Thoughts on Halloween

Halloween seems to be an incredibly divisive issue among Christians. And it seems no matter what side of the issue people fall on, they can be outspokenly judgmental toward those on the other side.

Personally, we're not fans of Halloween. We don't carve pumpkins, we don't go to haunted houses, we don't do witches, ghosts, skeletons, zombies, etc. We do allow Dayna to have a costume; she hits a couple of houses for some free candy; and we allow her to participate in her class party.

But we also have lengthy discussions about things God specifically addresses (the evils of witchcraft, sorcery and the like) and those that God doesn't mention (is it okay to have a costume? What about trick-or-treating?)

Some Christians celebrate Halloween and use it as an outreach opportunity. What a wonderful conviction that God has given them. Other Christians avoid the holiday altogether. Again, if that is how they are convicted, that's the path they should follow.

I guess I think to the passage that everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. And do the actions I choose cause another Christian to stumble? I think if you are firm in your convictions, whatever they are, then I shouldn't be a stumbling block to you. But...if your convictions aren't solid, or you've never thought about them...what do my actions say?

This forces some amount of intentionality as we share with Dayna what exactly we believe God wants us to do about Halloween. It was interesting tonight, as we didn't really offer her a choice. Bible Study is on Monday night, so that's where we were going. Only 2 children showed up tonight for her class. I asked her if she was glad she went.

Her answer was overwhelmingly in support of Bible Study (despite the low turnout) because, after all, "I got to learn more about Jesus."

Another Season Done

Dan works part-time at the local pumpkin patch every fall. Six weeks of action-packed fun for him (he gets to drive the train now.) Six weeks of extra income for the holidays. Six weeks of fending on my own with Dayna at night.

Not that it's so bad...one of the perks is a family pass. Another perk is 25% off all of our food purchases. So when I'm too exhausted to entertain in the evenings, I let the pumpkin patch cook dinner and let Dayna jump on the giant inflatable pillows for an hour...or let her crawl in the giant corn box (like a sand box)...or simply walk all over the Patch and call it a workout. (Of course, the uber-delicious miniature chocolate chip cookies pretty much counteract the walking.)

It's a fun time, and we look forward to it every year. But now, pumpkin patch season is over. I have my husband back.

All is well in the world.

Going Bananas

Dayna: Sometimes I drive you bananas.

Mom: Yes, but I will always love you bunches!

(Okay, you can groan now.)

More Thoughts on the High Road

If you read my last post, I referred to a comment Dan recently made about me taking the high road (especially professionally, when others don't behave in a professional manner.)

I'm in the middle of 3 different battles right now at work. I'm being personally and professionally attacked from every side. And I continue to take the high road. It makes me think of my favorite poet, Robert Frost, and his well-loved poem "The Road Not Taken."

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The high road is a lonely road. It's dark. Scary. Uncertain. It's full of potholes you can't see. It's bumpy and uneven.

But God told us to take the road not taken. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:14

I guess I can take courage in knowing that the high road is exactly where God wants me to be.

I was Googling to find the image for this post. I ran across this story:

During the Civil War, confederate General W. H. C. Whiting was jealous of rival general Robert E. Lee. Consequently Whiting spread many rumors about him. But there came a time when General Lee could have gotten even. When President Jefferson Davis was considering Whiting for a key promotion, he asked General Lee what he thought of Whiting. Without hesitation, Lee endorsed and commended Whiting. The officers who witnessed the exchange were astonished. Afterward, one of them asked Lee if he had forgotten all the unkind words that Whiting had spread about him.

“I understand the president wanted to know my opinion of Whiting,” responded Lee, “not Whiting’s opinion of me.”

It doesn't really matter what the people in my battles think of me. It matters what God thinks of me. And so I continue on the road not taken.

The Rules of the Game

I have a difficult person in my life. For 7 years, I have ridden her roller coaster of friendliness, followed by passive aggression, followed by sarcasm, followed by friendliness. I never know when I might say something to set her off and start the whole cycle of the cold shoulder and behind my back bullying. This is not a person I can avoid. What stinks the most is that other people are watching and observing (including young people.)

The other day, Dan was commenting to someone else that what he really admires about me is that when I'm faced with a situation like this, I always take the high road.

You know...I'm getting tired of the high road. I'm getting tired of apologizing and making peace for things I haven't done wrong. I'm getting tired of playing a game with someone who keeps changing the rules at her own whim.

What do you do when the rules change?

The Days are a Blur

In reverse order:

Today: 2 hour meeting after school
Monday: BSF
Friday-Sunday: Conference in Ohio
Wednesday-Thursday: Parent/Teacher conferences (as the teacher)
Tuesday: Parent/ Teacher conferences (as the parent)
Monday: BSF
Sunday: Nebraska City
Saturday: I think I was home.

Yes...it has been over ten days since I have been home other than sleeping.

And tomorrow: family night at church.

I'm ready for November...

To-Do List

Dear God,

Please help me to accomplish what YOU want me to accomplish today. There are so many things to do, and I'm weary. Help me to find my priorities. I know YOU can multiply time, but should You choose not to, please help me to rest tonight knowing I did what I could do.

Amen.

Eeewwww

We try really hard to not let Dayna dictate household policy, but I had to share her latest edict:

"For the next two weeks no more romanktic stuf! Yuck!!!!!! (No more plese!)"

I've got to admit...Dan and I were *whisper* alone tonight for 3 hours. And we were so busy about the business of life that we can't get accomplished with a 6-year-old around that we didn't even have a chance to think about "romanktic stuf."

I guess we'd better fix that. When our two weeks are up, that is...

Necessity

Our Budding Author

Dayna has been working at school on adding detail sentences to her writing. Here's her latest story (all spelling left intact):

The Dog and the Walk
by Dayna Wilson

One day Tom took his dog's leshe down. The dog was very egsiydid.
Next Tom put the leshe on the dog. The dog was still very egsiydid.
Finally Tom took him for a walk. The dog was very very egisidid.
The End