So What About Halloween???

Several years ago ( boy, I hate to really think how long ago it was!!! LOL), my son was small and I was trying to decide how we were going to handle Halloween.  As a Christian, you got the whole array of advice from "it's no big deal" to "how can you be a Christian and participate in it?"....yeah, lots of help there!

But during that time, I went to assist at a women's retreat for pastor's wives.  I was working at a salon that went there to pamper those women on one of their evenings there.  As I was giving a hand/arm massage to one of the women who was very pregnant and shared that she had 3 other children at home....I asked her the question, "What do you do with Halloween?"  And she gave me the best advice that I have ever heard on this subject.

She shared with me that she and her husband had prayed about this and wanted to do something that would reflect something positive on this holiday.  She asked me, "What other holiday do people line up to come to your home to visit?"  This was so different than when you hand out tracts or go on visitation....people actually wanted to come to you.  So why not do something positive with that.

Each year they decide on a theme and the family dresses up in something fun and uplifting (no scary/horror stuff).  That year I remember that her daughters wanted to be princesses....and that she would dress as the queen and her husband as King.  Her husband was taking refrigerator boxes to make a castle for the front yard.  They purchased candy.....the best they could afford.....because as you do unto others, you do as unto Christ.....and what would they buy for His visit???  They made hot cocoa and apple cider to serve.  They made this something special and would have the opportunity to visit with friends, neighbors and strangers that would come to their door.  They found simple children's tracts to include in the children's treat bags. 

Who wouldn't want to visit them?  And what a positive message......and how open would people be to them sharing at some point about their faith.....or an invitation to church.......

So who would you be open to the darken cold house or the one that welcomed with warmth, friendship and joy?

Just some food for thought......