connection

I don't know much about Bible history but I picked up something interesting the other day. 
Paul went on several missionary journeys and he wrote the book of Romans while he had a brief stay in Corinth.   He wrote the letter to folks in Rome encouraging them to build a peaceful and close relationship between their house churches.   
But here's what struck me:   
In Romans 16:1-16 he mentions 27 people by name, and most of those in terms of personal connection.   Here's this guy that is traveling around, doing his thing for God, and still manages to make personal connections along the way.  Paul even mentions someone's mom who "has been a mother" to him.  

And more than that... those mentions made it in to the Bible, to be remembered and read throughout history.   That's got to account for something that God wants us to see and understand.

I believe that God wants us to see, and embrace, the importance of connection with other believers.

In her Bible study guide, "Get out of your Head" Jennie Allen identifies the "enemies of our mind".... which I believe are tactics that Satan uses to destroy us.  The "enemy of isolation" is so prevalent in our society today.   We may have thousands of online friends but I'm pretty sure that none of us could mention 27 people that we really know.   Can we even mention one or two?

Jennie writes, "We weren't meant to be alone in the dark.  Being known turns on the light.  And that scares the devil.  He doesn't want us in the light, because when we stay in the dark with him, he can tell us whatever he wants.  No more.  Use the weapon of connection and fight with the light."

The weapon against Isolation is Connection!

Paul knew that.  Paul knew that connection with others was important enough to mention and to nurture.  The church draws it's strength through the connection of like minded individuals.  We all play a part in the big picture- and being connected is the key.

My ponderings over Paul's connections seem to be a perfect segue into mentioning that I'm planning to work through a study called "Find Your People:  Building Deep Community in a Lonely World" starting in January.
Several gals and I have been doing a study on Philippians over the past few months and I'm hoping they'll continue with me on the new study, in the new year.   
If you're interested in jumping in with us, and learning how to "Find your People", please send me a message!

Covid diaries

I tested positive for Covid.

Don't worry!  By the time you read this..... my quarantine time is over and you, your family, your neighbors, your kids' school and your mailman are safe from any potential exposure.....from me.

I accepted long ago that we were all going to come down with Covid at some point and that it would run it's course.   
I am KEENLY aware that some people get REALLY sick with this thing.  In fact, as I have composed this over the past few weeks... one of my best friends is currently caring for her mother who is recovering from Covid AND anxiously awaiting daily hospital updates about her Dad who is fighting for his life against this virus.   I know this virus is big deal.... and I don't want to sound like I'm taking it lightly. I want to acknowledge that I am aware that it means life and death to a percentage of people....  And if you, or your loved one falls into that percentage.... it can be all consuming and life altering.  

 

However..... I, like the other 99.whatever percentage of people, have recovered and fared pretty well. 

I knew I had possibly, probably, been exposed by a relative of a friend, or the friend, or.... whoever I used the cart after at Food Lion that week.   The symptoms were no more than a severely mild head cold..... a dull sinus headache, stuffiness and 24 hours of body aches.  But the symptoms that tipped the scales was my total lack of taste and smell.    

The moral weight of  "do I go back to work" after feeling super mild symptoms was enormous.....so I went to get tested.   In ANY other reality, I would have just gone on with life as usual.    But in our current reality of guilt and fear of killing your family, friends and co-workers..... I took the high moral road and got tested...... put panic in whoever I had seen that week.....  And then put my family's life on hold for the next 14 days.     (a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.... and I'm thankful that my symptoms were mild)

I'm still reeling about how Covid has put mass hysteria into our society.    I know I'll be shunned, perhaps crucified, for comparing it to the flu..... but seriously.... the flu, or any virus for that matter, works it's way through the population.   A virus is going to do it's damage.   But when was the last time that we had to contact trace and put witch hunts out for people every time someone gets sick?     Do we shut down entire businesses and keep spouses home from work if a stomach bug or flu goes through a household?     Imagine a society where someone gets the flu and in-turn ten healthy people can't go to work for weeks.   That is happening all around us and we're accepting it.    It blows my mind how we have overturned our entire way of life out of fear.    

  

Where is the church in all of this?!  Where is our faith?!  Where do we place our hope?!  Who holds us in the palm of His hands?!

It's true that researchers are learning more and more about this virus and I'm hopeful that some kind of resolution will come so that we can regain some normalcy in our society.

I have thought so much about our "new norm" over my quarantine and have raged about how inhumane some of our practices have become.   People are forbidden to visit the sick or the elderly.  

Dare I question the correlation of prolonged isolation and the rate of recovery... or quality of life?!

A friend posted this picture on Facebook and I have been thinking about it for a solid week.   His caption read, "You were NEVER safe.   That's not what life is."

This instantly reminded me of the quote from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe:

"Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

God never promised that life would be safe.  

There is risk involved with living.    And living is good.

Each morning I take a walk along my road knowing that I could be hit by a distracted driver.   Each day I get in my car knowing that 40,000 people die each year in car accidents.   Each week I stop at the gas station to fill up my car.  (Have you read the warning signs on those pumps lately?!)

Despite my fear of someone drowning I took my kids to the lake every summer.   Knowing boys have tiny brains AND that Virginia has black bears.... I let my kids go camping with friends.   

The list goes on and on and on.  Life is full of risks.  And LIVING is worth it.

I have followed some of what Mike Rowe has to say about what he coined as "Safety Third".  Some of his opinion pieces have heavily influenced how I have perceived the last several months.  He speaks common sense about how we are responsible for our own safety, and about how living requires taking risks.

I'm all about taking care of our own, taking precautions as needed and looking out for our susceptible relatives.... but I'm NOT a fan of how our society has turned this virus into a reason to hide away, isolate, shun, and avoid contact with people. 
I am heartbroken for the amount of people who are suffering from isolation this year.  The mental health issues, child abuse,  loss of jobs, loss of friends, hunger, thoughts of suicide, those that will ail alone, and those that will die alone.    

Is our "saftey" worth all of that?

We are never safe.  That's not what living is all about.