The Smell of a Skunk

Modified version of an older blog. Enjoy! 

The dictionary meaning for FEAR:

• “Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. 
• It’s a feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of something or the safety and well-being of someone.”

My Real life fear experience: I live on the 17th floor of a beautiful scenic condo in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. My balcony windows are left open during the Spring/Summer months. 

It was a beautiful Saturday morning in 2016 and I was home alone for one week while my husband was away on business. I woke up to the beautiful sun rays in my eyes and the overpowering strong smell of a skunk that filled my bedroom. 

Instantly, fear gripped my heart as I reluctantly and fearfully began to look around the room. I thought to myself that maybe, just maybe, a skunk climbed up to the 17th floor of my opened balcony windows and got into my bedroom. 

Fear restricted my body movements in my bed as I had to fight off going into a mental panic attack. The greater the visions and the smell of a skunk – was the greater the fear that a skunk was stuck inside my home, and may be very close to my bed. 

After many minutes of little or no movements of my body parts, I began to slowly open my eyes. I had to forcefully reason and reassure myself that there was no way a skunk can climb up to the 17th floor of my home. 

The fact that I’m alive to write about my Saturday morning smell of skunk experience (it was that scary) can now be confirmed that there was NO skunk in my bedroom/home. 

The Fear that started with a smell of a Skunk created a feeling of physical helplessness that really scared me. 

F.E.A.R has two meanings: 

1. Forget Everything And Run
2. Face Everything And Rise

Fear is extremely destructive to one’s mind and is totally convincing when faced with anxiety. After rehearsing negative thoughts over and over in our minds we become believers of those awful thoughts. 

Everything we are running away from – first started with a negative thought. 

It appears real because of our overthinking and rationalizing. 

Nothing is more scary than hearing your negative thoughts speak back in a negative tone to you. 

Another Fear Experience I encountered was when I started blogging in May 2016, I stumbled upon fear every time I sat down to write. My thoughts were:

• What if nobody follows my blog? 
• What if someone debates and ridicule me for my belief? 
• What if I become intimated and lose faith in my writings? 
• What if this and what if that?

I was afraid of being judged by the intellectual and arguementative folks who deliberately search the net for Christian bloggers to stir up unnecessary drama. 

There are many other kinds of fear that I consistently and deliberately have to DAILY demolish and trample under my feet:

• Fear of ridicule 
• Fear of speaking
• Fear of rejection
• Fear of people 

I have become mature enough to speak to my body, soul and spirit saying:

1. Fear is a choice
2. Fear is a lie
3. Fear causes unnecessary anxiety, depression, and sadness
4. We can’t control all events or people
5. We CAN control our own thoughts with the help of The Almighty
6. Someone will be inspired by my stories either today or tomorrow. 

Results: 

1. As of today ten months after – I’ve had a total of over 58 countries all over the world that has clicked on to my blog.
2. When Fear is gone – the smell and the imagination of the skunk goes with it. 
3. Your legacy lives on longer than you do. 
4. Make a choice to face the vey same thing that once held you back and do it anyway. 

My Motto: 

1. FEAR MUST always drive me to a deeper experience with God. 
2. I can trust God with EVERYTHING that concerns me.