I keep asking myself..."What is it about Halloween that I enjoy so much?...and not just me...it is the 2nd most popular holiday in the U.S. both in sales and in participation.
Haunted Houses...I love this stuff!...Why?
Ok, I think it comes down to a phrase known as: "The Anticipation of Harmless Fear". It's kind of like the thrill a person gets from bungi jumping, riding a crazy roller coaster, or even the thrill of white water rapids.
Fear: fear of the dark, fear of unexpected loud noises, fear of a "set of eyes' looking at you in the dark, fear of a predator, or the fear of screams. Humans do enjoy being scared...when they know it is harmless.
Some research claims it is therapeutic...actually releases tension...like when you just feel like shouting out a "yell"...it releases "stuff" in your brain and allows you to feel relaxed when you have done it.
Reminds me of a "Cornish Prayer" that goes like this: "From ghoulies and ghosties and long legged beasties, things that go bump in the night...Good Lord...deliver us! Amen" The prayer is like..."Yea, I do want to see those things...but be sure to get me "out of here" when they arrive!"
Fear can play "tricks" on us...like...All of a sudden...you see a dark spot on the floor...the dark spot has projections...legs!! Your brain says: Spider! Then, you think..."Ok, is it a house spider?...is it a....BLACK WIDOW??!!...oh....it's a plastic spider...one of the kids left around."
Now, if you happen to have a fear of spiders, this threat is real...if you don't...your brain processes the info and renders it harmless.
So...is the harmless fear Ok?...maybe even good for you?
Some people view dogs as a fear in reference to an animal that has no place in the household...an animal that brings fleas and other things that could possibly infect a family member or spread stuff throughout the home...while others embrace a dog as a "member of the family", having no fear at all of having the 4 legged pet in the midst of them.
According to a recent Gallup Poll, here are the "Top 10 Fears": 1. Terrorist Attack 2. Spiders 3. Death 4. Failure 5. War 6. Heights 7. Crime/Violence 8. Being Alone 9. Future 10. Nuclear War. Other fears include: the Dentist, Public Speaking, Pain, Cancer, and Snakes.
T.V. makes a good living on our fears..."The Fear Factor" being an example. Fear according to researchers on this subject is often conditioned, being instilled in us as children and then carried into adult life. Usually, what our parents and ancestry has feared...we will face as well.
Some research has determined it is not the conditioning we have from our particular fears in life that get to us, it is when fear becomes chronic and we are not able to control those fears...sending us into panic and often times false illusions.
Here are 8 practical tips on dealing with real fears:
1. It doesn't matter why you are scared...everyone is different...stop trying to figure it out.
2. People have found it helps to "face your fears" and learn from others how to deal with it.
3. It involves practice...you have to give yourself time to retrain your way of thinking.
4. Team up with someone who doesn't face the same fears. They can help in giving a more objective opinion on what you may be facing.
5. Talk it about
6. Imagine ways of overcoming the fears you may face...meditate...or for a Christian..."hold on" to a verse of Scripture" and say it to yourself each time the fear arises within you.
7. Stop trying to have an end result...there is no "magic potion"...practice...practice...practice. It is like being a Christian...you receive Christ Jesus into your heart...and now the practice of His Lifestyle living inside you...begins.
8. Don't be too proud that you wouldn't seek help. Acknowledge another's gifts and talents, and allow them to help.
So, getting back to the fears of Halloween. Are "harmless fears" Ok? I remember once how I was invited to a church who was strict on not participating in Halloween in any way or form. I was just a child...and yet in this "church party" I was invited to, this kid kept hiding behind doors and dark areas trying to scare me (lol)...and I thought even at that age: "You can take Halloween away from the boy...but you can't take the boy away from Halloween."
I am aware of the origins of Halloween...and am aware of its "pagan history"...and now I ask myself..."Does the Scriptures have any Halloween stories in it?"...and I think it does...and Jesus is right in the middle of it all!
