My experience of Lent this year has been different from prior years, and in some ways more meaningful. I think that having the COVID-19 virus coming to our shores during Lent has a lot to do with my experience of Lent this year.
For many, the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday is good start to Lent and a vivid reminder of our mortality when we hear the pastor’s pronouncement “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
However, for me this year, the news of ill effects of COVID-19 on the lives of so many, in so many various ways (medical, financial, relational, etc.) is just as vivid a reminder of our mortality.
But such Lenten reminders are not the final word. The final word is the medicine for our mortality, which is the God-Man, Jesus Christ, who overcame sin, death and the grave for us.
So, I look at the Christian life as learning to take off the first Adam, who came from dust and returned to dust, and to put on the second Adam, who came from heaven and ascended back to heaven.
If the expert’s numbers are correct (based on their conservative models) 70 to 150 million Americans will contract the Coronavirus within the next year, so at a 1% death rate that’s 700,000 to 1,500,000 deaths. I think that means about 3000 Americans a day will die from now until the end of the year.
I don’t want to cause panic, just doing the math. It seems high but we’ll see.
I couldn’t be prouder of Speaker Pelosi’s leadership in negotiations over the COVID-19 relief package. Thank you for considering lower and middle income citizens.
Where’s Mitch McConnell? Do you call that leadership? Him and almost all GOP lawmakers have abdicated their responsibilities to their constituents for fear of angering Trump. Speaker Pelosi, on the other hand, exudes leadership and strength. All citizens, except maybe the corporate and wall street elites should be thanking Speaker Pelosi for standing up for them at this critical time.
In Australia, cases are doubling every 4 days. Gatherings over 500 are banned as of Monday, and I imagine that number might drop soon.
Most churches here are under 150 (and churches larger than this are often divided across multiple services) but tomorrow churches will be telling their people what their plans are.
Major sporting events going ahead without spectators, but that may not last. Dad just went shopping and some items had sold out. Hopefully the supply chains catch up. Looks like the biggest thing to happen to our country in my lifetime.
So this was a good day for America.
We’re all pretty much on the same page now.
Let’s drop the political backbiting and work together to get all of us through this whole.
Bay Area schools shut down Monday for 3 weeks to a month. My ex works for goodwill. They will take a 10% pay cut and limited hours. Our company encouraged employees who can to work remotely: email, systems, WebEx. Those of us who are lab rats must continue to work onsite. Cafeteria is severely limited. We wiped down the entire lab with isopropyl alcohol this afternoon and will do so weekly. I can only do maybe 10% remote work.
I have no one to watch the kids so I’m trying to bring them in to work Monday. S10 would be ok in my cube on Youtube or with a tablet. D7 requires a lot of attention. Our manager started working remotely, and he expects little to no effect on productivity. Lack of grace. Not one of us like him, but now is not the time to look for another job even though a few of us have been. I have almost 200 hrs of PTO, but if someone goes on vacation, they are expected to make up their numbers the following month.
The main lab in Texas (here you can guess the tech company) already has workers in shifts of 3 for 4 hours, then rotating, and they hardly have any cases in Texas or Dallas compared to here! Two TSA workers at San Jose airport tested positive. They were on personal contact with who knows how many thousands of people.
My daughter and her family, which consists of her husband and two boys, live in Riverside, CA, an L.A. superb. They are down to 2 rolls of toilet paper. They can’t find any anywhere. They also cannot find infant formula for their 6-month old. Thankfully, my wife and I live alone and have a decent supply of TP and were able to find formula. We’re sending a box to them tomorrow. I foresee having to do this for others in the family and possibly in the community as well. We must come together and stop the political division in our country. This is survival, life and death. Our country has bungled its response to this outbreak badly. We as citizens are paying the price. But even with that, we have to drive on. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Isn’t that what someone we know said?
I saw at Wal-Mart last night, a worker rationing TP from a pallet. On a Facebook group in Idaho, they posted hoarding of TP and th ere aren’t cases there yet! I think there are both over and under reactions to this. Logan’s Run on one side, and The Stand on the other. This situation is a prime example of “emotional contagion.” Everyone goes crazy.
From the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, finalized only 10 years after the Great Spanish flu and appropriate for today’s new pandemic:
O MOST mighty and merciful God, in this time of grievous sickness, we flee unto thee for succour. Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril; give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick; prosper the means made use of for their cure; and grant that, perceiving how frail and uncertain our life is, we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom which leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“I don’t want to cause panic, just doing the math. It seems high but we’ll see.”
Then keep it to yourself! What you and all those like you are doing is yelling FIRE in a theater rather than helping the people around you to the door.
Posting stats and possible outcomes of anything do nothing except break people’s hearts.
Living each day, and preparing for our future comes about by Loving God and those in our circles. It really doesn’t matter what the challenge is the heart should be the same!
On an interesting note, there seems to be a whole lot less interest in plastic straws these days.
