Fact or Fiction – It All Depends on Your Point of View

(Work in Progress)

Do you believe in fairies? Peter Pan did, but then what does he know? He’s only a child -- a figment of   J. M. Barrie’s imagination. Barrie not only created Pan, but TinkerBell, the most beloved fairy of all time.

From birth, we’re persuaded that make-believe is fun and that magic is real. At Christmas time, Santa Claus is our jolly red benefactor and will reward us according to our behavior. If we’re naughty, we may receive a rock or a token of displeasure; but if we’re nice, our wishes may all come true.

Many cultures playfully indulge the existence of gnomes, elves, and leprechauns. Thanks to The Wizard of Oz, we acknowledge both good witches and bad. We have only to embrace their existence, and our heart’s desire will be granted or impeded. Depending on outcome, we are eager to attribute good luck or bad to whatever happens; and we try, like anything, to avoid the latter.

In futility, we perform rituals, incantations, and exercises to please the whims of the Gods. Our superstitions and practices are sometimes held in higher regard than our own personal faith and greater than our hold on fact or reality.

Favorite stories are often built upon dreams that eventually come true. Cinderella went from a serving girl to a princess at the whisk of a magic wand. Her fairy godmother turned her into a dazzling beauty and helped her gain the adoration of a handsome prince.

The story of “The Elves and the Shoemaker” reminds us that hard work and honest effort are rewarded, and that when we do well, even the “wee folk” seek to do our bidding.

When life gets really tough, though, we pray to the invincible God to bail us out. After all, He’s a God of sympathy and compassion, or so we’ve been taught. But if He doesn’t give us what we want, what then? Why, it only proves what we thought from the beginning. He’s not real.

Many people imagine God to be like a giant Genie or a kind old Santa Claus that winks at our sins and imperfections; a God that will often grant our wishes if only we go to Him. When our prayer requests are not granted, we fall into disappointment. At those times, we imagine that God is an angry avenger who punishes us for our disobedience.

Many people think that the Bible is simply a book of legends and fairy tales. Partly because they see God either as a great imposter or a myth. This conclusion is an insult to those who believe that biblical scripture is the infallible Word of God.

"An Open Book" 16x20 mixed media on canvas (SOLD), but prints available.

Deep down we all hope that God is real, and we want to have faith in Him; but how many of us actually suspend our disbelief and exercise our faith in the omnipotent creator of the world? Why is it so much easier to trust in ethereal beings from the netherworld than to depend on the one true God of the Bible?

So long as faith is lacking in the world, people will continue to rely on horoscopes, signs and wonders for answers, and the world will continue to flounder in darkness. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)

Halloween Fun may turn into Halloween Horror

 When my children were younger; we had a large, legal filing box filled with costumes. Each year new costumes were added after every holiday. There were Halloween costumes, wigs, noses, and masks; and there were school play costumes, patriotic costumes from neighborhood Fourth of July parades, and pilgrim’s costumes to celebrate our two son’s birthdays that fell during the Thanksgiving holiday.

This box grew more popular each year as the number of costumes grew. The neighborhood kids loved them as much as my own children. The costumes were used year round, even in the summer when the kids wanted to play “dress-up.” Photographs over the years have documented the fun they had.

Most of the costumes were homemade; and many of them were easy to make. We had Indian costumes complete with moccasins and feathers. Colonial costumes in red white and blue, and a British Beefeater complete with a fur-topped hat that was once worn when it was in style.

My favorite costume that every toddler in the family wore was an old white pillow case that draped over the child and fell to the ankles. Ears were tied with string to make floppy rabbit ears. A face was a round circle so the child’s face could smile through. A cotton tail was glued on the back in the appropriate spot.

This costume was harmless and funny back in the days when mom and dad took turns walking their children through friendly neighborhoods. I miss those days. Rarely do I see children in our neighborhood on Halloween. Most of them attend costume parties at their churches or schools, or the local shopping mall where store owners distribute candy. It’s a dangerous world we live in.

In today’s world, some of those imaginary goblins and monsters are real, preying on the innocent and unsuspecting. Every few weeks, a small child disappears from our neighborhoods, sometimes even plucked from their own beds while the family sleeps. We must find a way to stop this atrocity. Our children are not only the future of the world; they are our pride and joy. Each one is precious!

Evil is real. Satanic powers are real. If we are to protect the future and our children, we must find ways to eradicate evil, rather than celebrate it! 

Everyone loves being scared or pretending to be afraid of Horror shows and Haunted Houses. But does it really end there? Even here in Fort Myers there is a Zombie Festival this weekend where people dress up in gore, win prizes, and drag their half-dead bodies through the streets. Hundreds of people look forward to participating in it, but it’s not my “cup of tea.” I only hope the influence of that evening will not reap negative consequences.

Have a safe Halloween everyone.