Playing for the opposing team

It was junior high, we were playing another small town and I threw the ball in bounds. Our goal was at the other end of the court and nearly all players from both teams were heading that way. For some reason the other guard I threw the ball to thought, "alright I am wide open," shot the two footer, un-tended goal and SCORED! but it was 2 points for the other team.

Have you ever done that? Worked for the other team Satan without even knowing it or worse yet knowing it. Are we doing that now? I am. I am sure there are so many of the areas of my life that are wrong, not Christ centered and each one will bring me to my knees as he reveals them. I am trying to justify our participation in Halloween and the first clue it's wrong is the justifing part. Clearly the origins of Halloween are from evil, sugar coat it with all the candy you want, it is not a holiday that celebrated Christ and was turned evil. As a member of the body of Christ, I want so badly to eat my cake and have it too BUT it's not possible. I love creativity, I love making costumes, I love make believe. I love my friends who are having the Halloween party and for those reasons I want to celebrate a holiday that allows all of those creative outlets for me but am I desesitizing my kids to evil? Am I just like everyone else saying, it's okay, we don't believe the pagan stuff and subjecting my innocent lambs to pure evil and unhealthy fear?

This happend to me two weeks ago and I wanted to share. We were watching "The Little Mermaid" and there is a part where Ariel falls asleep on the rock and Sabastian pats her head and says, "You are a hopeless child, hopeless." I got sick to my heart, I turned of the tele and spoke to the kids about Jesus. Hopeless is not a word for me or my family, we will never be without hope because we have a savior, Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-5:Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

I shared this at my group at CBS when were talking do you ever feel freakish because of Christ, and honestly my reaction to Ariel freaked my own self out, no telling what it's doing to all of you reading this. I am the freaky girl, the one who continued with, 'how about participating in pagan holidays or homeschooling, I think Christians who do that because they love the Lord definatley feel set a part." After the discussion group ended one of the ladies sat with me and she said, "I won't let them take beautiful things like harvest and sweet costumes and beautiful music and turn it evil. I won't give Satan the satisfaction." Initially I thought, "yeah, I won't either. I am making Halloween costumes but after much prayer, here are some of the thoughts that came.

Halloween has evil roots, it isn't like Christmas and loosing it's meaning through Santa(lies, did you know Santa and Satan share the same letters?) and holiday perfection stress, Halloween was never meant to Glorify God. God doesn't instruct us to try and turn evil into good, ONLY God can use bad for good, infact he clearly tells us to flee, run and get away from evil. Little Mermaid, is it wholesome with beautiful music? hmmm Well, she wishes for something she doesn't have(coveting) she trades her soul..I mean voice to get it and there's still the messages in the music. The music uses words like luck(God's soveriegn, there is no such thing), mood prepared, you want her, she wants you, know just kiss the girl(are my kids old enough to see that?), the ursala song about her admitting she was nasty and repenting yet still she is evil and has evil intent(is this where grace covers all stems from? grace the big bandaid for not letting God's word transform you and doing whatever you want knowing you are forgiven?), wishing I could be part of their world(coveting song) BUT they do counteract that with Under the sea, which is about grass always being greener on the other side.

So though I do love my CBS friend and she is most definately on the Lord's team, she may have shot at the wrong basket, though this time she missed because I feel strong conviction about the whole thing and Little Mermaid is still out! As for Halloween? Well Justin and I are working on seeing eye to eye, outcome still to be announced.