Comments on: Halloween, good or bad or does it matter?!?! http://stricknine.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/halloween-good-or-bad-or-does-it-matter/ Staying in the game, running the race, making a difference! Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:41:33 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Teri & Dan http://stricknine.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/halloween-good-or-bad-or-does-it-matter/#comment-248 Teri & Dan Thu, 25 Dec 2008 20:23:41 +0000 http://stricknine.wordpress.com/?p=150#comment-248 So many areas of our lives we "just did" and never contemplated the example or messages they send. So many times we've looked back to have a non-christian friend say, "but you did this thing..." or "never said anything about..." I actually had an aquaintance question my resistence to having my children celebrate halloween when I allowed them to have a "pirate" party. (Quote: "like pillaging, murder and plundering is a better thing...") Ouch! It truly was an innocent kid sailor party and no evil or stealing was encouraged. It was never called a "pirate party"... we were all maties and sailors. I even read a parable story at the party! However, she had a point. I told her she was in fact more right than I liked to admit. I appologized and admitted it was not the best choice... I should have called it a sailor party and been more careful with my references to nautical things. I know the longer our family lives and learns, the more we realize there are just more meaningful, God honoring and valuable things to do with our time. They call Christians "peculiar" for a reason. We just have to realize... God is not done with us yet... He will keep working on our behavior and choices until we reach eternity. Such good thoughts. Keep searching for that narrow path man. So many areas of our lives we “just did” and never contemplated the example or messages they send. So many times we’ve looked back to have a non-christian friend say, “but you did this thing…” or “never said anything about…” I actually had an aquaintance question my resistence to having my children celebrate halloween when I allowed them to have a “pirate” party. (Quote: “like pillaging, murder and plundering is a better thing…”) Ouch! It truly was an innocent kid sailor party and no evil or stealing was encouraged. It was never called a “pirate party”… we were all maties and sailors. I even read a parable story at the party! However, she had a point. I told her she was in fact more right than I liked to admit. I appologized and admitted it was not the best choice… I should have called it a sailor party and been more careful with my references to nautical things.

I know the longer our family lives and learns, the more we realize there are just more meaningful, God honoring and valuable things to do with our time. They call Christians “peculiar” for a reason.

We just have to realize… God is not done with us yet… He will keep working on our behavior and choices until we reach eternity.

Such good thoughts. Keep searching for that narrow path man.

]]> By: Debbie P http://stricknine.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/halloween-good-or-bad-or-does-it-matter/#comment-247 Debbie P Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:24:53 +0000 http://stricknine.wordpress.com/?p=150#comment-247 Todd, I am with you on this issue. We are different from most people in how we think, but we believe we have to do what we think is right. We don't watch movies with magic in them (even Disney films, we do not do Santa either. We tell our kids never tell other kids Santa isn't real, but we believe that is lying to your kids to say Santa is real when he isn't. We have taught our kids who Santa is based on and how wonderful he is. We don't even mind Santa movies, because we teach the kids he is pretend. For Halloween, we have always thought that it would be wrong to honor such a pagan holiday, so we have been thankful for Church alternatives which totally de-emphasize the scary nature of the "holiday." Think about it - what are the decorations like? Witches, ghosts, evil creatures. How does that honor God? So we dress our kids up like princesses and knights, but do all the same things the world does, thus validating this "holiday." I really appreciate your challange to us all Todd. To be in the world but not of it can be a hard issue to settle, but we all need to seek God and do what we believe He is calling us to do. Do we think ill of other families that watch movies we choose not to? Absolutely not. Do we think we are better because we Home school? No way! We simply do what we are called to do and leave those issues between that person and God. Now try to tell me that Jesus really didn't dies for our sins or rise again and we will have a serious discussion! Thanks for the challenge as iron sharpens iron! Todd, I am with you on this issue. We are different from most people in how we think, but we believe we have to do what we think is right. We don’t watch movies with magic in them (even Disney films, we do not do Santa either. We tell our kids never tell other kids Santa isn’t real, but we believe that is lying to your kids to say Santa is real when he isn’t. We have taught our kids who Santa is based on and how wonderful he is. We don’t even mind Santa movies, because we teach the kids he is pretend. For Halloween, we have always thought that it would be wrong to honor such a pagan holiday, so we have been thankful for Church alternatives which totally de-emphasize the scary nature of the “holiday.” Think about it – what are the decorations like? Witches, ghosts, evil creatures. How does that honor God? So we dress our kids up like princesses and knights, but do all the same things the world does, thus validating this “holiday.” I really appreciate your challange to us all Todd. To be in the world but not of it can be a hard issue to settle, but we all need to seek God and do what we believe He is calling us to do. Do we think ill of other families that watch movies we choose not to? Absolutely not. Do we think we are better because we Home school? No way! We simply do what we are called to do and leave those issues between that person and God. Now try to tell me that Jesus really didn’t dies for our sins or rise again and we will have a serious discussion! Thanks for the challenge as iron sharpens iron!

]]> By: stricknine http://stricknine.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/halloween-good-or-bad-or-does-it-matter/#comment-246 stricknine Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:26:40 +0000 http://stricknine.wordpress.com/?p=150#comment-246 well it is a fuzzy line that we draw, I totally understand your point, my question is are you fence straddling? I am not pointing fingers or judging anyone just asking the question is this a deal breaker, is this something that as a christian we should not touch??? well it is a fuzzy line that we draw, I totally understand your point, my question is are you fence straddling? I am not pointing fingers or judging anyone just asking the question is this a deal breaker, is this something that as a christian we should not touch???

]]> By: rick womack http://stricknine.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/halloween-good-or-bad-or-does-it-matter/#comment-245 rick womack Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:04:36 +0000 http://stricknine.wordpress.com/?p=150#comment-245 guess i'll get blasted by some for this one - but i think way too much is made of the day - both in terms of the "darkness" surrounding it and the "fun" surrounding it - i too participated as a child, never offered sacrifices, worshiped satan or burnt strange incense. i have no problem with kids dressing up and going door to door for some candy - i'm not going to send them away (if i'm at home). typically, though, we're always at the pseduo-halloween festival...the "fall" festival - keep waiting for a spring, summer and winter one! anyway, i think each day is a gift and the issue is with each day, how will we steward said day? will we serve God...or not? i believe you can serve God while going door to door mixing it up with your neighbors, having fun with the kids and getting a little head-start on the Christmas goodies (besides, the extra candy makes for good "treat box" stuff - and all the teachers said?)... guess i’ll get blasted by some for this one – but i think way too much is made of the day – both in terms of the “darkness” surrounding it and the “fun” surrounding it – i too participated as a child, never offered sacrifices, worshiped satan or burnt strange incense. i have no problem with kids dressing up and going door to door for some candy – i’m not going to send them away (if i’m at home). typically, though, we’re always at the pseduo-halloween festival…the “fall” festival – keep waiting for a spring, summer and winter one! anyway, i think each day is a gift and the issue is with each day, how will we steward said day? will we serve God…or not? i believe you can serve God while going door to door mixing it up with your neighbors, having fun with the kids and getting a little head-start on the Christmas goodies (besides, the extra candy makes for good “treat box” stuff – and all the teachers said?)…

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