My first introduction to the thought of not celebrating Halloween was through a Kevin Costner movie in which he was a fugitive who had taken a young Jehovah's Witness boy as a hostage, and in the course of their travels, insisted the child dress up as Casper the Friendly Ghost and do something he had never done: go trick-or-treating. I won't promote the film by name, but I remember thinking that a child being denied Halloween was bizzare.
Fast forward a decade or so, and...
'Tis the season for leaving my girls at home when I must shop.
The stores are stocked with candy and costumes -- and plastic molds of gruesome and grizzly human heads. Sometimes they are attached to life-sized, life-like animated bodies (like at WalMart) and other times they are under a large glass globe (like at Costco).
My local Walgreens had a display that included a skeleton head equipped with a motion detector that startled unsuspecting passers-by with an ominous screech. Funny to some -- until you consider the seniors that pass it, oftentimes precariously perched on their own two legs, headed for the pharmacy to pick up their meds.
Fifi wondered tonight, "Why do people like that stuff? Why do people like to look at things that scare them?"
Because their deeds are evil, and wickedness resides in the darkness. The bible says that God is light and in Him is NO darkness AT ALL.
'Round here, we're prayerfully eradicating anything that resides in the darkness, and have been trying to hear the Lord on this for years. It's a process, but Halloween is a no-brainer.
"What about the candy?" Dumpling asks.
Not to worry Dumpling, Nana will surely send you some candy. But please hold the witches and the grimmacing pumpkins and menacing bats; we've no desire for those things. We have something better. We have the Lord.
12 comments:
yes, yES, YES!
Linking to this when I get the chance later today!
I normally wouldn't get into this on my blog - but that's because I could never say it as well, as humbly, as - perfectly - as you did!
Thanks GB!
In Christ alone,
Kari
I totally agree with you. I have to say that in past years I've let me children dress up and get candy. I never--ever--have enjoyed halloween. The times I'd taken the boys out, it was last minute. We haven't gone out the past couple of years, and this year I am happy to say that the church we are attending is having a "Celebration of the Reformation" on Oct. 31. How fitting. I'm looking forward to this time, it will be and educational evening about the reformation. I'll post about it after it's over, don't know exactly what it will be or what to expect. Nothing halloween though.
Thanks for the insightful post.
Oh, Free in Christ! I SO want to do a Reformation Party! I think it is very fitting too - and sounds so much fun! I've wanted to do one for years, but haven't ever found any other families who seemed excited about the prospect! I do have one friend, in Tn, who has done this and her reports are so encouraging...they make me want to drive to Tn just for the party!
Doorposts has a booklet on "how to" do a Reformation Night Party, but I've never bought it.
Do let us know how your celebration goes!!
Believer's does a Reformation Day carnival...or at least they used to.
My kids enjoy a rare evening out to Krispy Kreme donuts on Halloween. We escape the gore and don't exasperate them to wrath either. It seems to satisfy!
I've thought for a long time that Halloween is mainly for the PARENTS...my kids have never participated, think it's gross, and like Fifi, wonder why anyone would want to decorate with that junk. Ironically, the neighborhood Halloween parade lines up right in front of our house. :-D The adults are the most enthusiastic participants.
I was recently told by my SIL that my son was going to grow up "weird" because I didn't want to celebrate halloween. *sigh* Like "normal" is so great?
WE agree! I didn't start out my journey of parenting thinking that way but we have struggled with it mightly and decided that we won't participate in the same way the world does. We attend a Fall Festival at our church that night where hundreds of people from the community come (not necessarily church members) and take hay rides, play games and enjoy the night.
I have just met you but I already like you.
I didn't celebrate after my parents became Christians (I was nine.) and I don't feel weird. My friends in ps did think it was weird, but I knew that we are in this world not of this world. My children understand why we don't celebrate death and fear. And if someone calls us peculiar, isn't that just biblical?
Hi! I came over from Kari at Healed Waters, whom I admire very much.
I posed a question about Halloween a couple weeks ago on my blog. We are doing Halloween this year (my daughter's 2 and she'll be Minnie Mouse, and I hope to dress up as Linus, but the hair is throwing me a bit), but I have had doubts about celebrating Halloween for years. My husband is non-committal at this time.
Thank you for your very well-said post and the encouragement about being in the world, but not of it!
I enjoyed your post. I deal with inlaws who think that we are crazy to keep our two little ones from halloween. Halloween also happens to be mommy's birthday, so the kids do not realize what they are missing and I pray that it will stay that way!
this is so good. i grew up doing halloween, back then it was not near as gorry or gruesome! but, i must say, there is a still small voice within that whispers to my spirit that God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all, and in Him we celebrate life - each year we chat about it, my daughters, (well only 1 home now) and they come to terms with the reality of the deception to some degree, and i praise God because without the work of the Holy Spirit, they would not. In this world you shall have trouble Jesus says, and each day presents it's own challenge to our integrity doesn't it? All who strive and press on to be steadfast in the faith, i thank you. In Christ, live, breath, and shine!!
Adellila
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