Masks, Mandates, and Medicines!

    My wife and I have unfortunately been hit with COVID-19. Despite our best efforts to avoid it over the past few years, I did not wear a mask at church. The following Monday, I noticed the first signs of discomfort as an itchiness developed in my throat. Within a couple of days, my wife began to feel unwell, and her condition deteriorated more rapidly than mine. She has always been incredibly cautious, reminding me to constantly clean and sanitize my hands.  Lysol every surface we touch, especially in public spaces and stores, and take meticulous precautions while traveling. She has been diligent about wiping down frequently touched surfaces, using Lysol, and being mindful about using disposable cups and utensils, when necessary, especially in hotels and traveling.

 

    Reflecting on my careless indiscretion, I truly regret not taking the necessary precautions. However, it's important to note that my wife is brilliant and diligent in staying safe.

 

    To alleviate what I thought was just a summer cold, I took a liquid laxative usually used for colonoscopies, believing it would help. Meanwhile, my wife's condition continued to worsen while I thought I was doing well. We struggled together through the week, and on Monday morning, we sought medical attention at urgent care. It was then confirmed through testing that both of us had contracted COVID-19.

 

    The nurse informed me that I was at the tail end of the virus' effects and prescribed three types of medicine for me to take while also advising me to remain quarantined for a week. I couldn't help but think of a recently transitioned Navy friend who had caught COVID-19 in New York while waiting for their overseas cruise. They were confined to a hotel room, but at least we could be in our home. However, my wife insisted that we each stay in separate bedrooms. Since I started feeling better, I took charge of cooking and caring for her. We made sure to spray and wipe down the house thoroughly.

 

    I noticed that after my testing for COVID-19, the nurse still entered my holding room without a mask.  I asked if she thought of wearing a mask since I was infected.  She looked me in the eye and politely said it was her choice not to wear one. I didn’t ask any mask questions since then. I remember in 2020, mask-wearing and mandates were political bombshells divided by politics.  It appeared as a race issue, but it was mainly the elderly and people who cared about others who wore masks. Masks were used to separate the political parties from each other.  I must mention that women, overall, didn’t have a choice in what to choose that was best for them with their bodies. Political laws decided by law made that decision for them.

 

    It is important to remember the impact of the virus. Many people were hospitalized, intubated, and unfortunately passed away. Initially, there was resistance to mask-wearing and vaccination. The medical community faced challenges in treating the virus and developing effective vaccines. The vaccines were relatively new and were administered to people without prior testing on animals. Covid-19 was a severe and dangerous threat. My wife and I, like many others, took this threat seriously. Over time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered treatments and medications to combat the virus, much like purchasing a new car after its initial issues had been resolved.

 

    I was prescribed Benzonatate, Tessalon, Mucinex (not the OTC kind), and a six-day pack of pills. The medication was effective. My wife is taking cough syrup, using an inhaler, and pills. My realization of this situation came in the middle of the week.  While my wife and I temporarily lived separately and independently in the same house, I missed her. The love of my life was within reach, but I could not share a physical moment with her. When this thought dawned on me, I realized my responsibility was to care for her. Since I was in better condition than her, I prepared her meals and liquids and left them outside her bedroom door on a table. We maintained our daily morning and evening prayer times over the telephone.  I appreciated her more than ever.  I also learned not to let my guard down. Stay aware.  People may not have ill intentions, but we do not know what they know or intend to do.

Anger Is Painful!

Paul the apostle said, "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry," indicating that it's okay to feel anger, but it should be channeled into actions that uphold justice and righteousness. He also emphasized the importance of supporting and encouraging one another in our journey towards God's Kingdom rather than tearing each other down.  Some angry behaviors are self-motivated and vengeful.  The angry person’s victory is temporary and has no value or benefit to the person or others.

 

Dr. Charles F. Stanley, the founder of In Touch Ministries and a best-selling author, wrote about how the leaders of the 13 colonies came together against England’s injustices and wrote the Declaration of Independence. This historical document was written out of anger but advocated standing up for what is right and recognizing that all men are equal.  They are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  It seems like peaceful demonstrations are part of the past, and violence is now accepted from the computer to in-your-face threats to people trying to do their jobs.  Anger rises when we go beyond God’s boundaries, seeking harm, hurt, and destruction instead of finding methods towards peace and obeying God’s Laws and Will. 

 

Our society is a testament to the prevalence of anger. It's all around us. We’re angry about sports, about the perceived mistreatment of our favorite athletes and teams.  We’re angry about whose religion is better.  We’re angry about ourselves and our circumstances.  Politicians are so angry about their parties that work can’t be completed, and even the judges can’t judge.  We’re even angry about the truth.  This widespread anger underscores the need for a deeper understanding of how to manage and channel our emotions in a way that promotes peace and righteousness. 

 

It is straightforward.  Our anger started at a very young age; it began within our families.  The very place where the devil looks to separate us from God’s love.  Satan is out to destroy what God’s love built.  The Garden of Evil is a staunch reminder.  

