Light The Night Prep Work

So....last year, I posted a blog about what our family, as a Bible-believing Christian family, had decided to do with Halloween. Many Christian families dismiss this "holiday" altogether and have no part of it. You can read here to get our family's take on it:

http://findtheblueheron.blogspot.com/2010/11/hallo-whaaaaat.html

last night and tonight...we got ready for this years "Light The Night" celebration.

last night, we carved ourselves a pumpkin...for the last 2 years, Gavin has designed our pumpkin. last year....he gave us the "Bob-o-Lantern"...this year...we let him design it, but let Ivy name it....




Ladies and gentlemen....the "Jenny-o-Lantern"...crack-tastic.

So tonight...we started by decorating labels that I had made up with Bible verses on them:




...filling bags with candy....



...stopping for a snack....


...and ending up with about 150 bags of candy wrapped with God's Saving Word:


Our goal is pretty simple....to not hide, but offer God's word to those who come on our land to get candy. To not shove it down their throats, but get in the mix and to prayerfully seek The Lord's leading...should there be someone who needs to hear the Word that night...that we may be unashamed and full of The Spirit....or if they come by only to get candy...so be it. We pray for Godly discernment. One thing that I love is that my son is unashamed to ask a peer if "they love Jesus". It blesses me to hear him ask that of a new found acquaintance at the playground or to the new kid in the neighborhood....I wouldn't be the least surprised if he was called to preach the Word.
Come trick-or-treat night...we'll have our hot buttered cider out..warming in the yard on the camping stove...available to warm the loins of the parents leading their kids around...as well as a bonfire going in the front yard. Our goal is not to one-up anyone else...but to simply be a soft-yet-noticeable presence within our neighborhood. To quietly spread comfort, connection, and the Word of God.

Sometimes you are called to sow...sometimes to reap...Halloween might bring a bit of both.
Tonight was just about a perfect night with the family...and....oh yeah....it snowed:


Beba came out to enjoy the flakes with the kids....in his socks.....
Then we got warm beside the fire:



"..Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it.
mount of Thy redeeming Love."