As the eve of the thirty-first creeps closer and closer, people all over America prepare for Halloween (meanwhile, I'm celebrating my dearest Mama's birthday...but that's for a different post). They scurry to throw together fun costumes, purchase sugary candies and sculpt smiles onto pumpkins. Unfortunately, these frivolities aren't the only product of the aforementioned date. Springing up all through town are grotesque decorations, everything from skeletons and graveyards, cobwebs and crows. And -- you wanna know something? -- I hate every bit of it. What is the attraction in "adorning" our homes with spine-chilling, blood-curdling ornaments? Why do we opt for horrific, creepy trimmings? Many families, who would frown upon children watching horror movies, display the same sinister scenes in their own front yards! A few weeks ago neighbors of ours set up a miniature graveyard, featuring a bony Blackbeard surfacing from their lawn. And they have children! Young ones. Another encounter I've had with the dreadful decor occurred as my family made it's way to fellowship with friends. Emmy Xiang suddenly shrieked, "Ooh! Janey, that's a yucky guy!" Amen, sister. That grimacing Frankenstein wanna-be modeling a bloodstained lab coat isn't very attractive.
I know our culture's morality standards are...practically nonexistent, but I also know that they don't condone torture and murder. Why, then, do we flaunt such sights? It's shameful! *Sigh.* I'm lacking inspiration for a booming conclusion. I'm sure I've overstated my opinions already. Let me leave ya'll with this:
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8
We live in a sinful world that flaunts evil rather than shunning it. Let us not dwell on such things -- no matter how many times we are attacked by it! On the contrary, let us fight it off and glorify our Father in heaven for opening our eyes and saving us from that evil!
Pumpkin image not mine.
5 comments:
Excellent post! I, too, am at a loss as to how this holiday has gained such a foothold in our country. And I still grimace every time we drive by our neighbor's giant blow-up animatronic spider. Death, darkness, and witchcraft are not really things we should be celebrating!
Anyway, thanks for your thoughtful and thought-provoking post!
Blessings,
Shannon (who is looking forward to attending a friend's Reformation celebration on the 31st! :-)
I am amazed at the people who go all out to decorate for Halloween and do nothing for Christmas. I guess it is better then doing all the scary for the 31st and then putting up a nativity for Christmas. What does the bible say about being luke warm or on the fence?? Well, I agree with you and we enjoy celebrating fall and we do it on the 1st saturday of Nov. Not the 31st of Oct.
Amen Janey, I don't understand why it gives them such pleasure.
Bee
I have no idea how I missed this but your HISTORY post made me come look for it! :) I absolutely agree. We do not celebrate Halloween at all. The deocrations are beyond me. Our first Halloween married we carved a cross in our pumpkin. We haven't carved a pumpkin since 1997. Bigger than what other people do is THEM trying to push it on ME and even more so MY CHILDREN. I don't get it. I don't push my opinions of this holiday on others. To each house their own. I answer for the Blackman House alone. Why do others feel it sucha NEED to make sure my childrne don't miss out on any of this nonsense? Ok...stepping off my soap box. Great post and happy LATE Reformation Day! :)
I totally agree! Some of the those decorations are so ugly! It is such a shame that we use such grotesque decorations around young children! Instead of wasting their time on ugly decorations they should better employ themselves by creating something beautiful.
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