Curious Kate: Truthseeker Extraordinare

We are one with each other and with all of creation.  What affects one, affects all. ~ CH

CK: Good morning, Papa 🙂 ❤

Papa: Good morning, Katie child 😊 ❤

CK: I love it when you call me “child.” You always make me feel so loved ❤and so young. 😊 I am sorry I haven’t had time to sit down for a nice long visit.  It’s been a little crazy “down here”.

Papa: All the more reason for a nice long chat.

Now, first of all, you feel loved because you are filled with my love. And you are young at heart, which is why you can relate to kids so well. It all comes from “hanging out” with Me. 😊 So, what is on your mind today?

CK: The same thing that has been on most people’s minds this past year or so; Covid or as little Kayla in my kindergarten class calls it, the “yucky bug”.

However, it’s my high school religion class that I’m more concerned about. Thank goodness for Zoom. Every time I thought we were ready to meet in person, we couldn’t. Some of my kids were really anxious and upset, and I don’t blame them…

Papa: What was going on, specifically?

CK: Basically, they were concerned about their futures, school, grades, college, their families, little brothers and sisters who are waiting to get vaccinated, new variants, and how different experts are saying different things. I guess it depends on which news program you watch. One kid even wanted to know, “Can you get Covid from kissing?” Really? Some were and still are afraid to spend time with their friends because their friends don’t mask up outside of school or won’t consider vaccinations. They say their parents aren’t concerned, so why should they be? They say they are just going to sit back and wait for herd immunity to kick in. And now that vaccinations seem to be slowing down and masks coming off, it is the great unknown they worry about. Life seemed pretty carefree compared to when I was their age.

PAPA: There are things disconcerting in every age. However, how my children address them, makes all the difference in the world.

CK: I suppose, but on top of the virus, these kids are questioning what kind of world they are inheriting. Besides Covid, we have a pandemic of unrest; racism; hate crimes; partisan politics; war; increasing gun violence; greed; division within neighbors, family, friends, and even faith communities. Add to that nature being out of control, whether it is the weather, melting ice caps, or killer bees. At times it scares me too, Papa. What kind of world will our little bundle from heaven inherit?

Papa: A world filled with my love, because he or she will have you and Tom as parents. There are many kind and caring people trying to do the right thing, so there is always hope. But change is very slow, and much damage can be done in the meantime. My greatest concern is the fact that the longer evil’s power goes unabated or ignored, the more time it has to grow. And it is growing at a rapid pace. The Evil One is hell-bent on destroying my creation.

CK: Just like this virus! Its power continues to rage, as well. Just because it seems under control here, at this point in time anyway, doesn’t mean it is everywhere. One day, things are going in the right direction; the next you hear of another country facing a Covid crisis. If we ignore it or try to pretend it isn’t happening, it spreads even faster – just like hatred between your people.

Papa: Exactly! Now tell me more about the kids in your religion class.

CK: Well, as I said, some were very anxious and upset, even angry. Aida’s mom works in intensive care and Connors’s dad is a doc in ER, over at Presbyterian. Jackson’s stepdad is a first responder. Lydia’s mom works in housekeeping at St. Luke’s and says her mom could smell death in vacated rooms.

These kids needed their parents to be there for them, but they were too tired from taking care of their patients. What really angers these kids is how cavalier some people were about following the CDC’s guidelines yet if “They’d get sick, they would expect health care”.  Even though their parents and the kids are vaccinated now, they are still fearful of what the future holds.  It seems better now, but who knows for how long?

Papa: The great unknown can be a very frightening place. The kids are blessed to have you to talk to. They know you truly care.

CK: I’m just a good listener. When we pray about their concerns, it helps them refocus – temporarily anyway. It definitely helps give me a sense of peace. 😊

Papa: A good teacher helps students ask hard questions and helps them discover the truth, my truth. You are very good at that. You help them see things through my eyes.  It will help them shape their entire lives. ❤

CK: We are a good team, Papa. 😊

Papa: We are. Now, what else can I do for you today?

CK: The kids have questions like, “Why would You/God let this happen if you are such a loving and compassionate God?” Jeepers, like this, was your idea of a good time?

Papa: You could ask them why I would want to destroy that which I so dearly love? But what did you say?

CK: That none of this was your idea. And we went on to talk about why things are the way they are. Basically, it came down to not doing life your way. I also told them about how unconfessed sin empowers evil just like you taught me, Papa. Some of them looked at me like I grew a third eye.

Papa: A third eye, huh? 😊 So, they didn’t like that fact?

CK: It seems, for some, personal responsibility isn’t a moral obligation these days. I think the problem lies in the fact that adults in every walk of life are not being held accountable for their actions these days, so why should kids be held accountable? The past spring break is a good example.

Papa: Very true. What else did they want to know?

