Halloween with my twin nieces, ‘the bubbies’ is a long-standing family tradition. They have the perfect safe neighborhood with an amateur haunted house that draws hundreds. Each year I am able to gauge their maturity by how they handle the scary haunted house antics. Sadly they are growing up fast and soon will no longer even require my hand to hold.

Just this last Halloween, we had conquered the infamous haunted house, and we were now perusing the remainder of this very lively neighborhood street. In the maze of costumed kiddos we came head to head with a ‘Whitewalker’; a scary creature from the series Game of Thrones. I think they are bad guys? They live in the cold and have frosted icy white- zombie like skin, with crystal blue eyes.

My younger bubby was startled by this unusual costume and creepy zombie figure walking towards her and without hesitated she blurted out:  

“I don’t like you.”   

The costumed ‘Whitewalker’ locked eyes with her, while slowly pointing his pretend sword in our direction, replying in a disguised creepy old person voice:

“But I like you.”

I wish I could say I was as brave as my bubby in that situation. I wish I could look my fear straight in the eye and say, “I don’t like you.” But I am not, and I don’t.  Most of my life, I am the bubby inside the haunted house, squeezing a hand and screaming, while hiding my eyes.

Mamas, what do you do when confronted with fear?  

Since the beginning of creation, we have been living in fallen world. Thank you Adam and Eve. I hope that apple was the best one of your life! We like to pretend like we don’t have an enemy stalking us.  In real life they are lurking about setting traps, and reveling in our stumbles. 

Enemies don’t take a break, stay confined to haunted houses, or only come out on Halloween.  

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

I Peter 5: 8-9

Mamas, we have to be on guard at all times against the relentless roaring lions of this world. Invite Jesus to be your bodyguard and be brave enough to tell fear: “I don’t like you.”