Things

I wrote a post on Phil 4:8 a couple of months ago, from the perspective of dealing with pain and loss. Today I find myself reminded of this verse for another reason. My sons are home from college for the summer, and we've been having some wonderful late night conversations about the state of the world and our response. It is a blessing to hear the wisdom that comes from the mouths of these people that I once held in my arms. They are held by far stronger and wiser arms than mine these days, and it shows.

We've all done a lot of reading and listening this year, and been profoundly impacted by what we've learned. I often feel overwhelmed by it all, seeing so many issues that need to be addressed and feeling quite incapable of having any impact. My youngest son probably encouraged me the most, with a reminder of something he learned from a Frank Peretti lecture his literature class watched. Mr. Peretti spoke about the rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem, and Dan took the lesson to heart.

Rebuilding the wall around an entire city was a huge task, far too much for any one person to accomplish on their own. Instead of looking at the whole wall, each worker was instructed to focus instead on their one section. He described the action of laying one brick at a time, spreading the mortar to hold it securely, then placing the next brick. One person, one piece of the whole. This makes sense, which is why I didn't think of it myself.

We want to be smart about how we lay our bricks, and want the wall we build to be straight and true. 'Many counselors make for wise decisions', and the books we read often provide that counsel. I am grateful for the teachers and friends who have pointed us toward many of these books.

To give you an idea what the shelves around here look like these days, here are some of the books we shared ideas from [in no particular order]:

The Bible, by God; Joni, By Joni Eareckson Tada; Free To Choose, by Milton Friedman; Something Beautiful For God, by Malcom Muggeridge; Why We Should Call Ourselves Christians, by Marcello Pera; Be Amazed, by Warren Wiersbe; Modern Times, by Paul Johnson; Scribbling in the Sand, by Michael Card; The Normal Christian Life, by Watchman Nee; Born Again, by Chuck Colson; How Do You Kill 11 Million People? by Andy Andrews; We Won't Get Fooled Again, by Jackson & Deace; Politics According to the Bible, by Wayne Grudem; A Patriot's History of the United States, by Schweikart & Allen

What books have been helping you build your section of the wall lately?

What books would you recommend to your fellow wall-builders?

What Is a Parent To Do?

As a mother, I often think about what kind of legacy I am leaving for my sons. As a Christian, my highest hope is that they will know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and have a lifelong relationship with Him long after I am gone. Beyond that, I want them to be like salt and light in their world, pointing others toward enduring truth. My words matter, but have my own actions showed them how it can be done? Have I not only talked about making moral choices, but modeled them as well? Have I showed them by my example what it means to be a good citizen, or how to have a positive impact on their community and world?

I've dedicated most of the past 25 years to those ends, through homeschooling and actively working in my church and local community. Now I look at the world around me and wonder what I've missed. The moral foundation of our culture has crumbled as "truth" has become whatever someone wants it to be, where our leaders say one thing and do another. Disrespect for life is rampant, the God-ordained institutions of marriage and family are belittled or transformed into something entirely different, the selfish ends seem to justify any means.

It would be easy to give up, or even worse become apathetic, and just retreat into my own safe little comfort zone. But I don't believe that is what God's people have been called to do. His command to Joshua was clear, "Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

As Americans we have the unique opportunity to choose those who will represent us. I believe it is our responsibility to choose wisely how we exercise that right. It is just as important to hold our representatives accountable, and that requires effort and discernment. Our input is needed. We need to be prepared to give wise counsel and not assume that others have done it for us.

You have two opportunities right now to make a positive difference in our state. Action is needed TODAY to let your Delaware State Representative know your opinion on the issue of parental rights regarding school health clinics. Go HERE for information on the bill and easy links to contact your Representative.

Tomorrow, school board elections are being held throughout the state. See my previous post for more information.

If you're tempted to let these opportunities slip away, please first ask yourself this: If not you, then who? If not now, then when?

School Board Election May 8

As a veteran homeschooler, I must admit that local school board elections haven't been much of a priority. This year is different - my interest has been piqued by the obvious and excessive money being spent to garner my vote. Why the huge investment in a small race? Then I did a little research on the candidate and found a social progressive with big union money behind her, and decided it was time to pay attention.

On Tuesday, May 8th, you can make a difference. Delaware is holding 10 school board and referenda elections throughout the state. You only need to be a resident of the district to vote, and can vote at any location in your district. Go here for a quick source of official information.

In 2011, we spent $12,390 per student, with 126,801 students. Do the math, we spend about $1.5 Billion a year on our schools. With a 2010 population of 897,934, that means every one of us is pitching in about $1,750 a year. Are we getting our money's worth?

