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Growing up, I had a best friend named Genevieve
, but we called her Geni. Geni’s family owned a cabin her grandfather built in Northern Michigan.
When I think of Geni’s cabin, I envision a 500 piece, puzzle scattered on a plastic, tablecloth and a faded out, saucer swing hanging from a droopy tree. I see myself pretending I was one of the Pink Ladies and making ashtrays out of clay we found in the lake. What? It was the 70’s. All kids made clay ashtrays for fun, right?
Geni’s parents bought cheese balls, the kind that came in the Planters cans. We popped each piece of circular, orange goodness in our mouths and then tried not to bite because cheese balls always taste better if you let them dissolve.
Geni’s parents made nachos for dinner, as in chips and cheese with salsa. At my house, nachos were for special occasions. At Geni's house, Wednesday night was a special occasion.
Geni and I were certain my parents forgot to celebrate my seventh birthday, and therefore, instead of being a year younger than Geni, Geni and I estimated we were exactly the same age.
Geni’s cabin proved perfect in every way imaginable except Geni’s cabin held bats in the walls, and every now and then, I woke up to a tiny, rodent flying around Geni's room. Sometimes these episodes resulted in Geni’s father chasing the small creature with an umbrella or a baseball bat, but most of the time, I pulled a sheet over my head, made a little hole for my nose, and tried to ignore any real or imagined bat sounds.
I hated those creepy creatures. I was terrified of them, but bats or no bats, I refused to let my fear infringe on my fun.
I wonder when we grow out of the idea of bravely facing fear, when cheese balls and nachos aren’t enough to get us through tough nights.
You know fear.
Fear keeps you from starting your own cupcake shop, discussing your blog on FB, launching a photography business, and speaking to women.
And I wish I had something inspiring to say, but not today. I refuse to dole out a great, big, go get ‘em girl, charge forward, speech. Nope.
Time for truth. People may laugh at you and your skills may need work. Your friends may become annoyed at hearing you ramble on about an idea or nerves may keep you from uttering a word. You may burn your cupcakes, shoot pictures in poor lighting, and when you gather the courage to tell people about your writing on FB, it may not get a single "like".
All of this could happen.
Therefore, I am going to tell you bats are scary, but nachos for dinner are worth it.
Your turn. Do you have any good bat stories? Eat nachos for dinner? Give fear too much say?
23 comments:
I get this...I wrote today about FB...how fear kept me off...oh yes...my blogging meeting friends from FB...God is bringing freedom. Blessings and may we continue to walk in greater freedom~
I realized earlier (through that quiet whispering of the HS) that I was making decisions out of fear and that was not a very fun way to live. So, though there is a big change in my future and I don't know what it will all mean, it's made out of a better place than fear!
As to nachos -- I do not like cheese! So, living in China is great :). I don't have to special order anything!
Totally give fear too much say, but, well, I've still gone on to follow the One who casts out all fear. And fear has nothing on Him.
And man. You are creative.
I completely forgot about those cheese balls in the can, thanks for bringing that memory back.
It's so important to soldier on regardless of outward commendation, but it's sometimes easier said than done. Though I do genuinely believe everyone has a "time" where it all comes together if you just don't give up. So here's to 0 FB likes and nachos for dinner!
Love you, dear Amy :)
I "braved a bat today" and told some friends about a dream I've been nurturing. They "handed me some nachos" and asked how they could help to make that dream a reality. It was an important moment for me...even if the dream doesn't come true, or it morphs into something quite different than I imagine it to be, sharing it with friends and dreaming "out loud" was worth it.
Bats and nachos... my visits here are never dull! And I agree... bats are gross, but nachos are better! I think the first step is a powerful force... just one step toward that dream can make those bats stop scratching at the walls or maybe just God's proud applause drowns out their annoying noise. Love your courage and your creativity, friend!
I have several bat stories! The latest was when I snagged a rabid one with an empty Ragu jar... http://sandraheskaking.com/2012/03/in-which-i-pin-a-bat-with-a-ragu-jar/
I'm from Michigan. Grew up in Gaylord.
