31 August 2009

health care


"the thing that makes me sad is how a reactionary capitalist mentality has flooded christianity. the mentality of be-prosperous-successful-take-care-of-me-and-my-family-only is more pervasive than we’d like to think."


Makes me sad too.

"Jesus calls us to care for the poor, the widowed, the orphaned, the rejected, the oppressed, the unprotected. what this means is we are supposed to give some of ours to help. we are supposed to make sacrifices that we don’t necessarily want to make but are wiling to because Jesus reminds us of that life-here-on-earth-is-not-about-gathering-wealth-and-taking-care-of-only-our-own-needs. it’s about sacrificial love. it’s about taking care of others needs. it’s about seeing gaps and filling them. it’s about humbling ourselves for the sake of others. it’s about offering our coats, our food, our hands and our feet in a tangible way even when it costs us time & money & energy.

when it comes to a christians’ response to health care, my take is that we should be leading the charge. we should share our resources. we should give a rip about our brothers & sisters who do not have what we have. Jesus called us to lay down our lives for our friends and i don’t believe he meant “ friends just like us.” i think he meant friends we might not see outside our living room window. we have a responsibility as Christ-followers to bring the kingdom of God here on earth—now. this means we will need to lay down our lives for others –men, women & children across all shapes & sizes & backgrounds—so that they can live.

God, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to respond."

From Kathy Escobar


And just today I was complaining about the slowness of the Finnish Public Health care system.. in my home city in here (it depends on your location - varies). At least I have access..For a very low price - nearly free- and obviously if in an emergency have access straight away. So in time of need - I certainly have access. But it is impossible to get an appointment to see a GP (general doctor for my Finnish readers.. :)) quickly in this city. It annoys me - considering the NHS and the GP system in the UK - I am starting to love them! Even if not always I've thought my gp was the best, at least I get to see them sometimes straight away even (for I lived around the corner) or normally the next day or the day after that. That is good! And on the same day ALWAYS if in emergency. That's good service!! So aye aye for NHS Scotland!!! :-)

Obviously, if you've got the dough, you get to access a private doctor in Finland pretty quickly. Generally the quality of doctors in Finland has been good, but the speed of access is MUCH better in Scotland. And when it's health, you don't really want to wait around too long.

But to think - there are LOTS of people in this world without access, properly anyway or without leaving them crippled with debt.

22 August 2009

You are the one I want


Another beautiful Brooke Fraser:

Arithmetic




When the years are showing on my face
And my strongest days are gone
When my heart and flesh depart this place
From a life that sung your song

15 August 2009

we belong



Oh can you feel the gravity falling, calling us home?
Oh, did you see the stars colliding, shining just to show we belong?
We belong.

It's love, it's love that holds us
We will be alright
It's truth, it's truth that shows us
If we'll walk in it's (his) light


Brooke Fraser: Deciphering me

the way of truth and love...higher way.

A friend of mine posted this video on facebook and reminded me of the song - Brooke's great. So I thought I'd share it here for you :-)

04 August 2009

song

Today this song was playing in my head:



love encounter...

and then when I went to see Nakedpastor's latest post,
this was there!

:-)

It's ALL about love. He IS love..

"God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in him."
1 John 4:16

"
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

1 John 4:7-8

God's love and ours

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.