The most recent figures I could find rank us 6th in the nation for education costs. But our test scores are just average according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress

Our situation in the Christina District is far worse. We are ranked 15th of 15 districts statewide according to schooldigger.com with a dropout rate of 7.8% last year. To put that in perspective, Delaware overall had the 5th highest dropout rate nationally in 2007-08 with a rate of "only" 6%.

Whether you are a student or not, as a taxpayer you have a vested interest in the quality and cost of education. Our future is being molded in the classrooms of today. Do you agree with how and what is being taught? Information on the candidates is not easy to find. The best resource I know of is the Delaware Family Policy Council. I also found general information with candidate statements here

PLEASE VOTE ON MAY 8TH !!!

Life of Julia - a Nightmare Come True

There is currently a slideshow at President Obama's reelection campaign website that sends chills of horror down my spine. Some pundits are making jokes about it, but honestly I'm way too appalled to see the humor. It was intended to gain support for him, but it had the completely opposite effect on me. It documents how the federal government, under Barack Obama's guidance, takes care of a fictional woman from age 3 to 67. A government that takes pride in having that much power in our lives frightens me, and does not at all resemble the freedom our nation once championed. I have no desire to live in a country where the government takes the place of a parent or spouse for a capable citizen from 'cradle to grave.'

The text that accompanies the slides is a gross distortion of reality. I know many people are making jokes about the whole presentation, but I'm much too upset about what it represents to laugh it off. Since when did we give a bloated bureaucracy the power to control every decision we make in life? Since when is it a positive thing for parents to relinquish the care and well being of their children to the state?

I think what troubles me most is that this campaign actually brags about playing the role of 'god', meeting all of this imaginary citizen's needs. Why depend on the real God, if a government program will do?

http://www.barackobama.com/life-of-julia

Serving, or a Disservice?

http://www.mnddc.org/mcKnight/documents/Why_Servanthood_is_Bad.pdf

My son sent me this article from one of his college classes recently, and though it was new to me, it was written in 1989 and may be familiar to you. John McKnight's premise is that when agencies look at a community as being in need of 'services', they often damage the community as a whole. I encourage you to read the author's own words as they are more eloquent than my own.

My first reaction was, "Aha! I knew that government attempts to 'help' us were a bad idea!" I see the damage done to our inner city communities where the government has taken over the role of a parent. Communities that once functioned together despite their poverty have lost their sense of being able to provide for themselves. Why go to the effort of working together in difficulties if there is an agency of "professionals" that are not only willing to do it, but have convinced you they can do it better?

My second thought was to wonder how often I am guilty of the same assumptions on a personal level, and my righteous indignation melted away. I take seriously the biblical command to love my neighbor and serve others rather than seeking selfish gain. Sometimes I'm just not so good at being able to tell when I'm being helpful or when I am doing something the other person should do for themselves. Even worse, there have been times when I've given in to the temptation to help someone, and my help has only made their situation worse.

An intersection near my home hosts a parade of sorry looking souls holding up signs with some variation of 'will work for food', or 'down on my luck please help me.' I often see people reaching their hands out the driver's window to hand cash to whoever is collecting donations that day. I squirm in my seat and feel guilty for not doing the same, even though I know that most of the money probably goes to anything but food. I was once told by someone that ran a homeless shelter that they would actually kick out any of their guests who were seen panhandling in such a way, because the money invariable went to drugs or alcohol and the panhandler still showed up at the shelter for all their meals.

I'm not a heartless person, though, and it troubles me. How can I know if a person is truly in need, since only God can see the heart? Then I have to remind myself that God 'don't make no junk.' He created mankind and told us to fill and subdue the earth. Clearly he would not have told us to do something He knew we were incapable of doing. He made exceptions for widows, orphans, and the sick, but that's about it. I'm not doing anyone any favors by doing something for them that they are capable of doing for themselves. I only rob them of their dignity and self-respect.

Delaware's Next U.S. Senator

Kevin Wade was officially nominated last weekend as the Republican candidate for Delaware's U.S. Senate seat, and Tom Carper should be worried. His acceptance speech was an inspiring call for common sense conservatism, and a celebration of the people who have made this country great. Mr. Wade is a concerned citizen who has had enough of the damage done by career politicians like Senator Carper.

Many of us are concerned, but few have the experience to actually do something about the problems confronting our nation. Mr. Wade knows what it takes to succeed in what he called our "great country of boundless opportunity," having worked his way up from the steel mills of Pennsylvania to running his own engineering firm here in Delaware. His company has focused on problem solving in the energy industry, making him uniquely qualified to steer our country towards energy independence. He is a man of integrity with the kind of vision and problem-solving skills we need in Washington. We all know that Washington is broken, but our government won't change until we change the people running it. It is time for Delaware to elect a senator who will represent the people, not his political cronies.

