We had a Family Night about Prayer on Monday. As usual, I spend the time trying desperately to make sure Grace is learning the basics on her level while trying to engage the older kids who have "already- learned- this- a- thousand- times- I'm- so- bored."
So we're talking about prayer, and I suddenly remember being about 8 and a neighbor telling me the following: "You know you should NEVER kneel down to pray. Satan will know what you're doing and grab you from under the bed."
This was around the same time that my lovely siblings took it upon themselves to take me in a room, sit me down, and tell me that Santa Claus WAS NOT REAL. I remember acting all nonchalant with them and saying, "oh I know that!" When really a few minutes later I went into my own room reeling with my new-found knowledge and very upset that the world had conspired to lie to me repeatedly.
So when faced with yet another nugget of wisdom from an older person, I said "oh I know that" and went home HORRIFIED and UTTERLY TERRIFIED that Satan was going to grab me if I dared to pray. I would lay in bed, my arms clenched at my sides under the covers, eyes shut so tight tears would leak out, and pray silently in my head. All the while worrying that Satan would somehow hear me and get me.
Has anything like this ever happened to you?
December 2016:
6 years ago
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4 comments:
Nope. Satan has not grabbed a hold of me while kneeling. But I do think he sometimes tries to stop me from kneeling.
I hope the worst my kids had to deal with was, on coming home from a scary movie and lying in bed with the lights out and their bed moving up and down because their Dad had been lying underneath all the while waiting to do just that.
I do remember as a small child though hearing and occasionally saying a child's prayer
"Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take"
I was terrified that I would die in my sleep.
We should be very careful of the things we say to children and people who deliberatly scare children should be whipped. I remember my little brother being afraid of the police. He was about 3 or 4 and people would think it so funny to say the police will get you and watch and laugh as he was traumatized. Wicked.
I think the kids who told me this really believed it themselves. They weren't much older than I was...I don't think they were being mean. I was super careful not to tell the story in front of Grace though! My older kids thought it was hilarious.
Trixie, I love you! You have such a soft heart :)
How scary and sad :( Now I don't wanna kneel by my bed... LOL I was already scared of ghosts and monsters! he he he
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