An Unpopular Opinion on Halloween

The headlines this week spoke of a woman who died while scaling a fence in an attempt to escape her violent partner.  She got caught on the fence and was killed and her body hung there for days because everyone thought she was a Halloween decoration.  

I hate Halloween. I have always hated Halloween. OK, maybe not when I was a kid. Back then I was willing to suffer the agony of a sweaty mask and plastic costume in exchange for a couple pounds of chocolate. That has changed as the adult years have crept in and, along with those, the reality of the world we live in. I think about the people for whom blood, gore, and violence are not artificial. While we are decorating our yards with severed limbs, they are seeing them in their marketplace after the bombs go off.  While we are celebrating monsters, they are running for their lives from them. 

You're saying "That's not what it's all about, it's about dressing up your kids and going out for a little fun". I hear you, I've been told that many times over the years.  I'm not questioning your motives or looking to throw a wrench in the works.  I know your toddler in a fairy princess costume isn't scary.  What is scary to me about Halloween is that it conditions us to gaze upon horrific images and see them as unreal and by doing so we no longer react.  We drive past impaled effigies, or men of straw hanging by their necks from trees, and we do not even blink.  We seek out the "House of Horror" where we can be chased by actors wielding chain saws and hatchets and we call it fun.   Heaven forbid we should ever experience this type of evil as our own personal reality like so many others. The fact that a young woman lost her life in a violent manner and the passers by did not cringe at the sight of her body on that fence makes me ill.

Our time is short and we are allowing the devil to gain too much ground. We have been sitting and it is long past time for us to stand. Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground..."

Jesus Wept

Not a single one of us looks forward to the death of someone dear to us. It is the deepest of all aches and we want desperately to avoid it. While we try so hard to walk through the grief we sometimes forget that it is a tribute to those we lost for the people who valued them to "feel". It is an outward and inward demonstration of the immeasurable amount of love we had for them. I don't think we understand that in our culture. We want so badly to take away everyone's pain that we don't allow the people who need to express it to do so. It's OK to hurt today. Pain is like a shovel in our soul. It digs through all the petty arguments and all the perceived little wounds that keep us separated from one another on a daily basis. It pitches those to the side and allows compassion to rise to the surface. It opens our heart's doors to people we would not have let in before. It gives us the opportunity to both run to each other and to God. "2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Straining To Hear

I had a lot on my mind all day yesterday, and was having one of those frustrated "where are you God?" conversations with myself at the kitchen sink. I do my best talking to myself, especially over dishes, where I can say things like "if you had used more butter, you wouldn't have to scrub the egg off the pan like that". Well, in the midst of being attentive to my own babbling, I picked up the strainer out of the dish drain, and God gave me a little nudge. One of those Spirit nudges that said "hey, do you remember how much you hated your old strainer? How the one edge was broken and every time you used it to make iced tea it would dump some leaves back in the pot? Then you stopped at that yard sale, and you actually had cash, and there was an almost brand new one just for you? That was me. I love you, and I care about even the smallest parts of your life." Darn it, I was wallowing in myself so well until that moment. So, the "where are you God?" was answered with "right here". Right here so close that I am watching you make tea, and seeing you struggle with a piece of broken plastic. That's close, people. That's not "God is way up there, and I am way down here", that's "hi, I'm in your kitchen with you" close. Is the "where are you God, do you not even hear me?" question on your tongue today? It's an easy one to ask when life is hard. Look over your shoulder. He's right there. Don't believe it? Open your Bible. Find the many places where it says "the Lord heard". He is hearing you. He sees your struggle. He is right there. That is where God is today. Deuteronomy 26:7 "Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, AND THE LORD HEARD..."

Locked Out. Forever.

