Vaccination - The Reason It's a Touchy Issue

If you believe in vaccinations you most likely believe in some or all of the following:
- the diseases vaccines prevent are very serious and severe.
- these diseases aren't prevalent since the introduction of vaccines.
- the dangers the vaccine "may" introduce are of less concern than the dangers of the disease they prevent.

You might also believe that it is your civic responsibility to vaccinate your children. This being due to the fact that vaccinations work because of percentages. Currently we as a society meet the standards of vaccinating a certain percentage of our children which is why we don't see terrible diseases like Polio, Measles, etc. very often (and when we do see them they are usually within communities that don't vaccinate their children). That means that the people who are vaccinating their children are protecting those children who are not vaccinated. This is part of the reason people get their hackles up when it comes to this issue.

The other part is that because vaccines are not safe until certain ages, some children who will later be vaccinated are at risk of the severe diseases while they are too young to receive the vaccines. In addition unborn babies are at a risk even if the mother was vaccinated as a child, and even though they are partially protected by the mother's immune system.
So it is somewhat cavalier for a person to state "what's best for you is best for you and what's best for me is best for me." Because one parent choosing not to vaccinate their children takes away the choice for parents of infants and unborn babies.

- I am a firm believer in most childhood vaccinations.

- I don't believe these vaccinations cause Autism and frankly if they did, I'm not sure it would change my mind.

- I don't worry that when my child is 50 she will develop cancer due to potential long term effects of vaccines, because I feel that the effects of vaccine preventable diseases in children are of more concern.

- I feel that we are blessed to live in a country where we are able to be vaccinated.

- I believe that it is a privilege to live in Canada - which reminds me - we do live in Canada and not the U.S. so please keep that in mind when it comes to conspiracy theories about issues that don't affect us - vaccines are different in the States and even province to province. (Just a side note)

- I am grateful for the fact that I don't have to worry about my daughter dying from starvation and though I don't wish autism upon children, I also see that people in Africa would probably gladly take the chance of their child being autistic rather than that same child dying of starvation, or complications of diseases like polio or mumps.

- I believe that if you choose not to vaccinate your child, you should be grateful to those who do because they are protecting yours.

- And I believe that should you choose not to vaccinate your child you should be very very careful when your children are in contact with infants and pregnant women or those people who are not able to receive vaccinations. If your child has come in contact with someone with a disease/virus and may or may not have it, keep them away from infants and pregnant women. Your child is most contagious before you know if they are sick, so do your part and stop the spread.

- I do believe in a parent's right to choose what they feel is best for their child - but I'd like them to understand where their decision fits in their community as well as their country and the world.

- And I'd like parents who choose not to vaccinate their children to understand why, during the time my infant is unprotected, I am not appreciative of the risk to my child.

Direction

So often I hear people talking about how God has "called" them to this thing or to that and I wonder what they mean by that phrase. I feel it strange to speak of God's guidance in such specific terms because in my experience, it just isn't that way. It's so much more than any specified "Christianese" term could represent.

It is completely bizarre to me to think of the ways in which God has directed my life. I can say for certain that I have never audibly heard God say "Casey...you must go this way...". I am also sure that there are decisions I have made in my life without consulting God at all; And this is where my point resides. Even though I may not always look to God when making choices, and even though I may not hear him, he is still very, very much in control.

For example; as I walked with my wonderful husband today, I realised that God intended us to be together and we followed our shepherd, but we really had no clue what was going on. I thought back to the beginning of our relationship, as we were walking, and I said to Jesse "we weren't even friends when we got married." Isn't that ridiculous? We liked each other, yes. We each thought the other interesting and exciting, yes. We even trusted one another, but there was really no guarantee of what would come, other than the fact that no matter how we felt in the future, we would be together.

So now hear we are. We've been married for 3 of the bumpiest years we've had to date, and yet I now see these years as 3 of the most simple years possible. For in these years, God has silently and consistently pushed us ever closer to him, and to each other. As we walked today I looked at the man beside me and I didn't think only of his handsomeness, commitment and his love. I didn't think about any problems or expectations. I looked at my husband and thanked God for the fact that I am married to my best friend -- as cliche as it may sound. Our friendship has developed throughout our marriage and I am so glad that we committed ourselves to each other on that day, in 2006, even though we had no assurance of being any closer in the future than we were at the time.

And so I conclude - it is not necessary for us to feel like God is guiding us and it is not vital for us to wait to move until we hear his voice. The most important thing, is for us to walk in the knowledge that God is God, God is good, and God is ever present regardless of our feelings on the matter!