 

Satan, driven by his selfish desires, cunningly infiltrates a tranquil haven, employing deception and lies to persuade Adam and Eve, who are content and fulfilled, that their current state is insufficient. Through manipulation, the deceiver sets the couple against each other, resulting in the tragic loss of their innate blessings and love, which they must now toil tirelessly, never to return to that peace.  The serpent, willing to endure eternal slithering, triumphs in driving a permanent wedge between God and humanity. The deep-seated resentment between Adam and Eve's sons, Cain and Abel, persists for millennia, leaving a long-lasting legacy of anger and conflict.  We may not be their descendants to inherit this specific trait, but we learned it somewhere in our family tree.

 

Anger is harmful, hurtful, and destructive. Once we cross that line, there is little chance of having another opportunity for a do-over. It’s like losing a very valuable item; once lost, you will never get it back.  You may never recover from this as an excuse.  The behavior is inexcusable.  There is a chance to recover and find ways; plenty of resources can help.  Get them and use them.

 

 

What's The Point?

            We all have our struggles and disappointments.  Sometimes, we felt discouraged enough that some of us were ready to throw in the towel.  But we didn’t.  Troubles and failures seem to overwhelm us emotionally to the point that they make us physically sick.  Sick enough to question if we were the only ones going through these painful sufferings.  Don’t use the words, “Can anything else go wrong?”  Yes, something else can go wrong.  Why does it seem we’re experiencing these fallouts when we should celebrate living?  There are many things we don’t know, especially our future.  We know that if we continue allowing frustration and discouragement to get to us, we will suffer more.  Some of us have channeled these emotional frustrations into anger at everything.  Look around you; feel the bitterness.  We do not realize our anger's impact on the people close to us.  Don’t call it selfish behavior if a person is ignorant.  It’s an excuse for themselves.  In some circles, it’s called denial.  Our anger is used as punishment.  If we’re careless, our self-inflicted punishment will destroy us and everything around us.

 

            As I look back on my life, I’ve been in worse situations, and the world around me is the same world around me now.  Somehow, I made it through by the grace of God and got past it.  Of course, trouble can materialize out of nothing.  I realized that with negative thinking, I can attract negative vibes.  I learned to stay away from negative people and their negative thinking.  Sometimes, we must release so-called friends and journey alone.  Those who are meant for us will also find a way to get together.  No one has said that life is easy, and not even the folks we think have it made.  Everyone has their share of problems, emotionally, financially, physically, mentally, politically, socially, and spiritually.  We are hard to be satisfied with what we have.  It’s never enough or what we expected.  We will always be discouraged and frustrated and will continue to struggle.  Remember that someone else always has it worse than we do.

 

            We should not ask ourselves what the point is; instead, we should ask what we can do about it.  What the end tells me is that what I’m going through is surrendering to the losses and suffering, which has no value in continuing.  It’s giving up on the principles that brought me through the challenges and adversities I fought through in life.  It’s me turning my back on God, who wanted me to trust in Him no matter what I face because He won’t leave me.  Yes, I’m disgusted with the members of Congress, the Senate, and the Supreme Court, nationally and locally.  I’m disappointed in Christians who have forgotten that God loves us all equally and we should love him first and foremost.  I can’t condone people ignoring the wrongs that this country’s politicians are perpetuating.  Nor can I accept the ignorance parents express by allowing their teens to follow social media, carry guns, and commit violent crimes.  I’m frustrated that people want to return to the past when racial inequality was thought to be acceptable in this country and suitable for the oppressed.  I’m disgusted that it’s okay to rewrite history and deny the truth for the sake of some peoples’ children.  It’s apparent from listening to the media, which controls information and misinformation on a grand scale that I am not the only person that feels this way.

 

 I’m told that our anger is secondary; there is an underlying source, but we know there is nothing we can do about that, so our anger is redirected.  These other objects we share our anger with reflect what we are mad about.  For example, I am angry with myself because of the decisions that got me into the wilderness in the first place.  I messed up, and it’s time to fess up.  The world didn’t do this to me.  I did it to myself.  People will always find ways to hate you, dislike you, or put you down and keep you under their will.  We don’t have to take it or stay there.  If we are weak-minded, then we shouldn’t expect any changes.  We must change for our sake.  We will need spiritual help to get it done.

 

            In the grip of our self-inflicted spell, we often fail to acknowledge the multitude of blessings inherent in this process. We must break free from the misguided belief that others or material possessions will rescue us. Our trust is often misplaced, and our focus wavers when emotions overwhelm us. It's imperative to center our thoughts. It's not about us; it's about Jesus. He can achieve so much with so little, as evidenced by multiplying two loaves of bread and five fish. We must believe in His capacity to help us, as He has done in the past and will do again. Despite my realist nature, I must wholeheartedly believe in His support.  Let's ditch this rollercoaster thinking and hop on the transformative thinking track!  We must not let hostile external forces influence our internal positive abilities. Summing up, the point is that we are valuable and will not give in to our adverse environments. Vote!