“Let’s drop the political backbiting and work together to get all of us through this whole.” Agreed. For goodness sake folks, can we show some humility, understand that everyone doesn’t agree with us, and stop the political grandstanding? You hate Trump and love the Dem Party. We get it.
“If you don’t want to incite panic, then don’t.” Quote of the month, imo.
Thanks Jim. Feel free to use it. Copyright-free…hehe! In all seriousness…it was actually directed at directambiguity, who has yet to provide a source for the comment.
I saw someone on social media post the comparisons in the USA between the 2009 H1N1 Inluenza and the curent deaths and said not to worry. The ratios (1st or 2nd grade math) were telling, if this outbreaks like 2009, that would equal ~2 million deaths in the USA. The TP hoarding may be idiotic, but the overall reaction isn’t.
I’ll be honest, your post does nothing to help people. It reminds me of my State’s Governor who, when he declared a State emergency, told everyone to get used to the “new reality” and how things “will never be the same…”
I remember when President Carter had his fire side chat, all bundled up in his sweater, and told the Nation how things were changing and we would have to bundle up and turn our thermostats down. Not a very inspirational chat from our world’s leader.
Then came Reagan and his tone was far different and the Nation recovered.
Where are those who use calm, inspiring and helpful words in this crisis? Where are the leaders?
I guess it’s far easier to state how many may die than it is to say how, by helping each other, we will come out the other side healthier and stronger.
The God of creation brings peace and order to the chaos, He is whom I will follow.
Yes we will collectively make it through this, so let’s act like it.
114 cases in Santa Clara County (Silicon Valley), 48 hospitalized as of today. That’s 42% who require life saving measures. This is not an overreaction, it’s math. In italy, thar bodies are stacking up.
Politics don’t trump (no pun intended) science and math. The Tower of Silom didn’t discriminate its victims. The TP and bottled water hoarding is foolish at this point, but the overall possible crisis isn’t. Unless you believe in Logan’s Run.
It’s all yours today…
My experience of Lent this year has been different from prior years, and in some ways more meaningful. I think that having the COVID-19 virus coming to our shores during Lent has a lot to do with my experience of Lent this year.
For many, the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday is good start to Lent and a vivid reminder of our mortality when we hear the pastor’s pronouncement “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
However, for me this year, the news of ill effects of COVID-19 on the lives of so many, in so many various ways (medical, financial, relational, etc.) is just as vivid a reminder of our mortality.
But such Lenten reminders are not the final word. The final word is the medicine for our mortality, which is the God-Man, Jesus Christ, who overcame sin, death and the grave for us.
So, I look at the Christian life as learning to take off the first Adam, who came from dust and returned to dust, and to put on the second Adam, who came from heaven and ascended back to heaven.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/peter-wehner-trump-presidency-over/607969/
Stick a fork in it.
Part of the problem with Trump — and there are many — is that he’s (barely) a checkers player in a chess world.
If the expert’s numbers are correct (based on their conservative models) 70 to 150 million Americans will contract the Coronavirus within the next year, so at a 1% death rate that’s 700,000 to 1,500,000 deaths. I think that means about 3000 Americans a day will die from now until the end of the year.
I don’t want to cause panic, just doing the math. It seems high but we’ll see.
bob1 @ 12:05 can’t agree with your assessment – sorry
IMO. 😇 our national handicap is a galloping case of bureaucratic bungles
You don’t have to agree with my assessment, Em.
The voters of the country will decide in November.
I couldn’t be prouder of Speaker Pelosi’s leadership in negotiations over the COVID-19 relief package. Thank you for considering lower and middle income citizens.
bob1 and Jean, i’ll pray for you both…. 😘 😇
Em, why would you pray for me?
Where’s Mitch McConnell? Do you call that leadership? Him and almost all GOP lawmakers have abdicated their responsibilities to their constituents for fear of angering Trump. Speaker Pelosi, on the other hand, exudes leadership and strength. All citizens, except maybe the corporate and wall street elites should be thanking Speaker Pelosi for standing up for them at this critical time.
In Australia, cases are doubling every 4 days. Gatherings over 500 are banned as of Monday, and I imagine that number might drop soon.
Most churches here are under 150 (and churches larger than this are often divided across multiple services) but tomorrow churches will be telling their people what their plans are.
Major sporting events going ahead without spectators, but that may not last. Dad just went shopping and some items had sold out. Hopefully the supply chains catch up. Looks like the biggest thing to happen to our country in my lifetime.
Eric,
We’re at no gatherings over 250 and all our pro and college sports have shut down.
So this was a good day for America.
We’re all pretty much on the same page now.
Let’s drop the political backbiting and work together to get all of us through this whole.
directambiguity, where do you get those numbers?
Bay Area schools shut down Monday for 3 weeks to a month. My ex works for goodwill. They will take a 10% pay cut and limited hours. Our company encouraged employees who can to work remotely: email, systems, WebEx. Those of us who are lab rats must continue to work onsite. Cafeteria is severely limited. We wiped down the entire lab with isopropyl alcohol this afternoon and will do so weekly. I can only do maybe 10% remote work.
