Happy Wednesday!
We’re taking Friday off, but will be back on Monday. So, to recycle a joke we loved in elementary school… see you next year!
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The main question is not, how can we hide our wounds…but how can we put our woundedness in service to others.”
Henri Nouwen
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COVID-19
New CDC Guidelines
Sorry introverts, you may have just lost your best excuse for RSVPing “with regrets” in favor of another night in: the CDC has shortened recommended quarantine times from 10 days to 5 days following a positive COVID test for the asymptomatic.
And they’re taking quarantining after an exposure off the table all together for the boosted, but those with two or fewer shots are still recommended to isolate for five days.
Dr. Fauci hopes these updates will help prevent hospitals and other businesses from the extreme labor shortages the airline industry has seen recently; over 2,500 flights were canceled on Monday alone.
Earlier this week, President Biden assured governors that the federal government would provide 500 million rapid tests, but also said the pandemic could only be solved at the state level.
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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
A major way we can reflect the security, peace, and hope of salvation is by worrying less about certain topics than the rest of the world. As Omicron cases continue to rise, be a source of encouragement to those around you—knowing that your eternity is secure.
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2 CSB
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SPONSORED
The Afternoon Cup
You know the feeling… it hits 3:00 PM (your cut-off time for caffeine) and suddenly a mug of hot coffee starts swirling in and out of your vision, tempting you.
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Use code TPO-3PM before January 3rd for the deal!
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SPORTS
Benched
Multiple sports have been forced to call audibles in response to Omicron.
Both the NBA and the NFL have updated their COVID protocols, reducing the time vaccinated players are benched following a positive test or close contact. On the ice, the NHL restarted last night after putting its season in the penalty box for 5 days to curb the surge.
In the NCAA, bowl season continues to face obstacles with yet another bowl game getting cancelled - hours before kickoff - and multiple basketball teams have had to call timeout on their seasons. Between cancellations and postponements, over 100 basketball games have been affected in the last 7 weeks.
Looking ahead to the Winter Olympics, several star skiers, including a gold-medal favorite, have dropped out of competitions due to testing positive, and the NHL announced it won’t be sending any players.
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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Our goal is to keep the big things big, and the small things small. It’s not that sporting cancellations aren’t important, they’re just not God-of-the-Universe important. Stay focused on eternity, it changes everything.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:2-4 (CSB)
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Yes, this newsletter is free, but that doesn't mean you can't...
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For the 61st year in a row, the National Defense Authorization Act was passed and signed into law. This edition approved $768.2 billion in military spending (a 5% increase), takes investing sexual assault out of the hands of military commanders, and prevents service members from being dishonorably discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines.
TikTok has danced its way to the top, surpassing Google as the most-visited site on the internet. Meanwhile, Oculus (owned by Meta) seems to have won Christmas; the virtual reality company had the most downloaded app on Christmas, suggesting a lot of VR headsets were gifted.
Winter storms hit the western U.S. hard this Christmas, with low visibility and snow accumulation causing major road closures from the Tahoe Basin to Los Angeles, even grounding flights out of LAX. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra snow lab proclaimed its snowiest December ever recorded.
Juries enter their sixth day of deliberations today in the high-profile trials of Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, and Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of defunct medical startup Theranos. Neither jury has signaled that they’re close to a verdict.
Egyptian scientists have “digitally unwrapped” the mummified remains of Pharaoh Amenhotep I. Since its discovery in 1881, archeologists have said the mummy was too fragile to unwrap, but they recently deemed it fit enough for a CT scan. The scan showed the pharaoh was 35-years-old and 5’5” when he died 3,500 years ago.
Just 3 days after the premiere of a documentary chronicling his contribution to the sport of football, John Madden unexpectedly passed away yesterday at the age of 85. Tributes to the legendary coach and announcer flooded social media, and Fox announced they will re-air his special, All Madden, tonight.
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What We’re Encouraging You To Check Out
Your Medi-Share pricing*
Traditional health insurance may be the best option for you and your family, or it may be simply the more expensive option that was chosen for you by default.
That’s why we’re encouraging you to check out Medi-Share. Medi-Share is a faith-based alternative to traditional health insurance and the average family saves up to $500 a month. Enroll today and save 10% for every month in 2022!
And no, it’s not too late to switch, even if you just selected benefits at your work. So go check out your Medi-Share pricing.
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*This is a sponsored post
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