The DARK

When I was young I was afraid of the dark. When the sun would set I would start turning on lights. I had to sleep with a nightlight and several other lights. I was known to sleep with a different assortment of ‘weapons’.

At night my ears became acute to every little noise that during the day would go unnoticed. So when I would crawl into bed at night with my ‘weapons’ of choice, my nightlights and my acute hearing, I didn’t sleep too well. I was always waiting for the night when someone would break into our home.

I knew that 2 + 2 equaled 4, but I couldn’t get the math to work for the reality of the dark. The reality being 7 kids in a small house + no real valuables equal no break-in. I knew that one day soon the break-in would occur then everyone would be sorry that they hadn’t listened to me.

One evening as I was digging though the kitchen cabinets I found a can of honey that Grandma had given to us kids. The can looked like a paint bucket with the handle. I opened drawer and there was a small paint brush. Wow, was this great or what?

I took my treasures the honey can and the paint brush to the backyard and began to paint honey on both of the gate latches, the garage door handle and all the windows. I was a genius! I could sleep tonight knowing that I had protected my family for the villain. I could close my eyes; turn down the volume in my ears and experience sweet sleep.

The next morning everyone was up doing chores and getting ready for school when I heard Mom yell, “Monalea!” I came around the corner and there stood Mom and my little brother Bruce. Bruce was holding out his hands with a look of disgust of his face. Pointing at Bruce’s hands Mom asked, “What is all over the gate that Bruce got all over his hands?” Wow, how did she know it was me out of 7 kids? Mom really did have superhuman powers.

I started to explain, “Well I found this honey can and a paint brush in the cabinet and I decided to paint the gates, outside windows and garage door.” “What would possess you to do that?” Mom asked. “It is very simple” I explained. “It is to keep burglars away.” “Honey will not stop someone from breaking in” Mom said as irritation began to build in her voice. I looked up at her and said, “Your telling me if you were breaking into a house and you got sticky all over you hands at every window you tried that you wouldn’t stop and reconsider?”

If Mom’s had gaskets, here’s where hers would have blown. She drew a bead on me with her eyes, pointed her finger and said, “You will come in from school today and wash the gates, garage door and every window before we get ants.” The look on her face and the tone of her voice caused a small tremor to course though me. In other circumstance I might have clicked my heels together and said “Hile Hitler,” but I wanted to live. So I decided a “Yes Ma’am,” would suffice. None of my family really appreciated my ability to ‘think outside the box.’

Proverbs 16:25

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”