Covid-19 Is No Joke!

This COVID-19 crisis was no joke! Those seeking our compliance were not harping on cramping our style. Nothing could be further from the truth! We hear frustrations build as this isolation lingers. The new guidelines aimed to save lives. Our world was under attack, and everyone had to do their part.

The world’s reaction to storm recovery steps is perplexing. If we examine ourselves, we know what to do. But people want to take the detour! But sometimes, the roads close! There are no detours. Only with cooperation is the problem temporary! In our next situation, let’s start problem solving and use our time to support solution? We need to adopt a walk to the talk.

I understand how we stifle as the news bombards by the hour. The actual images of the front-line struggle with COVID-19 were overwhelming! They took our breath away. Could denial have come from fear of losing our breath? I relate to these stories, having been on a ventilator many times. Still, this crisis was surreal and different.

The pandemic had world leaders hogging the stage as they bantered over restrictions. People tried to figure out the right direction amidst the chaos. As with ants within a colony, searching for a detour that suits their livelihood. There is none! Social distance was the best counterattack. Hoping to slow the rampant nature of our assailant. We could do this and still act and enjoy a safe re-entry.

There is no time for political grandeur. People were fighting illness. Many had to give birth alone wearing masks. Or experience hospital admissions without the support of a loved one. To imagine the loneliness was heartbreaking. We must unite in such circumstances and create ways to stay connected. Especially when needing to distance. We can prepare for future pandemics and scenarios, given our experience. We can always do better.

The first intubation can be frightening, based on my experience. A caring face leaves an imprint on your memory as you meet the eyes of a stranger charged with your fate. Each time a crisis hits, they vow to do everything they can to help. Those very strangers become lifesavers, heroes, and family. God moves their hands and plants their feet. He whispers away their doubt and lifts them when they have nothing left. They surge with an energy fueled by the whispers of the Holy Spirit. My plea in this writing is for them! We must follow those handling the challenging parts of these unpredictable viruses! The long-term effects are still unwinding as people experience varied recoveries or death.

Hope lives among these gloomy days. I saw them, but the sun was coming through the clouds. A bird whistles in the distance, and wind chimes serenade from the quieted porches. Neighbors stood on their tiptoes to smile again. Because of the lack of social skills resulting from maintaining a distance of six feet apart.

Pandemics will pass, but are we listening as we sit in waiting? Does God want us to connect with Him and share that connection in prolific ways? We communicate with others that God is the vine, and we are the branches. If you don’t know Him, I know this may sound crazy. In every season, there’s a deep call to gather. Is He trying to get our attention?

While in the desert, try to produce fresh fruit for your branches. Seasons call the world too fast. This fasting we don’t always choose. Yet, it allows time to fill with purpose. Focus on bringing peace to the panic!

I hate to be firm, and I apologize for bringing up a negative during challenging times. Let’s be bold; we have an exceptional God, and to know His purpose is to understand he requires our obedience to love. After choosing to follow Him, you let go of the past, ask forgiveness, and live an alternative life in service to love others as He loves us. Then you rise to do what is right against the human pull to feed yourself. For example, here’s an observation when a ship comes into port to care for the ill and dying. Take your pictures from the window. You are not standing in hordes at the dock!

There was a breath of hope when the Navel ship, COMFORT, sailed past Lady Liberty’s iconic presence. Diminishing this majestic scene was the second image of those who threw social distancing to the wind for a glimpse. Crowding is a bitter slap to these brave warriors. They were ready to add their sweat to the fight. We must not give in to selfish whims.

Why? Because front-line workers needed you to do your part! Their families wanted them to come home. They didn't want to see you in a desperate state, away from your family in an ICU. When you get bored, don’t climb the walls. Instead, get on your knees and pray. This problem was genuine; while it cramped you in your house, they crowed hospital hallways. Think of those keeping our world going, saving lives, delivering your needs to the shelves, cooking in restaurants, and trying their best. Those wanting this to end as much as you. We had no right to add to their trauma when doing their best. The number of COVID-19 cases could go up because of foolishness.

One truth is, when placed alongside an absolute surrender, people turn back to God in a war zone. After one lengthy battle in the ICU, my care team had shared with me that my faith had moved them to seek God. I found this humbling. Proof that in our most vulnerable states, God can shine through our weakened vessels. As I write this, I can’t help but consider that God was preparing me for such a time as this. I can shed direct light on what is unfamiliar to most. For me, this front line is familiar as a therapist and patient. So, I plead, we must listen to the instructions! Be slow to speak, quick to listen, and love in action. A crisis is not a sprint; if we make it one, people will stumble and get hurt.

