QUARANTINE BLOG # 518

August 30, 2021

One of the great lines, repeated several times, from the movie Forrest Gump is, “Stupid is as stupid does.”  Today, in homage to those 5 words, QB opens a new department:

Forrest couldn’t have said it any better.

👉  There is a warning in the following three stories.  Are we listening?

Caleb Wallace, a leader of the anti-mask movement in central Texas became infected with the coronavirus, spent three weeks in an intensive care unit, and died Saturday.  

Wallace campaigned against mask mandates and other Covid policies that he saw as government intrusion.  In July he organized a “Freedom Rally” for people who were “sick of the government being in control of our lives.”  He founded the San Angelo Freedom Defenders, a group that hosted a rally to end what it called “COVID-19 tyranny.”

Caleb Wallace leaves three children, and his wife, Jessica, who is pregnant with their fourth child.  He was 30 years old.

Marc Bernier, a prominent conservative radio host from Daytona Beach, Florida, who was an outspoken opponent of COVID vaccines and mask mandates, died Saturday after a nearly month-long battle with COVID-19.

Bernier, a strident voice against vaccinations of all sorts, on July 30, posted what would become his final tweet, in which he compared the U.S. government to Nazis in its push to get people vaccinated.  

He was responding to a tweet from Nikki Fried, a Democrat set to run against Florida’s Ron DeSantis next year, who wrote: “The greatest generation had to defeat the Nazis to preserve our way of life, you’re only being asked to get a shot.  So be a patriot. Turn off the TV and go get vaccinated.”  In response, Bernier quote-tweeted her post saying, “Should say, ‘Now the US Government is acting like Nazi’s. Get the shot!’”  Bernier was 65 years old.

An unvaccinated elementary schoolteacher infected with the highly contagious Delta variant spread the virus to half of the students in a classroom, seeding an outbreak that eventually infected 26 people.  The classroom outbreak occurred in Marin County, California in May, according to a recent CDC release.

The teacher first showed symptoms on May 19, but worked for two days before getting tested.  During this time, the teacher read aloud, unmasked, to a class of 24 students, despite rules requiring both teachers and students to wear masks indoors.  All the students were too young for vaccination, which has been authorized only for people ages 12 and older.

On May 23, the teacher reported testing positive for infection with the coronavirus.  Over the next several days, 12 of the students also tested positive.  At least eight parents and siblings of the infected students also were infected.

👉  Doug Simmons and Dedra McGee of Chicago had a destination wedding in Jamaica.  As is the custom, the couple sent out invitations with RSVP cards.  On the wedding day one-third of the people who RSVP’d didn’t show up.  Simmons said they asked the would-be guests four times if they were coming, and booked seats at the reception dinner for those who said they would be there.  

After everyone was seated and there were a number of empty chairs and meals left over, the couple sent invoices to the no-shows – at $120 per person.  Simmons stressed that it’s not about money.  He and his new bride were merely hurt and felt disrespected by the no-shows at their hard-earned dream wedding. 

I could not find the eschewed menu, but for $120 it should have included Beluga caviar, petit foie gras, truffles, and some very good Dom Perignon.  

👉  Tomorrow’s QB will feature our monthly recap of “This Day” – notable events from the month of August.  But just a preview to whet your appetite.

On August 30, 1976, Tom Brokaw became news anchor for NBC’s “Today Show” (his co-host was Jane Pauley).  He is the only person to have hosted all three major NBC News programs: The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and Meet the Press.  Along with his competitors Peter Jennings at ABC News and Dan Rather at CBS News, Brokaw was one of the “Big Three” U.S. news anchors during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.  All three hosted their networks’ flagship nightly news programs for more than 20 years.  On January 22, 2021, Brokaw retired after 55 years at the network, one of the longest standing anchors in the world at the same news network.

And today in 1968, The Beatles released their single, “Hey Jude.”  It topped the charts in Britain for two weeks and for 9 weeks in America, where it became The Beatles longest-running No.1 in the US singles chart as well as the single with the longest running time.  To help with the filming an audience of around 300 local people, as well as some of the fans that gathered regularly outside Abbey Road Studios were brought in for the song’s finale.  The video is from David Frost’s “Frost On Sunday” show.  Enjoy all 8 minutes and 9 seconds of “Hey Jude.”

👉  Today’s sermon is the second in our series from the Lord’s Prayer: “Whose Kingdom? Whose Will?”

👉  Today’s close, “The Hunt for Pleasure,” is by Steve Arterburn.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12).

Society says, “Just do it!”  Friends say, “If it feels good, do it.”  And our flesh says, “More, more, more!”  Our appetite for pleasure fuels our lives.  

Is this a bad thing?  Actually, you were designed for pleasure – but the pleasure that you were designed to seek – the pleasure that will truly satisfy – is finding pleasure in God.  

Far too often, however, we set our sights too low, seeking satisfaction from power, food, status, money, or things.  C. S. Lewis wisely reflected that we’re like ignorant children who want to go on making mud pies in a slum because we cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.  “We are far too easily pleased,” he concluded.  

Maybe you’re dissatisfied in your hunt for pleasure, or maybe you’re satisfied right where you are and you shouldn’t be.  Pause and reflect on the source of your pleasure.  Only one source is lasting – seek God.  

“Pleasure can be supported by an illusion; but happiness rests upon truth.” – Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort (1741-1794).

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