Please take a few minutes to visit Kevin Wade's website for yourself, and learn why I am excited to support his candidacy. http://wadefordelaware.com/

Note: This blog reflects my own personal opinions and is independent of any party or candidate. However, in the interest of full disclosure I feel the need to state that other members of my family share my strong support for Mr. Wade and are actively working on his campaign.

His acceptance speech starts at 17:30, but the nominating speeches are great, too!

Health Care - Another Point of View

My last two posts have been about the contradictory world views that impact our position on healthcare in general and on specific problems with the plan passed under cover of night in December 2010. I'll be the first to admit that a lot of it is tedious and depressing, but sometimes reality is just that. I'll summarize part of Dr. Gray's solution here, and put in my own two cents worth in the second part of this post.

Thankfully, there is a better way forward. Dr. Gray has written a paper entitled "Cutting the Gordian Knot" and I highly recommend you check it out at his website, www.CLGrayMD.com He describes five guiding principles that he thinks provide a way forward. They are: 1- craft a series of reforms, each addressing one clearly identified problem with the current system 2 - pass each reform separately. Don't try to change everything at once or you'll never know what really worked 3 - write understandable bills of a reasonable length whose proposals can be clearly communicated 4 - Keep each bill 'clean' and free of any payoffs, pork or other attachments 5 - make the final language public for 7 days before voting to allow for public viewing

Dr. Gray has listed 17 reforms on his website that he believes are essential. The one reform he mentioned Tuesday night was transforming Medicaid to a system of block grants to the states. He believes this one reform alone could save as much as $300 billion.

I believe that the current system we have of 'third party payors' through insurance of any kind contributes significantly to the problem. My own doctor can't tell me what a specific test will cost, for example, because it varies depending on what insurance company I use. If I choose not to use insurance, the price is higher. I can't think of any other area of commerce where using cash is actually the most expensive option, can you? Different insurance companies also cover different medications based on contracts with manufacturers rather than on patient need.

In addition, paying a flat rate for medical care leads to the "all you can eat buffet mentality." If someone is paying a flat rate whether they use a service or not, the human tendency is to get as much out of it as you can. Making the real cost of medical care inaccessible to the patient keeps all of us from recognizing its true value.

Medical Savings Accounts and limited insurance for catastrophic medical needs could go a long way toward curbing the abuse of the healthcare system. The price for services would likely come down for basic care, allowing greater access.

I believe we have a moral obligation to care for those in genuine need. Does that mean I am morally obligated to pay for an emergency room visit (the most expensive method of healthcare delivery) to treat an addict's non-life threatening healthcare needs? What if it is because the addict chose to rely on taxpayer funded healthcare that costs him or her nothing no matter where they go for treatment? I know this sounds harsh, but where does a civilized society draw the line?

A personal example: I have diabetes. This means I have to be more careful about what I eat, and my health in general, than someone without diabetes. Should I have the right to demand that you pay for my expensive medical needs if I decide not to take care of myself? If I develop heart disease because I decide eating candy is more important than maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, is it fair of me to send you the bill?

"Personal responsibility" is an awkward topic to bring up in a healthcare debate, because we all know that it is hard to draw a concrete line between personal habits and lousy genes or environment when our health fails. Some people who live extremely healthy lifestyles still get very ill, and some people live long healthy lives with terrible habits. But at some point we need to acknowledge that life just isn't always fair.

As individuals, we can come alongside those in genuine need, and make these difficult decisions on an individual basis. There is no way that a large government program can evaluate the difference between medical need and a lack of personal accountability.

Inside ObamaCare

This information comes from Dr. C.L. Gray, who has been speaking out on how world views find their expression in public policy since 1999. He has studied the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (AKA ObamaCare) in more detail than most of us could handle. The following facts come from his recent lecture in Newark, Delaware.

Before I relate specific issues with the bill itself, refer to my last post describing the Complete Lives System published by a member of the White House panel that drafted this legislation. The paper was written in 2009, when our national debt was "only" $10.6 trillion. It is now $15.7 trillion, and interest alone adds up to $640 billion more per year. We hear on the news about the terrible impact of debt on our European allies, but did you know that US debt exceeds the debt owed by the entire Eurozone and UK combined? Americans owe more per capita as well.

These facts necessarily impact the amount of federal funding available for healthcare. In 2010, the federal government spent $524 billion on Medicare for the elderly and $427 billion on Medicaid for the poor. This explains why the PPAFA cuts $500 billion from Medicare over the next 10 years; there just isn't enough money available to meet the need.

