Unrealized Fear...

Today I faced a fear I didn't even realize I still had... That's right... Taxidermy.

When I was younger, I have a distinct memory of taking a hike in the desert with an uncle (don't remember which) and a cousin (don't remember which), and we ended up getting lost... in the desert... So we climbed up a plateau and looked over the desert in every which direction until we saw in the distance a large tepee. "We'll go in there and make a phone call for someone to come get us," my uncle said. We agreed like good little girls and followed him, even further... in the hot desert... toward a tepee. (Sounds like some sort of bad dream, doesn't it? >.<) Turns out this tepee was a souvenir shop on one of the many random deserted desert roads. As we walked in, I remember looking up, and hanging from the center wall that you had to walk under in order to get INTO the shop... was a GIANT buffalo head... And I just remember being so scared that this thing was going to come to life and eat me. Strange, I know! I always remembered thinking back on that memory and laughing. I'd think to myself, "That's so silly! I was young, though. What did I know?"





And then I helped Tracey clean this house today:





































And let me tell you... I realized REAL quick that fear is still there. I don't know WHAT happened to me when I was younger, if the fear crept in during that fateful hike, or if there's another memory that I blocked out of a sibling chasing after me with a taxidermy- I don't know. But what I do know is that I'm still pretty terrified of them. When I was taking the first photo posted (with the bear) I was terrified to turn my back to a bear! AND to make matters worse, Tracey, in that moment, dragged the vacuum across the upstairs floor which sounded very eerily like a growl. My heart jumped. I jumped and turned around, thinking it was about to eat me. What is it with thinking they want to eat me!?

I have no Godly word to put on this fear, because I think it's ridiculous. So does anyone have any words of encouragement for me in this hilarious struggle I'm going through? I'd appreciate it.