Just because everyone else is doing it.... Part 2

Today I will be finishing up my post from yesterday on Halloween....

When I mentioned yesterday that I would be speaking about Fall Festivals, I did not mean them in the sense of those hay ride and pumpkin patch style parties. What I mean was more of the "Halloween alternative" parties that are so popular at churches nowadays. Mine and my husband's views on those are also ones of separation.

I do believe that those parties are great ways to reach the lost, and to give other children who would in fact be out trick or treating, or at Halloween parties with their friends. It is a wonderful outreach tool. However, I don't want my children to attend these. Why do you ask?

First off, we again do not want our children to have to see the evil costumes and masks that come to these parties. Like I said before, you will have a lot of lost and worldly people at these festivals. Therefore, you will see a lot of scary and evil costumes. I don't want those images in my children's young mind, nor do I want them to have to be fearful all night while we try to minister. 

Secondly, I feel to a child, this could seem as if mommy and daddy are still in a way "celebrating" this holiday. In our home, we choose to ignore Halloween completely.

Last year, while I was expecting our little boy, me and my husband came up with our own alternative. While the world was out trick or treating, we would be inside ( with the blinds down and the door shut to block out the images of people walking down the street ) decorating for the Christmas holiday. Christmas is huge in our house as we love to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. I put up my Fall decorations around the 1st of September, so by the end of October, we are ready for our Christmas decorations to come out. We warm up some hot chocolate, and get out the lights, etc. Then we spend a few hours getting the house ready. While everyone else is outside celebrating an evil holiday, we are inside beginning to celebrate the season of Christ's birth. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Now, to quickly touch on the Halloween alternative parties at church's. Like I said before, I do believe they are great outreach tools. I also believe that there are plenty of single, unmarried people in church's to work these festivals. I also believe there are newlywed couples without children, and older couples who would also be available to work these. While our children are young, we want to keep them out of this kind of outreach. When they are older ( adults ), we will then let them make the choice to do these forms of outreach if they feel the Lord leading them to do such. 

This is not hypocritical on our part at all, we feel. For instance: My husband could be doing a prison ministry every Saturday morning. We would not want our children to go into that sort of environment. However, when our sons are older teens and adults, my husband could then take them with him to minister. There is a time a place for everything depending on age and spiritual maturity. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1- To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

My honest prayer is that every family takes a good long look at their own homes and family life, and can see what they can replace this holiday with. 

Another good resource I have found on this topic is a Dad's and Mom's Corner from the Maxwell family. You can find that here. You can also subscribe to receive their Dad's and Mom's Corner's every month via e-mail. They are a wonderful resource, and I encourage you to do so. 

Just because everyone else is doing it....

"But Mom, ALL of my friends are dressing up! "

How many moms and dads will be confronted with this line come Sunday night? Yes, that's right, it's Halloween again. As if anyone who ever leaves their house could not have known considering all of the things stores have bombarding you right at the front door. Candy, costumes, decorations: You name it, they have it.

But is this "holiday" something that Christians should actually be celebrating? Doing a quick Wikipedia search on the origins of Halloween, you would be shocked ( as I was ) to see what you find. Halloween is as pagan a holiday as you can get.

Courtesy of Wikipedia:

The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworldbecame thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces.^[4][5] Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.^[6] Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.

Another common practice was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink.

The name 'Halloween' and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era.

Is this the type of "holiday" that we want our children participating in?

There is then the argument that we can dress as Biblical characters to make a statement to the unsaved. Yes, this could be an idea. But, unfortunately, the costumes the other children are wearing are getting worse and worse every year. Have you seen the costumes they are selling nowadays? All blood and guts and gore. Certainly something that would scare a small child, if not a full grown adult woman! I don't want to even put my children out in that kind of situation where they would have to be confronted by such things. Even passing out tracts at your front door to trick-or-treeter's has the same dilemma. While your family is trying to show the light of Christ, the child on your front porch looks like something out of the latest horror movie. That image is now burned in your child's brain forever. Yes, it can be said that children show know the difference between real and fake. Try telling that to your poor child who is now having nightmares. There just does not seem to be a Godly, Biblical way to address this time of year, other than just hands off.

John 15:19--If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

You might be considered weird or old fashioned by not allowing your children to participate, but please don't let that discourage you. Or worse, make you lose your stand on not celebrating at all. The only person that we should be seeking to please with our lives is God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Tomorrow, I will be addressing Fall Festivals and my opinions and views on those. Hope to see you then!

Earning Money at Home- Inbox Dollars review

I am a huge proponent of stay at home ladies earning money at home. Even if it is just $25 dollars extra a month, that's a nice padding for your savings account!

This first week, I will be reviewing Inbox Dollars.

