Simply Norma

When I was about 5 years old, we lived on the 3rd floor of an apartment complex in Chicago. On this particular day, we had company over who were going to spend the night — my cousins and their parents. With night approaching, the three or so cots were pulled out and arranged side by side in the living room.

Two to three of us children crawled into the cots. The adults were in the kitchen and us kids were squirmy. It was a hot and dark night so the windows were wide open.

Suddenly, we heard flapping. What could it be? More flapping sounds were heard. Squealing kids could be heard and parents rushed toward the living room. A light came on. Immediately my mother yelled “Put the sheets over your heads.” Fear was in our hearts but obedience rose to the occasion.

Something landed on my head. I lay still, very still and too afraid to move.

A broom, a plastic bag and alcohol — those were the items used to kill and catch the bat that was flying through the air of our living room.

My mother believed the bat was “sent” to us so by someone who intended evil for our family — it was considered a bad omen. She kept it in the plastic pouch until about 15 years ago.

A long time to keep a bad omen.

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Words — they seem to have an impact on what we think of ourselves. They can help or hinder, bless or curse, uplift or tear down. Using one small piece of our anatomy — the tongue. The tongue helps us to make sounds that make the words come out.

• Thank you
• I enjoyed the meal you made
• I like the shirt you’re wearing
• You have a nice smile

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  James 3:5

Growing up in a family that believed in spiritualism — voodoo, holy water, the evil eye, crystal balls — my life had interesting experiences.

I was — what shall I say? — a little wild when I was growing up. My mean temper and stubbornness led others to believe that I was not adapting well. And it didn’t help that I had a boyfriend who my mother thought was evil. Looking back, I was too young to have a boyfriend. And, my mother was raising six children on her own so she was over-protective.

One day she decided to take me to a friend of hers who was a spiritualist — a woman who would be able to exorcise the evil spirit that was in me.

It was a sunny day. The Chicago Cubs were going to play baseball at 1:00 p.m. and I wanted to see them on TV. Instead, I was hauled away to be un-demonized.

We entered the woman’s house. She was tall, dark and thin. There was always a smell in her house. I can’t remember exactly what it smelled like but it permeated the whole house. Could it be incense?

The spiritualist sat me in a chair and looked at me from  across the table. She had a crystal ball (round vase) filled with water and a red rose floating on top. She said to me “You haven’t been behaving very well. We need to see what the problem is.” I thought the whole thing comical. Then she said “I see a man in your life.” No kidding? I stared at her belligerently. She then said “He has a dark complexion.” No kidding? Then she said “He has dark hair.” Hmmm … no kidding? My mother must have briefed her on my boyfriends appearance before we came over.

My boyfriend was Mexican and indeed, he had a dark complexion and black hair. Then she said “It’s no good for you to see him. He’s trouble in your life.” My rolled eyes couldn’t have gone back further in my head.

It’s hard to remember everything that I was feeling and thinking. I do remember I didn’t want to be there. I felt they were intruding on my time. I wanted to watch the Cubs play ball and all of this was nonsense to me. I was only 13.

Since I didn’t exhibit the proper response for the spiritualist, I was moved to a chair in the middle of the room. The spiritualist started walking around the chair with a contraption in her hand which spewed smoke and smelled like incense. I can’t remember what she said. Thoughts of the Cubs playing without my watching them crossed my mind. Anger continued building up inside of me. This is stupid, I thought to myself. Why can’t they just leave me alone?

Finally it was over. “It” didn’t work. I was still as belligerent and hot tempered when I left as when I got there. And I didn’t stop seeing my boyfriend.

My mother would take me to this woman on occasion. Sometimes the spiritualist would read tarot cards and tell me about the present and the future. I don’t recall much of what she said about the future. The things she told me about the present were true but they were supplied to her by my mother.

I don’t know how  many people go through experiences like this. Too many probably. It sets a person up for suspicion later in life. And yet, watching shows like Star Wars brings to mind that there are forces in this world that we can’t see. (Click here to read Part 1 one of Growing Up With Spiritualism)

I can’t fault my mother. She did what she thought was right in her eyes. That was her upbringing. It was not what I believed and I felt uncomfortable around it all. It did lead me to study the Bible later in life and have a better understanding of what the Bible says about such things.

As a Christian, I believe in a spirit world. But people who claim to be psychics, tarot readers, crystal ball readers, mediums — are all playing on the devil’s ground. The earth and the people here are indeed in a warfare — a spiritual warfare.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Ephesians 6:12