In 1971, my mom took apart a large stuffed Snoopy that my brother Michael had given me for my birthday a few years earlier. Why? Because she convinced me to dress up as Snoopy for Halloween! Just like today, I wasn't particularly fond of dressing up, but somehow this worked.
My best friend, Pam, and I went trick-or-treating or perhaps to a Halloween party. Neither of us can remember exactly what we did that night! As with most families, we put a carved pumpkin on the porch and turned on the porch light so the neighborhood kids would know we were welcoming trick-or-treaters. That was about the extent of our Halloween preparations.
Hopefully, we came home with lots of candy! Mounds bars were my favorite then, and they still are. I tell all my grandkids that if they get any Mounds bars while trick-or-treating, they're mine. Today, Ellis informed me that I couldn't have them because he likes them, too! Well, that's a surprise! It's pretty rare to find Mounds bars in a trick-or-treat bag. It always seemed as though we walked for miles and miles, only to come home with maybe one or two. Oh, the days of yore! :-)
But you know, one of the great things about walking—whether we're trick-or-treating, getting our steps in, or simply looking for beautiful fall leaves—is that Jesus walks with us every step of the way. And He does that whether we want Him to or not!
How I wish I could always honestly sing the words to that familiar hymn:
"I want Jesus to walk with me;
I want Jesus to walk with me;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me."
There have been times when I haven't necessarily wanted Jesus walking alongside me. Perhaps I thought I could manage just fine on my own. But I'm so grateful that He never gave up on me, never turned around, and never walked away. Joshua 1:9 reminds us: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Hold fast to those words! What a wonderful promise to carry with us, not just on Halloween, but every single day.
I hope all the children have a safe and fun Halloween tonight! And I'd be remiss if I didn't also wish everyone a Happy Reformation Day!
Today, we can say "Happy" Reformation Day, but I'm sure it was far from a happy day for everyone caught up in all the turmoil surrounding the Reformation. Here's something I'm curious about: Does anyone know whether Halloween or Reformation Day came first? I've sometimes wondered whether celebrating the Reformation on October 31 was, in part, a way of giving a Christian focus to a day already associated with Halloween. Either way, October 31 gives us a reason to remember both!
So tonight, I'll happily celebrate both: wearing my red for Reformation Day and enjoying a Mounds bar for Halloween. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I hear a Mounds bar calling my name!
