So, I've contemplated blogging on this very touchy Christian/pagan subject and had decided against it. However, the more I've thought about it... the more I think there are some things that I need to say when it comes to Halloween.
I'll start with saying: in my life as a child/teen- I only remember trick or treating one year. That year, I don't know what made my folks decide it was ok- but my grandparents had celebrated their anniversary in hawaii that year and had purchased and sent full hula costumes for us girls- complete with grass skirts. I vaguely remember us going to a few friends of my parent's houses... not a neighborhood thing... no major big deal. Honestly, I never felt like I was deprived by not participating. I really didn't care. As we got older and were in public schools- it was a little more difficult to explain to peers that we didn't dress up and trick or treat... but, as soon as November 1st hit... life was all about Christmas anyway.
As adults, Chris and I have made the 'stand' to not participate with Halloween with our children. We never purchased candy and distributed... we never bought costumes.... we never really felt much need to address it with the kids with the exception of : we don't do it. However, for the first time in our married life of almost 14 years, we seemed to come to the same place on this subject... at the same time, this Halloween.
We recently moved to a new neighborhood- new town- new state... as you can imagine, when you pick up your family from a place that you've made home for the last 11 years- the adjustment can take a little while. We've enjoyed getting to know our neighbors and we love our neighborhood... and we noticed fairly quickly of the talk about Halloween in the neighborhood. It's a big deal here. Chris and I talked about it and surprisingly enough- the things in the past that had tripped us up on Halloween seemed trivial and divisive. We know the history- we are informed- we know the darkness of the roots of this tradition. We know November 1st is All Saint's Day- we know. Pagan.- Its a word that Christian's throw around but the connotation associated with it... seems to upset the actual definition. So, I thought I'd highlight the definition of pagan - here goes: 1. a member of a group professing a polytheistic religion or any religion other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam
2. a person without any religion; heathen ;
As I go further into this: I think you should also know- I don't enjoy Halloween. I don't like scary. I don't like creepy. I don't do bloody or evil. But... I do LOVE people... and I want to be known as someone who loves my neighbor as myself. I think its also important to note that we've been part of multiple churches and bodies of believers who have made public opinions/standings on Halloween and why Christians should not participate period. I can say- in those same groups of believers and Christians- I've seen flat out sin and lack of love for fellow believers to the extreme of divisive relationships and separation of groups with little in the way of mercy or forgiveness let alone grace and patience. I can tell you- all I hear is clanging cymbals. So, for many of the reasons I am expressing and for some reasons that I don't feel the need to go into... for the love of our neighbors, for the adherence to the new culture we are assimilating to, and for the grace and divine discernment that ONLY God can sometimes give you... or me... we participated/bought costumes/walked around with our neighbors and enjoyed our first Halloween as a Christian family. I can tell you... it doesn't matter to me what people think about how I raise my children or about the decisions that we choose to make regarding our family. I think that we've realized through all of the clarity of "understanding" the truth and for throwing that at other believers when they didn't have the 'spiritual maturity' that we did in participating in functions or activities... we lost ourselves in pride and judgmentalness. I don't ever want to look down on my Christian brothers and sisters and pretend that I know or understand more than they do... or that I 'get it' when maybe they don't... yet. Instead, I want to love others and I want my children to love others- for their differences and their similarities. I think for me... what Halloween boils down to: when you think you've got it all figured out... hold tight... the ground might just start shifting on you. God is good!(even on Halloween). :-)
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