Each year we've done trick-or-treat with the kids, even though I have mixed feelings about it. While I did pumpkins with the kids, I shared that story that's been going around the internet for awhile, how carving a pumpkin is like how Jesus picked us (like we picked our pumpkins), he cleans all the yucky stuff out of our hearts (like we clean the yucky stuff out of the pumpkin), makes us a new creation (like how we make a new face on our pumpkins), and shines his light in us (like we shine a light in our pumpkins). Not sure I got it exactly right, but that's the general idea.
The boys were really grossed out trying to clean out their pumpkins. I was just being silly here.
We've never put up decorations or anything like that, but this year Eric and I even dressed up with the kids. We went out with them while my parents, who were visiting, passed out candy.
It was nice to walk along and say hello to everyone, and we certainly got a lot of comments on our costumes, especially Eric.
As we went from house to house, once in awhile we came to one that had scary decorations. We also landed on a street that went all out on being scary. The kids didn't like it, and I didn't try to talk them into approaching the scary houses. It really spoke to me. More and more I feel like I want to substitute trick-or-treat with a different fun family activity. I love how many churches have a carnival on trick-or-treat night. Maybe we'll find a church like that when we move.
Even with my mixed feelings, I look at all the candy and can't help but say YAY!!
We'll see what next year brings.
The boys were really grossed out trying to clean out their pumpkins. I was just being silly here.
We've never put up decorations or anything like that, but this year Eric and I even dressed up with the kids. We went out with them while my parents, who were visiting, passed out candy.
It was nice to walk along and say hello to everyone, and we certainly got a lot of comments on our costumes, especially Eric.
As we went from house to house, once in awhile we came to one that had scary decorations. We also landed on a street that went all out on being scary. The kids didn't like it, and I didn't try to talk them into approaching the scary houses. It really spoke to me. More and more I feel like I want to substitute trick-or-treat with a different fun family activity. I love how many churches have a carnival on trick-or-treat night. Maybe we'll find a church like that when we move.
Even with my mixed feelings, I look at all the candy and can't help but say YAY!!
We'll see what next year brings.
8 comments:
Oh, Andrea, Brett is going to be sooooooooo envious when I show him the picture of Eric in costume as FLASH! You all look great!!!
I kind of struggle with the holiday, too. I went from being staunchly against it to seeing every single believer around me I know embrace it as redeemable. I feel a little prudish because I don't go all out. But there is a little flickering flame-thing inside me that just goes, "Pass on it." I know we are not seclude ourselves from the world; we are to shine the Light everywhere. I'm just processing it all. Cute pictures!
I laugh every time I see that Flash costume. Crack. me. Up.
You all look GREAT!
I haven't struggled with the "holiday" because we decided early on that our children just would not participate in a holiday where the roots were satanism. Both of my girls LOVED playing dress up when they were prek-ers but they truly never missed out on trick or treating because we just never did it to begin with. Also, I had wondered about the mixed message of "never take stuff from strangers" that I used to always tell them when they were little, to then letting them take candy from strangers? so...needless to say, we don't celebrate Halloween but rather we go to a church here in our town (we became members 2 years ago) where we celebrate Halleluia Nite....we shine our candles for the Lord on 10/31 and have fun at a harvest type party....that is just an option you might want to think about...a party rather than the trick or treating.
Are you gonna save some of that candy for Easter (ha ha).
cousin Jessie
Y'all look great! Of course, I'm partial to your little Darth Vader! ;-) (But truly, I'm a Rebel at heart.)
Hey, you asked a question on my giveaway about Fight Wars. Was that the fan film that spoofed Fight Club, where the guy didn't want to open his vintage Darth Vader? If so, yes, we saw it. It was really good!
I love it !! What fun!
...Almost everyone we know here trick or treats- going to the professors' homes on campus. The best part is being able to trust that all the candy is safe....but it is not a good thing that MG does not know how to count or keep track of her candy. B just found some bottle caps....YUM.
Oh you all look adorabe! Our church does a Hallelujah party and it was so nice. I struggled with the Halloween thing years ago and was dead against it, but dh & I didn't agree and he didn't want his kids to miss out.
I do enjoy the creativity of carving pumpkins into various shapes and of dressing up and wish we could do that without associating it with Halloween. But my kids are older now, so it isn't much of an issue. (Although I had a crowd of teens here carving pumpkins and they had a great time last weekend.) And 2 of mine dressed up.
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