Halloween

      Halloween ... ... this "holiday" turns my stomach ... I have been thinking a lot lately about why. I watch my nieces and nephews on both sides of our family celebrate only the fun things about this day and NOTHING gross or disturbing. They are so cute in all their little costumes and have so much fun picking them out and making them ... am I robbing my own children of wonderful memories with their grandparents, their cousins? Yes it is based on pagan tradition but every holiday we celebrate has some form of pagan tradition laced throughout, so why can I not ignore it in this "holiday"? Am I making a bigger deal out of this than necessary? I have Christian friends and family that I highly respect, that participate in this day, so why can I not just move past this hiccup and enjoy this fun event with them?
      These are the questions I keep asking myself and praying over. I have even asked myself if this is just my fear getting the better of me, am I simply not trusting that God is truly the Almighty? I have asked God to revile to me any sin I may have by not fully trusting Him or by fearing the unspoken, scary things that happen on this day ... and my God is ever faithful in His revelations ...  I feel tremendous piece as I write this in knowing that His Holy Spirit indwells me and convicts my heart in all things. Somethings I listen to and others (far too many) I ignore, but this, THIS I can not and will not ignore.
     I believe it is no accident that I grew up near a very actively practicing witch, or that I truly could see bits and pieces of the other realm at work, that Chris and I lived for nearly an entire year in what the world would call a haunted house. I do not believe it is by accident that I met a young woman years ago with the most disturbing of stories, the story of her life or better described torture. She was born into a cove of practicing witches and at a very young age she became what they called a breeder and this all happened not so far away from my very own safe, loving, Bible believing home. She was used and abused and impregnated against her will and then her children (plural) were ripped from her own child like hands and placed on an actual alter and killed, sacrificed to an actual Satan on this "fun" "innocent" "holiday". That, that is why I can not participate and have my children participate in ANY part of this horrendous and disgusting holiday made and given to the enemy of God. This is my own personal conviction and my husband agrees wholly. What my children decide in the future will be between them and God and the convictions of their own hearts. Outside of the commandments God has given us, personal conviction is just that, personal.
      So I will continue to be sickened in my spirit and in my stomach about this "holiday"and I will continue to pray on and around this "holiday" for protection of the ones I love and the ones God loves. I will pray throughout the night as God has convicted me to do, for His presents to be felt in the darkness and that the NOT so innocent things that transpire will not forever rain in the lives and hearts of each victim! I will pray that no matter what happens in the darkness of night and the darkness of ones heart that they will someday truly know that God IS big enough to heal ALL hurts and His sacrifice big enough to cover ALL sin and ANY person can be forgiven and whole in Christ!
      I will pray that this is the last year I doubt this conviction and that I will just simply obey it.