From Darkness to Light

I love Halloween. I love all holidays... really any reason to celebrate. But I especially love Halloween. For the last ten years, we have spent time creating fun and crazy decorations for our yard. Usually, we pick a theme for the year and I start working in July to get everything ready.

I've been in school since January and this year I just haven't had the time or energy to get crazy. In fact, my feelings about Halloween and the rest of the holiday season are pretty bland at the moment. I don't have that spark of excitement, I don't feel like planning or decorating or any of it.

I sometimes struggle with depression, and I feel like my tepid holiday feelings are part of a slump I'm in at the moment. It has given me time to think and reflect on my plans and priorities. I have several friends who don't love Halloween for various reasons. I've spent a lot of time considering their point of view this year. I think I still love it, but It occurred to me this week that when we are focused on trick-or-treating, and how much we can get, Halloween is a season of taking.

On November 1, our focus shifts to gratitude, and then to Christ in December, and it becomes the season of giving.

The shift from October to December is a literal and figurative movement from darkness to light. We celebrate the spooky dark fun of Halloween and then literally cover our homes and yards in lights.

I remember several years ago, the first few weeks of December were so hard, my kids seemed more out of control, I was less patient, and everything seemed hard. I had a thought one day- Satan doesn't want us to celebrate Jesus or love and kindness, he doesn't want the Light of Christ to spread. He's happy being stuck in the dark and wants all of us there with him. Things get hard because the forces of darkness don't want to be overtaken by the light. He is fighting to keep us in the dark.

If Satan can create an atmosphere of frantic rushed shopping, obsession over finding the perfect gift, over-packed schedules, and tired parents who are "Elfing the Shelves" at midnight, then he's succeeded in taking our focus off what matters.

As we make our way into the season of light, just remember The Light.

Nativity(Creative Commons Image by Jeff Weese on Flickr)

Slow down, breathe, send Elfy on a vacation to the Bahamas... It will be ok. If you, like me, love Halloween and all that comes with it, great, keep celebrating. But don't let the darkness overshadow the light. Enjoy every season. Keep celebrating.

(There's nothing wrong with Elf on the Shelf, I just can't... if it's your jam, go for it! Love it!)

7.7 Student Choice- Post 2