I Hate...

OK, I'm just going to come out and say it. I hate Halloween. And part of it, I'll admit, is laziness. When you have to come up with three costumes year after year, it can become exhausting, not to mention expensive. And I'm not the crafty type, ok. I wish I were, but God just did not gift me in this area. And most of the time I'm ok with that, except at times like this - Halloween.

But, really, the deeper part of me questions why we find scariness entertaining. I guess it's the adrenaline rush. When the panic subsides, you're left with a kind of euphoria, right? What is it, though? 'I'm so glad IT didn't get me!?'

For 11 months out of every year we shake our heads at those who commit heinous crimes against others. We carefully monitor the television when the news is on to make sure our little ones don't see the evil that really is out there. We mourn for those lost to violent crime and we demand justice of the offenders.

Then October comes. And all of a sudden murder, grusomeness, witchcraft and mayhem are fun! It's all harmless fun! Really? I guess for me it all comes down to that verse my sister set into motion in my life one day, 'whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.' Philippians 4:8 (emphasis added)

Call me a legalist if you want to, but very little about Halloween causes me to 'dwell on these things.' Even the costume parade at my daughters' school causes me to cringe. Right behind the fairy princess walks the kid in the black robe with the skull face carrying a sword (but, oh, you're not suppose to have pretend weapons at school. Well, it is Halloween). Or maybe it's the girl in the combat fatigues complete with bare midrift (ok, technically, there's a t-shirt there because of the dress code, but you get my point).

November just can't get here soon enough.