The bill itself is over 2,000 pages long, but the regulations written so far to implement it exceed 10,000 pages. The bill grants authority to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to determine "appropriate" costs and levels of care, and whether the quality of care meets required limits for expenditures per patient. Dr. Gray showed us just two pages from Section 3007 of the bill. He highlighted 21 times in just those two pages where power was transferred from the physician providing the care to the HHS bureaucracy. In other words, the fact that your physician believes a particular course of treatment is in your best interest is no longer a valid reason for you to receive the treatment. Federal bureaucrats will make those decisions instead.

Section 3404 of the bill is just as disturbing. That is the section that implements the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB. This 15 member panel is to be appointed by the President. They are not accountable to the voters in any way, and the members of this panel will have sole discretion to "reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending."

In a truly hypocritical political maneuver, the recommendations of this IPAB automatically become law unless the Senate votes TWICE to reject their specific policies. This means your US Senator can vote against the board once to claim your support, while ignoring the second vote and allowing the recommendations to become law.

Doctors themselves have woken up to how destructive this plan will be. According to a recent study, 43% of doctors may retire in the next five years, and 9 out of 10 would not recommend healthcare as a profession. The American Medical Association may have heartily endorsed the PPACA, but that group only represents 14-15% of physicians in this country, and most of those are in academics, not patient care.

The health care system in this country has problems, no doubt. As someone with a chronic illness who is dependent on medications and durable medical equipment to get through the day I know that better than most. But the current plan proposes a cure that is far worse than the disease. Knowledge is power, so arm yourself with the facts and join this important national conversation. Next post - another way forward....

Medical Ethics in a Post Modern World

Dr. C. L. Gray, founder of Physicians for Reform and author of the recently published The Battle for America's Soul - Healthcare, The Culture War, and the Future of Freedom spoke at length Tuesday night in Newark. It was an eye-opening and disturbing overview of the current debate on health care in America and the historical trends that brought us to this point. He opened by defining post modern reasoning as the loss of "fixed truth" and the belief that truth exists only as the individual (or state) defines it. He then related this to government policy by reminding us of the Barbara Wagner case in Oregon, which many pro-lifers in the audience remembered all too well. Ms Wagner had cancer, and the state of Oregon refused to pay for her treatment under the state insurance plan but instead offered to pay for her physician assisted suicide. According to the state of Oregon, her life was not valuable enough to warrant medical care and therefore she should benefit the state by dying sooner than later.

Remember Ms. Wagner the next time someone tells you how noble it is for the government to provide medical care out of compassion. Whoever pays for that care has the power to choose what care is given, and in times of increasing financial insecurity, the state's goal is to maintain itself, not individual citizens.

The attitude that the welfare of the state takes priority is not new. As far back as Ancient Greece there were those who promoted the idea that the seriously ill should be allowed, or even encouraged, to die. Judeo-Christian ethics completely contradict this relative truth by asserting the unique value of each individual human life. These two world views stand in direct conflict, and no where is this more apparent than in modern medical practice. Which physician would you rather go to, one who has accepted the post-modern view that all truth is relative and the state has the right to define which citizens are worthy of protection, or one who values every human life and treats his patients accordingly?

Peter Singer is a leader in the modern movement to quantify the value of human life. His views include the idea that babies should not automatically have the right to life until they are 28 days old. He believes that infanticide is not only justifiable but preferable if the parents don't think their child will have a 'good enough' quality of life. As horrific and evil as this sounds, his ideas have been well received and he has been awarded many honors and influential positions in the academic world.

Mr. Singer is not some fringe character. In 2009, the NIH Director of Bioethics actually published a paper on something he called the "Complete Lives System." According to this system, when the government is facing financial problems, there needs to be a way to decide who gets the limited medical funding. His solution was a priority curve that only treats 15-40 year because they are of most value to the state. According to this view, younger people are not as valuable because not as much has been invested in their education and welfare, while older people have fewer useful years left and so do not warrant the investment of resources. This director, Ezekiel Emmanuel, was appointed to the White House Health Care Advisory Panel, and helped write the current health care bill now being considered by the US Supreme Court.

Francis Schaeffer once wrote that over time, ideas that were once unthinkable become thinkable, and ideas that have become thinkable eventually become acceptable. If you believe human life has value, that it is a gift from our Creator and not simply meant to serve the state, the ideas described above should be unthinkable. If we don't take a stand now, it will soon be too late, and we will leave as our legacy a world where relative truth is acceptable.