Something I've learned in the past 24 hours is the importance of keeping my cell phone in my pocket. I figured that out pretty quickly when I was running barefoot through the snow and praying that the back door wasn't as locked as the front door.  Going out to get that package on the porch when no one else was home was a very bad idea.  Especially without keys in my pocket.  It's all about being prepared.  People prepare for lots of things.  They plan on getting to work the next day by setting up the coffee maker the night before.  They pack a bag for the hospital when the baby is due.  We prepare for emergencies, and birthdays, and even car breakdowns, but how prepared are you today to die?  Oh, bet you weren't expecting that question this morning.  In a blink, life is done.  Faster than that door locked behind me, your chance to get ready for life after death is done.  Where is your heart today? What do you believe?  How have you prepared to stand before the Lord this morning?

Luke 12:16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself ?"

Chips

Good morning, beautiful. Yes, I mean you. You. The one sitting at facebook reading posts wishing you were thinner, or smarter, or more talented, or or or. Stop believing the lies.. God created you. He. Created. YOU. The Potter put the clay on the wheel, and made one a pitcher, and another a bowl. Each piece designed in it's own size, shape, and color for a specific purpose for Him. "Oh, but I am so imperfect", you groan. Yes. Isn't it wonderful? Because it's the imperfections that make you a "unique piece". A singular entity that can not be reproduced. It is the flaws that give you value, because it is through those cracks and chips and holes that the light of Christ will shine. So, my dearest cracked pots, pitchers, or bowls, go do what God has made you to do today. Get off the shelf.

Hey, Hey, I Need To Ask You Something

Everyone prays differently. Some have a true prayer closet, others kneel, some reach up to the heavens, some are quiet. Me, I have the attention span of a toddler, so God and I have a running dialogue pretty much all day long. I am reminded of our Father's infinite patience as I chatter on like my children did when they were young. I remember when my own children were about four years old, following me everywhere, telling me long elaborate stories, and asking myriads of questions. I regret my short-tempered days when all I wanted was a moment of silence. God is not like that. In my mind's eye, I see Him kneeling down to my level, placing His hand on my shoulder, and hearing me like I have never been heard before. He is not distracted by petty things like dirty dishes or the pile of laundry. He never needs a moment to himself. My relationship with Him is what He desires. Do I always get the answer I want to the many hard questions I ask? No. Neither did my children always get an answer to those "why" questions they asked. Sometimes they just had to be content to know that I was the mom, and that I cared more than anyone else, and that the answer couldn't always be "yes". May you feel God's loving presence as you pour out your heart to Him today. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The Babe is No Longer in the Manger

The Nativity sits serenely under our Christmas tree.  Mary and Joseph gaze lovingly at their child, the animals look on in silence, the wise men far off follow the star.  "All is calm, all is bright."  Or is it? I sip my morning coffee reading the headlines:  rape, murder, deceit, revenge, and various other acts of evil in bold print, all festively surrounded by a holiday border, and I ask myself again "what have we become?".  Those who believe in other gods, or no god at all, are not the ones to blame.  It's us, the ones who claim to follow Him with our whole hearts.  We have forgotten who He is.  As He lays serenely in the manger, gazing up, a halo wrapped around His head, He looks powerless.  Helpless.  Waiting to be cared for by His earthly parents like any other child.  We light our candles, and sing our Christmas hymns, carol for the elderly and infirm, and deliver food baskets to the poor, and we assuage our guilt.  We are guilty of leaving Him in the straw.  Wake up!  The world around is falling into chaos, and as we put on our Sunday best, another man or woman dies without Christ.  That should make our hearts scream.

I am screaming. I'm screaming at myself.  I think sometimes that I am still stuck in those early Sunday School years.  "Who loves you?", teacher asked.  "Jesus. Jesus loves me."  "Who died for you?", teacher asked, "Jesus. Jesus died for me.".  Ahh, me, it's all about me. Jesus loves ME, Jesus died for ME.  I'm safe.  Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

Woe unto us who have forgotten the lost.  He is coming back, and there will be no second chances.  That gift you begrudgingly bought for the boss you don't like, he knows you don't love him.  Those distant family members, the ones you "can't" forgive and won't speak to any more, they know you don't love them.  The person who hurt your feelings years ago, you'll take them a gift, but your eyes will tell them you don't love them.  They know.  How can we move them past the vision of the sleeping child if we are sleeping, too? God help us.


"Matthew 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."