Pretty sure there was at least one bat who made it's exit from this world via the business end of a shotgun, in my bedroom.
i wish, like kids, we could just duck under the covers and wait for morning during the scary times. and maybe eat nachos for dinner. but....
I love the picture of you all covered with a sheet with just your nose sticking out ... not willing to miss out.
Just love your message and the comments today! A shotgun in the bedroom for the bat? Yikes!
We ran a large family inn for several years, and living in the country meant we would occasionally have critters inside. Our guests, mostly from around the Boston area, would just let us know that there was a bat clinging to the brick wall down by the pool, that a squirrel had just made a run through the living room, or that a teeny mouse needed to be rescued out of a guest bedroom and released back into the great outdoors. . .
I have always loved the idea of "special" dinners on ordinary days. Thanks so much for sharing yours-it brought back great memories of being at my grandparent's camp!
This spoke to me in a big way. My blog, yes, I love it. It is a huge part of me and God and me; we talk to each other. Facebook? Yep, love that too. But do they meet?
Nope.
I'm liking the nacho bit better (and even the part about bats - had one in the bedroom once!) but the Facebookmeetsblog part - so far the fear wins.
Thankyou. I can tell I'm going to have this on my mind for a while. :-)
x
Girl, you had me at the can/drum of cheese balls.
Kicking fear to the curb and clinging to the one who takes away the timidity.
I'm not afraid. I'm going back in for a second read. Bats and al.
We are a Fragile lot, aren't we friend.
This is so well written. love it. I am going to eat dessert first tonight and think of you - bravely!
Oh, I have given fear way too much in the past, but with God holding my hand, I am beating it! Some days I have to fight harder than others, but I'm doing it:)
And I use to let the cheese balls melt too:)
LOVE your posts!
Oh, yes!! Amy you and I are reading from the same sheet of music today!!
Fear is so crippling and gets in the way of all the goodness of cabins and cheeseballs and trusting childlikeness. I have been captive for so. long. Too long. Sometimes when you're trying to get free you make a little more of a stir than observers think appropriate . . . but it's for *freedom* -- and it's worth it.
You hit on a rich subject here, friend. Good stuff.
Loved every. single. word. of. this. Preach it, sister!
I have read a lot about fear lately. I think God is speaking to many of us about it, wanting desperately to redeem us from it. Your post is wonderful and honest. I am a very new blogger and have struggled with the facebook thing also. In fact I am imagining there are people thinking I am promoting myself and I really don't like that idea at all. But I have had people read a silly post from facebook and then come back to read something faith related. And that is when I know God can use a blog to make a difference. So I try hard to set aside fear and follow Him.
You have a great blog and a heart after His...
Oh gosh, everyday I feel like hiding under the covers. Sometimes love is working out the hard things, working on our bad habits; love is a broken hallelujah. Funny you should mention fear keeps us from discussing our writing on public forums--I just went through this recently. May we allow ourselves to be led so steady by God and not crumble under the weight of fear--I'm doing a whole series on fear. Came over from Jen's--here is my post there http://sixinthehickorysticks.blogspot.com/2012/10/fear-guest-post-by-elizabeth-marshall.html--blessings, dear Amy.
I always had to go to a friends house to get naughty junk food too. Mom never bought those cheese balls that melt in your mouth, ever! ha!
I use to have to go to chores in the dark and I would alway run as fast as I could to do them cuz I was so SCARED, but then I remember one time my dad was talking to a friend and he says, "Oh my girls? They are TOUGH, they don't get scared over NOTHING!" I guess looking back it gave me the confidence to run out there as fast as I could AGAIN and AGAIN without complaining to do the chores....
Growing up in an old farm house, we always had bats. When they would fly around, we'd don our hats (so they wouldn't fly into our hair). We would then grab a tennis racket and run around swinging until we knocked them out. And the mice . . . oh the mice!
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