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“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

Category: Covoid 19 Pandemic

Suddenly the Judge Shall Come

George 1 Comment

“Suddenly the Judge shall come and the deeds of each shall be revealed.” 

Eastern Orthodox morning prayer

The following is a post by Jason Zharaiades. I was struck by his subject on a couple of levels. My intuitive response to the title was, here’s another guy ranting about the Coronavirus being God’s judgement on this evil world. That response in itself gives me pause to assess my thinking on God’s judgement. Secondly, he opened a completely different insight into the Eastern Orthodox morning prayer “Suddenly the Judge shall come and the deeds of each shall be revealed.”
In deed, Coronavirus is a judge and, as Jason tells us, it’s revealing truth that we would otherwise conceal.
For me, despite my honest assertion of peace in the midst of this crisis, the judge has revealed my flawed and disingenuous heart. (Ann is my witness, and my victim) I suspect gleeful scenes on facebook are not quite the family realities some want to portray.
I am coming to realize the the deep spiritual challenge these days present. There has been much said about great spiritual opportunities, i.e. family interactions, virtual connections, teaching and discipling., on-line worship, to name a few. But I’m thinking our coronavirus experience, ironically, may prove to be more Lenten than Easter.

“Suddenly the Judge shall come and the deeds of each shall be revealed.” 

This is a line from the morning prayers I say. When I first became an Eastern Orthodox Christian, I used to emotionally cringe at this line. It played into my old juridical perspective of God, depicting God as pounding his gavel and declaring me guilty. Or worse, it played on some of my deeper distortions of God as a deity hiding around the corner, waiting for me to do something bad so he could jump out and catch me red-handed. 

But that isn’t the God revealed in Jesus. He’s a good, loving, generous Father who desires us to enter the true human life and vocation as his image-bearers, ambassadors, and priests.

So now, I see this line more therapeutically. A judge determines what is real and true. Like a doctor touching an area on our body in order to diagnose, the pain that we experience reveals disease or disorder that needs to be addressed and healed.

So it’s for our goodness and health that the Judge comes and reveals our deeds. It reveals what is real. And that honest revelation is always a gift, and never a curse.

But how does the Judge come and reveal? I find in my life it’s through pressure and suffering. When circumstances become stressful, that’s when the Judge reveals, when the Doctor diagnoses. As part of the process, the crap that I’m fairly good at burying during normal times is exposed. Anger, anxiety, fear, impatience, gossip, pride, self-centeredness, control, self-preservation, and so much more are flushed into the open.

And that’s when I’m reminded and invited again to trust in and follow my Shepherd. In him I lack nothing. In him I am safe. In him I am sustained. In him the fractured and frenzied pieces of my life are being reintegrated and restored.

I write this because yesterday morning as I prayed that line, I choked when I realized how the past couple of weeks have brought the Judge so powerfully. I can’t remember a time when I’ve felt so overwhelmed, to the point I feel physically ill and emotionally strung out. And what’s being exposed isn’t good. It feels like all the spiritual formation over the past several years has evaporated.

I’m not writing this to invoke pity. Rather, it’s a reminder that true and genuine honesty is a gift, not a curse. If I let God do his work, then what I’m experiencing is ultimately for my good. Suddenly the Judge comes and it is a good thing, even though it hurts so much.

https://jasonzahariades.com/2020/03/25/suddenly-the-judge-shall-come/

COVID-19 PSA

George 2 Comments

These times are unprecedented (duh). Not only for the world and our nation, but for every home. Social media is akin to a daily binge, intoxicating and irresistible but the hangover is a bummer. There is no absence of information about COVID-19 (another duh). I continue to be amazed at the wide range of opinions on COVID-19… what it is… how great a threat it is.

Not to be deterred by all the information widely available, I want to share some insight on the nature of coronavirus. I had not heard this particular information before and found it helpful in understanding why coronavirus is so different and more dangerous . I always try to be aware of my biases and inclination to hear what fits them. Since the source is someone I have trust in but is not a scientist or medical authority, I asked my scientist to review it and give his opinion. I hope you will find it helpful also.

“Feeling confused as to why Coronavirus is a bigger deal than Seasonal flu?

Here it is in a nutshell. I hope this helps. Feel free to share this to others who don’t understand… It has to do with RNA sequencing…. I.e. genetics. Seasonal flu is an “all human virus”. The DNA/RNA chains that make up the virus are recognized by the human immune system. This means that your body has some immunity to it before it comes around each year… you get immunity two ways…through exposure to a virus, or by getting a flu shot. Novel viruses, come from animals…. the WHO tracks novel viruses in animals, (sometimes for years watching for mutations). Usually these viruses only transfer from animal to animal (pigs in the case of H1N1) (birds in the case of the Spanish flu). But once, one of these animal viruses mutates, and starts to transfer from animals to humans… then it’s a problem, Why? Because we have no natural or acquired immunity.. the RNA sequencing of the genes inside the virus isn’t human, and the human immune system doesn’t recognize it so, we can’t fight it off.

