Halloween

Is Halloween a wicked holiday? Should families allow their children to participate in the activities of the day? Do Christians need to take a stand against it? Well, I might upset some of you with my answer, but I don’t think it is a terrible thing for kids to dress up in costumes and Trick or Treat for tasty treats. 

Every day kids of all ages enjoy dressing up and pretending to be someone that they are not. What child has not dressed up as mommy or daddy when playing house? Or what about cowboys and Indians? Or princesses in fairytales? Army and teachers? Are these daily make-believe experiences harmful to their wellbeing or is it just a way of learning about life and living? I don’t think any adult would prohibit their child from playing school or house, so what’s the matter with Halloween? 

If we shelter our kids from all of the questionable things in the world it can be detrimental to their ability discern good from evil as they mature. Halloween can and should be a teaching tool for parents, so the real danger is when parents don’t take the time to talk with their children about why this holiday is questionable. Parents can discuss the types of costumes that are most appropriate and why wearing some would not be honoring to God. Families can also talk about the activities that are most favorable to participate in and the ones that are not. 

Years ago after much badgering and hounding from our daughters, we took them to a haunted house sponsored by a local charity. After going through one or two of the rooms, I was convicted that it was a terrible thing for my children to experience, since it showed chainsaw massacres and stabbings and other gory sights, so we left. (What a change from the haunted houses of my youth, where the scariest thing was olive eyeballs.) That experience taught me to be more vigilant about what I let my kids participate in. Satan can and does use this holiday for evil, but he is alive and active the other 364 days of the year and we must be alert and on the look out not just on Halloween, but each and every day.  

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bavarian Cream Pie

Image
2 eggs 1/8 t salt 3/4 c scalded milk 1 c whipping cream 1 T gelatin 1/4 c cold water 1/2 c sugar 1 t vanilla Chocolate crumb crust Beat sugar and egg yolks. Then add milk and scald until it sticks to the spoon, stirring constantly. Let gelatin and cold water soak until dissolved, then add to milk and let cool. Whip cream and egg whites separately and then mix together. Mix cream and egg mixture to the milk that has been cooled. Add vanilla to mixture. When this begins to congeal, pour into chocolate crumb crust. Put into refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle crushed crumbs over the top before serving. www.hearthope.org
Read more

Mount of the Holy Cross

Image
For years people have enjoyed the awe of Mount of the Holy Cross which is a 14,000 foot mountain in the Sawatch Range of Colorado. It is named for the distinctive snow-filled cross at the top of the mountain and was proclaimed a national monument by Herbert Hoover in 1929. Painters have painted it; photographers have photographed it and hikers have hiked it, because of its special beauty. When my children were young and visiting the area, we would take the gondola up the mountain to the observation deck at Eagle’s Nest for the perfect view of the majestic Mount of the Holy Cross.  So when my grandchildren were visiting this summer, it seemed natural to take them to the same spot for old times’ sake.  The mountain had not changed and the view was still inspiring, but something was terribly wrong. The name on the sign at Eagle’s Nest had been changed. It was no longer labeled Mount of the Holy Cross, but instead has been replaced with the designation Cross of Snow. Why would that be do
Read more

My Latest Award!

Image
This is my niece Allison Bullock who wins triathlons! I won an award today, but before you go getting all excited for me or want to see how you can win one too, you might want to read more. This honor might not be one you want to receive, because you see it is not an accolade that I really want either.  I went for my annual mammogram this morning and while there the doctor found some suspicious areas and wanted to have an ultrasound performed. While laying on the sterile bed, with my pretty pink robe opened and covered with goo used for the transducer, the hand-held device that sends out the waves which produce the picture, the technician declared that I had won the prize for the most cysts she had ever seen in a patient. How do you like that one! I guess the good part is that cysts are not usually dangerous, but still…. I have received other awards in my life that are much more prestigious than the one today, but there is a future award that I hope to obtain that will be more
Read more