Saturday, October 27, 2012

What Do You Fear?


What Do You Fear?
 
It was my Mamma that first taught me how to face my fears. Miss Winifred T. Crank was my third grade teacher. She was tall ‘n had shoulders like a football player. Her hair was short ‘n gray. Her face looked like a square fryin’ pan ‘n she wore a whistle ‘round her neck. She terrified me!



Every time Miss Crank talked, her eyebrows would go up ‘n down in a capital V on her forehead. She’d always call on me to go to the chalkboard in front of the class to do a math problem. I was afraid 'cause math was not my favorite subject, 'n I knew I was gonna’ mess up. My legs felt as limp as rubber bands.

 
Miss Crank scared me so bad, I decided I wouldn’t goin’ back. The next day, after Daddy dropped me off at school, I watched him drive away.  As soon as he turned the corner, I started walkin’ toward home.  I spent the day in the woods across from our house. In those woods I wasn’t scared. In those woods I was Annie Oakley!

I found a tree that was bent over. I climbed up on it ‘n bounced up ‘n down like I was ridin’ a horse. As I was ridin’, I made up this song.

 

In the wild, wild west, I’m the best.

I ride the range all day long.

It calms my fears, ‘n drives my troubles away.

 

There was only one person that could bring Annie Oakley down with just a look - my Mamma. One of our neighbors spotted me ‘n called her. When she found me at my tree, she took me by the hand ‘n walked me home without a word.  I was scared I was gonna’ get a whuppin’ when Daddy got home.  Nothin’ was said ‘til after supper.  Mamma ‘n Daddy sat down with me ‘n asked me why I wasn’t stayin’ at school.  I told ‘em I was afraid of Miss Crank.  Mamma said I should put my trust in God. If I fully trusted in Him, my fear would disappear! That night before goin’ to bed, I told God that I trusted Him to take away my fear.

 
The next day when Daddy took me to school, he walked into the classroom with me. Daddy spoke to Miss Crank ‘n explained to her ‘bout my fear.  Then Miss Crank knelt down ‘n looked at me in the eyes ‘n smiled.  From that time on Miss Crank wasn’t so scary after all.

 

Psalm 56:11 "In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do to me."


Lord, help us to remember that you're with us always. We don't need to be afraid. In the name of Jesus, amen.


Things To Think 'bout:

1. What are you afraid of?

2. Have you talked with God 'bout your fears?


God's art is all 'round you! Take time to be still. To take it all in.

3 comments:

  1. In our school, it was Mr. D. He stood by the garbage at lunch making sure we didn't throw away food. My sister was so afraid of him, she took all her baloney and ketchup sandwiches on white bread home and put them in a bookbag in the closet. After a few months, mom noticed...sniff sniff... lol But we grew up in an atheist home so we didn't know God.

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  2. Bless your heart JoJo! So glad you know God now!
    Love ya!

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  3. I loved 1st grade with a passion, but when I got to 2nd grade, I hated it. The details are sorta fuzzy, but several days in a row, I refused to get out of the car and go in to school (we lived out in the country so I couldn't walk to school.) Three days in a row, the principle - and man who walked with a limp and cane - came out to the car and physically carried me into my classroom, telling me to stay put. I just cried and begged to change classrooms - I just did not like my teacher. (My 1st grade teacher was young, lively and pretty, my 2nd grade teacher was 1000 years old and harsh, smacking rulers on the desk.)

    No one did anything. And I don't remember what changed, but I started walking to class by myself again the next week, and hated every minute of that year. To this day, just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach. But I felt horrible guilt at the nice principle having to carry me with his bad leg. And so terribly embarrassed that I carried on so.

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