Lots of stuff, so rather than a dozen semi-thoughts with their own posts, just one post:
Stent or No Stent
Today is the big day to determine if Dancing Bear needs a stent. We are hoping that she doesn’t. We’d like for this chapter of her life to come to a close. I’d like her to be able to say in the future, “my nose hasn’t given me any trouble in 19 years. All is well.”
UPC is a big deal
So now the powers that be are trying to get San Diego and Athens (think Sam Laing) to sign. Why is there this pressure to sign? I guess it is because the UPC doesn’t work if every church doesn’t sign. A non-signing church cannot vote on regional representatives. A non-signing church is not bound by the decisions of the Regional Group or the Steering Committee. With the guiding idea of unity still being preached that we must all agree on doctrine and practice in order to move forward, it’s no wonder that there’s pressure. Following this line of reasoning, how can the ICoC be unified if we are not certain of the doctrine and practices of a few scattered churches that claim fellowship with us? How can we be unified is they are not part of the decision making process? How can we be unified if consensus decisions are ‘selectively’ applied?
Well, true believers, if unity depends on uniform doctrine and practice, it will not be achieved in my lifetime, or my grand children’s lifetime. Doctrine must be treated as also an emotional issue. To pretend that it is not is to ignore the definition of religion, itself.
But I digress. The UPC is a big deal again and will be a big deal until after the MOAC 2007 in LA. Ugh.
Hands and Voices
A parent advocacy group for families with deaf/hard of hearing children is coming to my state. They have been instrumental is bringing about change in education, insurance, and legislation without being confrontational. This isn’t an angry parent’s group. It brings together many families dealing with very different issues.
You may not know, but there is considerable controversy in helping deaf/hard of hearing children communicate. Do you teach them to be only verbal? Verbal and sign? Sign only? Which sign language do you use? Cueing? Sign Exact English? American Sign Language? ASL in English Word Order? These issues traditionally divide families and support personnel.
Hands and Voices seeks to support all methods, but bring families and professional together for common good. For example, in Colorado, Hands and Voices was part of an effort to make insurance companies cover the costs of hearing aids for children up to age 18. That one is personal to me as you may know. I hope that poorer families never have to face the choices we did. (Thank God for the church I attend and a private foundation.)
How powerful is it for a Verbal only person to lobby for the rights of a Signing ASL only person?
There are implications in this for Christian unity as well, without resorting to a form of ecumenism that the Restoration Movement tends to deride. More on this later.
Speaking of Unity
The church I attend is going to have a joint service with a CoC. We had attended a church en masse some time ago. We were not considered Christians at the time, but we were treated very well and shared a meal together. AS far as the upcoming service, I can’t wait to see the two ministers share the stage. Look for more info as October 28 approaches.
Football?
I’ve become interested in tabletop games lately, specifically football. I played a Sports Illustrated created game, as well as Statis-Pro Football (avalon hill). Turns out that there are many folks my age and older that still enjoy a good game. Some play these older, out-of-print games. Some turn to newer games like Inside Blitz. I hope to put together a radio show based on tabletop sports games (not just football). Talkshoe or BlogTalkRadio? Hmm…
My interest is in an alternate-history where the USFL survived. I plan on creating an entire history that diverges from our reality in 1985. In real life, the USFL moved to a fall schedule. In my alternative reality, the other owners told Trump where he could go. Trump, as he has admitted in real life, was trying to force a merger with the NFL. The Trump in my alternate reality will take his money and go home, all the while keeping the USFL to gain popularity in the Spring. With lucrative contracts with ABC and upstart ESPN, many things happen to promote American Football.
You may not know it, but Canadian Football made an attempt at expansion into the US in 1993. It didn’t last, but in 1995, there were five US teams playing CFL. How does this relate? Well, the CFL wouldn’t have taken the Sacramento Surge from the WLAF in 1993 if the USFL still existed. For that matter, the WLAF would not have started, much less folded in 1992. Arena Football would not become so popular. (Imagine Kurt Warner becoming the all-time pass leader in the USFL instead of the Iowa Barnstormers.)
Maybe in October…
Children’s Naming Ceremony
More later…