“Do you hear that mom? Who’s yelling?” Sara asked. She was about nine years old at that time. It was a Saturday morning and we were relaxing and playing one of her computer games.

I shrugged. “It’s probably just your daddy talking to one of the neighbors.” If you live on a farm and you see a neighbor outside, you have to yell if you want to talk to them.

Seconds later, Tim burst through the front door. “You all need to come outside a minute! I want to show you something.”

“Right now? We’re still in our PJs.” I so didn’t want to go outside and leave my comfy, warm seat.

“Who’s going to notice that out here?”

“It can’t wait a few minutes? We’re in the middle of a game.” Sara and I were having a good time and I was actually winning.

“No, it can’t. It won’t take long,” he answered back.

“What is so important that you want to show us?”

“You need to see it for yourselves,” Tim answered. “Please come on out.”

How can you say no to that? Besides, I knew he wasn’t going to give up and no amount of my whining would change anything. “Oh, all right. We’ll be out in a second.”

“I’ll be waiting on you all.” Tim went back outside.

“Let’s get this over with.” Sigh! I paused the game. Sara and I slipped into our shoes and stepped out into the bright sunlight.

“Stay right there,” Tim stated.

I stopped in place and crossed my arms. “This had better be good.”

“Oh, believe me, it is.” Tim walked toward the garage, bent down, and picked up a thick metal pole. I saw something long and dark draped over it.

Gasp! Sara covered her mouth.

“It was lying on the top of the step at the garage door. I almost stepped on it.”

That’s when I realized the dark thing draped across the metal rod was a black snake. Tim was holding it out like some kind of trophy. To him, I guess it was.

By now, I am sure most of you know about my phobia of spiders. Let me tell you, Tim’s phobia of snakes is just as bad as mine, if not worse. He had defeated his arch enemy and was proud it. I don’t show off spiders that I kill. I don’t kill them unless I can throw a phone book on them and run. I have done that several times. Then, I have somebody else clean off the phone book.

“Daddy, the snake’s wiggling!” Sara pointed and yelled.

Sure enough, the snake was jerking and wriggling. Most people would have realized anything with a nervous system may possibly move/jerk soon after death. Not Tim.

“EEEE!” He literally screamed. Then, he threw the pole back and slung the snake onto the ground. Next, he reared the pole back and repeatedly pelted the snake with it. Bits and pieces of snake “stuff” flew up high in the air. I think some “stuff” landed on him.

“It’s dead Tim!” I yelled over the loud whops of the metal rod hitting the ground and what little was left of the snake.

He stopped and stepped back. Then, I burst out laughing. That was like watching a scene from a sitcom or a comedy movie. Tim and Sara began laughing as well.
This truly was worth getting up and walking outside in my PJs. If I had stayed inside, I would have missed this show and worse, I would have hurt Tim’s feelings. So, it turned out okay, well, except for the poor little snake.

You know, you miss out on so much if you don’t get out of your comfort zone every now and again. So, get up off of your warm, comfy seat and don’t even let you wearing your PJ’s stop you.

“And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” Matthew 14:29.