Halloween - get out of the house!

Boo!  Halloween has come and gone.  One more year gone.  One more year of debates and discussions about it.

One more year of candies, chocolates and chips

And one more night of opportunities.

No, I'm not going to tell you how amazing this last Halloween was.  It was, in many ways, quite 'ordinary'.  Nothing visibly "missional".  No hot chocolate served in our house.  No special John 3:16 verses attached to the candies.  No special discussion with our kids.

And yet, one thing stands out.  For the first time ever, 

 I GOT OUT OF THE HOUSE

This year Halloween was no longer about a period of time where I wrestled over the 'right' or 'wrong' way to 'celebrate' Halloween.

I became aware that God had been changing us for the past years.  He has been challenging us to think beyond the way we have been raised.  We have been asking questions. We have been dialoguing with other Christians and non Christians.  We have been listening.  And by now, we felt pretty convinced there is nothing to be fearful of. In our current social context, we felt pretty clear about our stance.

But there was disparity between our convictions and our actions this year.

What are we supposed to actually DO on Halloween this year?

AT WORK:  

I am working now, and for the first time in my career, I was put in a position where I had to decide if I was going to dress up or not.  My first few jobs were with Christian schools so I never even HAD to think about this.  I would smirk at Halloween and just comment inside me that only 'unbelievers' would take part in this (yes, at one point in my life, in all honestly, I think I had an 'attitude problem')

Then I started working in the 'real world', but in my office no one ever participated so I never faced any decision making issues.  It was easy to decide because the decision was made for me already.  In fact, I had not made any decision at all!

Then I had kids and now I'm back to teaching -- to dress up or not to dress up.  The school was showing a thriller to the students.  The movie was one I had watched years ago and enjoyed it, but even on the eve before Halloween, I found myself faced with the question:

DO I participate or not?
Is it "Christian" for me to do so? (or not to do so)?

In the end, I did participate.  And it was fun.  I connected with staff and students in a different way I never would.  I loved it.  I loved the opportunity.

But I was deeply aware of the struggle inside me and each moment I felt the Lord with me.  He was telling me this was exactly what He wanted me to do this year:  get out of the house! and see and participate in what people I want you to connect with are doing

AT HOME:

Like last year, this year's Halloween was damp, wet, and windy.  Nothing better to really convince you to stay home and scrap all the plans.  And I did chicken out of some of them.  I had originally thought we'd serve some hot cocoa to parents.  At the 11th hour I decided to can everything but in all honestly, I was scared.

So I figured, we'd just go out with the kids so that they won't be disappointed.  Just for a little while.

JUST GET OUT OF THE HOUSE ~ seemed to be the message, and you will figure out what Halloween is supposed to look like for you

So my family went OUT to trick or treat for the first time EVER.  We walked around the hood.  We invited our neighbours to go with us.  We knocked on doors, we smiled and we waved hello. and the kids got lots of candy

That's it.

What what was so missional about it all?

Not much at plain sight.

But upon careful reflection, I realize I had a fulfilling and learning experience.  I had NEVER gone out trick or treating.  I had never knocked on people's doors.

After considering all the ideas I had to be more intentional in seizing this day to share Jesus' love with people, I realized a far simpler thing needed to be done:  I got out, I dressed up (I was the only parent I saw who was dressed up in my hood), and I intentionally greeted people at their door.

I found out who lives in my hood.  I found out who had little kids, who had newborns.  Who were the elderly and who were the immigrants.  My kids found out some of their friends from school were actually neighbours.  We discovered the creative souls in the hood.  The stingy ones.  The generous ones.  The playful ones.  The spooky ones.

We got to know them without asking asking them.

Halloween isn't for the faint of heart -- not because it is complicated, or because it requires a lot of planning.  Perhaps for some, like me, all we need is to get out of our comfort zones and purposely  and prayerfully greet people, chat with people and simply ENJOY the moments WITH people.

And so, a Halloween has come and gone...and I have matured (and grow younger) a little more ... and less.

Until next Halloween.