As I write this the wind is howling outside and though I am sitting in my familiar living room, the hairs on my arm have stood at attention.
Did you ever notice how easy it is to creep yourself out?
After the kids go to bed my husband and I usually snuggle into the family room. We put on the fireplace, sip tea. Sometimes we watch a show, other times we read. It’s cozy and relaxing. I often have a Scentsy warmer emitting a lovely scent to add to the warmth of our home. I do the same things even when he isn’t home with me…and wouldn’t you know, it’s creepy.
It’s creepy because that noise I just heard is clearly a Demogorgon who has made its way into my attic through the wrinkle in time that transported it here at this exact moment. It’s mission, most assuredly, is to release its giant snake-like tongue which will grab onto my neck and suck my life force out…but it will not drain me, oh no. It will leave me weak while its poison works in my system changing me into a mini Demogorgon that will do its nasty bidding. I’ll look like myself, my husband will never know. I will use my evil powers to take over his soul, too. And my children. And the neighborhood. And the world. Somehow, I calm myself down and sleep that night.
The next day I am usually fine. I marvel at how safe my house feels. How comfortable it is, and how lovely I find every room. The sunshine peeks through the sheer curtains and smiles down on us. All too soon though the sun has set, and the kids have kissed me goodnight. I snuggle again onto the couch with a book. Did you hear that? I hear that sound a lot…It’s a creaking right behind this wall. This one, right here. That’s it, I think for the millionth time, we live on an ancient burial ground. They have been haunting us since the moment we moved in. What? Who’s they? Come on, you know who “they” are. That creepy mom and her strange little children. The ones that were always so quiet. They would sit and whisper to each other. Never made noises, very unnatural. Something wasn’t right with that family. Those girls are stuck here now. Stuck inside my home. They are creepily whispering in the upstairs bedroom I can hear them. Do you hear them, too?
Fear
Hahaha! Yes, this is literally how my brain works. The sad reality of it is though, that the things happening in our nation currently are far creepier, far scarier than anything I can conjure up in my fantasies. The sad truth is, I would rather have all of the above sci-fi images swirling in my head, making my hair stand up, than I would turn the tv on. On the tv, propogada is shoved at us. Doled out and served up on a “this is truth” platter.
Anxiety
Social media posts are being censored, but the ones that aren’t all have the same emotion rolling through them, fear. I’m guilty of it too, sitting there with anxiety rippling through me as my Creep Factor hits an all time high. It’s been this way for months but has gotten progressively worse and stronger. Then a small voice stops me dead in my tracks. It’s not the Demogorgon or any other such fantastical creature that I envision in my attic, it’s God. His message is clear, “Do not fear, for I am with you.” Isiah 41:10
GOD is calling
The thought stops me, and I can hear, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6.
For those of you out there feeling fear, experiencing anxiety over the lawlessness and virus that seem to be running amuck in our society I submit this challenge. When you feel those thoughts swirling and are choking back the fear, set your eyes above. Pray.
Pray
Ask for peace, ask for courage. Ask God to surround you in a protective bubble of strength. With our social interactions being limited, affecting mental health far and wide, it is very easy to get swept up in negativity. You are not alone in your anxiety and fear. The silent majority of us are still out here praying for positive vibes. Praying for politicians to denounce their own greed and instead look to the needs of all of their people who are feeling so desperate that for the last few months they have turned violent, praying for those who are enacting the violence that their hearts be calmed.
I will walk with God.
While I do not possess a magic tonic that will set the order of our nation back to rights, prayer is comfort. You can take comfort in the prayers you say by yourself, and you can take comfort in joining so many of us who are out here praying alone but together. As American Columnist, @Bennyjohnson recently stated in a video- God does not promise that things will be easy. He doesn’t. He does not promise us all an easy, perfect life. God has, however, promised He would be with us. I pray for the day the creep factor only embodies those icky things of sci-fi epics once again. It may take a long time for that to happen, but I know it will be that way once again. I have faith that good will always swallow the creep factor in the end. Until then, I will walk with God. I will pray. I will not live in fear. How about you?
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