More From Beverly Marshall-Goodell

March 13, 2021 by Beverly Marshall-Goodell (Georgia, USA)
Beverly's homemade pizzas

When I retired from pastoral ministry in the middle of 2018, my husband and I moved from Iowa to the Atlanta area to be close to our two sons and our two grandsons. For the first year and a half, we were able to spend a lot of time visiting local attractions, sharing meals together, and watching our grandsons play basketball. Then the threat of a global pandemic forced us to rethink our social lives.

My husband has several medical conditions—asthma, emphysema, and COPD—that put him at high risk if he were to become infected with COVID-19. In order to protect him from the severe complications of a respiratory infection, we choose to limit our exposure people, including the family members we had moved to be with.

Instead of pondering the power that a pinch of yeast and a tiny clove of garlic had on our homemade pizzas, I began to ponder the potency of tiny respiratory droplets containing the live virus. One of my first projects after we began to shelter in place was to stitch together face masks constructed with three layers of fabric to help reduce the risk of breathing in harmful airborne particles.

As we learned more about how the virus is transmitted and how to help contain it, we also learned more about the practices that help to keep us safe. And we learned that video calls are not nearly as much fun as face-to-face interactions!

We did not spend the past year living in fear, but we have spent lots of time washing our hands and practicing social distancing. We discovered the joy of drive-by birthday celebrations and outdoor gatherings, no matter how brief. We continued to share our lives and our love, even when we had to modify the way we came together with others.

More recently, my husband and I received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. I was amazed by the small volume of each vaccine dose. Yet, the combination of those two small doses is currently working within us to activate the immune responses that will render us far less susceptible to the infection.

So, once again, I am reminded that little things matter. A small airborne particle might carry a dangerous virus. A small dose of a vaccine might help protect us from infection. A brief face-to-face visit, even while wearing masks and remaining socially distant, may seem to be a small thing, but such small things matter.

I also remember that the kingdom of God is like that small pinch of yeast that grows in its effectiveness. So I try not to diminish the power of even a tiny spark of faith or trust in God. We may think of ourselves as small, but our contributions matter to God.


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