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Halloween

We Don’t Need To Be Scared

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Even If It Is Halloween

As I write this, tomorrow is Halloween. There are a lot of scary decorations in yards and on houses as I drive through town. There are a lot of scary movies on TV. Kids will be dressing up in costumes and trick or treating. There will be scary sounds and scary things as they go from house to house.

 As scary as this can be, most people will know that there’s no real danger with these decorations and sounds…but it’s nice to know there are others close by that have our backs.

As scary as Halloween is, there is something else that’s scarier.

In Matthew 10:28 we are told, “Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” We should be afraid of Satan. Matthew goes on in verse 31 and tells us, “Don’t be afraid…”

We have Christ’s protection available to us every day. If we acknowledge Jesus before people, He will acknowledge us before our Father in heaven. But if we deny Christ, He will also deny us before God. (Matthew 10:32-33)

As a parent you’ve probably had situations where your kids are hounding you about something. You tell them no. They keep asking and asking. You continue to tell them no.

Then comes the question…why?

And the answer…

Because I said so!

This is because you as the parents know more than them as the kids.

This is the same thing Jesus tells us. He knows more than we do.

As we’ve been going through Isaiah, we’ve heard him warning the people and telling them what to expect if they don’t quit doing the things they are doing. As scary as this is, they don’t seem to be taking it seriously.

He goes on to tell them the peace they can have if they believe and change.

It can be hard to believe if we don’t have proof. These people were being told to believe something and they didn’t have any proof…yet. We do.

In Isaiah 61:1-2, we see what Isaiah told the people they could expect from Christ. The Lord’s spirit is upon Him. He was sent “to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release for captives, and liberation for prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and a day of vindication for our God, to comfort all who mourn…”

In Luke 4:14-21, Jesus has returned to Nazareth, where He had grown up. One Sabbath when He was at the synagogue, He was given the book of Isaiah to read from. He unrolled the scroll and read:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me to preach good news to the poor,
    to proclaim release to the prisoners
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
    to liberate the oppressed,
    and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

He sat down and everyone was looking at Him. He told them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled just as you heard it.”

Like little kids we’re continually asking why. Why is this so hard? Why did this bad thing happen? Why…

And the answer…

Because Jesus said so.

The world can be a scary place. It doesn’t have to be. Jesus is our protector. We need to trust Him. He knows more than us.

Building A House Can Be Scary, But It Doesn’t Have to Be

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Get Excited About Building Your Dream and Enjoy the Thrill

With Halloween season there is a lot of ‘scare in the air’. This includes haunted houses, spook walks, movies, TV shows and a whole assortment of scary costumes. People deal with being scared differently. Some love it while others hate it.


Most Halloween scares aren’t real. The same thing is true when it comes to building a new house, a remodeling project or even simple repairs. The unknown associated with something big like a building project can be scary. Or maybe you’ve had a bad building project experience and are afraid to do another project for fear it will happen again.

Too often customer’s expectations aren’t met. I believe there are a couple of reasons for this. First is the builder’s lack of guiding the customer and clearly communicating the process. Second is the customers lack of knowledge and/or experience with the complicated building process. Both things can be remedied with improved communication and information.

 


There is an adrenaline rush that comes with being scared. According to Merriam-Webster, there are “…physiological symptoms (such as increased heart rate and respiration) that occur as part of the body’s fight-or-flight response to stress, as when someone is in a dangerous, frightening, or highly competitive situation, as well as the feelings of heightened energy, excitement, strength, and alertness associated with those symptoms.”

Look at some of the words used in this definition; heightened energy, excitement, strength, and alertness. Being scared sounds like a pretty good thing.

According to this article on WebMD, thrill seekers thrive on the scary. There is something that as humans we naturally seek from getting scared. There’s something rewarding when we go through the process and come out on the other side braver and stronger than when we started.

When researching thrill seeking the internet redirected my search to the word adventure. I think viewing a building project as an adventure is great way to look at it. Adventures can be scary but take us to exciting new places.


Whatever scary situation you find yourself in, you have the internal ability to use that scare in your own productive “fight or flight” way. Lissa Rankin, MD tells how fear makes you sick, but it doesn’t have to. The mind is a powerful tool. It is up to us to decide if we are going to work through the situation or run from it.

 

Happy Halloween

Trick or Treat…Is Halloween a Holiday or a Life Experience?

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Halloween is a holiday that many people either really like or really don’t. For some it is an adrenaline filled experience of haunted houses and heart pounding excitement. For others it’s pull the blankets up over the head and hide until it’s over. Then there’s the whole fantasy filled dress up and pretend to be someone else for a little while. Oh and don’t forget all of the sweet, fun treats that can be had by going up to a door, knocking and asking.

As Halloween approaches it occurs to me that there are a lot of similarities between this holiday and everyday life, especially for those of us who are self-employed.

coxkoachpicture2Just like going into a haunted house, we know there are going to be things that are going to jump out and scare us. It makes our heart pound and our palms sweaty. Then it comes down to the decision of going ahead or not. Just like life choices that we consider, like starting a new business, entering into a relationship or which college to go to. These things can be scary, but think of the exciting possibilities.

We could however just cover up our heads and close our eyes to the world around us. Sure life can234215709_84d878750b_o be scary, but really, is that blanket going to protect us if something is really out there? There is so much life to be experienced if we are just willing to uncover our head and join in. This doesn’t mean that bad things can’t happen. I just think rather than hiding by ourselves in the corner, it’s better to get out there and live.

Dressing up in a costume and pretending to be someone or something else can be fun too. It is an opportunity to step out of reality for a little while, to get out of the daily grind of everyday responsibilities. It is okay to role play, to step out of your comfort zone or to expand your boundaries. You just want to be careful to be honest and true to who you really are. It can get really hot in that costume if you leave it on too long.

8143286420_a708665b1f_oThat brings us to the treats part, my favorite part (I do have a bit of a sweet tooth). How cool is it that all you have to do, to get candy and other goodies is to just go up to someone’s door, ring the bell and they will give them to you? This is how most people are… they are willing to share some of what they have with you. If we need some help, we just have to ask. Sure there are going to be some whose porch lights are off, but way more are on than off. In Matthew 7:7 in the Bible it says “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.” God’s porch light is always on and He has some great treats.

Life is a little like Halloween, but don’t be so afraid that you miss out on the exciting fun.