A New Appreciation for Health Care Costs

Just recently I discovered that I have a kidney stone... and let me tell you, these things are no laughing matter! So, of course I had to go see a Dr. and find out how to take care of this thing. The latest and most advanced procedure that he wanted to do was to use some sort of shockwave to break it up so I could pass it. However, the nice little price tag for that procedure was only $12,000!

Now, normally, with conventional medical insurance that would be taken care of, but our family does not have conventional medical insurance b/c we simply can't affor it. We do belong to a group that helps protect us from outragious medical bills, but it's not insurance; technically we're classified as self-pay. So, I didn't want to go that route.

So, I'm going to go with the second option which is much more involved, but is cheaper for some reason (which I really do not understand). They're actually going to go in with a scope and a lazer and bust it up that way, so that I can pass it. It will be done as an outpatient surgery. And here's where I get to the point of this blog. To even schedule the surgery, I have to put down $500 just to bring the lazer to the hospital. Now, fortunately, I think we're going to be able to handle that by the grace of God.

But what about those people who can't come up with $500 on the spot? It really hasn't been that long ago when we couldn't have done that either. What are they suppose to do? Would a guy just have to suffer for months with a kidney stone until he could raise the money to get the lazer?

I don't have any solutions to this health care crisis that we're currently in, but I do have a new appreciation for it. I hope that the leaders of this country that we put so much hope in, will be able to come up with a solution.

Is the Church too Feminine Today?

I was reading a very interesting article yesterday in a certain magazine about missions and church growth, and the article was about the how so many churches are below average when it comes men attending and getting involved. This particular article that I read put forth the idea that our churches have become too feminine and too soft for the typical man. And one does have to question, when so many other religions do not seem to have a problem drawing the masculine side of the population, why are we, as Christians, having such a hard time?

The author of the article mentioned a couple of examples of how we have become too feminine. First, most churches and services seem to be focused toward Grandma and all the ladies, not only in decoration, but also in the style and planning of the typical service.

Second, pastors seem to focus way too much on the soft empathetic side of Christ. Week after week, we present this soft, loving Jesus. What about Jesus' masculine side? Like driving out the money changers from the temple with whips and dying on the cross, taking all the beatings without uttering a word. The author even grieved over the praise songs that are so prevalent... songs he calls "Jesus is my boyfriend" music.

Finally, he mentions how we have subtley changed our terminology to be more feminine. For example the very bold and masculine, "Follow Me!" has become "Come have a personal relationship with Me." Who is that going to draw quicker... the typical man or a lady?

I want to know what you think! Do you think the typical church is too feminine, too soft? How might you make it different? Please Comment... I'm very interested in what you have to say.