What My Kids Think of Halloween...

Today is Halloween and in our community, "Trick or Treat" will be happening. My kids have never gone trick or treating. Usually, we attend a "Hallelujah Party" hosted by our church. For a variety of reasons, the party is not happening this year, so we are getting together with friends to knock on a few doors tonight. My husband and I had mixed feelings about going out tonight. We did buy them princess costumes, but we bought them costumes they can play in all year. I have no major issue with candy, so that part is okay. It's the pagan aspect of the night. It's the idea that the intent is to be scary or scare others. It just doesn't seem to be a God-glorifying event. Arguments can be made for and against Halloween, but the only argument I was concerned with was the one made by the Holy Spirit in our hearts. I continued to seek wisdom, all the while preparing for the day.
Yesterday, I told the girls that we were going to our friends' house for dinner and trick or treating. They all whooped and hollered around the table with excitement. They love their friends and they love to dress up so they were in heaven. I explained that we would let them collect a little bit of candy and then head home. They looked at me in bewilderment. Emma said, "What candy?" "Yeah, what candy?!" said Ruthie. "Well, you get candy when you go from house to house on Halloween." I answered. "You mean you get candy AND you tell people about Jesus, too?!?!" Emma asked in excitement.
Somehow in their little minds, they figured the only reason we would be going door to door would be to tell people about Jesus. The costumes were just for fun and Halloween was a holiday all about Jesus. After all, every other holiday we celebrate is about Jesus, too. My heart swelled with pride and broke in disappointment at the same time. I was about to tell them the cold, hard truth about Halloween and what they should expect to see when Emma said, "Well. that's okay. The candy will be fun but we should still tell people about Jesus, too. I don't think He would want us to take candy if we didn't tell other people about Him."
Enough said.
So, today we're making little scripture cards that say "It's no trick...Jesus is a treat!" for the girls to hand out at each house. They are so excited about doing it and I love that we have taken a pagan holiday and made it into a great opportunity to talk with the girls about the Lord.

Thanks, Lord, for Your wisdom and for Your grace. Thanks for taking today and making it into something that can please You. Keep us focused on You tonight, and not what we see All around us. Help us to bring You glory. Thank You for showing me that You are in control! In Jesus' name, Amen.