The Halloween Party

Yesterday my husband posted on why we celebrate Halloween.  You can read his excellent post on the subject here and just know it receives a hearty "amen" from me.

Yesterday was one of those really fun days when I am happy that we are not seclusive Christians on Halloween night.  Ryan and I both believe that the best way to share the love of Jesus with the world is not by being one of the only darkened porches on the street with a sign that says "Jesus Loves You."

And so, we threw a party instead.

In the bible, the kingdom of heaven is described as a party (banquet) with lots of food.  




All day the boys and I prepared for the party - we made homemade salsa and carnitas, mummy cakepops and my favorite caramel apples.  First, we had to go foraging in the woods (or the empty lot behind the old abandoned bank down the street) for sticks.  I get giddy when I think about a party and as an introvert...I won't lie; the anticipation and preparation is my favorite part.

Jesus tells us...I will go and prepare a place for you...

We set out the food, lit some pumpkin spice candles, stuck some beer on ice, opened the door and in came our Halloween revelers.  First, it was some Junior High boys from my oldest's school.  They are new friends of his and are just learning about Jesus from my very verbal and not-ashamed son.  One was a vampire and one was a Civil War Veteran.  Next came the neighbors - every one of the houses we invited showed up as well as two extra families who don't even live on our street.  They were friends of neighbors.  Next came our friends from church.  We only invited one family from church because we wanted to really get to know the families on our street.

God invites everyone from every street corner.  

I love that our understanding of God not only allows, but compels us as a family to open our doors to anyone who will come.  And we don't invite people to convert them.  We invite them so we can know them and so they can know us.  It's a fun way to live.