Slow down… Consider…

Okay, as I begin to type this, my heart beats a little faster, I’m a little dizzy, but I believe I must write this for many reasons. (I wrote it over a month ago, but now I need to share it:)) If you will remember, I’m not a sweetie, nor do I like to argue. I LOVE facts, and when a fact is not available I ask for the next best thing, TRUTH. I am someone who has always known life with the daily medical world, and I am also a Medical Mama. My personality is a slower pace, quicker to pause, introvert. And honestly, I have had to be aware and come to be okay with these characteristics since a young age. This has not always been an easy thing to accept at different stages in life, metabolism and stamina are typically a few years older than my actual age. Most days I see this as a blessing, but I didn’t imagine how much of a blessing it would be during a pandemic! Note: this post is to just have you slow down and consider- since the pandemic started it’s been all kinds of rough, and I acknowledge that! Just let me point out a few things that have left me frazzled as a human, and as a Jesus follower, dare I say downright appalled? (actions, words, etc.)

1. Starting in 2020, the complaining about “shutting down” – absolutely there are legit worries about the repercussions of this! BUT have you ever witnessed a world wide pandemic that was killing people as fast as this virus? Very little of the US population were around for the 1918 Flu pandemic. So honestly, really, does this call for finger pointing?
2. Attacks on Dr Fauci- NOT OKAY! Let me ask you a few questions: Do you have any eduction in infectious diseases? Autoimmune and Immune deficiencies? Do you know the difference between these are? Do you know the formula for detecting HIV or have studied any of the data on HIV? Do you know how long before COVID arrived in the US, Dr. Fauci and his team were already working on a vaccine and research? Do you know how many vaccines he has been apart of? Do you know the names of anyone else that have been on the medical/science/lab team? CDC/NIH/DHHS/NIIAH? Do you know how many vaccine research, medicines, cosmetics use aborted baby cells? (I am 100% pro-life, but just take some time to research this question- I think you will be amazed at some things you put on your face!) Dr. Fauci has advised six presidents, both republican and democrat. He led AIDS PET FAR, Bush’s Policy to battle AIDS. He has written 1300 scientific publications. He is ranked #41 of all researchers of all time – google scholars citations. Forty-Five universities have given him honorary doctorate degrees, and he graduated first in his class from Cornell Medical School. But his life, his wife, his children’s lives are being threatened… I would hope that no one would stoop this low, and threaten any of my doctors or lab researchers, who are working hard to find new research and cures, with my medical labs and records!
3. Masks! It’s called, “a growing knowledge,” when you have a new virus, everyone is learning at the same time. So yes, at first we were told masks were not needful. But as we learned together, they did prove effective, so the doctors announced mask mandates. Period. Honestly, if we are not going to mandate the vaccine, we’ve got to cut the mask pity party. It’s one or the other, because both protect you and others… isn’t that the definition of considerate?
4. The Vaccine – Do you know how many children who have been given life, then have passed on because of the COVID virus? YET the overwhelming reason in the Christian community for not getting the vaccine is because research for the vaccine was done on aborted baby cells. I’m not judging or putting up a fight. I believe that life starts, honestly, when you begin praying for the future generations! But we must be prayerful and ask God to help us discern what’s needful, helpful, honoring, to life now and continuing forward. (I believe this to be true with all decisions, especially medical and life!) I have been stunned by the community of believers who openly cry the name of Jesus, yet are completely ignoring authority and medical professionals. And even more gut-wrenching, are the medical professionals that are not doing anything! Rejecting vaccines, masks, medicine, therapy, even hospital stays! I put myself in the place of a nonbeliever or a questioning believer, and when I do, I can only imagine being confused, feeling insane, and running like my pants are on fire from any church I tried to enter! This HAS to be breaking the heart of our Heavenly Father!
5. Children are taking a huge blow! Just because they are little, doesn’t mean we can neglect them in our research and in our news! Children in the hospital often are there for long periods. Cystic Fibrosis, Cancer, Kidney, heart, so many reasons. With COVID, children have been more likely to be hospitalized with MIS-C, RSV, many respiratory viruses. Have you ever had to take a child to the ER? Have you ever had to wait on results of tests for you child? Or watch and or hold a child while they get an IV placed? Or how about getting just enough of a urine sample from a child who is not potty trained or is resisting the potty? Has your child ever had to be admitted to the hospital? Stay multiple days? As of this moment, I know a handful of parents that are with their children in the hospital, not knowing what comes next, but they are there and they are advocating. Their world has stopped. (The picture above is just a glimpse of what this is like) The least we can do is recognize our role is so simple! Wear a mask, get vaccinated, get tested, quarantine when positive, wash your hands, use your noggin!
6. And my biggest pet peeve of all… the word “NORMAL,” what the heck does this even mean? And pardon my grammar, but however you define it, IT AIN’T COMIN BACK!!! Fact: We have survived a pandemic this far, be grateful. The COVID pandemic is an epidemic. Fact: We cannot have consistency without consideration, and we cannot have consideration without common sense. Do your part, I’ll do my part – consider those around you and don’t be going around exposing everybody just because, “You just gotta get out,” “You have to get back to normal,” “I’m not sick, just a little stuffy,” statements like this are just plain arrogant and people are dying! (yes, I am blunt.)

Those of us who are already cautious during flu seasons, and all other kinds of seasons- are pleading!!! The complaining, the fighting, left, right, up, down, PLEASE! STOP! PAUSE! BREATHE! Did you have a breath? Then good golly YOU ARE ALIVE! That’s more than most can say today! Just because life is slower doesn’t mean it’s ending! Life going slower is a WONDERFUL GIFT, BUT you can’t rush, you have to be still, quiet yourself for a time, learn yourself, take care, see into the moments, because they won’t replay… And then life can begin, only slower, and it’s a WONDERFUL LIFE!