I have this special blue plastic fork, I don’t really know why I kept it but I just did – and so now I will keep keeping it. Three years ago I got this fork at a wonderful party, filled up a plate to go, took the fork too, ate the food later. YUM. But it was “risky business”, according to some. This was the first summer of the pandemic (remember that?! 2020), and it WAS easing enough in covid cases that my college sophmore was allowed back on campus (THANK GOD), which also meant some folks felt OK having parties (hey no judgment). And yet, it was still pre-vaccination time, so to get back into college, we had the last minute official COVID test (PCR, this was before self-tests too), then upload the form, and adhere to strict rules and show up at exact times for move in…  WHEW… (Remember that? 3 years ago? Oh how quickly we forget, but we got through it!). So on the way to campus, we made a quick stop at a friend’s party. Just stayed outside. Just a quick Hi. Of course all masked up, 20 minutes max.

We stayed safe in the nice breeze that day, outside IS the best. The food, however, was inside, hmmm… Insects vs covid caution? Insects are ALWAYS a bugaboo. I dashed inside for a moment, quickly grabbed a takeout plate, and this blue fork. I risked it, food over fear, friendship over fear, just I’m a risk-taker normally, I mean I risked spaghetti-sauced meatballs in the car, but I knew my chances of COVID catching were very minimal (in my opinion and scientifically) by only 5 minutes inside. How human of me,  of course, my stomach overtook in influence… And it’s OK to know that it is human nature to worry, and it’s human nature to not be cautious enough. We don’t want to be flippant ignorant of what others worry about. (You don’t have to grandstand for meatballs). You can also take a pass, fast even and say I wouldn’t eat them now anyway. (Isn’t that what fridges are for?)

We make choices in life.  I’m glad we were OK from that day, no problem in the big city or driving or car spaghetti sauce. In all we should wash our hands and keep going. Maybe this blue fork reminds me that we should LIVE LIFE – “fork over fear” – be smart but not paranoid. Be cautious but not crazy. Be vigilant for risk, but rationalize it first. ALWAYS CONSULT THE LORD!!! I think we surely learned a lot about ourselves in the pandemic, individually and collectively. I HOPE WE LEARNED TO RELY ON THE LORD MORE!

YES! Life is all about being anchored and trusting Jesus, trust in the Lord’s protection and His safety net too.

I pray a safe enjoyable day EVERYDAY for us all, thinking of the opportunities and the saving graces… I do hope you get to fork over fear and eat the meatballs, or cake, of life.  

Enjoy today!

Amen 

—-

Matthew 6: excerpts16-34

Fasting

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Do Not Worry

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.