trick or treat...

we just finished passing out a whole basket full of candy to literally hundreds of kids at mom and dad's house in poplarville tonight. they come in to go trick or treating by truckloads from all of the neighboring communities and have such fun.

i heard this week that the tradition of trick or treating started in the u.s. to cut down on the number of pranks pulled on all hallows eve; instead someone came up with the brilliant plan to give out "treats" to keep the kids from "tricking" the whole town. hence the famous,"trick or treat!"

i dressed schmi up in a spider costume i found at the local consignment shop and she got many compliments! i have to admit, she was adorable!

we had lots of fairies and pirates, pumpkins and puppy dogs, butterflies and monsters. the little girls eyes danced as they walked timidly up to us in their snow white and cinderella gowns and the little boys couldn't keep the grins off of their faces as they demanded candy behind masked super hero faces.

even the parents got into the act. what fun to see mothers proudly holding up lady bugs and poodles! fathers dressed in funny wigs to make little ones laugh and carried bags to the door apologetically for sleeping ones who had long since passed out for the night.

we had our fair share of scary creatures also and i think that is fun too. i remember reading in Nevada Barr's non fiction work about her life how important she thought it was for all of us, even little ones, to have one night where we have to face down our fears. not that i think its ok to just go around scaring little kids unnecessarily, that's not what i mean at all. its just that i think it can be really wonderful to have chances in our lives to look uncertainty in the eye and stare it down. perhaps our fairy wings or our super man muscles will help us, or so we hope. its a good feeling to let your heart race sometimes, to feel the blood pumping through your veins and keep on walking, to be someone else for one night, someone who maybe has the courage to the face the fears we may not have in everyday life.

and there is just something magical about walking down an otherwise dark and scary, moonlit street holding your fathers hand. knowing that he is protecting you from the older kids up ahead in scary costumes. knowing that he knows the timid one behind the mask who is tyring hard to be brave.

i think sometimes the things we dressed as when we were children are really not masks at all, but mirrors. the princesses just want to feel pretty. the monsters just want to feel empowered. the heroes just want to feel purpose and mission. if only we could dress ourselves in our passions, as well as our fears in order to stare down them both. aren't they the same things when you really think about it? i know sometimes when the road seems to stretch ahead of me and God pulls back the veil just a bit for me to see the next step, i get so excited, but also, so scared.

this week my very best friend bought a house and it got me thinking about life and uncertainty. about how hard it can sometimes be to grow up, but how we have to make those big decisons none the less. and about the things in my own life that i fear. but that i am also passionate about. sometimes its easier to wish we could go back to the days where we can throw on the muscles and masks when its time to make those tough decisions.

its never easy to decide to walk down dark and scary streets when we don't know for sure whats up ahead.
trick? or treat?
but i have to remind myself, the Father is there holding my hand. He knows my timid heart and the ache its felt. He knows the fears that no one else knows. and He is the reason that i can be brave. after all He has made the way so that we can walk with no fear. as His children we have nothing to fear. even death itself has been conquered by Him, and so why would we fear our very lives?

as i look up at Halloween's full moon tonight i am reminded that ultimately it reflects our Lord, and i pray that i might reflect him too.

POEM OF THE DAY:

AFRAID? Of whom am I afraid?
Not death; for who is he?
The porter of my father’s lodge
As much abasheth me.

Of life? ‘T were odd I fear a thing
That comprehendeth me
In one or more existences
At Deity’s decree.

--e.d.