Do we need a spot in the rocking boat before reaching for the life vest? As a wise ole Bear once said to Piglet, Promise me you’ll never forget: You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Even though I love that ole Pooh Bear, I conclude we must give action to wisdom with faith. God gave us actual bodies of knowledge in His word. We are not stuffed animals, and how we respond as one body together matters! If we act as if we are untouchable, the boat will rock, and people will struggle.

Don’t add to the rain pouring in on a confusing world. Use your talents and intelligence to come through this. Just as Christopher Robin was there for Pooh Bear, and Pooh there for Piglet, God is by our side.

While I am just a fellow passenger, I donned my life vest long ago, after a few rocking boats of my own. I could have lost hope when my boat rocked in the intensive care unit. I may have even wanted to, but God reminded me He never leaves and is constant.

I wish knowing God is in control was enough for you to trust. You might say, as a non-believer, that’s stupid, but I say God stills the waters. He does so by directing and bringing us together as a nation and a world. We see Him blasting through the storm clouds in fantastic ways.

Together, we pray for our world leaders’ strength, endurance, and wisdom. Regardless of banter or opinion, we have no time for division! Instead, we should come together for the greater good. If you will, stand in the gap and pay it forward to the next step in this new normal.

Voices are lifting across the land as people hang from their balconies in praise. Car lights are blinking, and horns are honking in united support. Churches gather online across the community as people seek a shepherd for their flock. Lost sheep are finding their way back to God. Even the entertainment industry did its part to connect with compassion. The buildings are closed, but the church lives!

Tools to get COVID-19 under control were at our disposal. I suggest we pray first, trusting God is in control, and then keep using our heads! I never want to scare anyone, but I pray we realize the severe feat we were undertaking together. A new virus is a crisis, and we must heed the warning! Covid was not picky; it hit most age groups. You could not visit and sit by the side of a loved one in the hospital. The rules are complex; I agree. But for the safety of everyone concerned. It leaves the handholding of the care team. The best explanations came from pulmonologist and care teams used in these cases. Yet, the number of cases was unparalleled, with the volume of patients seen at one time.

Don’t lose your sanity by giving into fear; again, use your head and take precautions. It’s lonely on the playground of life or death, and if one falls, will they be able to catch them with accessible resources? Will ignorance tie the hands of providers? I think not! The world is ready to supply needs. It saddens me that others are falling off the swings to unfamiliar territory. I relate my experience to the genuine concern of not breathing. Weakened is not hopeless; very ill patients can recover. The fight is challenging but winnable!

The world needs to comply so others can meet the unbelievable calls on the front line. There are things we can do. Stay positive and keep a smile in your arsenal. We accept together that this will get better by praying in unison. Trust in something far more significant than yourself, and He will use you in ways never imagined during this time.

The pandemic was and is a viral attack. It’s not your fault you didn’t recognize it, but now we need to practice understanding, and being innovative is a priority. If you have symptoms, err on the side of caution and behave. An interstitial lung makes it difficult to get oxygen to the body and becomes the culprit of a tough fight. Lungs fatigue and cannot expand. You can talk, and then you just can’t. Rest up, support your immunity, and get fresh air. Laugh together, pray, and stand in faith. What we are experiencing is no joke; it’s tough! Many are not up to it. This fight you don’t want. So kids pay attention to prevention! The world has recovered, but be ready. God remains our brilliant physician. He wants us to know we will be okay. Some will succumb to battles. But God is working on the upper story. If this angers you, why does a good God let hurtful things happen? I say the enormous picture is always much broader than our isolated view.

During personal battles, we meet with fear, crying on the inside, and even screaming. You think no one can hear! After waking from the nightmare, we always say, but God! Letting Him take over brings that exhale as we remind ourselves that God is in control. The world seeks togetherness and love in crisis. When vulnerable, we’re open to alternative possibilities. We can change for the better. This isolation order diminishes pollution, giving the air a much-needed break. Seas are clearing, waste is reducing, love is more, and people take inventory of what is essential.

There is a loss, but what war has not brought casualties. The world is fighting. We are on the same side. Let’s do our best to love one another. In life, we are imperfect people following a perfect example of LOVE.

Now, for those battling. Remember, you are not alone. None of us are; God is with us! Prayer warriors are standing in the gap! God loves you more! We are braver, more substantial than we seem, and more intelligent than we think! When this life ends, we can meet in droves at the final dock, but for now, stay home! I believe God is giving us a reboot to turn back to Him! I have experienced a reboot a few times and grew faith stronger each time. We can do this, but COVID-19 was no joke!