Is It In Us?

The USA Today had a detailed story about the condition of health care in the state of Texas, highlighting issues affecting the entire nation as well.  They picked Texas, not because it is alone in the quagmire that is the health care industry, but because it's the worst.  By worst I mean that it has the highest percentage of uninsured residents in the country.  My fair state of Oklahoma doesn't fair much better, coming in at 47th.  Overall there are 45 million Americans with no health insurance.  No health insurance usually means no hope when it comes to getting respectable, even quasi-quality health care.

The impetus for this story is likely the anticipation of the new documentary by Michael Moore, called Sicko.  The movie is an in-depth look at the fatal flaws that currently exist in our country's health care industry.  It painfully chronicles the stories of those who's quality of life has been diminished or even ended not because of a lack of ability on the part of doctors to do something, but because of a lack of access by the patient to get the assistance those doctors can provide.

The summation of the story is that insurance rates continue to rise at an alarming pace.  Even with the rate increase, the level of insurance is not maintained as co-pays and deductibles rise as well.  Feeling the pressure, employers are reducing the level of insurance they provide to employees and their families.  So added to the uninsured is a large group of people in this country who are under-insured or who find their insurance pointless as they are denied treatment.  Meanwhile, insurance companies continue to reduce the amounts they pay to doctors and hospitals, such that these places are forced to reduce or quit offering services that don't make a profit, services such as the emergency room.

At the same time all this is going on, insurance companies continue to see record profits.  And their using those profits to strong-arm the government into ignoring this devastating problem.  (A quote from the Sicko trailer reveals that there are four health care industry lobbyists for every member of Congress).

I'll give you just two statistics that should shake us to the core and wake us up to the awful state of health care in our country:

1. The United States has the LOWEST life expectancy among all industrialized nations in the world.
2. The United States has the HIGHEST infant mortality rate among all industrialized nations in the world.

Chew on that for awhile.  We've got more wealth and better doctors than any other industrialized nation in the world and yet we fail in two of the most critical categories that exist.

My fervent prayer (yes I did use that term seriously) is that this film and the news stories it spawns will create an unrest so great that dramatic changes will result.  I believe that followers of Christ should lead the charge on this issue, not because it is necessarily the "free-market" thing to do and not because it's the "American" thing to do, but because it is the Christian thing to do.  What can overcome the vast stockpiles of cash at the disposal of the insurance industry?  Nothing, if not the prayers and sacrificial love of the followers of Christ.

1 John 3:17 asks us as believers a challenging question, and one that is very timely.  "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

It is not only our brothers who are in need, but our sisters and our fathers and our mothers.  We have a voice, we have a vote, and we have resources.  If we are unwilling to pray for and cry out for a change that will meet their need then how can the love of God be in us?

The Requisite Life Update

I've been throwing the gauntlet down to myself for quite awhile now, trying to "self-motivate" into beginning the blog that I've sadly neglected for so long.  Unfortunately my motivational skills appear to be lacking as I've now gone more than three months without an update.

Quite honestly there have been MANY times I've wanted to say something relating to various issues or events, but it didn't really feel appropriate as the vast majority of you had no idea what was going on with me personally.  So...in order that I might free myself to blog again, I present to you this life-update.

First, I mentioned several months back that I had taken a job at OU.  I manage all the IT labs on campus and all the classroom A/V equipment.  Really, what I manage is the people that manage those things.  I guess the only thing to update you on in this arena is to let you know that I'm still loving it.  I have great bosses and co-workers.  It's a fun environment and I'm learning a great deal, which is always a good sign.

Second, I alluded to this in a previous post but was not freed up to give full disclosure, but Alicia and I are in house-building mode.  My work over the past few years for a local homebuilder has given me an appreciation for quality construction and so we are building a house (with said homebuilder) in the south Norman area.  We're really excited.  Apartment life is a drag when you're used to having your own place.  We're ready to have room to spread out, a place to host, and the ability to speak above a whisper before 9am and after 10pm.  We're still a few months out but we check on the house very regularly to make sure the work is being done right.  So far so good.  We've had a snag or two, but everything has been worked out and we'll be homeowners again in the not-to-distant future.

Finally, the biggest life-change relates to some part-time work I've taken up.  Actually, that's a really poor way to describe it.  It's so much more and yet so much less than work.  I'm currently "serving" as a youth pastor for an area church.  It's one of those places that, despite being minutes from OKC, has the feel of the country.  The people are phenomenal.  I've never felt so loved so fast.  The students I get to work with are the exact same way.  I think that within 5 minutes they had given me nickname and were freely making fun of my every action (always a good sign).  It's been challenging at times to make the transition back into ministry, but well worth it.  It's a busy time.  We've got a lock-in coming up, VBS, and we're gearing up for camp.  It'll be my first chance to take students to Falls Creek so that'll be something to watch I'm sure.  Even though I'm a lifelong Oklahoma Baptist, my Falls Creek quota is severely lacking.

So these are the things going on with me.  Hopefully, now that I've given you the polite and proper 5-minute catch-up on my life I'll be able to adequately comment on all that is going on in the world around us.  I've been moved by some things that I've seen lately.  I've been frustrated by other things.  And some things have just made me downright angry.  I want to continue to use this blog to work through the things I'm learning and how I'm growing (or not growing and should be) as a person and a follower of Christ.  While not exactly a journal, a blog has the same ability to make the ethereal or surreal become tangible and I hope that is what this place continues to be.  It's a challenge to remember what we learn instead of just letting it be a lump in our throat or a stirring in our hearts for only a moment.  And with that, welcome back into the happenings of my life.