With your permission, may I ask some questions? Are you curious about any of these things?
What is a good question? Is the ability to ask good questions natural?
When we meet someone new, where do we begin with questions? Should they be of a personal nature, or more broad?
Who do we know that is a really good person? What makes them good? What makes them really good?
What does a good life look like? How do we get a good life?
How should we think about politics, politicians and political policy?
Should we be activists or pacifists? Which is best, or is that a moment by moment decision?
What about economic growth or decline of our country/world? What should we hope to see that politicians can actually do to stimulate economic growth?
Is the answer a larger minimum wage? Or, is it bringing jobs back to America?
Does it have anything to do with the Immigration Reform laws?
Is funding for ObamaCare something of an answer to all our woes? Did anyone on the planet ever actually read the entire ObamaCare document when it was passed in to law? What are the consequences of shutting down our government? Is it easy? Is it difficult? Are the ones that are arguing both sides really there for the people, or for their own political gain/position?
Does the average American really care who is running in "fourth place" in the NY Mayoral race? Should we care? Was Huma really humiliated? Or, was the whole mess calculated, in advance, as a part of some political machine that she and her husband are putting together for the future? If a female political figure conducted themselves in a ways that "Anthony & Bill, and many others" have conducted themselves, would there be a blip in the press, or a full blown scandal?
Is it important for me to 'do' anything about any of the answers to the previous questions?
What is my role? What is your role? Are you good person? Are you a person striving to do your best? Do you have a good work ethic? Are you respected and trusted in the work place? Do you strive to be Truthful? Do you speak with malice or with grace? Is your tongue controlled, or does it say things that it shouldn't?
What is your idea of helping those around you? Do you even care about those around you? What are you doing in your life that is most meaningful to you? Is it your most favorite thing? What are you doing to make a difference for future generations? Is just simply "being a consumer" good enough? Is living only for yourself each day really the most meaningful thing you can do?
Is there a way to live a rich, full life without focusing on our own personal preferences and comfort level, by putting the needs of others first? Is it possible to be selfless in our society?
Is this too many questions? Why did you read to the end?
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Defy the Odds...
I am finishing two major projects for my summer semester. In writing this post, I am hoping to sort out all the thoughts that are running through my brain!
I find it fascinating that with almost every course I have taken on this educational journey/pursuit, I have had the opportunity to live out, in my life, the subject matter. It seems this semester is not different. As I have faced each of my personal medical experiences this summer, I have been reading books concerning God, medicine/medical ethic issues and suffering. (or, literally, the theodicy problem, which attempts to answer questions like, "Is God good? If so, given the scope of suffering, can we think of God as all-powerful? (Long, p xi)) And, then the book that made visitors to my hospital room a little nervous, "The Christian Funeral." Yep, that's me--the patient that wants to live well--but required reading, none-the-less!
The first morning of my hospital stay, after receiving my delicious breakfast of ice-chips--one of the two glasses of them that I received each 'shift'--my nurse asked me if I wanted the TV on. "No," I replied, "I have some reading I want to do." She said, "You gonna read a sexy novel, then?"
I am still laughing about that one--my answer was, "no, not really, it's actually homework." Who takes their homework to the hospital with them? I guess I have been packing books in my suitcase for so long that it has become a habit!
Anyway, I have so much to learn about medical ethics and the words to use in counsel from a ministry perspective, concerning suffering and pain. What was a surprising realization for me was that the actual responsibility of medical professionals is to teach us, as patients, how to take care of our bodies, enabling us to live. If life is not an option, then they teach us how to die with dignity. Pretty sobering, isn't it?
As I prepared both, for my class work and for the days I would be in the hospital, I watched one of my most favorite movies. The very first scene is simply "A True Story." Of course, it is Hollywood, and there was probably some creative license taken, however, the real story did actually happen in history.
It is the story of the survival and leadership, in 1941-45, of the Polish Jewish Bielski brothers. This band of brothers helped around 1200 people survive, in the woods, instead of face the massacres that awaited many of their family members. The movie: Defiance. The brothers decided early on that their revenge, their act of defiance, would be to LIVE! How amazing is that?
And, no this movie is probably not on your church's list of family-friendly movies--but at a certain age, perhaps it should be! Sometimes, you have to be radical to actually LIVE in this lifetime, expressing ideas and convictions that go against what the world would think as OK. Telling the truth, for example, or living a life of fidelity with your spouse.
I cannot imagine the horror the Jewish population faced in those years, the undignified ways in which many (most) faced death...and I will not pretend to think that my recent surgical inconvenience can begin to compare.
However, my conviction remains, my heart breaks and my mind reels when I consider the ways in which many of us take this life for granted, each and every day.
Live well--in each circumstance, by the Grace of God--defy the odds and live WELL!
I find it fascinating that with almost every course I have taken on this educational journey/pursuit, I have had the opportunity to live out, in my life, the subject matter. It seems this semester is not different. As I have faced each of my personal medical experiences this summer, I have been reading books concerning God, medicine/medical ethic issues and suffering. (or, literally, the theodicy problem, which attempts to answer questions like, "Is God good? If so, given the scope of suffering, can we think of God as all-powerful? (Long, p xi)) And, then the book that made visitors to my hospital room a little nervous, "The Christian Funeral." Yep, that's me--the patient that wants to live well--but required reading, none-the-less!