I do think it is good for us to "Face our Fears"....Jesus seemed to make the disciples do so in the story from Matthew 14:22-33. Here is what I believe is a "Halloween-type" story from the Sacred Scriptures: a Gleaning of Matthew 14:22-33
"Jesus and the disciples had spent the day "feeding the 5000". Supper was now over, and Jesus wanted the disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee...now! In fact, He insisted and made them get in their boat and get going! Jesus told His disciples He was going to stay and get the crowds dismissed...He didn't want the Romans to think this day had been some sort of political rally.
Now this probably didn't go over well with His disciples. After all, 1/3 of His disciples were professional fishermen...and they were seasoned in "reading the skies". And on that evening...the skies were "spelling out one word: S-T-O-R-M!
The disciples had heard all their lives about the Seas...the Greeks had gone into detail on what lurks within its depths....spirits of the dead, monsters, and all types of frightful figures. Besides, the Jewish culture had its own description as well in reference to what lies in the depths of the seas as well....including the Abyss...the opening to Hell itself! And what about Leviathan ( kind of like the Loch Ness monster)...the one Job wrote about...what if he is out there?
Anyway, while the disciples began their voyage across "the Lake"...actually the Sea of Galilee was approximately 13 miles by 7 miles, Jesus stayed and went up into the hills...to be alone with His Father. It was now into the evening hours and Jesus remained in the hills until late into the night.
Meanwhile, the disciples had gotten out into the sea, and were hoping to get across (probably in 4 to 5 hours) before the storms hit. No such luck! What they read in the skies what was to happen...well it did!...and the disciples were right in the middle of it...a raging storm!
{Note: Why did Jesus do this to them?...What was the big rush that it couldn't wait till morning?...and they could all leave together? Do you think the disciples were asking questions like this?} The storms brought high waves, and the strong winds...were against them!
The disciples had heard of the "Stories of the Sea". It was the "Abyss" according to their own Jewish teaching...and it was totally dark, perhaps spirits of the dead walking and wondering around in this setting...and here are the disciples...right smack in the middle of it..."where Hell hath no fury!...like a Storm of the Sea!"
The disciples were terrified...what was Jesus thinking? He knew this was going to happen...and let it happen anyway??!! Then.....it happened....
It was probably around 4 in the morning, while in the midst of this storm the disciples were in...when...they saw something...out...in the water!...and it was coming their way!
That was "the icing on the cake" as the saying goes, the disciples totally flipped out...they began to scream...terrified out of their wits: "IT IS A PHANTOM! IT'S SOME KIND OF GHOST! ALL THESE STORIES OF THE SEA ARE TRUE!", the disciples were yelling...totally petrified!
Then, they heard His voice...clear and with authority: "Take Courage...it's Me! Let go of your fears! I AM!"
Peter thought:..."Well, what do I have to lose here...it looks like Jesus...He sounds like Jesus...and if it's not...we are doomed anyway", so Peter yells out: "Lord, if it is You, call me out into the water...with You!"
Jesus replied: "Come on!"...and then a strange thing happened. Peter got out of the boat...right in the middle of the storm...right into "The Abyss"! Then...Peter started walking...on the water!! Just like Jesus!...or whoever it is!
Now, Peter while doing this...was getting "slammed" by the wind and the waves, lost his confidence...and began to sink! Peter had only one hope left..."Jesus", he cried out: "Save me Master, I'm, goin' down!"
And Jesus was right there! He didn't hesitate a second! He brought Peter out of the water by the "Strength of His Hand!"
Jesus, when pulling Peter up from the waves, spoke to Peter and said: " Well Faint-Heart...what happened? You were doing so good! Don't let those "Stories of the Sea" dominate your train of thought....Trust in Me instead!"
Then, when Jesus and Peter got into the boat...the wind died down...the waves made their exit....and sea was serene once again.{Note: my question would be at this point...Did Peter walk with Jesus back to the boat?...Did Jesus carry Peter back to the boat?....or did Peter swim back to the boat? lol}
The disciples, now seeing for themselves that the "Dark Stories of the Sea" had no power to contain Jesus...began to worship Him, proclaiming " You truly are the Son of the Living God!"
Conclusion
So, if a Halloween event is your fancy?...remember the outcome...."He truly is the Son of the Living God!"
