Halloween

the very word leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I grew up in a home that never did 'trick or treat' or dressed in ghoulish costumes or decorated any jack o 'lanterns. From infancy up into my teen years we always did something. We had parties called "Harvest Parties''. They were always were sponsored by a church or churches. Everyone pitched in to run booths, donate candy, or clean up at the end. The majority of the attendees were the church members themselves and their kids. These parties were always open to the public and though many kids did come, what was the difference of getting candy on the street or going to a party hosted by a church. The 2 big reasons behind it all was one: to provide a safe environment for people and two: to share the gospel, though I'm not sure how much of the later was done. Looking around one could hardly tell the church goers from the non. I could, but that was only because I went to church with them.

Some years I remember not going. Those were the years that one or all of us was coming down with the seasonal cold. On those years we would shut all the curtains around 6 and tip toe quietly around the house. We would have dinner and sit down to watch a movie. As smells of pop corn and stiffed giggles filled the room we would usually forget why we all were there. Our house sat still and dark as many people roamed up and down our street yelling and shouting at each other. I remember peeking out the window to watch the mayhem outside. Often wishing that I could go and get bags of candy.

As a child I didn't always understand my parents view on that 'satanic holiday'. Of course dressing up ugly and wearing bloody teeth never really did interest me. But something in me wanted to know more about this dark night. Eve wanted the same thing [to know more about a forbidden thing] and look where that ended.

Well now that I'm in my twenties I have started on my own path of understanding and believing Biblical principles. Things that I was told as a youngster are now becoming my own convictions. Of late, my mother stumbled upon some old tracts from her youth and early day's of being saved. I read through them and devoured every word. The information stored in these little comics was unbelievable. I was excitedly telling my parents these 'new found' ideas, stories and facts. They of course listened like one who after forgetting finds a long lost and well loved book. These all urged me to be the Christian I had never been. Some tracts were ones about Halloween where it originated and what we know it as today. Did you know that 'trick or treat' has been said for many hundred's of years? It dates back to castle and knight days. Groups would come to castles and 'trick or treat' them. But instead of candy a living sacrifice was given to them. These 'groups' were witches and such and the sacrifice was usually a young girl. If they were appeased with the sacrifice they would leave a jack o 'lantern outside keep lit with human fat.

Now, in case your thinking that I'm making this all up, I seriously am not. I encourage, no, I urge you to read up on this.


ANGEL OF LIGHT http://www.chick.com/catalog/comics/0109.asp


THE DEVIL'S NIGHT http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1053/1053_01.asp


BOO! http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0058/0058_01.asp


THE TRICK http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0011/0011_01.asp


by Jack Chick and many other great books you can find on Chick Publications http://www.chick.com/ . You may say well at least we don't do that any more, your wrong. Stuff like this still happens, Satan has just found other ways. He's has made this a innocent holiday were kids get candy and dentist's get rich. Halloween is so sugarcoated and I mean no pun! In today's world everything is so subtly confusing. Don't know what I mean, look at a good action movie. Good guys are bad and bad guys are even worse. We start worrying if the cop is getting to close to finding the criminal and applaud when the criminal eludes them.
So this year I'm going something for Halloween. I'm not going to gab at the Harvest party hoping that by not allowing dark costumes someone will be reached with the gospel. Nor am I going to wish it all away and lock myself up at home. Snuggled up watching a movie and selfishly hoarding of the one thing I've been given, God's free gift of salvation. No this year I'm going fishing.

Yes, fishing for men, or for better terms, kids. I along with my other crazed half and forever friend will brave it all and pass out candy this year. Well, not just candy. Candy and tracts. Aren't we so sly, beating the 'ole devil at his own game. If you think about our little mission, please pray that God will do a mighty work.