My Brush With Voodoo

Izzy loves crafts.  She takes after me in that way.  Both girls do.  We love crafting together.  The other day we decided we wanted to learn crocheting.  We sat down at the computer and found some YouTube tutorials on how to crochet.  After a few minutes, maybe hours, I became frustrated and gave up.  But Izzy got the hang of it and continued to learn all different yarn crafts.

Then one afternoon this week, after she had been busily crocheting, or so I thought, she came to show me a “yarn doll” she had made.

I took one look at it, and then another, and then another, and then I gasped.  Or perhaps screamed.

Izzy: I thought you might do that, Mom.

Mom: W-w-wh, why would you think that?

Izzy: Well some of the comments said that they’re evil.

Ya think?  It’s a Voodo doll.

Mom: Uh huh.  I can see that, Izzy

Izzy: So, what does it mean?  I really didn’t know I was doing anything wrong.  In fact she’s kind of cute, and she’s smiling.

It was one of those awkward parenting moments.  All I could think was, well, um, nothing.  I couldn’t think of one thing to say.

I’ve worked in ministry settings for years.  I’ve seen things.  Things I wished I hadn’t.  I believe that Voodoo is very real.  And has strong ties to darkness.  Darkness that I don’t want near my kiddos or in my house.  It’s just not something to mess with.  Ever.

So I began to explain it to her, the best I could in 10, going on 11 year-old, words.

Mom: Sweetie, evil is always tied to the enemy.  Do you know what I mean?

Izzy: Yes, Satan.

Mom: That’s right.  And he doesn’t have any boundaries.  He doesn’t care that you are a little girl, or that you mistakenly watched this tutorial on how to make a yarn doll.  He doesn’t care about you at all.  He just wants you to mess up, so maybe you’ll turn away from Jesus.

Izzy: I won’t do that.

Mom: Well good.  That’s what I want to hear.  So what should we do about this doll?

Izzy: I think we should throw it away.

I was actually thinking we could burn it?

Mom: That sounds like a good idea to me, Sweet Girl.

She threw it in the trash and walked away, still processing this deep conversation.

Like I said, I take this stuff seriously.  I don’t think you can be too cautious.  And please don’t judge me for my cautiousness.  I took the doll out of the trash and slipped it in my purse.  While out running errands, I threw that doll away in a trash can in town.

Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

He (the enemy) has no boundaries.  He makes the most dark things look innocent and alluring—like cute, little yarn dolls.

It was difficult for me to share this story.  On so many levels I feel responsible, or irresponsible.  But I thought you should know.  Many of you are moms and dads wanting to do the absolute best for your precious children.  This ugliness exists, and many times it’s wrapped in a nice little package.  I just want you to be aware.

And if you must know, it’s in the trash can on Lincoln and Jordan in front of the UPS Store.