Faith and Freedom, Part 2

Saturday was too good to cram it all into one post, so here is a bit more... The event was hosted by the Faith and Freedom Coalition of Delaware, and the President of that group, John Radell, worked tirelessly to make it happen. He started the morning by reminding us of our common beliefs. He cited Psalm 33 and stated that we were gathered together because of our common faith in one God whose son died for our sins and our love for our nation. After all of the pastors and Dr. Gray spoke, the event turned more towards applied politics than principles. Gary Marks from the national Faith and Freedom Coalition spoke about that group's plans for reaching evangelical voters in the upcoming elections. He laid out their strategy for getting the message out that Christians need to not only vote in greater numbers, but consider their values and core beliefs as they do so. He delivered a rapid-fire dose of statistics, only a few of which I was able to record. Some interesting numbers to consider: In 2008, 17 million evangelical voters didn't bother to cast a vote, yet they still accounted for 23% of the total votes. That number rose to 32% of the voters in 2010, and FFC is working hard to increase that number even more in 2012. Social conservatives don't necessarily vote on social issues: in 2010, 43$ of these voters said the economy was the number one issue, and only 15% cited 'Obamacare' as their biggest concern. Many people will disagree with me on this, but I believe that honoring the God-given gift of life trumps all other issues. It is the first test of a candidate for me, and always will be. After the event, I spoke to Dr. Bryant and asked him what he found to be the most effective arguments to use in speaking to Christians who support the current administration. He suggested I ask them if they support abortion rights or gay marriage. If they answer no to both, then they can't stay true to their own convictions by supporting a candidate who does. The Affordable Care Act will require all of us to pay for abortion-inducing drugs, so any vote for a supporter of President Obama's health care plan is a vote for federally mandated abortion funding. That is a simple fact that no amount of political spin can alter. Newt Gingrich was the final speaker of the day. He used the opportunity to remind us of our history as a nation of faith and condemned the "gradually increasing anti-Christian bigotry" of our government. He pointed out the difference between our current leaders and President Lincoln, citing the 14 references to God that Lincoln made in his second inaugural address. I also gained a new perspective on Jamestown, the early settlement that I always thought of as a strictly commercial enterprise. I was surprised to learn that the very first act of the settlement founders was to erect a cross, and that they held church services 14 times a week. Good luck finding that information in a history textbook! God has blessed this nation abundantly, but in many ways we have turned away from Him and rejected His commands. There is no hope of restoring our nation's honor until God's people are willing to take a stand for the truth. I pray that you will join me in speaking out for the truth with a clear courageous voice!

Faith and Freedom 4.21.12

Prayers for America filled the hall at the Chase River Front in Wilmington on Saturday. Hundreds of Christians gathered to hear local and national pastors speak on how we can "engage and transform our culture", in the words of one of the speakers. That same speaker, Pastor Chris Rue, reminded us that the early churches were named not for their unique doctrines, but for the cities where they were located, the world in which they were placed to be examples of order and discipleship. Pastor John Betts cited several statistics that demonstrate how a spirit of abandonment and insecurity has gripped our nation in recent years as God has been removed from the public square. Government can never fill that void, and he encouraged us to bring restoration through the revealed truth of our position in Christ. Pastor Bill Schloneker reminded us that not only do we have a voice, but we are called to use it. He exhorted us to speak with courage and clarity, to call for caution as a warning against irresponsible government policies, and most of all to speak with compassion and consecrate all of our words by bathing them in prayer. Dr. C. L. Gray described the historical world views that define the opposing sides of our current health care debates. Starting with Hippocrates and Plato, he succinctly stated the clear conflict between valuing individual well-being vs the 'collective good.' He implored us to consider the impact of our biblical worldview on politics and health care. Fr. Tom Flowers showed us a video produced by the Catholic church that powerfully asked the question, "will you vote the values that will stand the test of fire?" He reminded us that there is no secret ballot to God and that the virtue of our elected leaders reflects on us as well. Pastor C. L. Bryant exhorted us to protect the endowment God has given us in this nation, including the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He spoke against the lies being promoted in our culture, including the idea that simply being poor or oppressed necessarily means one is more virtuous. His stand against black liberation theology comes from his own experience as the President of the Texas NAACP. He left that position when he became convinced that theology contradicted God's Word, and he has paid a heavy price for his conviction. Pastor Bryant believes we have been in a defensive posture too long, that we must now stand and be ready for this fight. There were two statistics that brought me to tears on Saturday. The first was that for the first time in American history, over 50% of 8-17 year olds have never been inside of a church. The second was worse; last year more black children in New York City were aborted than were born. As a people we have always banded together to resist an enemy from without, but now we face enemies from within, even within our own government. Will we stand together still?