Inbox Dollars is a great website that allows you to do exactly what it says: earn money by reading e-mails, doing paid offers, online shopping, paid tasks, etc. How do I know Inbox Dollars works? Because I've been paid by them! It really does work! Now, I do not support spending money to earn money. As far as the cash offers go, I only do the absolutely free ones. If they request a credit card, or even a mailing address, I'm outta there. You might feel differently, however. That is just my personal preference. Without doing this, I was still able to earn a nice check.

Another recommendation I would give is to open up a separate e-mail account for just your survey and e-mail sites. I have never received spam from Inbox Dollars, however, they do send you paid e-mails daily. This could clog up your personal e-mail account a bit. But, be sure to open up your paid e-mails within one month of receipt, because after that they do expire. ( I have learned from experience. )

Inbox Dollars is a great way to earn a little money each month! :)

God's Provision

Why is it, as Christians, that we somewhere along the way get the idea that we are worth something? That we are worth brand new clothes, fancy restaurant meals, etc. And when we can't afford those things, then we are easily swayed by debt to go out and purchase them. Because " We deserve to treat ourselves. " we say.

Why? Why do we deserve such? Truly, God himself does say He will provide for us food and clothing. Matthew 6:25-26 - Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Notice in this verse, however, we are not promised steak dinners and Express clothing. I can eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and be full. I can go shopping at the local Goodwill Thrift Store and have clothing. Nowhere in the Bible do you find that God believes we have to have the best in order to be blessed.

Jesus came down to earth for you and for me to die. He by all Biblical accounts was a "traveling preacher", passing on the good news of God's word from town to town. He did not eat the best food I am sure, or always have the best living accommodations. He did however have faith, and complete trust in His Father to provide for His needs. Not His wants, but His needs.

May we all get our needs and wants separated, and truly realize just how blessed we all are.

I don't believe in coincidence

About two weeks ago now, me and Hubby went to Ross to look for some new clothes for him. Him lawn care business did a number on some of his jeans this year, so he really needed a few new pairs. I needed a new pair of shoes for winter. Notice I emphasize the word needed. I do honestly have plenty of shoes in my closet, but I was looking for a nice pair that would go well with stockings for the winter. My shoes now would work with stockings, but just not work exactly how I like.

So, while Hubby was looking for pants, this Mama was looking for shoes! And wouldn't you know it, I found a pair! Only $10.99 on clearance.

I tried them on.

And of course....

they didn't fit.

I found another pair, in my perfect size. They did fit. But, the clearance sticker was not on that pair. They stated the price was $15.99.

I had a choice.

I could just switch the stickers on the shoes and take them to the front to check out. I mean, they were the same pair, right? Just different sizes. Maybe they had forgotten to mark these down. I was just helping out.

Or option two.

Take both pairs up to the register, and ask if the size that fit was the same price as the size that didn't fit.

With an expectant heart, I chose option two. I figured I was right in the price issue.

I was wrong.

The lady explained that they must not have received the size that fit until recently. Only shoes left on the shelf for awhile were marked down. She asked if I still wanted them. I looked to Hubby, who said only "It's up to you."

I said very kindly, thanks, but no thanks. $15.99 was a lot for a pair of shoes. I walked out of that store feeling a little down, but not completely out.

I prayed. That's right, I prayed for shoes that night. I prayed that God would lead me to a good cheap pair.

And I waited.

Last weekend, at the free yard sale. wouldn't ya know? I found a pair of shoes! Not new, but quite cute still and useable.

God heard my prayer, and provided the exact kind of shoe that I wanted, um needed.

God always hears our prayers. And sure, sometimes His answer is NO. Or wait. But sometimes, we get a yes!

I could have switched the stickers, but I would still feel bad about it. And I would never know the sweet feeling that God has given me with this new pair. The feeling of "Hey, I'm watching out for you."

The feeling that only God can give.

Best deal ever!

I am a deal junkie! Anything on sale, cheap, almost free, or free, and I'm there. My list of things I have gotten for free is growing, but today I stumbled upon the best deal yet!

We were driving around this morning pretty set on just moseying around town and finding a yard sale or two, when we spotted a sign that read "Free Yard Sale".

If you are me, you HAVE to stop. If for nothing else but to see what in the world this is about.

Liberty Church on Nine Mile was hosting a free yard sale. When you arrived, they gave you $30 in Monopoly money, and you could "buy" whatever there you wanted. Things were priced, like a regular yard sale. But, the prices were so inexpensive! Clothes were buy two for $1. They also had books, shoes movies, household stuff, etc.

We ended up walking out with clothes for all of us, two pair of shoes for Mommy, a pair of shoes for Bubs, a picture, some super cute decorative flowers, some books, ahh.. and a few other things I can't remember right now.

AND WE STILL HAD $10 IN MONOPOLY MONEY LEFT!

We don't desire to be greedy, so we just left at that. But still, WOW. Thank you Liberty Church for giving me the best deals yet!