Piggy Flu

I have reached the conclusion that a near 90% (ok, a possible exaggeration) of the population are complete idiots.

I work in the  medical field.  Our hospital numbers have reached record breaking levels due to the "swine flu" epidemic.  The lobby of the ER and the Urgent Care have reached standing room only levels for nearly 24 hour periods, with wait times of up to 9 hours for the last month.

Here's my gripe: An ear ache does NOT require ambulance trips to the hospital.  A cough does NOT merit a swine flu swab, (which, by the way, we are NOT testing for the swine flu at every cough, sneeze and sniffle. If your child is being ADMITTED and INTUBATED...then, yes, a type A influenza test will be administered.)

90% of the ER and UC visits in the last month have been a complete, total, idiotic waste of tax payers money.  Ambulance trips to children who are cutting teeth...(I'm not kidding!) to parents bringing all 5 of their children to be tested "just in case.  No symptoms, though...!!) to "My child has a fever.  The thermometer says it's 99.7..."  My favorite?  "My child ate bacon this week!  He needs tested for the swine flu!"

Guess what population abuses the facilities??  Done??  The medicaid, caresource, and every other state supplied medical insurance covered moron.

Come on, people.

Here's the reality:

The swine flu isn't much different from any other flu.  The big difference is that it is a strain that we have not built up an immune system to, so it is harder on those WHO ARE ALREADY COMPROMISED health wise.  Example: those with asthma are at greater risk of being EXTREMELY sick from this strain.  Do people die from the regular flu?  Yes, they do.  For exactly the same reasons: compromised immune systems.

If you, or your child, has flu like symptoms, STAY HOME.  Treat it for what it is: the FLU.  IF the thermometer reads OVER 101 degree's...alternate motrin and tylenol, and give tepid baths to bring down excessively high fevers.  Give lots of fluids and get lots of rest.  If not better, but getting worse, CALL your doctor!!  Let your pcp decide if the trip to the hospital is in order, and then make the trip, preferably by your own vehicle, parents, or neighbor.  The ER is for TRUE emergencies.  You know, car accidents, broken limbs, seizures, etc.

Truth is, I'm sick of being yelled at because these idiots don't  know the difference between what is really going on in the trauma room and why they have to wait 8+ hours because they don't know how to read a thermometer!

Stressing While Procrastinating...

I am sitting here in the middle of a complete disaster.

We are moving - again.  My apartment is filled with boxes, most of which are packed, most of which aren't.  I took two days off from work (a personal no-no) to do this.  And, here I am.  Procrastinating.

There is still so much to do.  My daughter (thank God for her!) has done most of the packing thus far.  The wall behind me is evidence of her hard work.  Boxes piled high along the wall.  I will easily add a few more layers to that today.  I will have to.  The truck arrives in the morning.

But, the list of things to do seems insurmountable.  Overwhelming.  I never have a day off it seems, and here I am, using my vacation time to move.  Again.

God, I hate moving.  I told my husband this is the LAST TIME.  I will die in the condo we are moving to.  Period.  He just blinked.  Rapidly.

I'm looking forward to moving back into a condo, in the same area we left several years ago, due to a forced move - the sale of our home during a rental lease.  It's the packing, unpacking, hiring help, trucks, organizing messes, gathering and discarding, praying that everyone shows up on time, that drives me insane.  It's setting up a home all over again.  It's leaving a home we've been in and feel comfortable in and re-establishing that elsewhere.

Sigh.  Deeply.

Procrastination time is over.  Time to start digging into the mess I still call home, at least for the next 24 hours.

Hypocrisy and Gossip

I woke up this morning with several things bothering me.  Most of those thoughts pertained to that muscle in our mouths: the tongue.

This one little muscle can: 
      Flatter (Psalm 5:9)
      Be boastful and prideful (Psalm 12:3; 73:9) 
      Speak lies (Psalm 109:2; Prov. 6:17) 
      Be deceitful (Psalm 120:2) 
      Be perverted (Prov. 10:31; 17:20) 
      Sooth (Prov. 15:4) 
      Bring healing (Prov. 12:18) 
      Be destructive (Prov. 17:4) 
      Spew mischievousness and wickedness (Psalm 10:7) 
      Be soft (Prov. 25:15) 
      Backbiting and backstabbing  (Prov. 25:23)

In James 3:2-10, we are reminded that the tongue is loaded with poison and is untameable and completely restless.  We bless and curse both God and man with it.  It is a ceaseless fire - and only those who can control it, and not stumble over their own tongue, are perfect.