Zombies, the Headless Horseman, vampires, and werewolves...BEWARE...there is "One that walks the Seas"...the seas of our lives ...and ALL POWER...ALL GLORY...AND ALL PRAISE...BE GIVEN TO HIM!
Anyway, that's my Halloween story...and I'm stickin' to it (lol).
Haunted Houses...I love this stuff!...Why?
Ok, I think it comes down to a phrase known as: "The Anticipation of Harmless Fear". It's kind of like the thrill a person gets from bungi jumping, riding a crazy roller coaster, or even the thrill of white water rapids.
Fear: fear of the dark, fear of unexpected loud noises, fear of a "set of eyes' looking at you in the dark, fear of a predator, or the fear of screams. Humans do enjoy being scared...when they know it is harmless.
Some research claims it is therapeutic...actually releases tension...like when you just feel like shouting out a "yell"...it releases "stuff" in your brain and allows you to feel relaxed when you have done it.
Reminds me of a "Cornish Prayer" that goes like this: "From ghoulies and ghosties and long legged beasties, things that go bump in the night...Good Lord...deliver us! Amen" The prayer is like..."Yea, I do want to see those things...but be sure to get me "out of here" when they arrive!"
Fear can play "tricks" on us...like...All of a sudden...you see a dark spot on the floor...the dark spot has projections...legs!! Your brain says: Spider! Then, you think..."Ok, is it a house spider?...is it a....BLACK WIDOW??!!...oh....it's a plastic spider...one of the kids left around."
Now, if you happen to have a fear of spiders, this threat is real...if you don't...your brain processes the info and renders it harmless.
So...is the harmless fear Ok?...maybe even good for you?
Some people view dogs as a fear in reference to an animal that has no place in the household...an animal that brings fleas and other things that could possibly infect a family member or spread stuff throughout the home...while others embrace a dog as a "member of the family", having no fear at all of having the 4 legged pet in the midst of them.
According to a recent Gallup Poll, here are the "Top 10 Fears": 1. Terrorist Attack 2. Spiders 3. Death 4. Failure 5. War 6. Heights 7. Crime/Violence 8. Being Alone 9. Future 10. Nuclear War. Other fears include: the Dentist, Public Speaking, Pain, Cancer, and Snakes.
T.V. makes a good living on our fears..."The Fear Factor" being an example. Fear according to researchers on this subject is often conditioned, being instilled in us as children and then carried into adult life. Usually, what our parents and ancestry has feared...we will face as well.
Some research has determined it is not the conditioning we have from our particular fears in life that get to us, it is when fear becomes chronic and we are not able to control those fears...sending us into panic and often times false illusions.
Here are 8 practical tips on dealing with real fears:
1. It doesn't matter why you are scared...everyone is different...stop trying to figure it out.
2. People have found it helps to "face your fears" and learn from others how to deal with it.
3. It involves practice...you have to give yourself time to retrain your way of thinking.
4. Team up with someone who doesn't face the same fears. They can help in giving a more objective opinion on what you may be facing.
5. Talk it about
6. Imagine ways of overcoming the fears you may face...meditate...or for a Christian..."hold on" to a verse of Scripture" and say it to yourself each time the fear arises within you.
7. Stop trying to have an end result...there is no "magic potion"...practice...practice...practice. It is like being a Christian...you receive Christ Jesus into your heart...and now the practice of His Lifestyle living inside you...begins.
8. Don't be too proud that you wouldn't seek help. Acknowledge another's gifts and talents, and allow them to help.
So, getting back to the fears of Halloween. Are "harmless fears" Ok? I remember once how I was invited to a church who was strict on not participating in Halloween in any way or form. I was just a child...and yet in this "church party" I was invited to, this kid kept hiding behind doors and dark areas trying to scare me (lol)...and I thought even at that age: "You can take Halloween away from the boy...but you can't take the boy away from Halloween."
I am aware of the origins of Halloween...and am aware of its "pagan history"...and now I ask myself..."Does the Scriptures have any Halloween stories in it?"...and I think it does...and Jesus is right in the middle of it all!
