So Halloween is Really Over!

When I say halloween is over, it has a whole new meaning to us now. I have never been convicted before about celebrating halloween or taking the kids trick or treating. Amy and I had just talked about it a few weeks before the big day. We were in agreement that it was just something fun for the kids. Who doesn't love to dress up and we never did the gory-scary costumes anyways. And of course who is gonna argue with free candy!?!? It was just a few days after my conversation with Amy that it hit me...What are we celebrating?.....Why?.... How is it benefiting the Kingdom of God-and for that matter-How is it actually BENEFITING my family? OH NO....ANOTHER CONVICTION!!!! I have already convinced enough people that know/knew me that I am a "crazy religious radical". Now I am supposed to take trick or treating away from my kids?!? Please God, tell me how I am supposed to do THAT! I prayed about it for a few days and then talked to the kids. I asked them if they could tell me how God is glorified at all during halloween? Kenyon, of course, is only concerned about the candy! I let them know that we can always do something with our own family that would be as much or more fun while others are trick or treating.
YEA RIGHT MOM! WHAT WOULD BE AS FUN AS TRICK OR TREAT???
Maybe we could make popcorn balls or caramel apples. Watch movies together. Just be together and do a family thing. We can do anything we want!!
Well the girls were all for the family together thing and were ready to abandon halloween right then but Kenyon was not yet convinced. Also there is one little problem....I had not even talked to Monty yet. Sometimes God doesn't give the husband and wife the same convictions at the same time. When I was ready to homeschool-Monty was not totally on board and I believe he thought me to be a little radical but he went along with it and is now totally on board. I really did not know what he would think about no halloween. It was also just about 3 days away! So one night(or morning) while laying in bed I just said...
me-There are a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about.
him-Ok. what?
me-I want to get a gun and I don't think we should do halloween anymore.
him-WHAT?! Why do you want a gun?
me-Well, I just don't know if a time may come when we CAN'T get them and think maybe we should get one before then.
him-Ok! So get a gun.
me-(thinking)wow! I did not expect that response. He has not ever been one to think we needed a gun around-this may be easier than I thought. (now speaking) Well I have been wondering WHY do we celebrate halloween. WHAT are we celebrating? Is there any reason for it and if so is it the right reasons? blah blah blah
him-grumble
me-would you just pray about it and see what you get please?
him-ok! ZZZZZZZZZZ (yes it literally takes him that long to fall asleep!)
So I told the kids my concerns again and decided we would trick or treat this year but I wanted them to be on the look out while we were out. I wanted them to let me know it there was anything they saw that brought glory to God with this "holiday." I also wanted them to see if they saw anything that did not.
Well we went out and I could see it on their faces! Every bloody gross monster that passed by-they gave me a look like "Ut-oh!" They knew it was over and it was not just because mom said so. They could not find a reason either! Why were we doing this? How is it helping anybody? I did not say anything while we were out but they did. Things like "I can't believe this is our last trick or treat" or "that's not right" regaurding a costume or decoration. Just little things through out the night that let me know they got it. God gave it to them and it was not just some mean momma that wanted to steal away their fun. They made out like bandits!!! Even Kalysa, who normally goes to the down town businesses and then sits in the car through the (safe) neighborhood we usually go to because her leg hurts. She walked the entire time-she hit every house with the other 2. They made the most of their last time.
Still Monty had not given me his input. That night we started hearing news reports of kids being killed while trick or treating. Monty said-Forget it! It is not worth it! I said that can't be our reason. It can't just be out of fear. Next thing I know he comes to tell me he has been reading up about halloween online. Something about Celtics fighting evil spirits with costumes and sacrificing and death and evil and spirits and and and "That is the end of it! We are done! No more halloween for us! It is not a celebration of anything worth celebrating! It doesn't have anything that glorifies the Lord! It is over!"
So I guess that's it! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Halloween is out and everyone in this house is just fine with that.

Update:Amy called on halloween night and said when she was trying to get her kids(6,4,1) ready for trick or treat they just did not want to go. They wanted to stay home and did not feel like getting dressed up. She started wondering why she was trying to force a holiday on her kids that they were not interested in and could not figure out what they were "celebrating" either. So halloween ended for them right then. If you remember-we had BOTH decided halloween was ok before hand. It is amazing how God changed each of our minds independently. It is even more amazing how many times God has brought Amy and I down the same road at the same time.