To Be or Not To Be... Vaccinated

To Be or Not to Be… Vaccinated

Well, the COVID pandemic has certainly changed our lives. It’s now been 13 months since we began our quarantine. Slowly and cautiously things are opening back up, but even with that, the cases are on the rise again. From what I’ve gleaned from the news there are two reasons for that despite the millions of people who are now fully vaccinated. One, is the variants… they seem to be much more contagious. And two, people are deciding not to get vaccinated and going on with their lives as if there isn’t a pandemic going on by not social distancing or wearing masks.

Being vaccinated is a personal choice. Each of us must weigh the pros and cons of getting or not getting the vaccine. For me, it was a no brainer. As you know I have a serious lung condition which would potentially kill me if I were to get COVID. So as soon as I could, I got both shots of the Moderna vaccine right here in Grundy County because I am an emergency on-call chaplain for Morris Hospital. We live just over the border in Will County, so Jim had to wait quite a while longer for his vaccination. Thankfully, he is now fully vaccinated and we both have breathed a big sign of relief. Last weekend we went to visit Jim’s daughter’s family in Indianapolis. We will be traveling up to McHenry to see my son and his family later this month and in May we are flying out to Nevada to see my daughter and her boyfriend. We haven’t been able to see them except via the computer. We are very excited to get to hug everyone!

Now, why did I share all that? To let you know how much I believe in the science of the COVID vaccine and the sense of normalcy it brings back to our lives. Pastors have a trusted position in the church. It is my responsibility to protect that trust by not talking about things like politics. I can say it is your responsibility as a citizen to vote. But I can’t tell you who to vote for. The COVID vaccine is a bit different. I can’t tell you to get the vaccine, but I can strongly suggest you do your own research and make that decision for yourself. Ignoring this decision won’t make the pandemic go away!

I want to leave you with one last thought on this subject. If you’re on the fence about getting the vaccine, I encourage you to go ahead and get it. Because in doing so, you might just save your own life and you’d be saving the lives of others. This is one of those times we might need to think of others before ourselves. I personally believe that is the only way this is going to end. But again, that’s just my opinion. Blessings on your decision!

See you Sunday,

Pastor Lu