But, in those thoughts this morning, I wondered how many of us truly realize the impact that our clucking tongues have on those around us? 

The consequences that whispered rumors (or out and out gossip) to a close friend, or the snide remarks about someone standing in line or on the road, and even the judgemental accusations made about anothers clothes, hair, nail color, mate or even a facial expression, might have on a person's entire life.

I've seen both the affects and the consequences of other's loose muscles.  I have lived with the consequences of lies and rumors - touted as truth, in my own life.  My children have been hurt by those who claim to love them, with deception so vile, viciousness so deep, that the emotional pain has had devasting effects on them.

A single rumor may be all it takes to change the course of another's life.

What many clucking tongues fail to realize is that every word that is uttered, both good and bad, will be accounted for.  That the very rationale we use to justify, or judge others, will be the exact same rationale that will be used to judge US. 

I don't know about every person reading this - but I hope that this brings with it a sobering realization: with this tongue comes our own condemnation or redemption.  With our own mouth, we seal our fate.

The next time someone whispers a rumor, starts to gossip, or makes an opinionated judgement, remember that you are not responsible for their words and actions - but you WILL be accountable for how you respond in return.

Matthew 7:1-5 states our accountability clearly:

"Judge not, lest YOU be judged.  For with the exact same judgement and condemnation you give to another, that same judgement and condemnation shall be given to you."

Maybe meditating on that will give us enough time to stop and think twice before we utter a single syllable.  It might also give time to reflect on how you would feel if what you were about to say would be said about you.

It's easy to forget that Jesus hung with the poor, the theives, the prositutes, and the "low lifes" - not because He was one - but because He loved them, and knew they were lost.  He set the example of how to live.  His pure life reflected to them what was missing in theirs - and he didn't condemn or judge them - and He was (and is) the only One justified to do so.

Blessings from Trials?

This week, I've spent a good portion of my spare time reading, The Blessings of Brokenness, by Dr. Charles Stanley. 

Dr. Stanley has always been one of my favorite ministers, and, as is customary, his work and teachings always seem to reach out to me illustrating greater glimpses of the Savior, and how He works, in ways others can't always manage.

During the past few months, my life has been filled with some personal turmoil - from past failures and mistakes, to financial crisis - and even my husband has questioned me lately:  "Are we cursed?"

Understanding how God works in our lives to bring us into a greater understanding of Him, His love for us, while "refining" us, so that we can be the very best representation of Him - all the while blessing us, is sometimes done through the most difficult circumstances in our lives.  Just as fire refines gold - and brings out the impurities - so does God work by allowing us to face difficult situations.

I discovered this week that I and my husband are NOT cursed, but that God is using this time to bring us closer to Him - fine tuning our trust issues and preparing us for the future.  Although my husband may struggle with "letting go", I've decided I'd rather "let go and let God" than continue fighting.

Why would I fight it?  I'd rather have the blessings, peace and joy that comes from knowing that, no matter what the crisis, my Father knows what He's doing - and has not, for one split second, left me alone to face anything on my own.

Remember that the next time you face a storm in your life that seems as if it's about to sink you!

Starbucks withdrawal

One of the things my daughter and I always enjoyed doing was heading to the mall (only a short mile distance from our apartment complex) and grabbing a cup of coffee, (or my favorite, mocha java), from Starbucks and then hitting the trail of window shopping.  It didn't happen often - but was a nice mother/daughter outing.

With the economic hard times hitting everyone hard - including my own family - I have had to make some drastic changes in my indulgence allowance (not that I ever really HAD one to change!) My daughter has since moved out for college - and I'm left feeling nostalgic - and unindulged.

Being the coffee lover that I am, (hence the javafreik nickname), I ground some fresh beans, made a strong brew, poured some Hershey's syrup into the cup, mixed with hot half and half - and stirred in the coffee.  Topped it with some whipped cream and cinnamon - and WHOALA. 

I sat on my balcony, texted my daughter, and fed the ducks, smiling at the memories of her being balked at by the mother ducks for trying to pet the ducklings.

It's not the mall and not quite Starbucks - but we were still able to share a brief mother/daughter minute at a more affordable price.