Are there times in your life when you have felt fear? Perhaps you are going through a place of upheaval, drama, or change? Have you ever had an intruder come into your home?

It was a Christmas Eve, like any other, except, our front yard entertained police cars, our backyard hosted police officers, and gun shots were heard by our alarmed neighbours.

Earlier that morning, our family were all out in the garden. Dad was busy pulling down a retaining wall and bricklaying, while my younger sister and I moved dirt around, under Mum’s direction. As 8 and 10-year-old sisters, we were enjoying shovelling the dirt, before we felt hot and opted to play in the new, carefully researched and installed sprinkler system.

We didn’t have a lot of money for some of the fancy sprinkler system set-ups that Dad had his eye on, but with a little creativity, Dad had come up with his own ingenious design. He was thrilled to see it in action.

Some of the sprinkler fittings were pop-ups. Dad liked those the best. I can remember Mum turning the water on and off, just so the rest of the family could watch the little black plastic nozzles pop up and down. Dad was always fascinated by the way things worked and I loved watching the joy and wonder on my Dad’s face, as he watched the water spray onto the dirt, that would soon become green grass.

It was nearly lunch and close to 40° Celsius, when my sister and I finished playing in the water and decided to sit under the cool of the large daisy bush, near Dad, with some toys, when he noticed something moving towards us, along the bricks. My Mum asked us to leave our toys immediately and come inside. She found a phone number to call for help. The person she rang was unable to assist and suggested to call the police for advice.

In what seemed a very short time, several police cars, with multiple police arrived at our home and came to the backyard, armed and ready.

As I was still inside, Mum asked me to make a salad for lunch, as I heard one police officer say to another that they needed to call in backup from an officer who had more experience in dealing with our backyard problem - an intruder.

I had finished making the salad and I was putting it in the special crystal Christmas bowls when the first gun shot went off. My Mum nearly jumped out of her skin. My sister went to the backdoor to call in our cat, Scrambles.

Mum was worried we would be hit by a bullet, so she directed us to the safest place in the house, the linen press. For quite a time, I can remember eating salad with my sister, sitting amongst towels, sheets, and toilet paper.

We could hear policemen talk and move around before a second gunshot went off.

Eventually, Mum came and said it was safe to come out. The intruder had been killed. Not by a bullet, but by an unexpected move from our neighbour with a spade.

Who was this intruder you ask? It was a brown snake.

The snake caused quite a lot of drama that day and fear. Plus, the reaction to the drama and fear created damage. One of the bullets hit my Dad’s sprinkler system, which then needed to be repaired. The damage was fixable but not without a cost. The other bullet went clean through the fence we shared with our neighbour. Still today, the hole remains, almost 30 years later.

The drama only ended when the snake was removed.

My family and I are animal lovers, and the events that happened that day, were a complete overreaction.

Now that I live in bushland, I see snakes every year in our backyard and just let them be. They don’t bother us, and we don’t bother them. They are beautiful creatures and if I’d had my way, the brown snake that day would not have been killed. I remember crying when I found out it had been.

But in this world, we do have an intruder. A real intruder who loves to create drama and fear. We have a snake that causes damage everywhere he slithers. Damage that comes at a cost. The cost of broken relationships, pain, suffering, and the struggle to keep hold of our peace in God.

This Christmas, let us remember that a long time ago, an unexpected move was made, where a virgin carried a baby, Jesus, to be born amongst us, to save and rescue us from this intruder. To provide us with safety, love, and the gift of grace and eternal life: “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10).

We can choose to spend eternity in a beautiful place, free from drama, fear, hurt and damage, where: “The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm” (Isaiah 11:8).

Merry Christmas.

If you would like to read more Christmas blogs, here are a few links to my friend’s writing…

Born to Die by Steph Penny  ( https://stephpenny.com.au/born-to-die )

Let's Celebrate by Susan Barnes  ( https://www.susanbarneswriter.com/lets-celebrate/ )

By Mercy and Truth by Dienece Darling  ( https://www.dienecedarling.com/post/by-mercy-and-truth-devotions-with-dienece )