Halloween

In my pesimistic attitude toward Halloween, I usually dread this holiday. I can't stand seeing witches, skeletons, kids with axes on their heads, and children dressed up as mean/ugly people. My kids also don't eat candy, so this can get tricky. Well, this year we are going to our fall festival at church as usual, but I wanted to explain to the kids what Halloween is about. With the help of my wonderful husband, I found out some very interesting things about Halloween, that make it not so bad. Did you know the Protestant Reformation began on October 31, 1517 when Dr. Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the door of the Slosskirche (castle church) in Whittenberg, Germany? Hmmm... I didn't know that! So, now I am excited about what my children are going to be for Halloween - GERMANS!! My Mom and Grandma brought the girls back these dirndls from a trip several years back. The hat was given to Connor from that trip as well (so we borrowed it) and Mom had these Lederhosen from when she lived in Germany. I didn't have anything authentic for Finley. So I was trying to think of something German that she could wear. I came across a gnome outfit. Researching begins again. When you first look up the word, you find it means short, ugly man who guards burried treasure. But I looked up garden gnome and they first came to Germany in the 19th century and were beneficial for garden growth. What a perfect little symbol for our family - growth ;) So I feel her outfit fits and she doesn't look at all like a short, ugly man!!! She is our little growth statue! So now I have a reasoning behind their outfits, and then I told them the pumpkin gospel. This simply compares a pumpkin to being saved by Jesus. You are picked from the world, washed all the dirt away, cut open and cleaned out, you are given eyes, nose, mouth, and put a light in to show the world God's love. (This is definitely the shortend version of the gospel). So I told them that during Halloween we are to share God's word with those who don't know Him. I am going to print the pumpkin gospel out for our trick or treaters that come to our house to go along with their treats. That way the kids can see how important it is to share God's word.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me, shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." John 8:12

God is light and in Him is no darkness. 1 John 1:5