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I'm waiting with a worm on the end of my tongue (also known as baited breath).

I hear that a lot. People say they got the flu when they got the shot. I won't say you are not telling the truth, but I will say that there are in general a lot of problems with this idea. First, people seem to call all respiratory illnesses the flu. I think the flu often gets blamed for common colds. People can get a flu like illness after a flu shot. I remember the swine flu incident of the 70s when they were worried about a really serious year of infections. I got the shot, and got "deathly" ill, for one night. I learned what the "chills" were.* I have not heard of anyone dying of illness immediately after a flu shot. However, on average, over 10,000 people a year die of the flu. A very recent year was very hard on children with many (~200 last time I looked at the numbers) dead. A recent year had the doctors guessing which flu strain would be the problem in the year to come. They missed and while the flu shots were "helpful," they were unable to do their usual good job of protecting against the flu. Over 30,000 died from the flu. I can remember years when the ICUs would be full of people respiratorily failing and being put on ventilators. We would be full to the max and a patient would come in and there were no ICU beds in the entire Phoenix metro. We were flying people out to San Diego for care. Last season, hospital parking lots were tent cities in Los Angeles for very sick flu victims. One of these years we are bound to have another pandemic like the flu of 1918 which killed millions. The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the deadliest in history, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet's population—and killed an estimated 20 million to 50 million victims, including some 675,000 Americans. Here is a web page where you can follow the flu situation and even watch it come to your state. If you haven't gotten your shot, when it gets to your state it may be too late. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm *When I got my list of vaccines for nursing school, typhoid was one of them. It was a two shot series. The first nite I again got really acquainted with fevers and chills. I prepared for the 2nd one. It was August. I got my 2nd shot. Ran home and grabbed my fur lined artic coat and went to the movies. Just hunkered down in my seat and enjoyed the movie with the chills, my artic coat, and all! Typhoid vaccines are no fun. But then neither is typhoid fever.

Actually, in a Christian sense, there is more to this situation. True, a person is entitled to their own individuality and autonomy especially in spiritual decisions. Religious freedom has been cherished by the SDA church and at times the bigger Christian community. However, in the vaccination discussion, yes, there are downsides to vaccines, but even greater downsides to not being vaccinated. When you are living in a "herd", but insist on your own autonomy when it can be demonstrated that you are a danger to others, you are valuing your own self over others in the community and that does not go well with "love your neighbor as yourself." In fact, it is a very selfish position to take. People die all the time for frequently hard to understand reasons, even children. I believe Jesus said he who saves his life shall lose it, but he who loses his life shall gain it. Not saying he was discussing vaccines, but measuring yourself more important than others would qualify. Sometimes you just gotta get over yourself! Actually, the government is not forcing anything. It is just saying if you wish to remain part of the group you will demonstrate, what seems to be by all evidence, responsible caring behavior to your neighbor. As previously noted, if you do not wish to be vaccinated, leave the "herd." Find an isolated place to live or even a colony of anti-vaxxers!

Galatians 5:22 (NET) says: The translators’ note is as follows: ”Another way to punctuate this is ‘love’ followed by a colon (love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). It is thus possible to read the eight characteristics following ‘love’ as defining love.”

Warning for almost 10 years: As I have stated: Probability suggests that sooner or later what you have predicted will happen. Probability does not prove you to be correct.

It is also written that many will perish because they chose to believe a lie rather than the truth. In other words, they deceive themselves ....

I know as I am getting older (I'll be 69 at the end of the week), there are a couple vaccinations I am seriously considering - shingles and pneumonia.

I know the difference. A cold is a stuffy head and a wet cough; and if it's really bad, a low grade fever. It's mostly a hassle. The flu results in a stuffy head, overall body pains, and a fever as high as 104. And it lasts much longer. Boy do I remember that! I was down for a month! I really needed to be in a hospital; but the hospitals where I lived were "full". I think it was the sickest I have ever felt in my life - including having cancer.

No we will not give you the credit that you would earn by making a great guess. You have been wrong so often that you would not deserve being thought to have made a "great guess." Under the rules of "probability" you will sooner or later be correct in what you say. But, that will just be "probability" demonstrating the way it works. It will not have anything to do with you. In addition, it will not demonstrate that you understanding of the Biblical teaching is correct. You will continue to be wrong as to what the Bible actually teaches. You will likely continue to demonstrate that in the future.

Will be watching for it. Now we are in suspense!

Loma Linda has lost two of their well known heart surgeons recently. Ellsworth Wareham also recently passed away. I worked NeuroICU (7200) at Loma Linda right around the corner from CVICU (7100). Did not know Dr Bailey, but did know who he was. Sorry to hear this.

✨ Reap life everlasting ✨ Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.