Creep-icitis

Creepicitis is another made up, Lisa Barron word. It is what you get when you come across something creepy. A leftover in the refrigerator that could qualify as one of the kid's next science experiment or maybe when an old guy flirts with you in the bank. This time of year the world loves to make money off of giving us all creepicitis. You can't make it through a 30 minute television show without hearing some type of power tool in a commercial and it isn't to promote Lowes. Chainsaws, half dressed women, masks, blood and screams are the first sign of Halloween.

On Wednesday nights I am reminded why I surrendered to driving a mini van. We pack the van with kids who ride home on the school bus or live in our neighborhood to be a part of Wednesday night youth group. I am eventually going to need to upgrade to a tour bus. What a great problem to have. I just got tickled at the thought of what my tour bus might look like. I think I would love that little black screen above the front windshield indicating where you are headed. "RIDGEVIEW WEDNESDAY NIGHT YOUTH GROUP", "ETERNITY IN HEAVEN" or even "TARGET AND PUBLIX...AGAIN". Anyway, I love to drive and listen to the kids all laughing, talking, sharing sport facts, and the harmony of cell phone ring tones.

A couple of weeks ago the kids brought up horror movies. They were cracking me up with their idea of what was scary. The really cool part was when they started taking an inventory of how many of them had actually seen a horror movie. I loved the comments that followed where most said their parents didn't let them watch them or that they didn't even like to watch them. When one voice screamed out, "They creep me out", I thought about the creepicitis I used to get as a teenager watching one of those movies around Halloween. My heart would race and I would peek through fingers not wanting to watch, but wanting to watch. They were stupid. People would open the door that had blood oozing out of it. They would walk in the crunchy leaves of the woods all by themselves after dark. As young adults, they still had not learned the lessons from their parents about "stranger danger". Seriously? And yet we watched.

Being older and wiser, I am one of those parents that doesn't let my kids watch scary movies. I have two girls that I know would be up for two straight days. We would then have creepicitis AND grumpicitis in our house. That night in the van, I recalled a night that we watch The Passion of Christ as a family. It was hard to watch at times. The torture of Jesus and the sacrifice that He made for all of us. Then there was the actor that portrayed Satan and his lurking ways throughout the story. He didn't have horns or red tights like the world likes to picture him. He was nasty in the movie and he made you very uncomfortable as you watched. Some of The Barron girls couldn't take it and had a hard time sleeping.

In real life, we walk among some of the scariest scenes. There is a real enemy and a real hell. The Bible describes hell as "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). Jesus points out in Matthew 25:46 that our choices cause us to "go away to the eternal punishment or to eternal life (in heaven)". In hell, the Bible tells us there will be "wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:29) Can you imagine the sound of eternal wailing and gnashing of teeth? I would guess it to be the most agonizing sound of regret.

So, why don't we look at ourselves and question our own actions? Imagine Jesus watching us and wanting to scream, "Don't make that choice." "Don't walk in that way". "Don't open that door. I have shut it". I bet He covers His eyes a lot not wanting to watch, but loving us enough to watch. He promises to go with us so, I think about this.....What poor choices are we (am I) making where we drag our Lord and Savior through dark places and then expect Him to rescue us? What smart choices are we ignoring or putting off that could cause us to agonize with long term regret?

Heaven is real and so is Hell! Let's face it....The Gospel is called The Good News so that must mean there is Bad News. We already know how it ends. No need to cover your eyes. The Good Guy wins!