I watched Tangled recently with one of my granddaughters and as her long brown hair and brown eyes remind me of Rapunzel, I gave her my Rapunzel doll I bought from Ashton Drake several years ago. From the moment I had seen the doll in the catalog, I knew I had to have it. When I finally was able to purchase it, I knew whom I would pass it on to. It was a joy for me to give it to her for her 21st birthday. Hopefully it will mean as much to her as it did to me.
I have also passed on my Quinceanera doll to another granddaughter on her 16th birthday, only to be told those happen on the 15th. Oh well. I had always said that doll would belong to this granddaughter because she is my Hispanic granddaughter. Hopefully it will mean as much to her as time goes by as it did to me.
As I sit here and think about my dolls and about my beautiful granddaughters, I am reminded of something that happened when we moved into this house - probably about 16 years ago or so. The real reason we had to buy this house - other than it was 'pink' - was that when our granddaughter, who was about 5 at that time walked in, her first comment (or thereabout) was "this is a grandma house!" End of story. SOLD.
Shortly after we moved in, hubby left to go get something. As he does every time, he locked all the doors and left. A few minutes later my daughter pulls up, wanting to come in and see how we were doing on getting settled. She got a huge laugh out of this, and actually began calling out - "Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Let down your hair!!" Why? Because at that time we only had one key, all the locks on the doors are key locks, and Tom had the only key and had literally locked me inside the house! The windows had been painted shut years ago by the previous owners. I could not get out of the house - could not open window or door. Needless to say, we had more keys made shortly after that incident!
But, my darling hubby has always had this fear issue. He is always afraid something is going to happen to me; happen to the car; happen to the dog; happen to the house, well, you get the picture. There is reasonable fear, and then there is uncontrollable fear, which is my diagnosis of what he has. It drives me crazy. Sometimes his fear transfers to me on some issues, and I find I can be afraid of my own shadow, unless I give myself a real talking to and remind myself Whom I belong to. If something happens to me, it is because He has allowed it and will work through it. Nothing anyone can do - hubby or otherwise - is going to change something God has already planned to happen. God works through these situations, accidents, problems. There are far greater things people should be afraid of.
I John 4:7-21 " Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears' is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
That section of scripture is so good I had to take it to the end of that section. Perfect love drives out fear. I'm thinking of the subject fear because just this morning it was a topic of conversation- and not from me. Fear the dog would try to get in my lap while driving if I was driving alone with the dog. Since I have never driven with the dog with me, I have always sat in the back with her, I don't understand the fear. Imagination can be the worst fear, I think.
So now I will probably get a comment or two because I have put it 'out there' for you to read. Although I don't know of very many that read my blog; mainly hubby and my children.
Fear. It can control you. It can destroy relationships. It can destroy you. In the movie Tangled the witch had stolen Rapunzel for the secret of her hair. She tried to make her afraid of the world beyond her tower home. Once Rapunzel escaped, she knew she needn't be afraid of everything. And I know that too. Sometimes I feel like Rapunzel, only I have really short hair and couldn't possibly escape if that was my escape route.
I choose not to be afraid of life. To be afraid of circumstances. To be afraid of those things I don't need to be afraid of. I know in WHOM I have believed, and I believe that He will keep me until that day He chooses to call me Home.
God tells Joshua many, many times to 'Be strong and courageous'. 'Be strong and very courageous.' 'Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." I believe that God is telling us today that as well. Do not be afraid, for the Lord our God will be with us wherever we go.
When my oldest granddaughter was a toddler, my greatest fear was that something would happen to her. I prayed intensely for the safety of this granddaughter, so great was my fear. One day God sharply asked me if I trusted Him with the life of this granddaughter. "Yes" was my response. "I trust You, God, to take care of her." He reminded me that when I released my precious granddaughter to Him, she became His responsibility, no matter what happened. The burden lifted from my shoulders, the fear I had carried for so long. I knew I could trust God to care for her, no matter what. And I entrust her to him even yet today. Thank you, God, for watching over all my grandchildren and keeping them safe.
What is fear keeping you from? Is your life more enjoyable because you have this fear - whatever it is of - or do you find yourself uptight and intense? Who are you trusting more in - your ability to protect, or God's? I prefer to let go and let God. After all, He is with those I love always, even when I can't be.
Let go. Let God. R-E-L-A-X!!
Blessings!
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