The first morning of my hospital stay, after receiving my delicious breakfast of ice-chips--one of the two glasses of them that I received each 'shift'--my nurse asked me if I wanted the TV on. "No," I replied, "I have some reading I want to do." She said, "You gonna read a sexy novel, then?"
I am still laughing about that one--my answer was, "no, not really, it's actually homework." Who takes their homework to the hospital with them? I guess I have been packing books in my suitcase for so long that it has become a habit!
Anyway, I have so much to learn about medical ethics and the words to use in counsel from a ministry perspective, concerning suffering and pain. What was a surprising realization for me was that the actual responsibility of medical professionals is to teach us, as patients, how to take care of our bodies, enabling us to live. If life is not an option, then they teach us how to die with dignity. Pretty sobering, isn't it?
As I prepared both, for my class work and for the days I would be in the hospital, I watched one of my most favorite movies. The very first scene is simply "A True Story." Of course, it is Hollywood, and there was probably some creative license taken, however, the real story did actually happen in history.
It is the story of the survival and leadership, in 1941-45, of the Polish Jewish Bielski brothers. This band of brothers helped around 1200 people survive, in the woods, instead of face the massacres that awaited many of their family members. The movie: Defiance. The brothers decided early on that their revenge, their act of defiance, would be to LIVE! How amazing is that?
And, no this movie is probably not on your church's list of family-friendly movies--but at a certain age, perhaps it should be! Sometimes, you have to be radical to actually LIVE in this lifetime, expressing ideas and convictions that go against what the world would think as OK. Telling the truth, for example, or living a life of fidelity with your spouse.
I cannot imagine the horror the Jewish population faced in those years, the undignified ways in which many (most) faced death...and I will not pretend to think that my recent surgical inconvenience can begin to compare.
However, my conviction remains, my heart breaks and my mind reels when I consider the ways in which many of us take this life for granted, each and every day.
Live well--in each circumstance, by the Grace of God--defy the odds and live WELL!
Monday, July 29, 2013
The Whirlwind that has been July
What a beautiful morning! Inside and out! Recently, I have been reminded of the fragility of life. You would think I would know this to my core, holding each moment as sacred. Truly, until recently, I thought I was doing a pretty good job of living in the moment, not taking my relationships for granted. Perhaps more than I needed a reminder, I needed to write about it...so, we'll see how this goes:
Yesterday, we got an urgent request for prayer from a dear friend whose husband had had a mild heart attack...he had just been playing with his little girls, water games...thankfully, we live in a time and place where, with expert medical attention, within a couple of hours, he had a stint in place and was resting peacefully. These are YOUNG people, with little girls--WOW!!!
July has been a whirlwind of unfamiliar, yet necessary, medical experiences and procedures for me, personally. I will not share details here, but I will say that there were moments when 'waiting' was all I could do. Waiting to be seen, waiting to heal, waiting for test results, waiting for my system to wake up from a major surgical procedure. Just waiting. Worth the wait: pathology came back "stage zero"--no treatment required.
I have cried, been frustrated, confined to a hospital bed, I have rested, relaxed, and had peace that surpasses understanding. I have laughed, prayed, received notes, cards, flowers, a gorgeous and most therapeutic blanket. Our children & grandchildren drew pictures, made cards and carefully hugged and kissed me. Friends and family have faithfully called, texted, sent Facebook messaged, and came to visit.
I was discharged from the hospital on the eighth day--pretty much pain free--without the use of prescription drugs. Today, I was told that I can drive my car, as long as I feel good. How fun is that? I do feel like I need to rest every couple of hours for this is the process of healing that I must not take for granted.
Mostly what I want to say, is that our bodies are amazing things--the symptoms I had, for my body was giving me subtle clues for a long while and I was not listening well--are all gone. The lesson? Learn to listen, life is fragile, and it is worth living!
And, today, the top is definitely coming down--it's a convertible kind of day, I think!
Yesterday, we got an urgent request for prayer from a dear friend whose husband had had a mild heart attack...he had just been playing with his little girls, water games...thankfully, we live in a time and place where, with expert medical attention, within a couple of hours, he had a stint in place and was resting peacefully. These are YOUNG people, with little girls--WOW!!!
July has been a whirlwind of unfamiliar, yet necessary, medical experiences and procedures for me, personally. I will not share details here, but I will say that there were moments when 'waiting' was all I could do. Waiting to be seen, waiting to heal, waiting for test results, waiting for my system to wake up from a major surgical procedure. Just waiting. Worth the wait: pathology came back "stage zero"--no treatment required.
I have cried, been frustrated, confined to a hospital bed, I have rested, relaxed, and had peace that surpasses understanding. I have laughed, prayed, received notes, cards, flowers, a gorgeous and most therapeutic blanket. Our children & grandchildren drew pictures, made cards and carefully hugged and kissed me. Friends and family have faithfully called, texted, sent Facebook messaged, and came to visit.
I was discharged from the hospital on the eighth day--pretty much pain free--without the use of prescription drugs. Today, I was told that I can drive my car, as long as I feel good. How fun is that? I do feel like I need to rest every couple of hours for this is the process of healing that I must not take for granted.
Mostly what I want to say, is that our bodies are amazing things--the symptoms I had, for my body was giving me subtle clues for a long while and I was not listening well--are all gone. The lesson? Learn to listen, life is fragile, and it is worth living!
And, today, the top is definitely coming down--it's a convertible kind of day, I think!
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