Once Upon A Time . . . there were two snakes

A few years ago, I had a nonsensical dream. For some reason, the memory of that dream resurfaced today.

And I realized that it applies to my pre-Lent ponderings.

In the dream, I'd called the exterminator to pay a house call. We had two snakes loose in the house.

The first snake was coal black. He could move fast and always scared the living daylights out of me when he slipped from one dark corner to another. He was creepy, really creepy. I hated that snake . . . wanted him gone . . . Now!

The second snake was fat. He moved slowly. We'd almost grown accustomed to his presence in the house. He didn't scare us. He was a lovely shade of aqua-blue, with little designs on his body - in fact, his markings matched a security blanket one of my children had when he was young. It all made the snake rather likable.

Today, I was thinking about the dream. As we approach Lent, there are certain things we want to evict from our lives, certain "snakes" that are repulsive to us. Ugly. Perhaps, even evil.

But what about the other things that should go. The fat snake with his more likable markings, those things that have become a little bit of a security blanket in our lives, but are really still snakes when you get right down to it? What are we overlooking because we've grown accustomed to having it hang around?

It's time for housecleaning of the soul. Lent is almost here.

I know what the "pretty" snake is in my life. In fact, I've indulged him so much that he has grown and grown and grown. I haven't minded him being around, because, well, he was a little bit of a security blanket. What's his name?

His name is Credit Card.

And the sinister over-indulged fellow has been evicted, along with the readily recognizable "snakes" that I find instantly offensive.

Is it time you called upon the exterminator to remove some snakes in your house?

Turn from Sin.

Embrace Lent.

Once Upon A Time . . . there were two snakes