The Call to Come Close—Grace & Truth Link-Up
Check Your Closeness
We visited with my in-laws (Jeff’s parents) this week. It was the first time in two months. We’d been delaying a visit because they are in a high-risk category.
But we decided with safe physical distancing, we could talk outside for a bit.
And it was delightful. For them and for us.
But it was also weird. We had to check our internal calls to get closer. We typically hug hello and hug good-bye. We typically sit close and chat.
Not this time.
The life-and-death risk outweighed the benefits. For them and for us.
Concerns Are No Joke
Back in the moon shot days of the 1960s, scientists encountered a similar threat. They weren’t sure if the astronauts would leave potentially destructive germs on the moon (forward contamination). And/or if the astronauts coming back from the moon would bring potentially destructive organisms back to the earth (backward contamination).
Dan Heath explains it in Upstream. He adds,
“It might be tempting to mock these fears now, with the infallibility of hindsight, but this concern was no joke. Existential risk was in the air.”
One day we may look back on 2020 and see we were unduly afraid of risks that weren’t valid.
But right now? We’re still in the unknown. Existential risk is in the air.
NASA still keeps up its efforts to reduce contamination. Catharine Conley was one of the Planetary Protection Officers (formerly called the Planetary Quarantine Officer, interestingly enough). Conley said,
“So far as I can tell, planetary protection is the first time in human history that humans as a global species decided to prevent damage before we were capable of doing something.”
Heath adds, “May there be a second time.”
This is a second time.
Heath didn’t know when he wrote the book that as I was reading it, we are living in the second time.
May we continue to proactively prevent damage to each other.
Our Featured Post
In our featured post, “Draw Near,” blogger Linda Gill writes about drawing near, while staying apart, with her prayer partners on a Monday morning. It’s a beautiful story.
And so is her conclusion. Linda writes,
“BUT…the sweet news I share is that we are never…no NEVER…far from Jesus. He calls us to be near to Him.”
Read it all here. Linda always shares gentle, godly wisdom at her blog, beingwoven.org.
Thanks for sharing, Linda! Here’s a button for your blog.
MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
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LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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Now Let’s Link Up!
Who have you missed seeing in person? In which situations have you practiced social-distancing? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Lisa, yes! We’ve met with friends 6+ feet apart a few times outside this month. It was like water to a thirsty soul.
How natural to want to give a hug. How sad that now’s not the time.
It’s ok. All will be well.
I trust.
I can remember when astronauts had to stay in quarantine for a while after returning to earth. I hadn’t known that they were concerned about leaving contaminants on the moon, but I am thankful they thought about that.
We’ve had some socially distanced visits with my son’s family. It’s hard not to hug, but it’s good to at least be in the same vicinity. Though hard to be separate, it’s worth it in the short term for everyone’s well-being in the long term.
Thanks for featuring Linda’s post! What a blessing that God is always near His children.
I’m so glad you could visit Jeff’s parents, Lisa, even though it’s so different. I can easily see where you have to restrain yourselves from hugging! We met with one of our sons and his family on Sunday on their driveway. A couple of times our grandson scooted his lawn chair closer to me, and his mom would pull him further away. We’re both in the higher risk group. It’s so hard for the kids, isn’t it? Even worse for those littler ones who can’t understand why they can’t hug or sit on the laps of grandparents. We were blowing kisses and waving our sign language for I love you when we left. We hope to visit that way with our daughter and family this coming Sunday. I long for this all to end. More deaths each day and so many suffering mentally and in so many ways. Thank you for all your encouragement! Love and blessings to you!
Yes, may we all continue to be proactively protective. I am glad you were able to visit Jeff’s parents. I know it is hard to reach in for a hug when that is the norm. I have had my kids visit from a distance. I love seeing their faces but admit I miss the physical touch.
It’s going to be a long time before we take physical proximity for granted!
Yes, we need to heed the protocols in this day, I think of the Amazonia Indians being nearly wiped out because of disease introduced by first contact.
Our restrictions have been slightly downgraded here in Australia so I’m looking forward to seeing loved ones this weekend while physical distancing too 😀
Bless you,
Jennifer
I am so glad you got to visit your in-laws, Lisa. We still have not been able to visit mine, even outside. We have visited with our son and grandsons outside, though. I will never take for granted being able to give them hugs ever again! It is so hard to refrain.
It will be interesting to see how we will be looking back at this time a year from now, or even 20, 30 years from now (although 30 years puts me in my 80’s!). That looks like a lovely spot where you visited your family! I’m planning on visit with my daughter’s family on Sunday. It will be a social distance walk and imagine be hard not to be hugging for sure!
We are all aching to draw near to loved ones. I’m so grateful we can always draw near to our Lord.