I have no one to watch the kids so I’m trying to bring them in to work Monday. S10 would be ok in my cube on Youtube or with a tablet. D7 requires a lot of attention. Our manager started working remotely, and he expects little to no effect on productivity. Lack of grace. Not one of us like him, but now is not the time to look for another job even though a few of us have been. I have almost 200 hrs of PTO, but if someone goes on vacation, they are expected to make up their numbers the following month.
The main lab in Texas (here you can guess the tech company) already has workers in shifts of 3 for 4 hours, then rotating, and they hardly have any cases in Texas or Dallas compared to here! Two TSA workers at San Jose airport tested positive. They were on personal contact with who knows how many thousands of people.
Jean @ 6:50
That was tongue in ceek, but okay, i’ll take you off my list. 😇
God keep
My daughter and her family, which consists of her husband and two boys, live in Riverside, CA, an L.A. superb. They are down to 2 rolls of toilet paper. They can’t find any anywhere. They also cannot find infant formula for their 6-month old. Thankfully, my wife and I live alone and have a decent supply of TP and were able to find formula. We’re sending a box to them tomorrow. I foresee having to do this for others in the family and possibly in the community as well. We must come together and stop the political division in our country. This is survival, life and death. Our country has bungled its response to this outbreak badly. We as citizens are paying the price. But even with that, we have to drive on. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Isn’t that what someone we know said?
I saw at Wal-Mart last night, a worker rationing TP from a pallet. On a Facebook group in Idaho, they posted hoarding of TP and th ere aren’t cases there yet! I think there are both over and under reactions to this. Logan’s Run on one side, and The Stand on the other. This situation is a prime example of “emotional contagion.” Everyone goes crazy.
From the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, finalized only 10 years after the Great Spanish flu and appropriate for today’s new pandemic:
O MOST mighty and merciful God, in this time of grievous sickness, we flee unto thee for succour. Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril; give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick; prosper the means made use of for their cure; and grant that, perceiving how frail and uncertain our life is, we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom which leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
If you don’t want to incite panic, then don’t.
Thanks Duane. Previous post not directed at you btw. Just a general post.
direct…
“I don’t want to cause panic, just doing the math. It seems high but we’ll see.”
Then keep it to yourself! What you and all those like you are doing is yelling FIRE in a theater rather than helping the people around you to the door.
Posting stats and possible outcomes of anything do nothing except break people’s hearts.
Living each day, and preparing for our future comes about by Loving God and those in our circles. It really doesn’t matter what the challenge is the heart should be the same!
On an interesting note, there seems to be a whole lot less interest in plastic straws these days.
Keep looking up!
“Let’s drop the political backbiting and work together to get all of us through this whole.” Agreed. For goodness sake folks, can we show some humility, understand that everyone doesn’t agree with us, and stop the political grandstanding? You hate Trump and love the Dem Party. We get it.
“If you don’t want to incite panic, then don’t.” Quote of the month, imo.
Thanks Jim. Feel free to use it. Copyright-free…hehe! In all seriousness…it was actually directed at directambiguity, who has yet to provide a source for the comment.
I saw someone on social media post the comparisons in the USA between the 2009 H1N1 Inluenza and the curent deaths and said not to worry. The ratios (1st or 2nd grade math) were telling, if this outbreaks like 2009, that would equal ~2 million deaths in the USA. The TP hoarding may be idiotic, but the overall reaction isn’t.
My advice?
KEEP CALM AND WASH YOUR HANDS
):
New Victor
I’ll be honest, your post does nothing to help people. It reminds me of my State’s Governor who, when he declared a State emergency, told everyone to get used to the “new reality” and how things “will never be the same…”
I remember when President Carter had his fire side chat, all bundled up in his sweater, and told the Nation how things were changing and we would have to bundle up and turn our thermostats down. Not a very inspirational chat from our world’s leader.
Then came Reagan and his tone was far different and the Nation recovered.
Where are those who use calm, inspiring and helpful words in this crisis? Where are the leaders?
I guess it’s far easier to state how many may die than it is to say how, by helping each other, we will come out the other side healthier and stronger.
The God of creation brings peace and order to the chaos, He is whom I will follow.
Yes we will collectively make it through this, so let’s act like it.
Amen MM.
114 cases in Santa Clara County (Silicon Valley), 48 hospitalized as of today. That’s 42% who require life saving measures. This is not an overreaction, it’s math. In italy, thar bodies are stacking up.
Politics don’t trump (no pun intended) science and math. The Tower of Silom didn’t discriminate its victims. The TP and bottled water hoarding is foolish at this point, but the overall possible crisis isn’t. Unless you believe in Logan’s Run.
The Pastor’s Study with Lutheran pastor Tom Brock is IMV worth listening to. .. just sayin’ for the Lutes here. .😇