“Danger, Will Robinson!” I don’t know if I’m going to be able to use this driveway alarm or not. It went off four times during the night. I wouldn’t have batted an eyelash at that except my friend down the road stopped the other night to tell me about all the break-ins in the area lately. This is an excellent demonstration of the power of suggestion. The threat has always been there, but it meant nothing till it was articulated in well-meaning conversation.

The power of fear is remarkable. Just hearing about the break-ins changed my sense of personal safety to the point that I jumped every time that alarm went off last night. I started leaving all the outdoor lights on. I checked and rechecked the locks on the doors. I slept with my gun beside me. I moved the rifle back into the bedroom from the kitchen where it could be seen and used against me. I locked up the back of the truck. I put a lock on the cellar so no one would steal the pump.

Steal the pump?!?! Do you see how crazy this is getting? How unsettling this has become?!?! It’s ridiculous. Absolutely nothing is different in my world except the two minutes talking about all the weed-eaters that have been stolen and gas pilfered. I have nothing of value here save for TOW-Wanda and she has a hitch lock that would rival Ft. Knox.

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that read “Fearful people do stupid things.” While that is political in nature given the upcoming election, it’s just as true if it were not. I will not live my life in fear. When I do, I am weak. I make poor decisions. I don’t necessarily listen to “the truth”. I give my power away. I have lived too much of my life in fear. I won’t do it anymore. This is the same little house on the same little farm on the same little two-lane blacktop as it was an hour before that conversation. I’m taking reasonable precautions to deter vandals. After that, I’m letting go of the fear and paranoia. I know from experience…when you sit in fear, you attract things to be fearful of. I rebuke fear. I have to. I live alone and I need to LIVE…whether I’m alone or not.

My friend Nancy posted this today…”Nancy’s Nuggets: This popped off the page at me…Consider carefully how you listen…Luke 8:18 NIV So, think carefully about what you are hearing. Matthew Henry comments on this: “Take heed of those things that will hinder our profiting from the word we hear, take heed lest we hear carelessly and slightly; and take heed after we have heard the word, lest we lose what we have gained.””

I will not lose my sense of peace.

The alarm is being moved closer to the house today so it’s out of the deer and possum crossing. I’m raising it higher so it doesn’t go off so easily with the smaller critters. It will now be brought back into my line of sight from behind the huge rhododendron down the driveway. Other than that, I’m done worrying about weed-eater thefts. I’m taking back the night.

❤️

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:24 KJV