CK: Well, for example: “If You/God really loved us, as you say you do, why don’t you just intervene, set the record straight, so to speak, kill off the bad guys, etc.? That is what you did in the olden days, right?” They say it’s not fair that good people suffer because a few bad people have the power to make decisions that affect everyone. I remind them that back in the “olden days”, you did intervene. You released your chosen people from the bonds of slavery, and all they did was complain, complain, complain, and started worshiping a pile of gold. They got bored and didn’t trust in your way of doing things. So they lived out the consequences of their back-turning. Satan took them for a ride.

After that, I explained to them, again, how because of the interconnectedness factor, everything we do affects everything else. When one suffers, we all will suffer. Like this Covid thing.  We have the power to tame it if everyone would just cooperate. You know Papa, I really don’t believe people would do and say half the things they do if they realized the pain they caused themselves or others.

Papa: Humankind does have the tendency to pick and choose which of my rules they observe, or more precisely, which ones they ignore because they see them as an inconvenient truth. But still, you are right, they would see differently if they realized they were personally responsible for every action they took.

CK: We also talked about choices and consequences, rights and privileges – that everything we do adds to the struggle between good and evil. You should have seen the eye-rolling going on then, but it did lead to a great discussion.

Papa: The kids need to know that how they choose to live their lives now, affects this great unknown they are so unsure of. They need to search for my truth instead of the Facebook/Twitter version.  I am really beginning to regret the inspiration that led to social networking. ☹

CK: How about inspiring someone to create an Ask God app? 😊 A line directly to you.

Papa: Like the one you have? 😊

CK: Oh ya, I guess so. 😊

But back to the kids. Jeremy had an awesome question. He wanted to know, “Can a person be pro-life and anti-mask at the same time?” That lit up the room or the Zoom… You know what I mean.

Papa: Always.😊  First of all, I am the originator and creator of all life.  To cause death is a flagrant disregard of my command to “Thou shall not kill”. Any child who is responsible for a death, even indirectly, will be held accountable, unless we have a little “Come to Jesus Talk”.

CK: I told them that all life is sacred, whether in the womb or packed into a concert venue, that you alone are the author of life and death, that every human being is a child of yours, and that being pro-life includes protecting one’s self and others from this deadly disease.

And then JT got on his personal-freedom kick, to which I countered, “Do your wear seat belts? Do you stop at stop signs or just cruise on through? Should public officials in Flint get away with murder simply because they could? What about the personal freedom of those who just want to live in freedom from violence? Should a drunk driver get off of killing someone because he has the freedom to drink as much as he would like and drive? Is that not a pro-life issue?” I was really on a roll.

Papa: All true, although you need to give  JT a break. Unfortunately, he was never taught about personal responsibility, only personal freedom. But you are right, no one escapes judgment, and that is non-negotiable. Anything else I can help you with?

CK: On a personal note, my friend Trish works in a big hospital out east. When things were really bad, she was constantly afraid of bringing the virus home to her family. She spent much of her time holding the hands of patients who were dying. It was emotionally and physically draining. She said if we have another surge like the last one, she is done. I know she loves nursing. I would hate to see her leave her calling just to keep her sanity. How can I help her?

Papa: What was sacred about what she did?

CK: Hmmm. Well, she was like a proxy for families who couldn’t be there for their loved one’s final moments. That’s pretty sacred and respectful of life, I might add.

Papa: Do you remember when Grandma Rose passed on? You and your mom were the only ones in the room. Remember her face?

CK: I haven’t thought about that for a long time. Grandma Rose rocked.😊 She was 98 and had led a very colorful life. The stories she would tell! She was so much fun! And she had a really deep faith in you too. We spent a lot of time together. She was an awesome grandma!

Papa: And you were an awesome granddaughter. She treasured your time together. She loved your antics, and truth be known, she was just like you at your age.

CK: Really? That doesn’t surprise me, 😊 but back to your question. I remember that night so clearly. Right before she left us, she opened her eyes one last time, the first time in four days, looked straight ahead, and had the most serene look on her face. Then she looked at us and gave us one of her “I know something you don’t know” smiles, and poof, she was gone.

Papa: She saw her future – and Grandpa Ralph.

CK: But what has Grandma Rose’s departure have to do with Trish?

Papa: Caring for my children at this stage of their earthly existence is truly an act of love and honor. It is a sacred privilege. Do you think Trish would have felt differently if she realized she was doing Mother Teresa’s work? Tell her that holding her patients’ hand at their departure is like escorting them to the gates of heaven and into the arms of my Son.

CK: That is so cool! I am speechless!

Papa: Now that is a miracle! 😊

CK: I know I can get a little wound up at times. And I know I am very blessed. I have You and Tom, my steady rock of a husband, and a closet full of toilet paper. What more could a girl need?  (We’ll keep that TP thing between us. Besides TP doesn’t have an expiration date.) 😊

Papa: I would expect nothing less from you than a closet full of TP. 😊 You are always prepared. I love you.

CK: I love you too, Papa. Until next time. ❤

Papa: Until next time. ❤

Points to Ponder: Do I follow God’s rules for living a successful life or do I  make up my own rules as I go along?  How does that affect the lives of others?

Challenge: Observe your actions with others for a couple of days. Are they in accordance with “loving your neighbor”?

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:9b-10