Fingerprint-a-phobic

Glass doors, glasses, screens, drinking glasses, ATM machines, public counter tops, TAPE, glue, windows, cell phone screens, mirrors, remote controls.... what do these have in common?  FEAR! One of the worst fears is using tape at work! How do you use tape without leaving your fingerprints on it?  You can't.


Perhaps I am the only person on this earth with the fear of leaving behind fingerprints!  I have searched for information on this subject for several years.  I have never committed any crime so fear of getting caught is not the issue.  I fear people retrieving my prints and using them for... something?  I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Pre Law/Justice Studies with emphasis in Criminal Justice I understand about fingerprints.


I admit I do have several OCD tendencies.  I have admitted it here on my blog as well, well I kinda make fun of it.  As I was doing research on this and I realized I have not always been like this.  


I think it began with a traumatic event. I was married for 17 years and then divorced.  After the divorce he began stalking me. He broke into my home on a daily basis, peeked in windows and doors, knocked on windows and doors at night, unscrewed light bulbs outside, placed kitchen knives in my children's rooms, put a baby monitor under my dresser (and would stand next door at night listening to the receiver) sawed bolts off the windows I had bolted shut, unlocked windows and left them cracked so he could gain entrance, went through our dirty laundry and caller ID daily and followed my every movement at work and around town. 


I came home for lunch from work one day and discovered him crawling across my kitchen floor on hands and knees with the window cut open, screen off and blinds pulled down. Scared the crap out of me! I called the police as he crawled back out the window to the back yard.  He tried to jump over the fence but finally stopped.  He begged and pleaded for me not to call the police and please "don't do this to" him, Really?? He stripped off the surgical gloves he was wearing, tucked them behind the fence post, and sat  on the ground begging me to let him go.  


When the officer arrived and cuffed this man pointed out the gloves.  The officer made me SWEAR to never ever ever drop that restraining order ever - the officer said that "that man" would eventually kill me.  After all, what kind of man would wear surgical gloves when breaking into a home if he did not plan on some kind of bodily harm.  Especially since his fingerprints were all over the house he had been living in, with whom I share four children.


Why didn't I think of this before?  That HAS to be it. I used to LOVE wrapping presents.  I lacked one art history class in college to minor in art and fingerprints are all over art.  It never bothered me before. I sure am not going to let "him" win out by me continuing with this fear.  So I am deciding right here and now....this phobia is over!  Right now.  Now that I know what caused this fear I can control it right?  


Lord Jesus give me strength to not allow fear to have control over me.

2 Timothy 1:7- For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Psalm 56:3-4 - When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?