Now…. sometimes, the mutation only allows transfer from animal to human, for years it’s only transmission is from an infected animal to a human before it finally mutates so that it can now transfer human to human… once that happens..we have a new contagion phase. And depending on the fashion of this new mutation, thats what decides how contagious, or how deadly it’s gonna be.. H1N1 was deadly….but it did not mutate in a way that was as deadly as the Spanish flu. It’s RNA was slower to mutate and it attacked its host differently, too. Fast forward. Now, here comes this Coronavirus… it existed in animals only, for nobody knows how long…but one day, at an animal market, in Wuhan China, in December 2019, it mutated and made the jump from animal to people. At first, only animals could give it to a person… But here is the scary part…. in just TWO WEEKS it mutated again and gained the ability to jump from human to human. Scientists call this quick ability, “slippery” This Coronavirus, not being in any form a “human” virus (whereas we would all have some natural or acquired immunity). Took off like a rocket. And this was because, Humans have no known immunity…doctors have no known medicines for it. And it just so happens that this particular mutated animal virus, changed itself in such a way the way that it causes great damage to human lungs.. That’s why Coronavirus is different from seasonal flu, or H1N1 or any other type of influenza…. this one is slippery AF. And it’s a lung eater…And, it’s already mutated AGAIN, so that we now have two strains to deal with, strain s, and strain L….which makes it twice as hard to develop a vaccine. We really have no tools in our shed, with this.

History has shown that fast and immediate closings of public places has helped in the past pandemics. Philadelphia and Baltimore were reluctant to close events in 1918 and they were the hardest hit in the US during the Spanish Flu. Factoid: Henry VIII stayed in his room and allowed no one near him, till the Black Plague passed…(honestly…I understand him so much better now). Just like us, he had no tools in his shed, except social isolation… And let me end by saying….right now it’s hitting older folks harder… but this genome is so slippery…if it mutates again (and it will). Who is to say, what it will do next. Be smart folks… acting like you’re unafraid is so not sexy right now. #flattenthecurve. Stay home folks… and share this to those that just are not catching on.”

This is my scientist’s comments:
Most of the article is accurate and helpful.  I have no idea why he described the virus as a “lung-eater.”  That creates a false image of its effects. The most severe cases produce an excessive immune reaction and patients basically drown from over-production of lung fluids.  
Also, I haven’t heard anyone else refer to “two strains” of the virus.  Even if it’s accurate, it’s probably a distraction to start focusing on how many strains there are.  The same avoidance methods still apply.

On another note, I have been a bit surprised at the lackluster response to the survey in my last post. Come ON! loosen up and have some fun? It’s not too late. I will share whatever results I get in a few days.

COVID-19 Survey

Lastly, you may have seen this video but it is worth watching again and again and again.

RECOMMENDATION:
Earlier this year I discovered The Dispatch and have increasingly found it to be a balanced voice. Check it out.

More on COVID-19 Pandemic

George 1 Comment

I suspect that you, like me, have a lot of time on your hands. Life is dominated by Coronavirus. It may very well exceeded 9-11 in its overall impact. I am curious about your thoughts on the COVID-19 crisis. Later in the post there is a survey you can submit. The responses are anonymous and I will share the results with all of you.

Ann and I are fairing well. We are sheltering in place, which pretty much means self-quarantined. Limiting personal contact to family members and maintaining 6′ distance. Ann is getting up to speed with on-line shopping. I expect we will be doing some carry-out meals. I rescheduled my Tuesday doctor’s appointment until July. It is interesting how we are adapting and finding ways to get things done differently.

I am trying to use this time to get in the shop and do some projects on my to-do-list. Yard work in on the list when the weathers breaks. Of course, I’m writing blog posts and some personal correspondence. There are several books on my Kindle to be read. Afternoon naps are mandatory, but that is not new. Coffee meetings have been moved to facetime and I’ve found that to be a good experience.

Although the days are filling up, there is opportunity for spiritual reflection and introspection given all the various facets of this crisis. I’ve got a lot to think about and hope to take advantage of these circumstances.

SOME RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

  • For most of our neighborhood sheltering in place is business as usual.
  • There seems to be more people than I expected that do not consider COVID-19 to be a big a deal.
  • A shelter in place order would have been a lot more fun 30 years ago.
  • My delayed new year’s resolution is not to check our retirement account until 2021.
  • It has been interesting to witness the consternation over cancelling church services. Good opportunity to reassess our theology.
  • Dr. Timothy Tennet wrote An eloquent theological reflection today, You can read it HERE.
  • I had a dream that the person who purchased 20 gallons of milk at Walmart March 10 got home and saw their expiration date was March 11, 2020.
  • I have been surprised at the peace I have felt these past weeks. Thank You Jesus.

I thought it would be fun to share our opinions about Covoid-19. Completely voluntary and anonymous. To participate, click on the link below.

Opinion Survey on COVID-19 Pandemic

Parting Thought:

I wonder if growing up in faith, and having a grown up view of God, is similar to the coming and going of Nanny McPhee: “When you need me, but do not want me then I must stay. But when you want me but no longer need me, I have to go.”
Jim Gordon