It has been a month of the blahs in the Livingston household. We are now about 18 months since the world started paying attention to a mystery virus in Wuhan, China that causes the disease we now call COVID-19. Over those months, our house managed to avoid getting sick or being exposed to the virus. We only needed to quarantine once.
Then along came Delta. Like many around the world, this is the variant that finally brought COVID home. Eric likely caught it from a co-worker (He and his wife were both hospitalized but are home now and on a long road to recovery. We would ask you to pray that God would continue to glorify himself through them as they struggle in their mortal bodies). Eric felt blah for about a week before the cough started and his energy bottomed out. He never developed symptoms that fit the description of typical COVID (other than the cough) or that required medical attention, but that unfortunately meant he did not realize what he had until about eight days after symptoms began.
In the process Katie caught it and by day eight required a trip to the ER. After several tests, she was confirmed as COVID positive. Fortunately her vitals and O2 levels were stable and strong. Katie did have a mild pneumonia but did not require additional oxygen. After receiving an antibody cocktail and half a dozen prescriptions, she was released to recover at home. The first 48 hours saw rapid improvement. Everyday since has been incremental but steady progress.
Thankfully, none of the kids caught it. They were certainly exposed while we were contagious, but thankfully they were spared. We are also thankful that we were spared the worse of it. We currently know several people who are struggling with the virus, many in the hospital, and pray that the Lord would continue to reveal Himself to them in these trying times.
As I watch the world outside my window struggling under the weight of so much suffering and darkness I am reminded of Romans 8:18-25:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
We live in dark days. We live in days where I sometimes believe I can hear creation groaning under the weight of the times. This, however, is not the end. Because of the Gospel, because of the work of Jesus, we have a hope, not just for the future, but right now. My prayer is that the Lord would build up His church, that we would be the beacons pointing toward the hope and light our world is crying out for. No matter if these days find you feeling blah, fighting for your life, or somewhere in between, join us in praying to Our Father, for His kingdom to come, His will be done on earth just as it is in Heaven.
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