....................

Last night, picked up some of  President Obama’s speech on health care bill he wants to bless us with. The following statement jumped out at me:

"It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you're happy with it." 

Well, that sounds swell except the fact checker points out: “In House legislation, a commission appointed by the government would determine what is and isn't covered by insurance plans offered in a new purchasing pool, including a plan sponsored by the government. The bill also holds out the possibility that, over time, those standards could be imposed on all private insurance plans, not just the ones in the pool.”

This commission appointed by the government—how is it different than a faceless insurance board deciding? How will politics be kept out of who gets to be on the commission and who will determine the criteria for their decisions? Can I be on it? Will it be doctors, health care specialist, insurance gurus, or Barbara Boxer’s niece’s unemployed boyfriend? I have a feeling that this won’t be a good thing for us.  Chuck Colson  has an article on Christianitytoday.com citing an example of why I have severe doubts about this commission:

A mentally retarded Georgia teenager suffering from cerebral palsy had been receiving 94 hours of in-home nursing care from Medicaid per week, until the state decided to reduce it to 84. The patient's doctor protested. Her mother sued. Then, in Moore v. Medows, arguing before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the government attorney argued that the state is the "final arbiter" of medical decisions. While the court tried to find middle ground, it affirmed the government's position, stating, "A private physician's word on medical necessity is not dispositive." 

Read that again: “…it affirmed the government’s position, stating, ‘A private physician’s word on medical necessity is not dispositive.’” A doctor’s word is not the final word. The state's word is final and definitive, settling the matter. Medical opinion doesn’t settle the matter. The state’s opinion does. Huh?? Is this a precursor to the gov’t.  having the final word on everything?

I think I’d rather they just nationalized the health care industry, make all m.d.’s, r.n.’s, pharmacies, etc. into civil servants and pay them a flat salary like the rest of us poor slugs.  Oh wait==they are nationalizing health care, aren’t they? One would think with all the profits the gov’t will be making off it’s banks, GM sales, and hospitals we should have that federal deficit knocked out in no time.

Last week I attended the Empowered Conference on Evangelism at FBC Euless tx put on by the SouthBaptistConvention here in Tx. In some ways it was awesome, some ways a let down that didn't meet expectations. Let's evaluate the letdowns first:
 *Two speakers out of 15 were under 60; maybe even 65. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Well, yes there is.
 *I expected to like hear some stuff dealing with changes in culture, kind of like Leonard Sweet's talk in january on Gutenburg (printing press) vs. Google. Nope, it was just preaching and teaching, that was good, but nothing really revolutionary. I expected to go home with new insights or something. And I just really didn't

The Good stuff:
*The sermons and such were pretty good, especially that guy from FBC in Forney Tx. Being as he's from Arkansas, it does set him apart from the crowd.
*MON NIGHT WORSHIP--WAS WHY GOD SENT ME.
   first, the worship leader from Lynchburg VA led the best blend of contemporary-traditional music I had ever experienced. Give a clinic, sir, that's how it ought to be done.
  second--wooo hooo--RICKY SKAGGS and KENTUCKY THUNDER led some worship and jammed a while. As a former fan of Black Sabbath, Zepplin, Aerosmith--I'd have never believed that bluegrass could rock so much. It was good for the soul. In a way, I was glad i was by myself, had most of a row to myself, and could just be uninhibited in the worship without worrying or caring about a thing. I just haven't had the freedom to do that in so long. That time just nourished me like nothing I've experienced in a long time.
*Tuesday morning couldn't top Mon night, but it was ok. In the afternoon, I just skipped the sessions and actually got a lot of work done on planning the next quarter and such. That was actually refreshing to have that off of me. Then tues night went to Lewisville to dine with friends and EL CHICO RULES. Don't know why we can't have an El Chico in Corpus, but that sizzling brownie will fill your spirit with good things (and your arteries with plaque, but who cares). thanks to all who attended.

Well, it was a refresher but the trip home whipped me, topped off by a pilot who did not know how far down the ground was. When we landed in Corpus, i thought he broke off the landing gear, cause we slammed the runway pretty hard.

