Last night my kids dressed up in costumes and trick-or-treated around the neighborhood. I passed out candy and Gary walked. In other years we have been elsewhere including my sisters house and church. One year we were at a baby shower. We've handed out pretzels (one kid was happy) and McDonald's coupons (no one was happy about that). We've been intentionally gone so we wouldn't have to deal with it.
I've been seeing many commentaries posted on Facebook and various blogs about Halloween posted in the past two days. There are such a variety of opinions, especially when it comes to being a Christian and "doing Halloween". I sat in McDonald's on Tuesday with three women I respect and each of them had a different view; each family would spend October 31 in a different way.
Here is our deal. Three years ago after being gone and not handing out candy, I had several families tell me the following day that they missed seeing me, missed seeing our kids. Gary and I prayerfully talked about it and decided that we wanted to be intentional about our neighborhood and on the night of October 31, neighbors came to our house. We would be home. We would open our door and smile and greet and love the variety of costumes. I would not fawn over the grizzly costumes that I didn't like--the evil ones. Bring on the ladybugs and camouflage! So the past two years we open the door and make conversations with the kids and the parents. It is what we feel God has asked us to do. Last night was good for us as we've been having some bus stop issues and I wondered if a couple of the kids would come to our house. They did and I was able to smile at them.
I have another friend who turns off the lights and doesn't open the door. She doesn't agree with the entire premise and has a distaste for all the folks who truck their kids in from parts unknown to pillage the neighborhood. I respect her decision.
I have a friend who throws a party at her house and hands out candy to the kids at the party. They do fall things and enjoy the night with pizza. The kids have a great time and don't wander around the neighborhood begging and she doesn't answer the door. I respect her decision.
Our church had an indoor night last night with pumpkin painting, photo booth, homemade doughnuts and all around great fun. I loved it. Though we weren't there, I saw pictures and know that it was a wonderful night and many people had barrels of fun. I respect the folks who chose to participate and volunteer there.
God has given us many options for Kingdom work. I'm glad that He led us to do one way of ministry for our family and others have been led to do something else. Isn't that what we want to share with our kids? Though there are some very right and very wrong things in the Kingdom, there are also many right ways to do things. Worship, discipline, books, television, halloween and the list goes on and on--there are so many wonderful ways to use and teach and minister in each area. Parents need to pray and think and then teach our kids. We want to tell our children why we are doing something a certain way. I hope that my kids engage with other Christian kids who are doing something a different way. In many instances, both are right.
Garrison turned all of his candy in for four dollars. Simon and Noel are still deciding if they way to take that deal. (Keep ten pieces and turn all the rest in for five cents each. That was our offer.) Penny doesn't have a clue.
It was a fun night. It was a wet night. Today marks the first of November and I'm not so happy about it. Good-bye October. You are my favorite.
1 comment:
I didn't know people had such religious opinions about the day. I just see it as another holiday, like Valentine's Day. I have nothing wrong with it, but am fairly uninterested. My reason for not answering the door is not religious, but the cost of 400+ pieces of candy. If we ever decide to go through our neighborhood, we would obviously hand out candy too - to give back on what we are taking. Only one of our many immediate neighbors has kids too. Interesting how it all fits together. I was just glad that the recovery day was Grandparents' Day!
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