Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Nurses die


This is a screenshot of a video and news story on Yahoo News. I hope you'll take a few minutes and check it out here. One of the quotes says they feel like they're being sent to slaughter. I can't even imagine what our front line workers are going through. Pray for them without ceasing.
     No one was prepared for this pandemic and when we did see it coming, people didn't take it seriously which wasted valuable, valuable time. As a result, more people are going to die than necessary. Where the virus isn't as rampant as it is in the hardest-hit locations, I think people either feel invincible, or they're in denial, or they just don't care about anyone else but themselves. I say that because of what I saw at the grocery.
     I was going to share my grocery store adventure under "A New Normal" post, but I might as well share it here. Just know that I'm still really upset about the whole ordeal. 
     I was out of some things and so I stupidly went to the grocery on Sunday thinking that it wouldn't be nearly as crowded as normal because of the stay at home order and because so many people had done all of that hoarding, what else could they possibly need?! However, it was just as crowded as ever. When I saw all of the cars, I naively figured most people would be more cognizant of social distancing and would be wearing masks and gloves. Wrong again. 
     In fact there were very few differences between that Sunday and any other Sunday. There were maybe 5 people wearing masks and/or gloves (I wore both). One of those people was an employee and I'm pretty sure she had to provide her own because no other employees had either on. Instead of patiently waiting at a safe distance for me to make a selection, other shoppers hovered close to me and one woman was actually going to try to reach past me so I hurriedly moved on.
     For the check out lines there were some signs on the floor to "Please wait here" so that the carts maintained a little more distance from the person in front of them, but everyone ignored those, too. The cashiers didn't do anything differently than before - I didn't see gloves or hand sanitizer or even disinfectant wipes to wipe off the credit card machine between each person. 
     I got up there and handed the cashier my bags (because it's getting more and more difficult to find a place that will recycle plastic grocery bags) and she smiled just as sweet as pie as she pointed to a homemade typed sign taped on a pole that said something to the effect that "for the protection of our employees if you use your own bags, you'll have to bag your own groceries." I think my jaw dropped down to my knees. "For the protection of our employees"??? Seriously? If you really wanted to protect your employees you would insist they wear masks and gloves (and provide them); you'd see that protocols were put into place inside the store! I did bag my own groceries, but I wasn't very fast at it and the cashier and the people next in line were getting a little pushy. 
     The whole experience was just so overwhelming and my anxiety level was going through the roof. I came home, changed my clothes immediately then wiped down my car and the door handles leading into the house. I won't be going back there. For the foreseeable future, I will most likely order online and pick up my groceries from a different grocery chain.
     I want to do everything I can to not be someone who causes a nurse or someone else on the front line to die because of my actions. It's bad enough that they don't have the supplies and equipment they need to their jobs, but to be putting their lives on the line every single day, well, I just can't imagine it's what any of them thought they were signing up for; not like this. 
     These front line workers are giving their lives for us. Pray for them. My step-daughter is a nurse as is one of my cousins; I have a niece who works at a grocery store. I am passionate about not spreading the virus because of anything I do and I know my readers are the same way. Let's be the prayer warriors that we are and intercede for these heroes and heroines.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, 
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:45 (NKJV)

I am sorry if this was preachy or depressing, but I just really feel it's necessary to let people know what's going on and point out the obvious. This isn't something that's happening "elsewhere"; it's happening everywhere. Save a life and just please #stayhome whenever possible.

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Please join me in praying for our front-line workers; the men and women of the medical field who are treating those besieged by this invisible enemy. Pray they stay healthy and don't spread this disease to their families. Pray that their prayers become our prayers.
     They are in desperate need of help, personal protection equipment, ventilators, beds, and a host of other supplies. They need those who aren't sick to stay home in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but also to prevent overloading the health care system.
     Join me in praying for those who are working non-stop to find solutions/answers to resolve the spread and deadliness of the disease and answers to lessen the strain on our country and our world. Pray that the Lord gives them wisdom and stamina.
     Lastly, please join me in praying for our other workers. Those who are risking their lives to keep our country functioning: those who work in Nursing Homes, Truck Drivers, Delivery Personnel, Grocery, and other Food and Retail Workers, Governments including the Mayors, Governors, Postal System, Jobs and Family Services, Sanitation Department, Police and Fire Departments, and our Military.
     Please pray every day for their safety, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health as they fight this war. Finally, please join me in praying that this strengthens their (and our) faith in Jesus and that others will come to know our Lord and Savior.

I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power



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