H1N1, this one that one

Everywhere you look right now there are signs, posters, and pamphlets, with H1N1 written in bold across their surfaces.  You can't sign into Facebook or read your favorite blogs without hearing of someone who's contracted it, someone who's pro vaccine and another dozen who aren't.  Everyone's got an opinion, "information" is in abundance, although it's difficult to know what's fact and what's fiction, some have tents in Camp Get a Shot and others are set up over at Camp Forget-about-It.  Both camps are growing in number and most attendees are given megaphones upon check in and are shouting/typing their opinion in CAPITAL LETTERS at anyone who will listen.

I (and when I say I, I mean we.  It's just that I, am the one talking), have been on the fence.  Being a girl of leisure I hate camping and chosing sides makes my palms sweat.  I live in "what if" land and have spent the better part of a week sorting through pamphlets, e-mails, well intended Facebook comments and websites.  I visited BC's H1N1 Information site put out by our government. I checked on Alberta's site as well to confirm or deny a report that I received from a friend that Edmonton and Calgary had cancelled their H1N1 vaccine clinics - that's untrue, they are still happening.  I even went over to the World Heath Organization's (WHO) website, since they are the ones who issued this pandemic status, they should have the latest data. 

I am not a flu shot getter.  I spent many years in pharmacy and while being exposed to dozens of sickies a day (not sickos, those were few and far between) wasn't enough to convince me, but this time, over this strain I've been thinking about it.  In fact, it's been on my gut to get it, and after doing the research, talking to my husband and today talking to our doctor, we've decided to get the shot for our girls.  And when the time comes ourselves as well.

I know there are risks, there are risks to getting into a car, but we all do that, there are risks in trusting someone, but we do that too, there are risks in not getting it - that, is up to you.  An e-mail from a
friend yesterday put it all into perspective for me.  Jesus is in control.  Period. ( She didn't say period, I'm saying period to emphasize the point.)

I have a hard time reliquishing that to Him, in fact, there are days I down right fight it.  But He is in control, and more over, my children are His children first.  A fact that I struggle with everyday, my inner control freak (ok, she's not so inner most days) wants to hold them close and protect them myself for all of eternity, but the fact remains that it was Jesus who placed them in my arms and it is Jesus who is allowing them to stay there.  He gave them to me and I believe, with my whole heart that He will keep us together. 

However, Jesus calling us to trust in Him to love, provide and protect, is not him giving us license to sit on the tushie he gave us and wait for Him to do everything for us.  He gave us free will and a choice.  It's all part of the trust thing, by taking our problems, or dilemma's to Him and asking that He help us make the right choice, we are being obedient.   Then we have to take a leap of faith and trust that the choice we make is being lead by Him.  It's not really that easy to do sometimes, but it is that simple.

So, I took everything I learned and felt, left it with him and concluded that we will vaccinate our daughters.  And in doing that I will trust that He is going to protect us and keep us together.  It's the best I can do.

What are you chosing to do?