Snakeskin

Written by Carol

It’s summertime.

I love that. The trips to the pool. The warm summer nights. Fireworks. Flip Flops. Vacations.

I love summer.

Except for the snakes. ..

Last summer, we had a snake “incident” in our front yard. I wanted to move. I’m totally terrified of snakes. I’m seriously thinking of un-friending anybody who posts a picture of a snake on Facebook. I know. I’m a freak.

So, over the weekend, guess what I found in my yard? A snakeskin. I still get the heebie geebies when I say it.

A snakeskin says, “A snake was here.”

A snakeskin says, “I like your yard.”

A snakeskin says, “I will probably be back.”

Hang on. I’m calling a realtor.

Just kidding. But, I am stopping this afternoon to buy mothballs. Rumor has it that keeps them away.

Isn’t that how fear works? It gets inside our heads and plays out a hundred different scenarios of ‘what if’s’ and ‘it could’s’ causing us to pull the blinds and stay holed up in our house on beautiful summer days. Fear leaves us paralyzed and makes us feel powerless over the doubts that lurk in the shadows. Fear…even, at times, leaves behind remnants of relationships and memories of the past that remind us of who we used to be.

I can’t keep snakes from coming into my yard. I can, however, take steps to prevention (suggestions welcome). I can keep my cool if I see one. I CAN run into the house and call my daddy to take care of the problem.

Just like my fears…

They will come. I can keep God’s promises close at hand to prevent them from overtaking me. But, if they threaten, all I have to do is call on my Abba, Father and He can help me take care of those fears.

SO, what about you? What keeps you up at night? I can guarantee that it’s more than just a snakeskin in my front yard…good news…we don’t have to face those fears alone.