Monday, October 30, 2006

My family had a blast Saturday evening at the annual Harvest Party hosted by Grady and Shelley Lane and their boys. They opened their home to what must have been 100 moms, dads and decorated bunchkins. It was a great night of fellowship for the adults and fun for the kidos, including various games, face painting, story telling, and genuine, good fun. Thanks, Grady, Shelley and the G-Men for being so hospitable.

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Maybe an unpainted face look of the girls is in order today. The Woodward Park paparazzi captured this one of Trae and Tori yesterday morning before worship. I promised several of the folks at Marble Falls regular updates and pictures of the girls on my blog after our move.

Trae has adjusted well to our move. She's made a host of new friends and, despite the fact that the Clovis School District is eons ahead of her previous schools in math, she's working hard to catch up.

Tori is the family comedian. The little sly look-away in this picture captures a sense of her personality. She's a funny kid who often becomes the center of attention at the dinner table, beginning with her prayer and continuing through her entertaining stories throughout the meal.

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On the heels of my message last night on the origin of Halloween, see this article in today's Fresno Bee by Ron Orozco on the way various Fresno churches approach Halloween.

Because the pagan roots of Halloween are so ancient,and oftentimes so forgotten within the mainstream, that people of light participate in the illusions of darkness with no thought as to their witness.

Do I allow my girls to wear costumes? Yes, but only costumes that could be deemed innocent and worthy of the light. Do we decorate our home with features that are related to the occult roots? No. Do we go fetching candy? Yes, but only from family and friends who wish to see my girls in their costumes. We avoid going door-to-door to homes that might feature the occult illusions of Halloween.

I appreciate the sentiments of Bruce Howell in a sermon entitled "The Unmasking of Halloween." He closes his sermon by offering three celebrations that Christians can participate in that are worth noting:

Instead of celebrating Halloween, let me suggest some ALTERNATIVES.

Celebrate the Season. The end of October is a perfect time to celebrate the beauty of Autumn. Give glory to God for His genius and love in providing such a beautiful landscape for us to enjoy. Its also a wonderful time to think about harvest time and all that God so bountifully provides for His children. Psalm 65 and 104 are excellent passages to read together as a family.

Celebrate the Saints. Take some time to reflect on those who have influenced you greatly, such as Bible characters, reformers, missionaries, pastors, pillars in the church. Thank God for them. Honor their memories. As the writer to Hebrews said, "they being dead yet speaketh."

Celebrate the Savior. Especially as it relates to His victory over Satan. Make no mistake about it, Satan’s power is great, but he is no match for King Jesus! The devil has been allowed to afflict the righteous, according to Job 1:12. He also has authority over the world, according to Luke 4:6.