Next trip is vacation time (Mar 16-20) to Davis Mtn state park in Middleofnowhere, Tx. According to state parks website, they got mountain lions and bears there. Can't wait. I'm so blessed that the women in my life love camping, yea verily , they demand camping. In a tent.

Well enough rambling, that's what's going on with me.

What an odd, blessed 48 hours.

Last week i went to Dallas for a conference, and touched base with some old friends (Erin's parents are old, she isn't) and subjects like myspace and facebook came up. So, Erin and me made friends on facebook. Then it was kind of neat--out of the woodwork of facebook, I was hit by friends from my previous immediate past in Dallas. Six or eight. Cool, I thought. Then it got really weird, cause that all happened between Tues and Sat. I hardly ever check my facebook, but since Erin got it rollin, lots of new old friends popping up. And then, I don't know how or why, this female person with a familiar name wanted to be my pal on facebook.

  The only person I ever knew with that name I last saw in like 1978. My dad got out of the navy, we were stationed in Las Vegas at the time, and from the bunch at school I ran with I had had absolutely ZILCH contact with for, well, 31 years. Turns out, she remembered me (how, why, don't know). Then all of a sudden, about 8 people from my other high school (1978-1980) in Arkansas friended me up on Facebook. I have had limited contact with some of them, but again ZILCH since 1998. Why, Lord, and why now?

BTW, while in Vegas, i was not yet a follower of Christ and I don't know, figured nobody remembered me. I often wondered what happened to the bunch at Rancho H.S., sometimes prayed for them, and have never been back to Vegas since we moved. The bunch from Ark, they were the people God used to bring me to Him. The gal from Vegas, she's in love with Jesus too. This is so wonderous what God has been doing all over, through the years in the lives of so many. You indeed are an Awesome God.

So this is what it is: some friends from 30 yrs ago, my pre-Christian  period in my life , and the people who were used by God to lead me to Christ, but with whom I'd lost touch with over the last 10+ years, have kind of sort of come back together for maybe a moment, hopefully more. Again, I say wow....and Christ has been working on former (? long lost maybe, but still friends?). Should I ask, "Why now?"

Ain't technology grand.

..tr>..table>

Thought I'd run this one again to see if my feelings for all of you have changed. ♥A is for age: 46--and this year something's gonna give. ♥B is for beer of choice: Root, Dad's or IBC; remember Frosty's? ♥C is for career right now: Pastor , ordained 1985. How long is that? Write your answer using integers. ♥D is for your dog's name: Princess, short for smelly Princess. ♥E is for essential item you use everyday: oxygen. ♥F is for favorite TV show: Spongebob ♥G is for favorite game to watch: Football. ♥H is for Home town: Poway, Cali or Benton Ark. ♥I is for instruments you play: writing instruments ♥J is for favorite juice: Cranberry/grape from HEB. And all those sparkling fizzy juices in the wine-looking bottles. ♥K is for whose butt you'd like to be kicking: whoever brought that smell into this room. ♥L is for last place you ate: couch ♥M is for marriage: bliss for 14 years as of Sep 3 ♥N is for your name: Guapochote Vasquez de la Feunte Echeverria the Third. ♥O is for overnight hospital stay: Never because of me, but I slept in my wife's room when daughter was born. ♥P is for people you were with today: family, Judy, Ettie, Betty, and the school crew, along with various wanderers. ♥Q is for Quick! Think of something funny but don't explain it: "Sir, that's my orangutan, and I don't appreciate you dressing him like that!" ♥R is for random. How much would someone pay to get you back?: Due to life insurance, probably nothing. ♥S is for relationship status: 14 years of happy marriage. ♥T is for time you woke up today: 6:00 am. ♥U is for the type of underwear you have on: green ♥V is for vegetable you love: tubers, especially spuds and the ever-exotic yuca root ♥W is for worst habits: Interrupting others and being easily distracted. ♥X is for x-rays you've had: Teeth, shoulder, knee, no breaks. ♥Y is for something yummy you ate today : Nothing to really choose from today. ♥Z is for zodiac sign: Libra. But I wish somebody would change the symbols, cause scales don't really mean anything like that cool capricorn beast my older brother gets.

Currently listening: Decade By Neil Young Release date: 1990-10-25