Scripture
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.
~Isaiah 41:10
Quote
Fear is False Emotions Appearing Real.
~Zig Ziggler
It is amazing how powerful the emotion of fear can be, and please don’t give me this bologna that you fear nothing: everyone fears something. My brother-in-law, during his bachelor days was fond of saying, “I am afraid of nothing other than a woman who wants to get married.”He was lying and so are many of you. I’ve seen grown men run from a mouse. I’ve seen administrative assistants or office managers stand up in their chair in fear of a mouse. I know men who will fight a chain saw yet will not crawl under a house in fear of spiders. Personally, I am afraid of a lot of things. A snake scares me to death unless I see it long before I get near it. I am afraid to drive over 100 MPH. There are other things that I fear but that might take too much space.
Fear can be tricky and we have to realize that the devil is behind it. A man was walking his dog on the eve of darkness. The path led through some woods and right as he was in the darkness of the trees, he heard a man say, “Stop right there.” He was startled by the stern voice and he stopped dead in his tracks. Was he being robbed? Should he raise his hands? Then he saw a dog, not his dog, coming up behind him. Then a man stepped out of the shadows and said, “Didn’t I tell you to stop, you flea-bitten hound, get over here right now!” What a relief, the man was talking to his dog. He was so thrilled that he went over and shook the man’s hand and said, “What is the name of your dog.” The man said, “Woody.” The man walked away disappointed in himself, he kept saying to himself, “I can’t believe I was frightened by a man whose dog is named Woody?” {actually, in the real story, the dog’s name is Fluffy}
This is what fear will do to the mind. If you aren’t careful, fear will have you living under the dark and ominous cloud of a lie. Remember Elijah, the fearless prophet who intimidated kings. Jezebel put him on the run with a lie, an empty threat and the devil had Elijah believing that he was the only faithful Yahweh worshiper in Israel. Commitment involves an element of fear. Change can also be frightening. When I was young, I made quick and rash decisions. I did not study problems or labor over them in prayer {as I should have}, I plunged ahead full steam but now that I am old, decisions are harder to make. I may be praying about some things that I need to go ahead and do if you know what I mean. One of the great curses that came with our grand parents fall in the Garden is insecurity and everyone has it. Those who say they are not afraid are the most insecure of all; they are afraid to tell the truth. When the Prodigal came to his senses, was he afraid to go home to his father? No, it was the goodness of his father that lead him to repent. The boy knew how good his father was and that he would never do anything to hurt him. Don’t be afraid to commit to Jesus: there is nothing to fear. Don’t let the devil and your insecurity win. Fear is an awful taskmaster.
- I went to Hartselle to get some ice about 4:30 and they got another flood. Thankfully, that one missed us because I need to get into the garden and I still have mud from the last rain. I also have coons. I am going after steel traps today. I am sick and tired of coons getting our corn.
- I do know what it is with me and tomatoes? My vines are dying. About half of my early tomatoes are dead or dying and I don’t know what to do. For years I didn’t have worry because Luther would keep me in tomatoes and then Gary and Larry took his place. Now we are bumming off of Jerry. I can raise peppers, corn and okra but I’m having trouble with tomatoes.
- We ate out yesterday. We ate at a buffet, the Top of The Town, in Cullman in the same building where All Steak use to be. It was 34$ for June and I and we didn’t get our money’s worth because we got full after one plate. You don’t help yourself. You have to let them serve you. I know that Big Mama had coached me before we went in but I must not have been listening. I reached over and grabbed a plate and was about the help myself to some okra when she came out of nowhere and slapped my hand like she was a school teacher and I was a first grader. I have never been so humiliated in all my life. I was so embarrassed that I went to the car and didn’t even eat, NOT! Had you going, didn’t I. You know how slow women eat, it is like they think everyone is watching them but I eat fast. As soon as I finished my plate and most of Josie’s, I hollowed for the server and ask, “I didn’t see any dessert, do yall have dessert? She said, “You want it now?” I said, “Yes, I want it now with a cup of coffee, please.” By this time, June is about ready to go to the car. She said rather curtly, “You were supposed to wait until everyone finished.” Gee whiz, how was I to know and who made up all these silly rules. I don’t do well at fancy eating places. June said on the way home, “It is a good thing that you and Ty both were not there: they would have never recovered.”