Ghosts, Ghouls, and Goblins

It's that time of year again, Halloween. Store aisles are filled with horrible-looking monster masks and costumes. There are skulls with daggers sticking out of them, fake blood-stained hands on a stick, dead rats on the shelves, along with witches and ghosts.

My great-grandchildren are going out to Trick-or-Treat. My daughter and granddaughter do not want them in scary stuff, so I have looked to see what nice costumes are out there.

Last year my four-year-old great-granddaughter was a princess and wanted to wear high heels. We knew she wouldn't have made it half a block. Wearing sneakers without socks became a problem that night after walking only a few blocks. She never would have survived with high heels.

Let's face it, the whole night is weird. My little Destiny didn't want to go to scary houses, and hid behind me. I told her she didn't have to go to the door, but, I assured her that it wasn't real.

I wondered if she thought, "There are some mean people trying to scare us little kids."

I decided to go out to pray for all the children and for their protection. I usually don't go, but this was my daughter's first time out with them, and we decided to go to her neighborhood.

Each year, the question remains, "Do we go with our children or stay home? Should we shut the door or open it and be a witness?" I guess the choices are up to the individuals. Yet, we must never forget to pray for the children.

When I was a new Christian, a small child approached my porch. I said, "I can't give candy to the devil." The little boy lifted his mask and said, "I am only pretending, but I am a little boy lady, so can I have some?"

I noticed he was alone. No parent was at the end of my walkway. I told him "Sure," Then I told him to be careful and walk with some other children. We must protect our children.

Pray on Halloween night no matter how you decide to spend it. It isn't the little people dressed up as ghosts, goblins and ghouls that we need to worry about. It is the horrible fact there are some grownups out there that are the real monsters. Make your decisions for your children based on that fact.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."

Colossians 3:15a says,

"Let the peace of God rule your hearts and minds."

That peace, or the absence of it, will point you in the right direction.

Copyright 2006 Cathy Irvin. Used by permission.