It’s A Wash

A storm is brewing.  I can hear the thunder rolling.  It’s not a constant boom.  It comes and goes.  Fitz, my cat, keeps running to the window to figure out what is going on.  He’s used to the steady hum of traffic, but this sound is different.  It’s unsettling.

As I watch him run back and forth in a frenzy, I’m reminded of the state of America today.  Coronavirus has arrived on American soil and much of the nation is in a panic.

Now, I’ll be honest.  Most of my information about the virus came from secondhand sources.  You know, the Facebook philosophers and Instagram professors.  Or I’d ask Bible Study Mama if I should be concerned.  She’s a nurse.  I figured she wouldn’t steer me wrong.

In the midst of the panic, I’ve been calm.  I started to second guess myself today when the schools decided to close for two weeks.  Was there something I was missing? 

I decided to educate myself about the coronavirus.  I didn’t need to continue to base my life decisions on second-hand opinions.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was my destination for up to date information.  They have lovely charts and graphs that describe the virus.  They also provide charts that describe action steps that individuals and families at home, schools, and workplaces can take to prevent spread of the disease in the community.

Prevention is key, and they repeated the same information several times.  Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.  Keep your hands away from your nose mouth and eyes.  Wash your hands.  If washing is not an option, keep plenty of hand sanitizer on deck and don’t be afraid to use it.  Clean surfaces daily to prevent transmission of disease.  Wash your hands again.

As usual, I found myself getting sucked into the rabbit hole of information.  There were so many tabs that I could explore.  Once I started, it was difficult to stop.  Eventually, my search came to an end.  And I was still calm.  I know the virus is real, but I serve a God who is bigger.  Now, I’m not a person that gets into the snake pit with venomous snakes to test out God’s protection.  But I am wise enough to know that God is a healer, protector, and provider.  I’m washing my hands of the situation.  You should too. (Seriously, wash your hands folks!)  #wepreach