I do think it is good for us to "Face our Fears"....Jesus seemed to make the disciples do so in the story from Matthew 14:22-33. Here is what I believe is a "Halloween-type" story from the Sacred Scriptures: a Gleaning of Matthew 14:22-33
"Jesus and the disciples had spent the day "feeding the 5000". Supper was now over, and Jesus wanted the disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee...now! In fact, He insisted and made them get in their boat and get going! Jesus told His disciples He was going to stay and get the crowds dismissed...He didn't want the Romans to think this day had been some sort of political rally.
Now this probably didn't go over well with His disciples. After all, 1/3 of His disciples were professional fishermen...and they were seasoned in "reading the skies". And on that evening...the skies were "spelling out one word: S-T-O-R-M!
The disciples had heard all their lives about the Seas...the Greeks had gone into detail on what lurks within its depths....spirits of the dead, monsters, and all types of frightful figures. Besides, the Jewish culture had its own description as well in reference to what lies in the depths of the seas as well....including the Abyss...the opening to Hell itself! And what about Leviathan ( kind of like the Loch Ness monster)...the one Job wrote about...what if he is out there?
Anyway, while the disciples began their voyage across "the Lake"...actually the Sea of Galilee was approximately 13 miles by 7 miles, Jesus stayed and went up into the hills...to be alone with His Father. It was now into the evening hours and Jesus remained in the hills until late into the night.
Meanwhile, the disciples had gotten out into the sea, and were hoping to get across (probably in 4 to 5 hours) before the storms hit. No such luck! What they read in the skies what was to happen...well it did!...and the disciples were right in the middle of it...a raging storm!
{Note: Why did Jesus do this to them?...What was the big rush that it couldn't wait till morning?...and they could all leave together? Do you think the disciples were asking questions like this?} The storms brought high waves, and the strong winds...were against them!
The disciples had heard of the "Stories of the Sea". It was the "Abyss" according to their own Jewish teaching...and it was totally dark, perhaps spirits of the dead walking and wondering around in this setting...and here are the disciples...right smack in the middle of it..."where Hell hath no fury!...like a Storm of the Sea!"
The disciples were terrified...what was Jesus thinking? He knew this was going to happen...and let it happen anyway??!! Then.....it happened....
It was probably around 4 in the morning, while in the midst of this storm the disciples were in...when...they saw something...out...in the water!...and it was coming their way!
That was "the icing on the cake" as the saying goes, the disciples totally flipped out...they began to scream...terrified out of their wits: "IT IS A PHANTOM! IT'S SOME KIND OF GHOST! ALL THESE STORIES OF THE SEA ARE TRUE!", the disciples were yelling...totally petrified!
Then, they heard His voice...clear and with authority: "Take Courage...it's Me! Let go of your fears! I AM!"
Peter thought:..."Well, what do I have to lose here...it looks like Jesus...He sounds like Jesus...and if it's not...we are doomed anyway", so Peter yells out: "Lord, if it is You, call me out into the water...with You!"
Jesus replied: "Come on!"...and then a strange thing happened. Peter got out of the boat...right in the middle of the storm...right into "The Abyss"! Then...Peter started walking...on the water!! Just like Jesus!...or whoever it is!
Now, Peter while doing this...was getting "slammed" by the wind and the waves, lost his confidence...and began to sink! Peter had only one hope left..."Jesus", he cried out: "Save me Master, I'm, goin' down!"
And Jesus was right there! He didn't hesitate a second! He brought Peter out of the water by the "Strength of His Hand!"
Jesus, when pulling Peter up from the waves, spoke to Peter and said: " Well Faint-Heart...what happened? You were doing so good! Don't let those "Stories of the Sea" dominate your train of thought....Trust in Me instead!"
The disciples, now seeing for themselves that the "Dark Stories of the Sea" had no power to contain Jesus...began to worship Him, proclaiming " You truly are the Son of the Living God!"
Conclusion
So, if a Halloween event is your fancy?...remember the outcome...."He truly is the Son of the Living God!"
Zombies, the Headless Horseman, vampires, and werewolves...BEWARE...there is "One that walks the Seas"...the seas of our lives ...and ALL POWER...ALL GLORY...AND ALL PRAISE...BE GIVEN TO HIM!
Anyway, that's my Halloween story...and I'm stickin' to it (lol).
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