The Trick-or-Treating has begun! Last night, I watched and waited as hundreds of children collected candy, compared costumes, and screamed as they shared scary stories of the near-by cemetary. It was the annual "Trunk-or-Treat" at my daughter's school when the parking lot transforms into decorated cars packed side-by-side and car trunks open to reveal treasures of Halloween candy.
My daughter chose Avatar as her costume. I tried to talk her into the easy Ninja costume. A face painter, I'm not. I envisioned children asking her which Smurf character she was.
I capitulated and did my best. The important thing was that she was happy.
She collapsed in bed around 10:00 with a somewhat blue smile on her little face. (I really did try to get the make-up off.)
While the children had fun, I have to admit, it was a long night for parents. We stood, watched, monitored, collected pieces of costumes falling apart, held trick-or-treat bags and wondered how three hours could seem so long?
I would do it again and again, though. Why? The same reason many of you do. The same reason many of our parents did.
The joy on our children's faces and the warm memories in their hearts are the motivations fueling the ability to stand in a cold parking lot for three hours, or sit on metal bleachers freezing during a football game, or watch the upteenth gymnastics practice, or drive an hour to and from schools, or....
You get it. One mother told me before the treating begain, "I have not one moment to myself all day. I am a taxi running errands and children from one event or chore to the next."
Waiting is not easy, but we do it for those we love, and continue to do so because of love.
How much more does our Father wait on us? He possess love beyond our understanding. Love that gives and gives and gives...and yes, disciplines. His Word reminds us that if we who are imperfect are able to give good things to those we love, how much more will our Father who is perfect give good things to those who love Him.
God's love has only this condition: Love/Accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, surrender to Him.
He is waiting on us.
Because of love...
Amazing love...
Happy Halloween! Enjoy your time waiting on your own children or answering the door patiently as my children ring your doorbell.
Look for the Avatar child.
Gretchen, your 'Avatar' is beautiful!! And your spirit has made me appreciate Halloween again as a fun-filled, innocent day for kids and parents. There CAN be an innocence to Halloween, one I've struggled to find since I met a few people in a support group years ago who had been ritually abused and Halloween was once of the worst days for them. It was hard to get past the darkness for me to get excited about the simple things of Halloween I enjoyed as a little girl. Thank you for your gift of seeing good in things that can be made evil by a few awful people out there in the world... Those few can make life seem so bad at times..
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debbie, for sharing. You are correct in that Satan seeks to find ways to corrupt and ruin God's children, but praise God for His healing, saving power. We seek not to master Satan but to Depend on the Master of Satan, Jesus Christ. We have victory through Him.
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