Post-COVID Paranoia

I am no longer testing positive for COVID but I am still recovering both physically and mentally from having it. I have this nasty, annoying cough. I sound sick.

It has been two weeks since I was ambushed with a nasty fever and every part of my body being in pain.

I hate being sick. I hate COVID and if you've had it, you understand. If you haven't then you probably think it's nothing or perhaps you are one of those who still think it was a hoax. Yes, a "hoax" on the ENTIRE world. I don’t want to hear any politics about it. It means nothing when you are sick.

Aside from the annoying cough and fatigue, I now worry about being around too many people. Everyone is the enemy now. I cringe being on an elevator right now. I just assume they all have nasty germs and could give it to me again. Honestly people have some nasty habits out in the world. I walk down the sidewalk and I notice people coughing, hacking and spitting. Gross! I'm a little freaked out right now.

I wish we could see COVID. It should either been a green mist or dark smoke.

I have tried to not drive myself crazy figuring out how I got COVID. I just don’t want to get it again. I can’t imagine how much worse it could have been had I not been vaccinated. I’m not going to debate that issue either.

And wearing the mask....I’m wearing a mask more now and I really hate wearing it. I would rather have a shield around me.

I will get over this eventually. Eventually I will let my guard down once again. I will stop wearing my mask and not use hand sanitizer. Only to make myself a target COVID again.

I have heard people downplay COVID by saying “it’s just like the flu”. Well I don’t like getting the flu either.

I will eventually get over this but I’m not happy with this right now. I’m still angry that COVID wasn’t handled right in 2020.

So here I sit coughing between paragraphs and hoping this round with COVID will go away. The experts say I still have a few more weeks to deal with this coughing.

Government Shutdown Survivor

As our federal government enters another shutdown, I went through seven government shutdowns in my 20+ years as a federal employee.  I can tell you that going through these shutdowns caused by our politicians is a stressful experience.  I can assure you that no federal employee is happy about this regardless of their political party.  

Unfortunately federal employees are the pawns in a political game that they have absolutely no control over.  

Today federal employees will either be furloughed - essentially laid off until the shutdown is over - or they will be deemed "essential" and will be required to work without getting a paycheck.  I have been both during my shutdown experiences. 

Contrary to what must of the general public believe, there is never a guarantee that federal employees will be paid back after the shutdown.  This is a very stressful situation when you don't receive your paycheck.  Your bills still have to be paid and I can assure you that most are not willing to work with you.  I was fortunate to always receive my pay back after the shutdown was resolved but during the shutdown I still had to pay the mortgage, car payment and buy groceries.  During the longest shutdown I went through, I had to get a loan to cover my bills until the shutdown was over.

I know that when I worked for the Department of Justice in Macon, Georgia that the local federal credit union didn't understand that there were other federal employees which were not employed with Robins Air Force Base which was the largest federal employer in that area.  When I attempted to secure some financial aid during various shutdowns, they were hesitant to do so simply because I wasn't employed at the base.  

Government shutdown is complete chaos and honestly the general public doesn't care and has absolutely no compassion for federal workers who are going through this process.

The most annoying thing about a government shutdown is that the people causing the shutdown aren't working without their paychecks.  I can tell you from personal experience that most federal employees do not care about politics, they just want to work and do their jobs.  

Brother Joshua Was Wrong!

Once again, another rapture prediction has come and gone.

Social media was filled with stuff about the rapture over the past few days. This recent flurry started when a preacher in South Africa said that Jesus came to him in a dream and told him that the rapture was going to happen either September 23rd or 24th. Apparently, Jesus wasn’t sure about the exact date.

Maybe a good reason Jesus didn’t give him the exact date is because he doesn’t know the date at all.

The Bible hasn’t changed. It still tells us that.

Matthew Chapter 24:36-44

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Yet another religious nut embarrasses us yet again.

So, what’s up with this Brother Joshua?

South African Pastor Joshua Mhlakela publicly described a divine vision apparently given to him in which he heard Jesus speak directly stating his return to earth would take place on the 23rd and 24th of September. According to Mhlakela, it takes place over two days because the Feast of Trumpets itself takes place over two days.

"Pastor" Joshua Mhlakela does not belong to a specific religious denomination; he identifies as a simple person with no title and is known for his involvement in Christian prophetic ministry. So, this guy is not really a formal “pastor” and has no church organization which can hold him accountable. He is yet another self-called prophet who makes predictions to make people think that he has a special inside to God.

Many fell for this nonsense. I was not one of them. I have heard it all and seen it all during my lifetime. In the Old Testament, false prophets like him would have been stoned. What Joseph has done is further embarrass the true followers of Christ.

Do I believe there will be a rapture? Yes, I do but I do not know when and I wouldn’t even be silly enough to attempt to make a prediction. All I have ever known is that Jesus is coming “soon”. It has been stuck on soon for a long time. It just means we are closer now than we have ever been before.